The Thing (1982)

[Pumpkinhead]

I've decided I should be posting more in this forum, and I thought to myself, what better way to start off than to review one of my all time favourites?

It's THE THING. Made in 1982, I believe it to be John Carpenter's best. Many people bestow this honour upon HALLOWEEN, but I consider THE THING to be far superior in nearly every aspect (and I love HALLOWEEN!) It has amazing atmosphere and a very creepy score. It's also quite obvious that Carpenter had more money to use on this film than with his previous films, and as a result, we get a movie with a great cast, solid directing, and some of the best special effects ever caught on film. Some critics have said that the special effects are overused, but I don't think so. First off, they are very convincing (No CGI back then), and aren't even used that often. The accent is more on suspense than on effects for the duration of the film, and I find it very hard to belive that they got in the way of the story. Finally, this is one hell of a scary movie. The setting is creepy enough as it is, but there are quite a few great scares and surprises along the way!

Bottom line, this is a classic. It is proof that remakes are not always a bad thing, and if you haven't seen this, go out and rent it, now!! You won't be disappointed.

[Requiem-for-a-Dream]

The Thing- 10/10

Rated R for Tons of Gore and Terror.

A John Carpenter masterpiece. From start to finish I was glued to the screen. One day up in the Antarctic a group of researchers are interrupted out of their daily activities by a dog and a group of Norwegian's trying to kill it. This dog is not what it seems (wait till you see the sequence in the dog cage, talk about bizarre!) and soon the team workers are all against each other. This is one of my fav. films of all time! If you haven't seen it, go now!!!!

Gore- 10/10
Tons of odd and juicy gore sequences that I can't give away, you just have to see them to believe them.

Nudity- 0/10
None and I was glad, this movie isn't about nudity.

Matt

[kubotakhan01]

The Thing. Hands down one of the most frightening films to ever ooze down the silver screen. I remember the first time I saw it as a kid. I was scarred for life. I still to this day will not watch this film alone. It isn't just the special effects(Much luv to Special effects wizard Rob Bottin, whose creatures blow away any of the CGI stuff today), but the claustrophobic ambiance, knowing that these twelve men are going to die alone up there and that the thing is going to win, no matter what they do about it, and thinking what could happen if it found it's way to a populated area, is frightening enough. This is one of the few films that, even though I have seen it dozens of times, still lingers in the back of my head after a viewing, causing me to not sleep as sound. A must see, not only for horror fans, but for people who want a completely original(in it's own right) film, with state of the art special effects that will rival any special effect now and forever, as well as a good mindscrew. A horror classic.

RATING 10/10

[countchocula]

Originally posted by Pumpkinhead
Some critics have said that the special effects are overused, but I don't think so. First off, they are very convincing (No CGI back then), and aren't even used that often. The accent is more on suspense than on effects for the duration of the film, and I find it very hard to belive that they got in the way of the story.

Good point. The Thing is infamous for its astonishing special effects, but they're actually used sparingly. This isn't a mindless excuse to show off Bottin's effects wizardry; this is a taut, bleak film that emphasizes suspense over fluff. At times, I felt that it was cluttered with too many characters, though. Most of the players involved are faceless and interchangeable. But I still regard this film as one of Carpenter's best, and I agree that it surpasses Halloween. Let's just hope that the guy makes a return to tense, ominous horror with his next project. Vampires and Ghosts of Mars were fun, but a more serious effort is long overdue.

[meltingman]

Well, I agree with you schmoes. The Thing is a masterpiece. Notice my favorite movie pick. Excellent writing, acting, directing, photography, sound effects & music. I really could not find a single fault with this film. Each of the characters were superb including the visualization of the alien(s) in its shape shifting forms. To top it off the story is incredibly awesome. There were so many great moments in this film and each point in the story blends into the next in a believable way. Perfection!

[Jason Voorhees]

It's a wonderful film. Carpenter is at his bleak best here, serving up palpable amounts of dread, isolation, claustrophobia, and paranoia. The story is gripping; who is infected? What horrible thing will they turn into? And when? It's a very tense scenario that is both well acted and well directed.

The effects...wow. These are easily some of the best ever put to film. The transformation scenes are brilliant, serving up some truly horrendous and original creatures.

Even to a very jaded horror freak such as myself, there are genuinely unnerving moments (the ''test'' scene with the blood and matches, I'm being a bit vague, but I think you know what I'm talking about). And the finale...

This is definitely Carpenter's best film, in my opinion.

5/5.

[heretic]

I like this film a lot it was very different from how I exspected it to be having not seen the origanal or being able to find any reveiws on this version I exspected to see the thing being a monster movie set in a city. I was suprised to find it based on a small group of researches. What I liked most about this film is the constant feeling of paranoia wich was pulled of very well. one of the classics!

[teenkiller]

Many might consider Halloween to be Carpenter's best creation and although it has undoubtedly become his most popular and successful I think his greatest genius work is THE THING. He perfectly captures the sense of claustrophobia and distrust and all the actors come out VERY convincing. And yes although the film is slightly known for its gore effects none of it comes out over the top and its used sparingly. Great ending too. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[Juice]

Carpenter's best flick. I love it; the scene where they test who is the Thing is breathtaking, and then it can also make you laugh sometimes(spider in head scene). Of course the fact that there's no woman in this movie made it better for me, we weren't distracted by nudity.

[Gluttony]

I agree that The Thing is a very well made flick and is Carpenter's best to date. He comes close with Big Trouble in Little China, which is more my taste but the Thing rocked my world since I was an impressional child and is still fond in my memory

5/5

[MotorizedInstinct]

The best remake i've seen and one of Carpenters best

[pyscho dude]

The Thing is a horror classic. 4/4 I first borrowed the movie from a friend and watched it alone in my room. Man was I really impressed. I mean it had all the right ingridieants to an excellent film. Great score(Ennio Morricone) Great acting, Great special effects, great directing, great script. The special effects are some of the greatest and goriest I've ever seen. Which goes to show you that you don't need any shitty looking cgi to make a good movie. The only problem I had with the film was the lack of women or nudity but it didn't need those to be a great film. One of Carpenter's best.:D

[doggyboyuk]

The Thing is a true Horror classic IMO one of Carpenders best. I tend to watch it every few years to keep it fresh everytime i watch it.

[PackBacker]

The Thing 1982

Directed by: John Carpenter (Halloween)

Screenplay by: Bill Lancaster

Starring: Kurt Russell (Escape From New York), Wilford Brimley (Cocoon), Kieth David (They Live)

Tagline: Man is the warmest place to hide.

Rating: 9/10


Plot: A mysterious shape assuming creature is attacking members of a research station in Antarctica. It soon becomes difficult to figure out their biggest problem- the creature, rampant paranoia, or the fact that they are isolated from the entire world in temperatures forty degrees below zero.

Review: I'm one of the most outspoken critics of horror film remakes. I think that they are unnecessary, inferior, demonstrate a total lack of originality, and are often times offensive to the senses. Now, if all remakes were like John Carpenter's "The Thing" I would be singing a much different tune.

This film is spectacular in every facet. It is often heaped with praise for its special effects (which ARE incredible!) but the sense of desolation and dread the film inspires is just as praiseworthy. The film revolves around a research team in Antartica, a pile of dead bodies, and a mysterious creature. It's a far cry from the original in which a vegetable man was the cause of all the disturbance.

The plot of the film is a little recycled (first film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, et. al.) but is carried along by the strong atmosphere that the film evokes. Darkness, desolation, and all out fear are colors Carpenter brightly paints with his celluloid pallet. The film is carried further by a strong cadre of actors. Kurt Russell and John Carpenter mesh exceptionally well in every film they collaborate on- we'll just try and forget about "Escape from LA" for everyone's sake. Wilford Brimley is quite good in his supporting role...it's so odd to see him without him talking about his "die-uh-beet-us". Similary Kieth David is a bad mofo and a little underutilized.

The effects in this film are jaw dropping. Realize that this isn't CGI- this is old school. The effects stand the test of time and can rival (and in my opinion surpass) most of today's work. Writhing tentacles, multiple headed monsters, exploding body cavities, the list goes on and on. The effects alone are worth viewing the film.

The score is very Carpenter-ish...and surprisingly he didn't do it. It's very low-key with a repetitive drumming noise. It highlights the building tension perfectly. I was flabbergasted to find that Carpenter didn't do it himself, it's that perfect for the film.

It's been almost 25 years since Carpenter's remake. I'm quite worried that some executive is doodling around in his office with horrible ideas of remaking the remake with spiffy CGI effects, a PG rating, and Freddy Prinze Jr. This one worked and has etched itself as a classic- in many ways surpassing the original. Leave well enough alone I beg of you executives!

[Jason13thh]

Ahhh The Thing maybe my favorite Carpenter's movie.

It's creepy, dark, somber (and the very gloomy score by Morricone surely helps) it's a men movie.

The FX are still convincing and work well even today, Rob Bottin's work is fantastic for sure.

The directing by Carpenter is always good and precise.

The acting is pretty good, especially the anti hero: Kurt Russel (portraying Mac Ready a helicopter pilot)

10/10

[Monstrosity]

Yes, oh yes. The Thing is Carpenter's best. Hollywood should take note that effects alone does not a movie make. What works about this film is the sparing use of the effects. You see the dog, the blood tests and tenticles. Then your imagination keeps you on edge at what may be down the next hall.

Awsome flick.

[the dead one]

Carpenters masterpiece---taught and filled with tension.

This film is actually more faithful to the short story it is based on 'Who goes there' then the original 'The Thing; from another world'

http://www.geocities.com/j_nada/carp/thingpos.jpg

[Tuukka]

Carpenter's best, and in my top 5 horror movies of all time.

[MaggotShroom]

I remember hearing alot of positive reviews about this movie along time ago and when i found out it was by John Carpenter. I just knew i had to see this movie. So i did and damn i was amazed. The effects and blood/gore was quite captivating. This is definitely a horror classic and definitely one of John Carpenter's finest films....

4/4

[Draven2277]

There's nothing i can say about this horror masterpiece that hasn't already been said. A true horror classic, and one of Carpenter's best. If not THE best. One of the finest horror movies EVER.

[seven]

The thing was a movia that i saw when i was about 5....my dad didn't have stupid rules about violence in movies bla bla.....i saw it then and kida forgot about it....for the next few years i tried to get it buit it was very hard to find....why?....i don't know....i saw it again about a yar ago and it was just the way i remembered it to be....the same honest to god gore....the sama "i don't trust anybody" type of speech.....and the location...more than good....i kinda wanted to know what happened to those two guys after....was anybody infected...or were they normal....i meqan that was a WTF ending....I would love to see a sequel...:)....with Kurt Russel of course...has anyone played the computer game?

[seven]

sorry for the typing errors....:)

[BASSI]

scared the shit out me, great movie, but a little slow
9/10

[seven]

well.....if you think about it, the tension in the movie and that unpredictable "i-think-something-is-going-to-jump-and-gore-the-shit-out-of-me-atmosphere" is a lot more scary than stupid "BOO" moments

[!MorganOnyx!]

One of the best horror movies EVER made, if not THE BEST. All of those people who like THE EXORCIST, THE SHINING, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, ALIEN etc NO, NO, NO, NO! :cool:

[JackassFan]

This is my favourite horror movie of all time, and I can't believe they're gonna remake it!! Sucks. :mad:

Anyway this films gets a 10/10 from me because it remains one of the best and scariest horror movies ever.

[jagged halo]

The only thing (pardon the pun) that let's it down is the finale. That dog/blair creature looks plain naff. I wanted to see what the Thing looked like in it's purest form. I mean how the fuck did it control its spaceship looking like that?

[!MorganOnyx!]

Originally posted by jagged halo
The only thing (pardon the pun) that let's it down is the finale. That dog/blair creature looks plain naff. I wanted to see what the Thing looked like in it's purest form. I mean how the fuck did it control its spaceship looking like that?

Exactly dude. Do we know for sure that CARPENTER wasn't planning a sequel? He always spoke negatively about a HALLOWEEN sequel, but once the money talked, so did he. Maybe he pre-conceived an idea for a sequel, and that's why he 'left it open' at the end. I've also always wondered whether the last sight of THE THING was the 'be all and end all' of the little bastard. I think not........well I'd HOPED not!!!! It was made, what, 24 years ago?? :(

[Valo the Crow]

This is one of the best remakes I've ever seen.

***8/10***
Who Goes There? I Go There
:)

[teenkiller]

It has been 25 years since The Thing was initially released and I must say DAMN! Rob Bottin's masterful effects pretty much STILL beat out anything released today and the movie is a quarter century old. Computer generated effects may be what the industry is leaning more towards these days but practical effects will always have a stronger place in my heart. To those that say they get in the way of the film I disagree. Wholeheartedly. They aren't just thrown in for shock or exploitative value. They are definitley used appropriately. This film is Carpenter's finest hour. Absolutely flawless. 10/10. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[teenkiller]

Well I had the opportunity (thanks to XCoRyX for filling me in) to see THE THING on the big screen last night and it ROCKED! WAAAAAY better with an audience. People's reaction to the defibrillator scene was worth the trip alone. Seeing this along with Prince of Darkness and Escape From New York was DEFINITELY worth the $12 admission. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[Cronos]

although i pretty much love all his films equally, The Thing is one of Carpenter's greatest films, its also one of the best sci-fi/horror flicks ever. the cast is great, i don't remember any of the acting being bad. it also has some great effects and gore. really good fun from start to finish with a kickass soundtrack

10/10

[teenkiller]

I was certain, without a doubt, that THE THING would go down as my personal favorite Capenter film but after seeing Escape From New York last night I just don't know if that is true anymore. The man made some seriously amazing cinema and now I'm all hyped up to purchase Escape from L.A. and Assault on Precinct 13. I'm also awaiting his return to horror next year. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[Ratlehed]

John Carpenter had a great run in the late 70s and early 80's. Assualt on Precinct 13, Halloween, The Fog, The Thing, and Escape from NY are all favorites of mine.Which probably makes him my favorite director. Not many directors have made some many good movies in such a little time span. Hopefully he can pull out one more great film before he is offically done. Big Trouble in Little China 2 perhaps??

[Narfellus]

Do directors lose their talent the older they get? I have often wondered about that. Most of my favorite movies are from when a director is young, and almost none are from that same director 10-20 years later. I wonder if the energy of youth has something to do with it, as making a movie can be physically and emotionally draining.

Ho-lee shit! I just noticed that i posted in this same thread three years ago today, almost down to the MINUTE!

trippy