One of my all time fave horror/sci-fi films, 1982's THE THING is a tense, gory and claustrophobic winner.
Following "Escape from New York" the previous year, Director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell teamed up for an eighties take on a 50's classic.
Russell is terrific as MacReady, the quiet but tough leader of a group of scientists at a desolate Antarctica research site. Surrounded by blowing snow and ice, MacReady and his team find themselves exposed to an alien organism that is all too eager to replicate them and hide in plain sight. Russell builds on his Snake Plissken portrayal in "Escape" for a more well rounded anti-hero.
The physical special effects as our alien changes from dog to human to something MORE are fantastic and very gross in the best possible sci-fi movie fashion.
Over 30 years later, this movie will still make you squirm. The small cast is terrific with Wilford Brimley as Blair, Keith David as Childs & Donald Moffat as Garry standing out in their roles.
As the shape shifting alien jumps from host to host, no one knows who to trust and even begins to doubt if they themselves have been infected.
Carpenter is at the height of his game here and pushes every button without being cliche. The scene where someone's head removes itself from their body, sprouts spider legs and tries to runaway is still a classic!
The blood test scene is another winner, mounting tension even when you've seen this movie multiple times.
Kudos to Ennio Morricone for his moody, nonstop music score and Bill Lancaster for a smart, lean and tense screenplay.
THE THING is a model of horror/sci-fi, visual excess and things that make you JUMP on cue, done with class and style. Just try to not look away. A slimy, screaming, freaky, terrific classic that earns a dripping, oozing A+!
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