FIRST TIME WATCHING: The Thing (1982) REACTION (Movie Commentary)

#thething
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[@flovonnejohnson707]

This movie is the reason I prefer practical effects over CGI

[@crimesforkibble6912]

I absolutely agree the problem is to do them right and do them good you need money they're expensive and time consuming it's hard to convince a studio to go that route when a computer can do it faster and cheaper that's why so many movies suck now most CGI looks like shit it's no replacement for good practical effects

[@w1975b]

@@crimesforkibble6912 Avatar cost over $200 million and it was only CGI. Jurassic Park had some practical effects and was $63 million. I guess there should be an adjustment for inflation, 16 years apart...I don't know. Maybe practical effects will make a comeback.

[@vincentcarotta3355]

Totally agree. CGI definitely has it's place but it's not in horror movies.

[@dannysmith9537]

Same! CGI ages very quickly, whereas practical affects hold up for decades

[@jameslyddall]

Blade runner 2049 all done with practical effects. I do love the old style projection and miniature combo. Outland Sean Connery did a good feel for that which had rear projection and practical effects.

[@MrWhatdafuBOOM]

Everyone's first time watching: "Don't shoot the dog!" Everyone's second time: "Kill that damn dog!"

[@orangewarm1]

That dog at the beginning, best animal actor ever.

[@CapedInformer]

I thought so too!

[@kevinpogue7294]

The dog was actually half husky, half wolf. The trainer warned everyone against accidently startling him.

[@shevawn1973]

@@kevinpogue7294 I bet 😊

[@FilthTribeFTP]

That Malamute-Husky was the most dedicated animal actor I've ever seen! I mean, the animal peeled its face back like a frickin banana! You only get one chance at getting the shot! Lmao 😂😂😂

[@MrWhatdafuBOOM]

Yeah, you really believe it' a dog.

[@wratched]

You're one of the few reactors to call out Bennings for dissing "Superstition". Respect.

[@CapedInformer]

Had to do it lol

[@gryffen9608]

@@CapedInformer Oh, agreed! LOVE Stevie Wonder. However ... and I say this with a heavy heart. "Man, RESPECT the classics!" ... um ... What if I told you Superstition wasn't even a decade old by the time 1982's "The Thing." So ... it was still considered current pop music at the time. Yeah, it makes me want to cry sometimes, too, especially since it was 'new music' for me.

[@joshuaizzo8893]

To be fair, he was shot that day

[@MsAppassionata]

He was the first person in their group to die. That’s what you get for dissin’ Stevie.

[@eirikrdberg1161]

Jungle junk Music.

[@CursedMusicbox333]

Still one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever made, I never get tired of seeing people react to it! 👍 Still unsettling how they got Jed the wolf dog to behave so damn strange, he was a great animal actor. 💛

[@CapedInformer]

I was thinking that the whole time. He was amazingly trained!

[@jestemlegendom]

That's because Jed was a real wolf. :D edit: half wolf

[@gregghelmberger]

You're definitely not alone in liking the ending. The bleak, unresolved nature of the conclusion just adds to the horror.

[@11DNA11]

Unresolved? It's Childs.

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

According to what the original ending was supposed to be, Mac was rescued and was NOT the thing. I do love the unresolved ending.

[@zeallust8542]

@@11DNA11 No. Its not. The ending was intented to have no correct answer.

[@soljwf5664]

This ending rocked it's one of my favorites and the prequel sucked balls

[@flovonnejohnson707]

Fun fact: they were actually telling the crew about the dog (creature) in Norwegian. So it wasn't just random words they were actually warning them

[@eirikrdberg1161]

He spoke poor Norwegian. `It is not a dog! It is some kind of thing. It mutates. It isn`t a dog. Move it fuckin` idiots`. All said with heavy, weird accent of someone who speaks a little Norwegian, but not often.

[@flovonnejohnson707]

@@eirikrdberg1161 so? That doesnt change the fact that they were actually saying something. Im currently learning cantonese and wouldnt be good at it but if i said something to warn them even if the sentence was barely coherent it would get the point across

[@biffyqueen]

@@eirikrdberg1161 Apparently it was well enough for Norwegian audiences to notice. Another point in the 2011 movie, that character explicitly doesn't understand English.

[@eirikrdberg1161]

As a Norwegian myself who has enjoyed this movie many times they portray the Norwegians as clowns in this film. Blowing up their own helicopter and speaking Norwegian to americans. Even back in 82 we knew a little English and they would have screamed in English. Stay away from the dog!! It is a thing! It isn’t a real dog!!! Kill it!!

[@netochkakirilovna149]

If only one of them spoke Norwegian, they explained the whole plot right at the beginning, would have torched the dog and roll credits. There's a life lesson in that somewhere.

[@Kladyos]

Indeed. If only the Norwegians spoke English... truly a life lesson.

[@youtubeistrash953]

Honestly , even as an animal lover if someone is that insane to kill an animal, I'll at least lock up the animal and try to figure out what's going on because there's probably a good reason lol

[@MsAppassionata]

@@youtubeistrash953 I would at least have thought it had rabies or something. I was suspicious of the dog from the start. It acted so weird to me. It just sat there staring at things, never making a sound. Creepy.

[@namelessjedi2242]

A couple Kurt Russel classics are Escape From New York and Big Trouble in Little China (both with John Carpenter directing, too)

[@crimesforkibble6912]

Elvis directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell is also really good

[@Buffaloheart68]

What makes this so good to me is you go from this group of people that trust each other, to a group of people that are afraid of each other. With not knowing who was the Thing or not

[@CapedInformer]

Yup. Good message on trust, bonds, and human nature

[@namelessjedi2242]

I appreciate how you always use the character names when you discuss the movie. It’s surprising how many youtube reaction people don’t seem to pick up on or learn any character names, even by the end of the film!

[@CapedInformer]

I always try to just for more investment with the characters. Although this movie had so many mains it was kind of hard to keep up lol

[@vanyadolly]

Some people are just better or worse with names than others. Even with TV shows it can take people entire seasons to learn.

[@BigSy19]

The 2011 "The Thing" is a prequel! It shows you what happened at the Norwegian camp. Great Kurt Russell movies are: Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Tango & Cash (1989), Stargate (1994), Escape from L.A.(1996), Soldier (1998), and 3000 Miles to Graceland(2001). All action packed movies!!

[@thickerconstrictor9037]

Well you ruined it for him by telling him that. Way to go

[@greenhulk1982]

Escape From New York is another Kurt Russell movie.

[@Lordduncan012270]

Escape from New York is one of my favorites

[@kellyhoward6941]

@@greenhulk1982 For years after they came out I did a double feature at home 3-4 times a year. Wish I had an idea of how many folks I turned on to those 2 flicks; nobody didn't like 'em.

[@funtimes7757]

Don't forget tombstone

[@RareHarmony]

"Maybe there is no one left alive to give him a name" Technically the truth.

[@rustincohle2135]

19:12 "Yea, F-CK YOU TOO!" 19:24 "That was a great one-liner btw." Thank you for being the only KZbin reactor to comment on how great a one-liner that really is. It's one of the best ever!

[@Timmah73]

"How and when did the Thing even get to him?" And that right there is one of the most fun debates to be had about this movie.

[@CapedInformer]

Ok good it wasn’t just me lol

[@biffyqueen]

@@CapedInformer Oh there are pages and videos dedicated to dissecting this movie. Who was taken when? Was Childs a Thing at the end?

[@JellyDude-gt7te]

John carpenter isn't a master just of horror but TENSION and that is what makes the atmosphere so immersive! A masterclass in film making 🔥🔥🔥 Ur review and reaction just got you another SUB 🔥👌🏻😎✊🏻

[@CapedInformer]

Much appreciated 💯

[@scottjo63]

@@CapedInformer You do need to watch and react to more John Carpenter's movies. Not only is he one of the best horror movie directors he is even a accomplished musician as in he does his own music for his movies. All recommended here, Assault On Precinct 13, (1976), Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Starman (1984), Christine (1983), based on Stephen King book, The Prince Of Darkness (1987), They Live (1988), with Rowdy Roddy Piper, with the longest fight scene with him and Keith David, also who was in this movie. There is Carpenter's Escape From NY, and LA., In The Mouth Of Madness (1994), Big Trouble In Little China (1983), and Ghosts Of Mars (2001), with a young Jason Statham with hair. All directed by John Carpenter and music except Starman. Have fun.

[@kellyhoward6941]

@@scottjo63 And don't forget Carpenter's first film, Dark Star (1974), done as a project in graduate film school. It was done on a budget of about a hundred bucks* &, tho a bit corny in places, is a cult classic with a good dose of dark humor & some *seriously* creepy bits. He did the film with Dan O'Bannon, who also became a big name. *don't hold me to that number.

[@w1975b]

That wasn't cabin fever, he was going crazy because he knew the human race would be extinct/infected in a short amount of time if the thing got to civilization.

[@shainewhite2781]

1:26, John Carpenter did Halloween, Escape From New York, Escape From LA, Village Of The Damned, In The Mouth Of Madness, Prince Of Darkness, and Christine. The last one is about a 1957 Plymouth that cones to life and goes on a Rampage.

[@kiju0923]

Don’t forget big trouble in little China and they live!!

[@FanFanBessie2]

1958.

[@lino522]

What about assault on precinct 13 and vampires

[@StCerberusEngel]

And no mention of The Fog...tsk tsk.

[@w1975b]

@@StCerberusEngel can't forget The Fog!

[@Jesse_Field_00]

If you think Garry being assimilated was ugly, there was a deleted scene where MacReady witnessed Nauls being assimilated in front of him.

[@Kainlarsen]

Oh man! Is there a video of it?

[@Jesse_Field_00]

If you look up "The Thing deleted scenes," you'll find it.

[@MsAppassionata]

@@Jesse_Field_00 Wow! Thank you.

[@CruelestChris]

Well, it was a storyboard only. Nothing they tried for the ending worked because they'd run out of money, all they could afford to try was MacReady fighting a stop-motion Thing and Carpenter saw a demo of that and hated it. Hence the final confrontation being just that, a confrontation.

[@zacharythompson9791]

The screams, roars, and noises from the Thing are a combination of all the living creatures it consumed throughout the universe.

[@onepcwhiz]

John Carpenter movies always have great soundtracks/scores.

[@spartan7123]

And the best is that Carpenter Made the Soundtracks/Scores for his Movies by himself.

[@biffyqueen]

Ennio Morricone was nominated for a Razzie for this soundtrack, proving they don't know shit.

[@kevinburton3948]

I've watched this movie probably over a hundred times since the mid 80s and I never get tired of it. It is easily in my top 5 horror films of all time (maybe 3 depending on my mood). The beauty of it is that it is also a study in human behaviour and how paranoia and fear can spread as quickly as any virus. Critics panned it in 1982 as a gross-out jump scare film. It's actually brilliant! Yes we're not supposed to know "who was who" at the end. John Carpenter and Kurt Russell seem to have made a pact with each other that when asked, they basically say "Gee it's been so long I don't remember." And have kept this secret nearly 40 years. My take- both Childs and MacReady were the only human survivors left. So here is how this is a "happy ending"- MacReady and Childs didn't trust each other throughout the entire film. In fact Childs would challenge MacReady at every turn. But in the last scene, the two have finally set aside their differences, and mutual distrust. Childs gladly accepts what might be the last drink he will ever have from Mac (the same Mac that threatened to shoot him dead earlier). And Mac lets out a little chuckle that Childs accepted it without hesitation. All that animosity is gone. They will both die- but it will be peacefully knowing they have succeeded in killing the Thing, and that the "war" between them is over. The 2011 "remake" is actually a prequel. It tells the tale of what happened at the Norwegian camp. It's not as good (at all really) and retcons something about the creature that is supposed to be able to tell you when someone is actually a Thing in disguise. It dumbed it down for the audience and was a silly move. The brilliance of The Thing is the whole not knowing.

[@travis_thompson]

I saw a theory that Childs was the thing because you couldnt see his breath in the cold where as McReady you could and his eyes had no shine to them where McCreadys did. I dont know if its too much of a leap but the breath thing is odd.

[@kevinburton3948]

@@travis_thompson I've heard that one too. The problem with it is that you can clearly see Bennings' breath as he/it lets out a Thing scream (holding up his half transformed hands) before being set on fire in the snow. Unfortunately that theory doesn't hold up. None of the ones that try to prove Childs was a Thing really hold up under scrutiny.

[@CapedInformer]

Yea the fact that they were able to come to that resolution in the end was powerful. The best move was to make no move. I keep trying to relate that scene to the beginning computer chess scene with Mac. I feel like he’s an overly competitive person, so to see him relinquish his position of sole survivor said a lot

[@kevinburton3948]

@@CapedInformer For me the Chess scene at the beginning foreshadows MacReady's philosophy of "When there are no moves left, burn it all down." So when the Thing bursts through the floor at the end, Mac yells out FU TOO and throws the dynamite thinking "the game might be over, but I ain't gonna let you win."

[@zeallust8542]

@@travis_thompson You can see both of their breath, its just weird lighting and on some versions you cant see it because of quality loss. It wasnt intended

[@michaelbastraw1493]

Why does no one react to the wonderful visual joke of the hangman's noose in Blair's shack? It brings a smile to my face when everyone in the scene completely ignores it. Best. Leo.

[@CapedInformer]

I noticed it but it was so brief I didn’t get to form a thought on it until the end lol

[@zeallust8542]

Whats the joke?

[@flovonnejohnson707]

I kinda laugh everytime people want to save the dog......😂🤦🏽‍ Cause I know what's coming and be saying, "bet you wish they killed the dog now" 😂🤷🏾‍♀️

[@w1975b]

yeah, I felt the same way when he was reacting to Total Recall and liking a certain character

[@Laxhoop]

John Carpenter is best known for creating Michael Myers, as in, the Halloween franchise.

[@shainewhite2781]

I saw this film on the Encore Action Channel on July 4th 2002, and it scared the hell out of me, yet I've grown to love it overtime.

[@youtubeistrash953]

Oh it scares the shit out of me but it's one of my favorites! One of the few movies to keep me up at night

[@IAmNotARobotPinkySwear]

Who else caught 10:14 ? Windows dropping the keys that were used to get to the blood. Which is also why I think Windows makes a run for the shotgun when everyone starts blaming everyone else about the blood, b/c he's scared they'll think it was him since he technically had the keys last. Also the scene at 14:30, if you watch the actual scene. When Nauls says MacReady is the thing, see how Palmer and Norris look at each other like "huh? wtf??" b/c they're both things and they're thinking "when did MacReady become one of us?" Every re watch you find something new with this movie.

[@brianoneil9662]

"Burn it some more!" Words of wisdom. By the way, 90% of the practical effects were done by Rob Bottin who was 20 years old at the time.

[@ronaldbaiter4230]

The 2011 movie of the same name is a prequel. It covers the events at the Norwegian station

[@douglascampbell9809]

Sadly the film studio covered up most of the practical effects with CGI. That's right it could have looked just like the 1982 effects but the studio got in the way. They said it looked like it was made in the 80's. Hopefully we will get a directer's cut where most of the CGI is removed.

[@robertlenoble3263]

@@douglascampbell9809 I always wondered what happened with that, I remember being super excited that we were getting a prequel (I grew up watching The Thing on VHS) and I remembered reading about how they were going at it with practical effects and everything and I bought a ticket when it came out in theaters and it was just an unimpressive CGI-fest...

[@AbsoluteApril]

@@douglascampbell9809 I hope they do. I didn't dislike it but the overuse of CGI really made it worse IMO

[@shainewhite2781]

4:35, there's even a prequel reboot showing us what happened to the Norwegian camp and how they found The Thing buried in the ice.

[@asdfasdf7199]

let's not mention that, it's awful

[@NecropsY1]

yeah its trash dont watch it

[@specialfx6481]

Yep its horrible ...

[@RiRyn27]

Okay. In honesty it’s not a bad tie in with fun Easter eggs and pretty good continuity. Is it as good as 1982, no. The biggest problem is the director backing out of using a mix of prop and cgi layering after filming everything to only use CGI instead, no props: which did not look good at all in this movie.

[@michaelbastraw1493]

"That dog knows something." Yeah, but he ain't talkin'. Best. Leo.

[@BloodylocksBathory]

Nauls skated his ass out of this movie and didn't look back lol. Another bit of trivia, John Carpenter originally wanted western star Lee Van Cleef to play Garry, but I think there was a scheduling conflict, although he did finally get to work with him in Escape From New York. That said, it would've been great to hear Van Cleef scream "TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH".

[@StCerberusEngel]

One reason this movie never got a sequel is probably due to the fact that, outside of Halloween, John Carpenter, as loved as he is for his work by fans, never really had a big hit film. His movies are beloved classics, and well deserving of their reputation, but they just didn't bring in the box office for one reason or another, and critics were pretty harsh on most of them at the time, making Carpenter prolific for being a cult movie director. He should have been a mainstream success, but things just didn't work out for him that way.

[@brandonflorida1092]

Have you considered watching Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho?" It's one of the greatest horror movies of all time. "The Green Mile" is also pretty amazing.

[@CapedInformer]

Heard of those two. Will def consider them!

[@RiRyn27]

I’ve seen psycho and that was a fun one. Green Mile was just sad/depressing.

[@victorsos100]

Excellent dog acting. The cast IS very impressive.

[@vincentzody2779]

" glad this moive appreciates the classics " this movie is a classic.

[@wyldeatheart1]

Fun fact: This is actually a remake of a 1951 movie called " from Another World" where James Arness (Gunsmoke) played the thing. The directors were: Christian Nyby and Howard Hawks

[@youtubeistrash953]

Greatest horror movie ever and one of the greatest in general! Not just because it has a great cast ,atmosphere, ambiance ,music etc but because of the concept. You're stuck on a desolate continent you're facing an enemy that's incredibly intelligent and you don't know if it's being malicious or it's just simply trying to survive ...there's a very specific test to make sure something is not an imitation ,if it simply touches you you're basically dead, it can morph into damn near anything ,the only way to kill it is with fire or acid and if it gets to water, transportation or civilization it's not only game over for humans but for all life on Earth. Can't think of anything scarier than that besides maybe total nuclear annihilation of literally everything.

[@lewis9702]

15:35 - they're not seeing the head because the room is filled with smoke, there's mass chaos, and confusion, and the head was behind the desk

[@shainewhite2781]

They filmed the movie on location in Juneau Alaska, Stewart British Columbia, Vancouver British Columbia, And Universal Studios.

[@douglascampbell9809]

This film is actually a remake. The original was The Thing From Another World from 1951.

[@GrouchyMarx]

I liked the mystery at the end too. I think Blair caught it doing the autopsies. All it would take is one intruder cell getting in and it would take over in time. Before it could take him over completely he smashed the chopper and radio so no one could get out or call for help. You should check out John Carpenter's three other apocalyptic movies and start with the one a year earlier, "Escape From New York". Then "Prince of Darkness" (1987) and "They Live" (1989). Based on your reaction to this one, you would like those. He's most known for these four, but he's directed other good movies. 😎👍

[@jh5131]

Yeah I think Blair got it doing autopsies too. After seeing blood test scene if he got a little bit on him it would eventually replicate inside him and take over

[@biffyqueen]

On the one hand, if Blair was a Thing he wouldn't be trying to cut them off. Blair goes insane when he realizes what's going on and how much danger the world is in (ever play Call of Cthulhu? The smart character usually goes insane first) OTOH in the original story the people infected don't know it, now whether or not that applies here is up for debate, but I'm inclined to say that Blair was human when he was put in the shack.

[@shainewhite2781]

Dude, this is the best Sci-fi Horror film ever made! Love it! Antarctic Outpost Men Battle A Deadly Alien Organism That Assumes The Form Of Life It Engulfs.

[@theInsaneCashew]

I personally think this is one of the few films with a perfect ending.

[@milesjergens9088]

Another great reaction, thanks... best part is the effects are all genuine, no CGI in 1982. Amazing.

[@CapedInformer]

Thanks! Agreed

[@gryffen9608]

I love watching people discover "The Thing" for the first time. There's a lot to love about 'The Thing." Oh, it's horrifying and grotesque, but the characters aren't stupid. They don't always make the best decisions, but step back and play this as 'real.' From thinking the Norwegian is crazy at first to realizing, "uh ... maybe he wasn't." It's all part of the flow of the story. Most people would act this way, and while they're rejecting the idea of "evil alien shapeshifter," how many of us would be so willing to believe it for real. And yes, the constant uncertainty at the end is the core of the story. Think about it. You're not sure why the Norwegian would start shooting at such a seemingly loveable husky. The Norwegian seems crazy, but even then you noticed he's not shooting at the people. He's only targeting the dog. Also, he IS trying to yell out a warning, but what is it? Once he's dead, everything slowly goes downhill. Even after the movie is done, there's just the right amount of uncertainty. It's not plot holes, either. As you said, from even the very first image of the careening spaceship until the final blackout at the end, you're always on edge, always wonder just WHAT is going on. Like for instance, exactly when did Blair get taken over? It's pretty clear he was still himself when he was at the computer and saw the prediction that the Earth would be completely consumed in three years if full contact was made. The Thing wouldn't need a computer to tell himself that. However, after that when he sabotaged the vehicles and the radio -- was that really Blair trying to protect the rest of humanity, or was it the Thing sealing off its prey and setting up to be 'rescued.' If the Thing fully infects someone, does it lie dormant and have the thrall run on 'autopilot,' or is it actively communicating with all of its selves? And here's another big one. Was the Thing the crew of the spaceship, or was it something THAT crew picked up? Personally, I suspect the latter. Either way, the questions are many, the answers are few, but ultimately you don't need to know all the answers. The Thing is a threat. Period. After studying its actions, you realize it CAN communicate. It doesn't want to. It's intelligent, but all it wants to do is consume. If you wanted to, you can really delve deep into "The Thing." The plot, the pacing, the acting, the cinematography, the emotional atmosphere, the meanings and implication. Let's not forget. This movie is about to be FORTY years old. And it's still relevant. Something I want to point out is that people today forget you're looking at the world of 1982. They point out, "poor medical choices." "You're not wearing a mask!" We were not stupid back then, but there were many elements we were neither aware of nor were some of them even there. Case in point, AIDS was barely even a concept with the world population. It was common for paramedics to do mouth-to-mouth, which is completely forbidden now. If you noticed, they used gloves when they actually touched the material, but that's all they wear. What if I told you that gloves and masks were all that were required for surgery back then? In fact, there was a well-remembered pile up in Los Angeles were over a dozen people were rushed to the hospital, and two people were given admittedly live-saving surgery with a bare-handed professional. Oh, one more detail. You have to look carefully, but the computer DID cheat. MacReady had a winning movie, but the computer teleported a piece so he would lose. What's MacReady's solution? If it's going to cheat to win, burn it all down. ... Hint, that was a bit of foreshadowing. My personal take on the ending? I think Childs and MacReady are both human. There's tiny bits of the Thing left now scattered in the frozen wastes, but as long as people aren't stupid, humanity can survive. Childs and MacReady are probably going to die, but at least they held off humanity's end, if only for a while. The question isn't if they stopped the Thing for now. The question is will we learn and be ready? After all, we don't know if there's only one Thing. Sure, space can be huge, but ... well ... what if there's another? What if there's a society out there that hunts down and exterminates any traces of The Thing, including incinerating a planet just to make sure. What if ...? One final comment. How ironic that a creature so powerful realizes it, too, is vulnerable if people keep their individuality, yet stand together. Even when there were only four of them, it hid. Something to consider, indeed.

[@CapedInformer]

Wow all great theories lol

[@gryffen9608]

@@CapedInformer Thank you. Heh, I confess, I love to ponder things, and I love to banter ideas and theories even more. After all, I only have one set of eyes. It takes another person to give me another perspective. .... well, unless I was The Thing. ;P

[@Fluffykeith]

People keep going on about them having no protective gear when standing around the burned thing from the Norwegian Camp....but they're a Research station, they have two Biologists (one an assistant), a meteorologist and a geologist. They're there to study wildlife, weather and the landscape. They likely don't HAVE fancy protective gear beyond latex gloves and maybe surgical masks. They're not kitted out with hazmat suits or anything as sophisticated as that.

[@shainewhite2781]

7:25, the dog kennel sequence was done by Stan Winston Studios.

[@michelleponzio]

Your comments at the beginning of the video is sooo spot on!!! It was hard to believe that you didn't any background before seeing this; it shows you really know how to read into films, if I'm making any sense.

[@CapedInformer]

Thanks! Yea that’s just a common theme in horror sci fi I guess

[@christopherschreiber5805]

"What IS that?" should be the tagline for this movie.

[@quixote6942]

"How did it get to Blair"... The Eraser. He touched the thing then tapped his mouth. The Whole "Cabin Fever" was a ploy to isolate the Group from the world and get himself Quarantined so he could build the 2nd ship unnoticed.

[@a_cats]

I thought he felt unwell because The Thing was converting him slowly since only a small number of Thing cells entered his body

[@TheHulk2008]

I've seen this movie at least 100x and I didn't even know Blair had a noose in his room 😮

[@TheHulk2008]

It's supposed to get an upgrade to 4K. I can't think of any that deserves it more 🙂

[@MattSipka]

I watch this movie every winter.

[@jamaul1391]

The 2011 thing Isn't a remake it's more of a prequel

[@dacsus]

It's not a more of a prequel - it's exactly a prequel. And imo a good one.

[@garyclarke9685]

Hey regarding Blair being infected the best theory is that one of the infected went out to see Blair & infect him. Remember his door was open

[@RubicGirl]

Or when he touched the pencil to his lips after he touched the Thing with it. Remember, all it takes is a single cell from the Thing. Not only is it nigh indestructible, but it's viral and just a cell is deadly. That's what makes it so dangerous and terrifying.

[@nighthorder6542]

@@RubicGirl That's actually fairly unlikely. It's possible a single cell could infect, but that was just a theory from Fuchs ultimately. Additionally, if you look closely, he never actually touches The Thing with the pencil. For further evidence against the "single cell" theory, our own breath carries cells from our bodies, so if it only took a single cell, the entire camp would've gotten infected fairly quickly.

[@jasontaverner391]

1982 is usually considered the greatest year for sci-fi movies ever.

[@DIEmicrosoft]

The idea for this movie came from a 1938 science fiction book written by John W Campbell 'Who goes there?'. A couple of other old sci fi books that spawned great movies was 'The planet of the apes' and 'I am legend'. Should check them out too.

[@potterj09]

As per one my favourite 80's bands songs by Powertool "Two heads are better than one, it's double the pleasure and triple the fun"

[@Kardashev1]

Love watching reactions to The Thing! Your analysis is very good.

[@jenniferjones2863]

John Carpenter made another Sci-Fi movie that I enjoyed but most didn’t called “Ghosts of Mars” with Natasha Henstridge and Pam Grier. Keith David was in the longest and most realistic fight scene in movie history in the Sci-Fi movie “They Live.” He also played an Outlaw in the great Western “The Last Outlaw.

[@LordVolkov]

John Carpenter is a master of horror. Halloween, Prince of Darkness, and Cigarette Burns are great. For some of his non-horror work, check out Big Trouble in Little China, and Escape From New York, both also with Kurt Russell.

[@w1975b]

He also directed Christine, based on Stephen King's novel.

[@FE-qi7yv]

When Blair performs the autopsy on the Thing, he pokes it with his pencil eraser, then later puts it to his mouth....and accidentally infects himself.

[@CapedInformer]

That would be the lamest way to get infected lol

[@youtubeistrash953]

@@CapedInformer from what I've heard it's a myth, people working on the film said it's not true and that's not how he got infected, just an acting mistake even though if you look carefully it doesn't actually touch anything.

[@shainewhite2781]

5:33, this is beautiful and grotesque art right here.

[@Lugnut73]

11:11 he knows what the alien is capable of, and how bad it'll get if it escapes. he wants to destroy all communications, and vehicles so it can't get out.

[@CapedInformer]

Now he does lol. He didn’t want to believe Ripley when she told him about the threat

[@Raktus]

The thing I never noticed on first viewing... at the end, Childs has no frost in the air when he talks... whereas the other guy is freezing to death...

[@thickerconstrictor9037]

There were no intentional visual cues by John carpenter. The lack of breath is just a coincidence that he has stated such. He did not put anything in the movie that would tell you one way or another because he didn't have an actual answer one way or another he never came up with one. It is meant to be 100% ambiguous and nothing that people see in that scene actually leads to an answer including the breath or the twinkle in the eye.

[@ulflarsson9693]

Good practical effects are really awesome.😊👍

[@tonikaihola5408]

I love the fact that a science station randomly has a flamethrower available 😅

[@skits_3d824]

If you've played among us then this is the movie it was inspired by. One of the greatest horror movies from the 80's

[@CapedInformer]

Yea that’s what reminded me of this!

[@shaharadegan9993]

Loved your reaction! This is one of my all time favorite films.

[@joerenaud8292]

Well said. As far as who was the thing in the end between McCready and Childs is moot because when McCready blew up Palmer into bits in the frozen snow every piece was now a frozen thing potentially waiting to thaw out and start over again when a rescue team arrives. If that thing can stay frozen in the ice for 100,000 years, it can wait a few months frozen in the snow again.

[@edwindiaz5900]

Nice to see someone enjoying my favorite movie. I still watch this every year near Halloween. There is a prequel(not affiliated with John Carpenter), unfortunately it’s pretty terrible due to studio meddling.

[@kharma7755]

When I was 8 years old, I went over to my friend's house. When I walked in, her big sister was watching The Thing... I just happened to walk in on the kennel scene... Just seeing that alone scared me more than maybe any other horror movie ever.. I didn't watch this film in its entirety until I was 21... So glad I finally did, as the film is OUTSTANDING... still terrifying, though... Not sure if you've reacted to Predator yet, but I definitely think you'll like that one :)

[@Punisher6791]

Damn near 40 years old and this film STILL has some of the greatest practical effects ever put on screen.

[@w1975b]

Another great practical effects movie An American Werewolf in London. The Howling is pretty good too in effects department.

[@thebrownbaldy]

Back when practical effects and the fear of the unknown scared the 💩 out of you. This film still burns images in my head, another all time classic.

[@eironjones8037]

New subscriber to your channel. Loving your reactions to these classics. Does make me feel really old that you haven't seen them before and that alot of actors you haven't seen before. I was born in 1981 so an old man that grew up with alot of these films lol.

[@flovonnejohnson707]

Fun fact: during the whole runtime of the movie and shooting of the movie (in the script) noone knew who was the creature at any time, not even the person who would be the creature at the time.... The director wouldn't tell them until the very last minute and he would only tell the person who was the creature right before it was their time so the other actor never knew who the thing was or if they themselves were the thing. The director said that he wanted to create a authentic atmosphere of paranoia, fear, uncertainty and confusion.... That's why they could play these parts so well and why their reactions to things seem so real and authentic.

[@CapedInformer]

Good directing!

[@paulsegura4738]

In the end we see Mac walking around with that bottle but he doesn't drink from it. He then offers it to Childs who proceeds to drink from it. We then see Mac laugh slightly because he knows Childs is the alien because the bottle had gasoline in it. Childs can't tell the difference between alcohol and gasoline.

[@TheMonkeyMedicine]

One or the greatest movies of all times. It is always placed in the horror genre. But it is so much deeper than that. It is about trust. Now days, this could not be more relevant.

[@saintmatthias8187]

In every reaction video I have seen to this movie. Everyone is always worried about the dog, when that dog is the problem and they should let him him kill it. Even should have helped him.

[@CapedInformer]

Yea I’m pretty sure that’s how the director wanted everyone to react lol

[@pacofores]

You were at the peak with Alien&Aliens...then came the frozen terror XD

[@michelleponzio]

Your comments at the end of your video are spot on!! Again! Everything you said is the reason why The Thing is one of the greatest horror films of all time. It's so iconic. John Carpenter is also responsible for the Halloween franchise. He was still a film student when he did the 1st film.

[@Skullkaiser]

John Carpenter made the Halloween movies and Kurt Russel played Snake Plisken in escape from L.A. and Escape from New York.

[@leonardoarteaga2745]

I saw this movie when 11 YO.....impacted me

[@CapedInformer]

Impacted me at my age too lol

[@richardpoynton4026]

Personally, I think child’s has been changed to a “Thing”. He’s wearing a different coat in the end scene than he was when they went to check on Clarke.

[@dacsus]

Childs didn't exhale steam, unlike MacReady (in the last scene) - which means he was actually simulating breathing.

[@richardpoynton4026]

@@dacsus I also think he took a sip out of a Molotov cocktail that MacReady handed to him. If you can drink petrol* without reacting, you’re not human. *Gasoline

[@dacsus]

@@richardpoynton4026 I never noticed that, but it's interesting that MacReady didn't react to it (or maybe he didn't react because he didn't want to show that he knows).

[@youtubeistrash953]

@@dacsus the Benning assimilation had breath so I don't think that theory holds up. The only convincing evidence I've seen is the wardrobe change but that could be for any reason. I still believe both are human and just meet their ends.

[@sleuthentertainment5872]

And think about something: Carpenter did this film without a very big budget and without digital effects, and finally he got his masterpiece. Never expect a film like this nowadays, specially in horror genre. But the most important is the cynical atmosphere that is depicted by the director

[@shainewhite2781]

8:49, that's a matte shot by Albert Whitlock.

[@matthewfortuna4464]

Can we take a moment and appreciate how realistic it looked when mac torched windows. That shot is haunting

[@williamweber9390]

Blair didn’t go crazy he was preventing all and any ways to get to the outside world so the thing didn’t escape that why he destroyed helicopter and radios

[@UrielManX7]

Ppl that think CGI should be used in movies need to watch these classics, and get aware of the fact that they are on the way to be HALF A CENTURY old, and the practical effects still hold to this day; whereas a CGI heavy movie looks bad from day 1, and will only get worse as time goes on.

[@jamaul1391]

Their a prequel to the thing, you could watch it, it'll help you understand how it got to the dog and what happened to the Norwegians

[@michelvanderlinden8363]

This is one of those movies you watch once and it will scare the living hell out of you as well as putting the fear of god in you. Then you dont watch it for a couple of years, then re-watch it when you forgot most details and BAM. They did a prequel of this movie. We don't talk about it though.

[@neojc128]

there is a hint about the ending that is really dark. McReady is holding a molotov cocktail, which contains gazoline. He hands it over to Childs who takes a sip, which would be absolutely unbearable for a human. It just drinks it and McReady is left to freeze to death knowing Childs is the thing

[@Gu3ssWhatsN3XT]

incorrect. That's a theory and a debunked one at that. 1, john carpenter has already said that the game is canon and the game takes places after the events of this movie where both are still alive, and 2 he wasn't handed a molotov cocktail

[@Asce_D_Portgaz]

Great reaction... Here's also also a must see " Critters " Keep up the good work bro 💪👊✌

[@paulinegallagher7821]

The Norwegian was shouting in his own Language that its not a dog, its some sort of thing

[@socraytes]

You're not alone with liking the ending being open ended. It has spawned discussions about theories, the timeline of when people were infected, etc... the reason why this movie is so great is a) thr practical effects and b) the questions of how, when, who, etc... thanks for the watch.

[@CapedInformer]

Agreed!

[@notmychannelname42]

Actually, both Mac and Childs were human in that shed at the end. This is revealed in the sequel to this film which is available for the ps2 titled The Thing.

[@robertlenoble3263]

there was a PC release as well and original xbox iirc (I think I played it on an xbox?)

[@w1975b]

Were you asking how the thing would get to Blair? He was doing all that cutting and stuff (yes, we see him wearing gloves but ....), touching the "dead" thing before he knew it was still alive, including using a pencil to touch it and put that to his lips. I saw someone else mentioned this on another video about the movie.

[@CapedInformer]

Yea true. They never got into what exactly spread the alien from person to person

[@Kainlarsen]

A popular theory at the end is that Childs was the Thing, that MacReady didn't hand him scotch but a molotov cocktail to drink as a test, since the thing wouldn't know the difference. 'Childs' failed the test.

[@Lauckitdown]

That, and in editing the lighting was removed from character's eyes when they were assimilated.

[@w1975b]

someone else mentioned there's no visible breath from Childs at the end either

[@Lauckitdown]

@@w1975b Somehow I've never noticed that!