THE THING (1982) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | REACTION-REVIEW

[@emsleywyatt3400]

12:30 When Nauls (wrongly) states that Mac is a Thing, notice the look that Palmer and Norris (who are both Things by now) give each other. It's like: "I didn't do it, did you do it?"

[@FrancisXLord]

It may surprise you to hear that this is a remake. The Thing/The Thing from Another World (1951) features on the TV a number of times in Halloween (1978), so Carpenter was considering this remake for a while. The big difference is that he went back to the original source material (a short story called 'Who Goes There?') thus empowered his film with a healthy dose of paranoia.

[@wesleyrodgers886]

And in this version, the b/w clip of the swedes using thermite is from the original movie 😊

[@lewis7515]

​@@wesleyrodgers886​​ No, it isn't - you obviously have no clue what you're saying. The clip of the Norwegians in this film, is material that was made, for this film - and it isn't b/w, it just appears desaturated. It is not a clip from the 1951 film - because, although that was made in b/w, there were no Norwegians in that story. That film was made in 1950 - so, of course, the discoverers were the Americans: and, unlike this film, there were only long shots in the scenes of the Americans making that discovery - and, furthermore, they were very obviously dressed in late 1940's clothing and military gear... Actually watch the films you plan to make claims about and stop making things up.

[@TylerD288]

Great reaction Sheila! I'm glad you liked it. I'm not a huge horror movie person (although I've seen most of the classics) but this film definitely stands out bc of it's location, music, superb acting, writing, and the nature of the alien creates that air of paranoia and mystery. There's a prequel, also called The Thing (2011), that tells the Norwegian's part of the story and it's very good imo, and there're some great actors in it I'm sure you'd recognize. A few people have reacted to it and I highly recommend it. Thanks again Sheila, this was very entertaining and you actually seemed legit startled at times! 💙

[@trayntp]

Childs is the Thing at the end because MacReady offered him a drink and he took it after they all agreed not to take anything from each other. MacReady knew it, which is why he said let’s wait here for a while and see what happens.

[@richardheinz]

There has been a few reasons given why Childs is the Thing. Another reason is because you can't see Childs' breath at the end when they're outside in the cold. I think his eyes are black and show no reflection at the end. I believe that's another reason given.

[@wesleyrodgers886]

​@@richardheinzhe's downwind from the fire?.

[@ronp1903]

You're awesome Sheila! I'm subscribed to quite a few reactor channels, have been for 4 years, and you are one of the few who noticed the husky was acting strangely. The way the dog was hesitant and oddly quiet. I remember, in '82, watching The Thing at the movie theater and whispering to my GF "what's up with the dog?" Anyway, great reaction and I'm looking forward to your next film 🎥🍿👻

[@buttercupstruelove340]

First time I watched "The Thing" (1982) was on VHS at a friend's house. It struck me as odd while watching the Norwegian shooting at the husky from the air. Nobody 'hunts' huskies - they're too valuable a commodity in arctic (or antarctic) regions. At one point in the film I said to my friend and his girlfriend, "Would you mind if we took a little break?" and they both immediately agreed to turn off the movie and to turn the room lights back on. I used to smoke cigarettes back then and stepped outside to light up and settle myself.

[@barstro]

Yes! I love when people do reactions to this movie. The Norwegian guy in the beginning said: "Get the hell out of here, that's not a dog, it's some kind of thing! It's imitating a dog, it isn't real! Get away, you idiots!" I went to see this movie when it came out and everyone else and all of my friends went to see E.T. The theater was only half-full and the people there were having the time of their lives watching this masterpiece. Carpenter has done it again with the perfect mix of horror, suspense and top tier paranoia. I don't know how MacReady didn't get infected when that blood jumped out of the petri dish. I thought that everyone in the room got infected when Norris' stomach opened up and his intestines and veins were splashing the green blood everywhere The characters did not trust anything or anyone else because they could not tell who was human or an alien. They didn't even know if they were infected or not. I love the how Carpenter tried to misdirect us by making us think that Clark was infected because he spent time with the dog. Blaire immediately understood the magnitude of the situation when he did his analysis of the organism. He did not want anyone that's infected getting back to civilization. The computer analysis estimated that it would take a little over three years to infect the whole world population. That's scary as hell. I was so happy that I went to see this movie. I told all my friends about it and we all went to see it the next weekend and they loved it. The practical effects are amazing. This movie holds up to any horror movie today. Carpenter is a genius at suspense and horror.

[@cuauhtemoc1973]

The thing , there is a part 2 from 2011

[@PsiCorps85]

The 2011 one is a prequel, but also fairly good IMO.

[@Styxswimmer]

Actually, part 3. Theres: The thing from another world (1952) The thing (1982) The thing (2011)

[@PsiCorps85]

@@Styxswimmer sorta kinda; the first movie there was also derived from Campbell's novella "Who Goes There?", but it's quite different with not having a hivemind shapeshifter virus but instead an invincible soldier that could grow like a plant basically. Within the same universe, it's 2011's prequel and 1982's film by Carpenter. Hawke's did make a good 50's film with the effects of the time though.

[@Styxswimmer]

@PsiCorps85 I'm not a huge fan of the 52 version. The pacing is terrible and I never bought the creature as a threat. It only ki!!s 2 people out of 15. To establish it as a legitimate threat, they should have ki!!ed off at least 10 of the 15. As for the 2011 version, well, we don't talk about that one.

[@PsiCorps85]

@@Styxswimmer IDK, I liked the 2011 one alright. I get it's popular to dislike, but I don't really care what others think.

[@tonyantonellis9983]

The Thing 1982 has a prequel made in 2011 and a few comic book sequels and there is a video game based on The Thing too and that game is being remastered this year.

[@buttercupstruelove340]

I can't even imagine the number of hours spent by artists and technicians to construct those practical effects.

[@two-bearshigh-fiving9293]

It was one guy in college who did it all, and he literally worked himself sick

[@Styxswimmer]

Worked like 15 hour days for a almost a year. Hospitalized for exhaustion

[@kevinslayzak1214]

Congratulations on watching the best practical effects horror suspense movie ever made 🔥the sights and sounds will stick with you forever...specially if you saw this around 14 yrs old like me😅...the young man in charge of all the effects went directly to the hospital for exhaustion as soon as filming was finished.. maximum effort 👍

[@terryhughes7349]

Everybody falls for the dog at the start. Some great practical effects by Rob Bottin and a creepy soundtrack by Carpenter. Nice reaction!

[@kennydeez..1774]

My first time watching your channel. And I liked your reaction to this movie. A Great Horror Classic. Enjoyed watching and I just subscribed👍🏾💯👍🏾

[@oxhine]

Hey, Sheila! This John Carpenter classic is a masterful exercise in paranoia and practical effects! I discovered "The Thing" during my junior high school years on VHS when going through a Carpenter phase. Originally a 1938 pulp novella written by John W. Campbell called "Who Goes There?", the story was first adapted to film as a 1951 Howard Hawks production called "The Thing From Another World". A '50's-era sci-fi classic in its own right, the original was taken to a whole new level by John Carpenter abetted by the incredible practical effects wizardry of Rob Bottin. A prequel was made in 2011 chronicling what happened at the Norwegian base but wasn't nearly as good. Led by a world-weary Kurt Russell, Carpenter assembled a cast of terrific veteran character actors including Keith David, Richard Dysart, Wilford Brimley, David Clennon, Charles Hallahan, Donald Moffat and Richard Masur who believably inhabit their roles and ratchet up the tension by degrees. Carpenter would direct Russell in five films including "Elvis", "The Thing", "Big Trouble in Little China", "Escape From New York" and "Escape From LA". He would direct Keith David again in "They Live!" John Carpenter is a one-man band who writes, directs, edits and scores all his films. In a rare exception, the score for "The Thing" was provided by composing great Ennio Morricone. Carpenter's body of work includes a number of pulpy classics and B-movie greats like "Assault on Precinct 13", "Halloween", "Someone's Watching Me!", "The Fog", "Escape From New York", "The Thing", "Christine", "Starman", "Big Trouble in Little China", "Prince of Darkness", "They Live!", "Memoirs of an Invisible Man", "In the Mouth of Madness", "Vampires" and "The Ward". His first film, "Dark Star", was a sci-fi horror-comedy that partially inspired "Alien"! He also wrote the screenplays for "The Eyes of Laura Mars", an American giallo, and "Black Moon Rising", a techno-thriller. His scores are instantly recognizable with their throbbing notes and he expertly uses silence and stillness to generate unbearable tension. Wilford Brimley's Blair sabotaged the vehicles after making the discovery that there was a high probability of someone being infected and seeing the grim projection that three years would be all it would take for the Thing to spread over the Earth! He was determined to trap them there which is the same realization Macready comes to at the end. He's taken to the shack a human but, the second time they check on him, he's probably a Thing because his demeanor is so calm. The funny noises he says he was hearing must've gotten to him before he could avail himself of the noose he fashioned as an escape from its clutches! As a Thing, he was building a craft under the shed to travel to the mainland. The Thing has absorbed countless beings including space-faring species. The knowledge to construct a craft that can take him to the mainland was absorbed from a host so it's not far-fetched that he can do this with so much metal and electronic equipment around. He also probably dug out the cavern in a non-human form. Additionally, alien engineering and propulsion principles could function in a vastly simpler way than what 20th-century humans are aware of. My favorite non-horror moment in "The Thing" is Donald Moffat's slow-burning explosive outburst while tied to the sofa. "I know you gentlemen have been through a lot but, when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS F**KING COUCH!" It gets me every time. The ambiguous ending leaves you with four possible outcomes and they're all bleak. Lol. The best case scenario is that both Childs and Mac are human, the Thing was destroyed and the survivors DIE of hypothermia. The other three options are that one or the other or both survivors are Things who will copy the remaining human and the rescue party as well eventually dominating the Earth. There is a popular fan theory that Things lack eye gleam and Childs doesn't have it in that last scene. It could also be a trick of light. There is another popular fan theory that claims Mac tests Childs by giving him a flask of kerosene instead of liquor which Childs consumes! Mac chuckles with fatalistic resignation realizing he has failed and humanity is doomed. That is, unless, he has a spare stick of dynamite he can use to blow himself up along with a now very flammable Childs! Lol. The only sequels exist as a series of Dark Horse comics and a video game featuring John Carpenter himself as a Dr. Faraday!

[@TylerD288]

Thanks for explaining those theories. I love the fatalistic ending, the confident resignation to what the survivors have to do in order to try and save humanity.

[@SheilaReactz]

I love ambiguous endings. Definitely leaves the audience with something to talk about. I love that detail about John Carpenter being a one man band. I feel like I've always wanted to be that kind of filmmaker. I'll have to check out the sequels! Along with the rest of his filmography. Thanks so much for watching!

[@zeigbert1743]

If I hear a funny noise, in a creepy spot and I'm by myself, I always investigate.

[@jrag1000]

That dog didn't drop a load of poop anywhere in that snow-covered facility or in the pen, because it's poop scurries away. They were doomed the minute they let that dog get within 50 of base camp.

[@DevlinDomini]

Good one for the spooky season. It’s great you’re doing all types of movies. I really liked how I could the screen in the mirror behind you. It really added to the experience somehow. I liked that.

[@SheilaReactz]

Thanks so much!

[@remohio]

Poor puppy? Poor Lars!

[@skylinerunner1695]

I wish this reactor had spoken about her opinions of the actors and performances. Who did she like and who didn't she like?

[@SheilaReactz]

The performances were great all around! Thanks for watching!

[@XDarkSyntaXOriginal]

Macready tested his blood...When he said "Now I'll show you what I already know"... And at the end everyone speculates that Giles was the thing..Because when they're talking you can see the condensation Macready's breathe and yet Giles shows none.

[@ArmchairRizzard]

his name is Childs, but yes. I know what you mean.

[@christopherdavis5214]

Out of the reactions I've seen of this movie, you're one the very few to question the dogs behavior lol.

[@SheilaReactz]

It was very sus! ☺️

[@BDUBZ49]

If you're interested in doing more horror, here are a few less graphic/gory and more artsy films to consider: *Bram Stoker's Dracula* (1992) Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins. Based on the 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola. *Interview With The Vampire* (1994) Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst. Based on the 1976 novel by American author Anne Rice. Directed by Irish director Neil Jordan. *Sleepy Hollow* (1999) Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci. Based on the 1820 short story by American author Washington Irving. Directed by Tim Burton. *Shadow of the Vampire* (2000) John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe. This is a fictional telling of the making of the classic 1922 silent vampire film "Nosferatu". You don't really need to see "Nosferatu" first. It's all explained in the film....BUT, you should watch it at some point because it is an important cinema classic. *Please do "Shadow"- no one ever does that one. 😀😀

[@SheilaReactz]

I appreciate the recommendations!

[@kevinslayzak1214]

Since i can tell you honestly enjoyed those effects here's another Fun Fact to make you enjoy it even more.... when the spider head was sneaking past Macready and the boys...that head was actually mounted on one of the crew's sons remote control car😅...go back and watch it again and you'll laugh because you can kinda see it😅👍....try POLTERGEIST....THAT movie was completely crazy because it LITERALLY had real evil spirits around the cast and crew...the story of actually shooting the movie is more bizarre than the movie itself... another Gen X staple 👍✌️ great reaction..new sub here💪🖐️

[@thepodbaydoorshal]

You’re so calm 😂

[@Neilxtc]

This is actually one of the greatest movies of all time. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@zackscroggins9422]

Lol go back and watch the movie macready literally checks his blood after windows..thats why he says let me show you what I already know cause he was showing his blood was okay 😂

[@SheilaReactz]

I did notice that while I was editing. Haha

[@redemptusrenatus5336]

Killing Palmer didn't make MacReady a murderer. Palmer lunged at him with a scalpel, MacReady shot him. It's self-defense. Unfortunate that Palmer was human, but had he simply waited for the test, he might have lived.

[@aranerem5569]

Classic movie

[@canislupus6182]

Cool reaction😃Best horror movie ever😍

[@Super_Jitsu_Tech87]

Awesome film!! Great reaction :)

[@SheilaReactz]

Thank you!! 😁

[@Super_Jitsu_Tech87]

@@SheilaReactz Welcome, can’t wait to see the next 🙂

[@redviper6805]

I saw the final half hour of the movie. Already heard about it and seen TV episodes spoof or copy it. The suspense and jump scares were great but when the thing reared its ugly, bloody, horrific head I couldn’t watch! It was more disgusting than Aliens (1986) If you want an equally good or better jump scare but not something gruesome, don’t forget WAIT UNTIL DARK. Just dim or turn off lights during the last 8 minutes

[@DaviesMartinezBeats]

THING FILM LORE STATES AS FOLLOWS: At the very end of the film, Childs shows himself to be the Thing. This is because the 'drink' McReady passes to Childs is a molotov cocktail (many molotovs were just thrown to set the research station on fire) and after drinking the gasoline, Childs has NO REACTION and makes NO COMMENT. A human would either not drink from the bottle because of the smell, or would spit the gasoline out immediately, but the Thing has no reference to the smell or taste of ANY fluid and as a result 'outs' itself to McReady. Thing and human then sit down together in the freezing cold to 'see what happens next'...

[@barstro]

So we are to assume that MacReady was going to kill himself by drinking the molotov cocktail? He was putting the bottle up to his face as to take a drink just as Childs approached him from behind.

[@DaviesMartinezBeats]

@@barstro - I know what your saying, it looks like maybe he heard Childs walking up from behind as he did that. Just an interesting theory I’ve read online more than a few times. If your keen, also check out the Child’s coat theory to suggest he’s the Thing. When Child’s is left alone in the station as the other 3 go outside to test the doc, there are 3 coats hanging up on pegs. A later shot shows one coat missing and from memory, when you see Child’s at the end, he’s now wearing one of these coats (Thing rips you and clothing apart when it kills you).

[@derekeno-l8n]

After Childs takes a drink, Macready chuckles a little. Another hint?

[@DaviesMartinezBeats]

@@derekeno-l8n - Could be another clue. Maybe check out the Childs is the Thing Fan Theory #2. When McReady and the two men go to give the Doc the blood test out in the shack, they leave Childs alone to gaurd the door. When they leave, there are '3 coats' hanging up behind Childs on hooks. When the Thing kills you it rips your clothes and when you see the same shot a little while later, one of the coats has dissapeared. i.e. The Thing killed Childs when he was gaurding the door, ripped his coat to shreds in the process, then took a coat off one of the hooks to wear and blend in with the other humans. Childs is the Thing...

[@derekeno-l8n]

@@DaviesMartinezBeats I believe it. John Carpenter himself says you can figure out who is the thing, you just have to look. The supposed 'lack' of breath in the cold from Childs theory didn't hold up because the transformed Bennings breath was visible. But the other clues, as you pointed out, are more telling. And Mac could have chuckled for a couple of reasons - Childs was the thing, and there wasn't anything Mac could do about it, as he himself pointed out.

[@jimengle568]

this movie has a prequal , but most bash it for it's CGI. It for sure didn't age well considering it was released 2011. It really wasn't that bad a movie. It's judged beside the original. Next to that it's not even on the same playing field, however If you watch it for what it is. You get enjoyment from it.. I like to watch it first as it ends where the first starts. It could of been almost a nice ride, but the network kept making changes and is the only reason why we ended up with what we got. Practical effects were made and were filmed. The network thought at the time practical effects were on its' way out so use modern CGI instead. Was against directors advice. Lastly instead of explaining how the thing crashed the ship and why the alien inside was something else. Thought it would confuse the viewers and cut & replace the final act with the Thing. Rushed ... they totally bombed the final CGI battle.. so bad it looks like bad video game