The Thing (1982) Movie REACTION!

For Film Friday #27, Madison watches The Thing for the first time.
#TheThing #KurtRussell
Full Length Reaction here: / madisonkthames

[@vpreggie]

Probably THE greatest animal actor of all time. That husky, named Jed in real life, nailed every scene and showed amazing presence. The dog trainer reported Jed as a bit edgy and strange, but there were never any incidents on set with him or any of the other actors. That scene when Jed walks slowly down the hall, pauses then peers into a room with an unknown, soon-to-be victim was perfect.

[@michaelsegriff3362]

I believe I heard somewhere that Jed was part wolf. Have you heard that? Might have been a “Making of The Thing” vid on YT.

[@joevaldez6457]

I read a blog post from a TV showrunner recently on why characters in movies and TV rarely own cats. They're the opposite of dogs and difficult to work with. I've seen a couple of movies with memorable cat performances -- _Alien_ and very briefly, _Go_ -- but I gather it's like threading a needle.

[@vpreggie]

@@joevaldez6457 just remember that the ONLY survivor in the Alien Saga was Jones the Cat. Never under-estimate a cat. 😊

[@aintsam9952]

Jed the dog was also the dog in White Fang with Ethan Hawke.

[@CChissel]

Goodest boy to ever be on the big screen

[@stevesheroan4131]

“You have to shoot them all (dogs)” “Don’t hose it off, let it burn” I want Madison on my team if I’m ever in a horror movie

[@chadlynch1551]

I watch all the reaction to this movie for two things; the "Oh, don't shoot the dog!", and the "OMFG shoot that damned thing!"

[@Malum09]

Kinda like watching Magica Madoka for the first time and Thinking Kyubey is cute to ending the series and thinking it should have been killed from the start

[@hanng1242]

I want to see a Norwegian (I suppose also a Dane, a Swede or an Icelander) react to this to see what he thinks about the movie being completely spoiled when the guy at the beginning shouts "Get away from it! It's not a dog!"

[@Minion_of_Cthulhu]

@@hanng1242 Centane is Norwegian. She reacted to The Thing and, yes, the Norwegian shouting "Get away from it! It's not a dog!" spoiled that little surprise for her. Other than that, she seemed to enjoy the movie. You can see her reaction here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6upnYSsd9hmn7M

[@hanng1242]

@@Minion_of_Cthulhu Oh, that's right. I forgot I watched her reaction to this. Thanks!

[@Minion_of_Cthulhu]

@@hanng1242 You're welcome!

[@ahenn84]

I loved the 'Tombstone' reference/parody line at 29:21..."Are ya gonna do something or just stand there and roar?" lmao

[@kennethmacgregor-Gregorach]

Ahh yes, The Thing... The ultimate family feel good film.

[@KneeAches]

Watch it with my grown daughter every winter.

[@kennethmacgregor-Gregorach]

@@KneeAches That's the sign of a great parent! :) I hope the two of you enjoy it together for many years to come.

[@x_trio_3_po333]

Especially a family with Husky dogs! 😁

[@kennethmacgregor-Gregorach]

@@x_trio_3_po333 😄😄

[@KneeAches]

@@x_trio_3_po333 funny

[@rockerdowns6051]

Saw it in 1982 at a local Chicago theater. The music score combined with the movies’ intensity made for a very quite and surreal walk to the car afterwards. My girlfriend announced shortly thereafter that I no longer get to pick the “date night” movies. I laughed and agreed. This is a horror masterpiece with the paranoia and suspense unmatched. I’ve watched countless reviews and yours is one of the best with dead on analysis. You seem to physically react to the film in a way that would make John Carpenter smile.

[@paulhelberg5269]

I watched this movie in the theater at 20 years of age. The isolation, the paranoia and the claustrophobia of the cramped interiors and the desolation of their location combined to create an atmosphere of doom and hopelessness. The head with eyestalks and spidery legs was the most nightmarish effect to me. Good reaction.

[@patmccallum2660]

One of the best horror films of all time and the best "paranoia horror" of all time. This film wasn't a blockbuster when originally released, so a lot of folks discovered it later on VHS. I used to love introducing it to friends at viewing parties, and discreetly watching them when a jump scare was around the corner (the defibrillator scene was always a highlight of screams, profanity and overturned popcorn bowls). It was fun watching your reaction and remembering those old viewing get-togethers. You're doing a good job with this channel, Madison. Your reactions are sincere, you have smart observations and a good take on quality writing/acting. Keep doing what you do, you're doing great!

[@michaelriddick7116]

Watching people react to The Thing and being like "NOoOoOoOo!! DoNt HuRt ThE dOg!!" never gets old!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@mikebrown7799]

"The Thing" was filmed in just 12 weeks. The special effects took over a year to complete, with 21 year old Rob Bottin living at the studio lot and having to call on the legendary special effects creator Stan Winston to help him finish, particularly the dog kennel scene.

[@lordpuller2226]

Botin was actually hospitalized with exhaustion, double pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer after working on the effects so long!

[@jamesfrench7299]

No wonder he still looked so young while all the other crew interviewed were getting on in age in the 2000s. I thought he was 22 but close enough. He did the practicals in Total Recall, Robocop -including the outfit, and even disturbing serial killer film Seven. That guy's a legend.

[@CruelestChris]

And Stan, thoroughly decent chap that he was, asked for his name to be left off the credits so Bottin would get his due.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@CruelestChris but fans are aware he was involved and that's ok.

[@KentBalzer]

I knew Stan Winston had to be involved. That makes sense now. Thanks.

[@hanng1242]

This is John Carpenter's best film. "Big Trouble in Little China" might be his most fun film, but "The Thing" is his best work.

[@asdfasdf7199]

@Alvin Tracey the balls to take on a film project for a science fiction romance. great flick.

[@CassandrashadowcassMorrison]

Deciding what film is a director's "best work" when the director is as good as John Carpenter is always going to come down to one's personal opinion. "In the Mouth of Madness" is one of my favorites. "Christine" is well thought of by many. When I am feeling all sentimental "Starman" is my go-to flick. And when I just want to chew bubblegum and kick ass along with the late great Rowdy Roddy Piper I turn to "They Live."

[@KneeAches]

Well, this and Halloween.

[@joevaldez6457]

You really earned your barf-me-out badge with this video, Madison. You have a strong grasp of psychology that should serve you well as a writer. Everyone’s behavior appears kind of suspicious once you really look, especially when you’re growing more paranoid by the hour. This story preys on that mercilessly.

[@44excalibur]

Madison, we all first watched this movie rooting for the dog to survive at the beginning, only to regret it later on. 😂

[@christopheryochum3602]

Madison! Love how you notice the composer, an almost unheard of comment by a reactor.

[@calumteine2008]

Personal opinion. That moment when "Bennings" looks up, slowly raises his hands, and emits that howl... combined with the slow steaming breath... That is my personal pick for the most horrifying clip ever shot.

[@stevetheduck1425]

It's a call back to the original novel; 'Who Goes There?' The Thing has a squalling, mewing scream that made everyone want to run and hide, or fight like maniacs.

[@fxzero666]

Couldn't agree more! EVERY SINGLE TIME I see that clip, I get goosebumps and chills run up my spine... it's absolutely perfect!

[@MySerpentine]

I always wonder what might've happened if they managed to bring themselves to try talking anyway.

[@danieldickson8591]

To me, it's the supreme Lovecraftian moment that makes clear our familiar world has been invaded and warped by something totally alien to anything we've ever known.

[@lordpuller2226]

The game you're thinking of is Among Us. It basically took the themes of The Thing and made a suspense filled party game with it!

[@richardhart5612]

I watched this with my dad when I was ten. This is my favorite horror movie. The best part of the movie was there was never a forced love story.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Hmmm, okayyyyy.....

[@riveraharper8166]

Great reaction. Indeed. I think the cast was shocked to see the actual corpses and monster. Instead of looking at a tennis ball on a bar. 'Is it possible the Thing can resist the Test for the second time?' I like the thought. I think in the lore however if the thing is only a cell or a tissue it doesn't have higher brain functions. Probably that's why when the Norris thing suffered from heart attack it probably lost it's cognitive functions and reacted instinctively for the electrical shock from the defibrillation and wanted to defend itself.

[@MySerpentine]

Technically defibrillation does stop your heart, so definitely a reasonable reaction.

[@KentBalzer]

I saw this movie in the theater when it came out. My twin brother and I were 15 years old at the time and and we asked our mom to take us to this R rated movie. I read the Starlog magazine that showed the comic book version of The Thing just a year or 2 before and when I saw the previews on TV, I felt that I had to go see this flick. My mom took us to the movie and I was not disappointed. I was shocked and horrified at various times throughout the film. To me, the most shocking was when Palmer had his blood scream before he transformed while everyone was still tied to the couch. Priceless. I loved how the suspense of not knowing who to trust prevailed throughout the film. The ending is definitely a cliff hanger, but it was the right way to end, based on the suspense of the story-line. Best John Carpenter film and best Kurt Russel film of all time in my humble opinion. Your reaction was priceless and I completely understood it. Thank you for your reaction.

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

The best part of the movie is that the cast of humans is trying to survive against a creature that's got to be several times smarter than they are- and it never bothers to try to communicate with them! Nothing could be more obviously hostile than that. It's like humans are not worth talking to.... I really enjoyed your reaction and breakdown afterwards. I loaned my DVD to a to friend that owns a Husky dog. He was not appreciative.

[@aintsam9952]

There’s actually a fan fiction short story that is from the perspective of the thing. Excellent short story.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@aintsam9952 glad someone mentioned that. The Thing was baffled why humans would want to fight becoming part of the collective, like it was a privilege!

[@DerMoerpler]

@@jamesfrench7299 The story was amazingly creepy, and the last sentence still haunts me.

[@misterhyde1971]

What a lot of people don't get is that this alien was piloting (Controlling) a spaceship across the universe over "100,000" years ago...Probably before humanity even existed. That means his intelligence was beyond human comprehension! It was nothing for him to build a mini spaceship out of the camp's technology and why he knew to snatch up that dynamite detenator at the end.

[@DerMoerpler]

@@misterhyde1971 It's probably the most subtile cosmic horror influence I've seen in any Story ever, and I love it.

[@44excalibur]

Blair isn't the one who ordered the burned remains stored away in the storage room. Gary is the one who runs the outpost, Blair is just a scientist.

[@surenotejas3163]

Doctor

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

One of the best suspense movies ever made. Because it's an isolated location and set in 1982, it's completely believable as something that actually happened.... Masterclass in acting and direction - characters that are wholly believable.

[@Sandy-dd4le]

Fun fact, the pinball table in the rec room is called, Heatwave. On the back display is a thermometer, the idea of play is to raise the temperature of the thermometer, until it reaches the top, at which point it blows. Fun little bit of foreshadowing that a lot of people miss.

[@staciepoole8161]

This movie is why I liked Kurt Russel so much! He’s good in comedic roles, but he is also a fantastic actor period.Keith David nailed his role as well. One of the best horror films from that time period.

[@jowbloe3673]

I HATE that the movie opens with a spaceship. How long would it take to think alien if you didn't see a spaceship? I'm impressed you were immediately skeptical of the dog (isn't it obvious?!) but most reactors sympathize with the dog.

[@MadisonKThames]

You’re right. I think it would’ve taken me much longer to figure it out if it weren’t for the UFO opening shot.

[@danielharper9596]

@@MadisonKThames The movie is a remake of "The Thing from Another Planet".

[@Cheepchipsable]

The spaceship wasn't in the original release, it was edited in without Carpenters knowledge. We surmise it's from space as soon as they find the spaceship, so not a huge spoiler, but it does detract from the mystery of the first part of the film. Also this movie is made from the source material, a short story not a remake of older movie "The Thing from Another Planet". The good thing about this movie is it builds suspense then pays off with a very gruesome creature, which is gruesome in a different way each time it appears.

[@jamesfrench7299]

I liked seeing the spaceship as it looked hurtling to Earth then later seeing it excavated and getting chills finding out it had been resting there since before modern mankind. I think it worked beautifully and what's done is done. Not showing it would have worked also.

[@ramonacosta2647]

They also screwed up in Predator by showing a spaceship at the beginning.

[@jamesodonnell3636]

23:15 -- "Are we for real, right now?" That's a great reaction that nicely anticipates the upcoming line in the movie, "You've gotta' be f---g kidding!" I suspect Carpenter and his team knew they were going "over the top" with their special effects and gore. But the way the violence unfolds is so wildly imaginative IMO that it disassociates us from the horror (somewhat) as we watch agog, stunned, in wonder: it's like something from a painting by Bosch or Dali... or Francis Bacon. To me, the Thing's big scenes, however bloody, are so inventive and clever (even witty) that they provide some relief from the terrifying psychological drama of the film's more suspenseful/tense human moments.

[@sporadicamnesic]

The scene when the guys stomach opens up into the mouth and bites the doctors arms off, they switched the actor playing the doctor with a stunt actor who was a double arm amputee and fitted the prostethic arms onto him along with a mask to make him look like the actor who played the doctor so they they could achieve the effect of the arms being ripped off more convincingly

[@dragonmac1234]

Everyone who watches this movie for the first time "no, why are they shooting the cute doggo" The rest of us who have watched this many times wait for the WTF moment when the "dog" shows its true nature. This movie is 40 years old and the practical effects still look good today, it's a masterclass in fear and paranoia few directors (in my opinion) could match. This was released around the same time as ET and I think it generally bombed at the box office (as a lot of John Carpenter movies sadly have over the years). I guess the public wanted cute aliens, not big scary ones that would rip your head off and wear it as a hat :)

[@0okamino]

Or worse than a hat, wear it as it’s own head.

[@rajdixit1605]

If I recall correctly, Carpenter himself did the synth score, including the "heartbeat." Morricone did the sad, eerie instrumentals (heavy on strings), as well as the mournful horns.

[@anthonyzarate9807]

Just starting this reaction. After hearing you say "Ennio Morricone" and he is one of your favorite composers immediately got me to subscribe on both my KZbin accounts! I have seen reactions from you before, but this told me how much you appreciate all elements of cinema. Ennio, John Williams, and Lalo Schifrin are my 3 favorite movie composers. I assume you know who Williams and Schifrin are, but if you don't, look up their scores and watch the movies that they did them for. You will NOT be disappointed! Lalo did scores for Cool Hand Luke, Mission Impossible (one of the greatest scores ever created), Dirty Harry, Rush Hour, and Enter the Dragon. Those are my top 5 from him. P.S. Ennio & Alex North are the only 2 composers to win the "Honorary Academy Award" in the almost 100 years since its been given out!

[@implicitmintjulep]

I'm so glad you're doing movie reactions, your observations are pretty on-point and your predictions are usually pretty spot on too! Please keep these up (especially the sci-fi/80s/genre stuff)

[@philiphebert8680]

I seen The Thing many times, but your reaction to the movie made it so fun to watch it again. You have a fantastic domain and I really enjoy watching your posts. Thank you for all your hard work.

[@captbrownbeard1599]

There was a made for TV movie called "Something Is Out There" that featured what could arguably called the same creature only you never saw it in its original or multi-creature form. It breaks out of a high security prison spaceship and flees to Earth. A single 'spacecop' survives and follows it to try and capture it again.

[@Trogadorsaysay2]

"Is it possible that the alien Thing could resist, once it knows how the test functions, and once it's worked on one of them?" Funny you should ask that. There were once plans for a sequel TV show for SyFy, where Thing particles somehow end up in a small town, the idea being to explore the horrifying concept of what would happen, should it find itself in an actual populated area. Any mosquito bite could get you infected, that's how terrifying the thought is. But, here's something to keep you up at night, had the series been given the greenlight. THE THING FIGURES OUT HOW TO GET AROUND THE BLOOD TEST.

[@robertcartier5088]

Saw this at a friend's house when it came out on VHS... Then I drove home, at 2AM in the middle of nowhere, in a focking blizzard! Never been so scared my car would go off the road in my life! lol

[@Linerunner99]

Probably the fastest I've seen someone guess the dog being the thing as early as you did. Most are just crying to leave the dog alone while you're suss like, "I dunno... that dog might have a thing in him..." lol

[@David_Baxendale]

When they turn around and see the head walking away, it is one of those rare times in movies where the the look on the characters' faces match those of the audience. One of the original WTAF/you've gotta be kiding me moments.

[@OuchmakerX]

I think the most often overlooked effect in the film is the fake arm holding the petri dish. They use the fake arm in the previous negative results, so when the blood "thing" pops out in the latter scene it's surprising. While it looks a bit off from a real arm, by using the same arm in all the scenes your mind ignores it until it's too late.

[@thereturningshadow]

Almost all of the film was filmed in one location in Canada except the scene of the three guys walking to the cut out hole the Norwegians left when they took the Thing to their camp. That was filmed in a back lot parking lot if I am not mistaken and then blue screened into the whole shot. I do know for sure Carpenter was smart and help keep within the budget by filming the Norwegian camp scenes last after all other filming was completed because he used the destroyed American camp as the Norwegian set.

[@balrog73]

There were a few times when you looked like you were going to lose your lunch for sure. I mean, one time you really went pale and I thought you were going down for the count, but you soldiered on. Very noble reaction endeavor.

[@cusdu6349]

The Thing is my favorite J. Carpenter's movie, along with In the Mouth of Darkness, and The Village of the Damned.

[@ypey1]

This lady must be the best predictor of movie plots ive ever seen! Wtf i think she might be a fortune teller

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

That sinking feeling, when your most paranoid projections aren't quite edequate to the situation...

[@spamllama]

A rescue team would take six months, this was the first week of winter in the antarctic.

[@armaghedron]

I don't speak Norwegian, but I was curious what the Norwegian was saying when they landed at the American camp. It was, "It's not a dog! It's imitating a dog! It isn't real! Get away you idiots!!"

[@leperwolf7287]

I just started watching and my friends and I are placing bets on how you'll react to the first 'thing reveal'.

[@erictaylor5462]

I was recently watching a video that was talking about problems people will have traveling into deep space (beyond the moon's orbit) and issue was the mental health of the crew. There have been cases where crews started to hallucinate when isolated for a long time. And sometimes the entire group can even share the same delusion. It made me wonder. You have a group of men isolated in the Antarctic. Perhaps one crew begins to hallucinate and based on his description the rest of the crew begin to hallucinate the same thing. What if there was no shapeshifting alien, and no crashed flying saucer. Everything they thought they saw was a delusion. The crew just lost their minds and killed each other until only one was left. Yes, I mean just one. Childs had no visible breath because he wasn't breathing. Imaginary people don't need to breathe.

[@willv7868]

I was in high school when this came out. People walked out of the theater they were so grossed out. But they did come back in just to see what happens.

[@mvasqu762]

Does anybody here know what the ending truly tells? Carpenter went to a 40th anniversary comic con and told the people... At the end childs ask Macready "are YOU the last one" not are we the last ones... You can see Macready breathing heavy cold air coming from his mouth while childs had no air coming from his mouth... And lastly, they make Molotovs using the fuel from the camp, it wasn't filled with only liquor so when he passes the bottle to child's and he drinks it without saying anything, Macready laughs knowing there's no way a human wouldn't have just drank it like that.... And that's how it ends🔥🔥🔥 made in 82 and still my favorite horror movie

[@scottmcdonald9924]

The costs hanging in the background before going out to test Blair are then changed when they do the pass through and the place is empty. The next scene is Nauls seeing Childs run out it's like they fought and the thing hung the coats back up but didn't no which hooks they were on.

[@brandonflorida1092]

This was a good choice of movie. It's fun to see you react, especially to this type of movie, be it here or on Rumble. My only criticism is that the film was a little dark. This movie is considered by many to be the pinnacle of practical effects. I would suggest that you do the original, the 1951 version, sometimes called "The Thing from Another World." I have seen 30 reactions to this movie and some to the "2011" prequel, but no one has ever reacted to the original even though it's very cool. Carpenter made this one because he was a big fan of the original.

[@lordpuller2226]

This and maybe the Friday the 13th movies are some of the best reaction films.

[@RobinDale50]

If by "dark" you mean the brightness of the way it was filmed, check out the 4k version ,as that has a much better contrast range so you can see everything more clearly. if you mean dark as in tone of the story, well, that's the story :)

[@brandonflorida1092]

@@RobinDale50 I mean that her little screen was dark. I've seen the movie many times and, seriously, about 40 reactions to it and I know that's not in the actual movie. I figure that if no one tells her, she won't have the chance to correct the problem for future reactions.

[@JustSomeGuywithEpicGrasses]

The original is so amazing. The scene where they set it on fire is one of the most impressive instances of overcoming practical limitations and making the impossible possible in cinema.

[@JustSomeGuywithEpicGrasses]

@@brandonflorida1092 it may be done for copyright reasons.

[@Cheepchipsable]

After first Thing appearance, "I'm not good with gore..." Us; "Oh crap!"

[@shainewhite2781]

Best SCI FI Horror Thriller film ever made! The Dog Kennel Sequence was done by Stan Winston Studios whom did VFX work for: JURASSIC PARK PREDATOR ALIENS LAKE PLACID PREDATOR 2 GALAXY QUEST The Lost World Jurassic Park 2 JURASSIC PARK 3 Interview With The Vampire THE TERMINATOR TERMINATOR 2 JUDGEMENT DAY TERMINATOR 3 RISE OF THE MACHINES A.I, Artificial Intelligence Pumpkin Head. Wrong Turn THE RELIC THE MONSTER SQUAD THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS End of Days Inspector Gadget Edward Scissorhands BATMAN RETURNS Big Fish Invaders From Mars LEVIATHAN Tank Girl CONGO The Time Machine DOOM Constantine Iron Man And Terminator Salvation which was his last film until his unfortunate passing from blood cancer in 2008 at age 62.

[@peterampee-kleisius]

Understatement of the month "There is something visceral about this."

[@earlthepearl6414]

According to the comic book Chiles was indeed infected by The Thing at the end.

[@oneandzero6251]

I'm ashamed of my fellow countrymen (Norwegians). First at the south pole. 5 million Norwegians who has managed to claim 1/6th of Antartica...And then managing to almost erradicating humanity by overextending exploration. Sometimes you just have to settle with what you got. Atleast bring some fly agaric to create viking berserkers in situations like these.....

[@Cetra29]

When they look at the crater that crater with the spaceship is a painting, by the way.

[@carlossantiago9955]

You should check out the original 1951 version of "The Thing" (sub-titled "From Another World"}. Very different.

[@deatheaterxxxx]

this movie is hands down the best 80's Horror movies ever made.

[@twoheart7813]

There should have been a special oscar for Donald Moffat's eyebrows, they were awesome 😉

[@MWBTR]

Love your reactions! Love the channel! You were Great in this one, keep up the good work!

[@colinglen4505]

'Torch the head! Torch the head! Lol. :D

[@44excalibur]

"Who was sitting on the couch in that room when the dog was in there?" No one from the cast. The shadow of the man you saw in that room was actually stuntman Dick Warlock, who had previously been Kurt Russell's stunt double on John Carpenter's Escape From New York and played Michael Myers in Halloween II. Carpenter didn't want anything to give away the identity of which member of the team had been taken over by the thing, so he made sure the first victim was not played by any member of the cast.

[@Malum09]

Since he looked slightly heavier I always thought it was Norris

[@44excalibur]

@@Malum09 I think it's implied that Palmer was the first one infected. Norris wasn't taken over, he accidentally ingested part of the Thing and was slowly being assimilated from the inside, which is why he was having chest pains.

[@jamesfrench7299]

It was creepy how a second Norris head formed in defence against the electric shocks.

[@Calamity_Jack]

"Snake Pliskin? I thought you were dead."

[@philshorten3221]

"Event Horizon" ..... If you want SciFi horror you just gotta go to Hell & back.

[@irina1296]

Even though this movie was a remake, I think it took inspiration from Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and Alien (1979) the most. And it only made this film a masterpiece. Unfortunately, it was not as successful as those two in the box office but time showed who was right.

[@disturbed1013]

It's the adaptation of "Who goes there?" From 1938, by John Campbell. The Thing, the assimilation was his idea, not from a movie that came 40 years after his story.

[@irina1296]

@@disturbed1013 I know it but The Thing remake came in 1982 when Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) & Alien (1979) made the Sci-Fi/Horror subgenre super popular. Coincidence? I don't think so, plus Carpenter was a huge fan of both films. I didn't mean the idea of assimilation. I was talking about overall atmosphere, visuals, pacing and specially practical effects

[@mojavered1273]

More Freaky Fridays! Love it. This is my absolute favorite sci-fi horror movie ever made, even though it doesn't take place in space. There was a very passable prqyel finally made in 2011 starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Spoiler: It shows what leads up to this one. It got mixed reviews but I loved it. The FX are crazy. Of course they're CGI and don't have the allure of practical FX like this one does, but it's an awesome film just the same. Best reaction I ever saw from you!

[@Kurtiscott]

Well that was such a fun reaction. And I really appreciate your calm and measured final thoughts that you always include. For me, the secret sauce of The Thing is the paranoia and dread that threads its way though out the story. The ensemble cast is just rock solid. And the introduction of the the Thing itself (the dog) is masterful. Every single scene featuring that dog is beautifully handled. Anyway, congrats on 8 thousand subs! really enjoy your channel. Cheers

[@JayM409]

I saw this in the theatre when it came out. It remains one of my favourite films even forty years later.

[@flibber123]

I definitely think actors do better work on real sets with real props and practical effects. For one thing, not only do they have something to look at, but it looks approximately like what they are supposed to be acting against. An actor looking at a physical if fake dog is going to do better than the actor who is told to 'look there, the dog will be there' and they are looking at empty space.

[@terryhughes7349]

everybody falls for the dog at the beginning. Also, everybody wants to buy that Kurt Russell hat.

[@tomyoung9049]

fun reaction. I've said before this movie could just as easily be called paranoia, from the point early on when you start to figure out what's going on. You spend every minute right up to the last fade out wondering, who is and who isn't.

[@choosetolivefree]

I love all of Kurt Russell's movies

[@chriscox8095]

If you were thinking of the game, Among Us, I believe that it was inspired by this film.

[@PsychedelicChameleon]

Sus!

[@thunderrumble9521]

This movie bombed at the box office and was panned HARD by many famous critics (you can see it in a siskel and ebert clip of that era). It came out within a few weeks of wholesome family sci-fi hit ET and in the middle of the Star Wars series... it was a little too far outside of people's experiences and they seemed to take it badly, perhaps like the riot at the premiere of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring in 1913. It's considered a classic now though. Agree about practical effects and actors being better - I've heard the cast of alien weren't told anything about the chest burster mechanics before the shot so the reactions are unvarnished, hah ha. Fun reaction video. Sorry for the nightmares

[@waltermartinez5372]

Escape from New York (1981) director John Carpenter

[@cygnusstarscream]

There's a theory that the End Scene shows who's the Thing. McReady has warm air exhaling (human) and Childs doesn't (The Thing).

[@At0m1cPunk]

The first time I saw this I was 11 or 12 and it messed with me hard but I still love John Carpenter all these years later!

[@shainewhite2781]

The blood test scene was on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments, as it was so tense, you don't who the Thing really is.

[@indarklove6850]

Dear Madison, we would love your reaction to the classic horror *The Blob* from 1988

[@fridaymovies2924]

6:42 Yup; Among Us is heavily inspired by this film. Many of its k!ll animations are taken directly from The Thing as well as the game’s arctic base map which is clearly derived from Carpenter’s work as well.

[@cadleo]

"I dont have words for that Thing". Few do.

[@joerenaud8292]

Seeing how physical special effects can still work it's intended goals to this day speaks volumes at how CGI hasn't been able to keep up with it.

[@Cheepchipsable]

I wish people would stop going on about the effects. Yes, this was one, if not the best for it's time, but it was incredibly expensive and without CGI I doubt a lot of newer movies would get made, or have fewer VFX due to the cost of the physical ones. There is a place for both, and it helps if you have good actors who can emote effectively.

[@bellissimo4520]

This film probably has the best practical horror effects I have ever seen. It always looks horrible and disgusting, but not in a cringy way. Beats many modern CGI horror effects by a mile.

[@evanharrison4054]

Here's my reaction to your reaction video: How did you manage to miss The Thing all these years and also can I recommend you some bone chilling horror? Color Out Of Space, Occult(Koji Shiraishi) and The Borderlands come to mind. I'd also like to see your reaction to Age of Uprising. Sure, they're not the most popular movies, but if your bread and butter is your emotional reactions...those will definitely make you react.

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

It's not a husky, it's a Wolf-Dog. Jed had special handlers because he does not respond as a domestic dog behaves.

[@Antagonopolis]

Can recommend "In the Mouth of Madness" by John Carpenter. Hidden gem for sure

[@hv3926]

2011 was the Prequel also called The Thing, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead tells the story of the Norwegian camp. Too much CGI but it is still worth a look. It ends with the beginning of the helicopter-dog chase. 😮

[@christopheryochum3602]

I don't think Blair "lost it" per se; he saw the calculations for how long the entire world would be infected, so he destroyed any and all means of communicating outside the camp so no one would come and then become infected. You COULD say he lost his composure, but I don't think he lost his mental acuity.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Yes, he realised the danger before becoming infected, destroyed ways to leave the base or contact the outside world. Maybe he realised he was infected at the time, or at least the most likely to be infected, and acted while he still had control.

[@Cetra29]

Blair did not try to save the world. He was gone after the scene where he sat on the computer. It was the Thing trying to get caught and isolated so it could build the device. The stolen helicopter parts and other scraps had to be brought into the shed before that, after all. It is not like it had unlimited time and would not be noticed running around collecting the parts from before.

[@thomasgaming5201]

will you react to THE THING 2011? plz anser

[@edwardthorne9875]

What a great paranoia/isolation horror film. Practical effects win again! Loved your reaction to all this. This one is really hard to top in terms of disturbing visuals. You have a very expressive face. For a lighter touch creature feature, I highly recommend 'Tremors'.

[@jamesfrench7299]

You can see what she's feeling.

[@unkown34x33]

This ending was one of the best ending ever! Coz like if some of them are the thing, it's wild, but that's it. We will always wonder perfect ending

[@peter486]

i dont understand how you find these gold movies. Madison

[@MySerpentine]

Gotta love Palmer. I'm like 90% sure he was already an alien back when he was yammering on about Ancient Aliens bullshit :D

[@AximandTheCursed]

This remains one of the best horror films of all time, the decisions and thinking were just so very human.

[@svenpoletka5236]

We do know what happened! The thing did not make it out of there and humanity was saved for now.

[@apachesparatan5849]

You are the only one that I could recall so far that thinks there's something wrong with the dog at the beginning.

[@matthewmckibben]

"I don't do well with gore." hahahaha

[@alanguile8945]

I was once in Cornwall trying to learn to surf with some friends. We saw the local cinema was having a midnight showing of The Thing so we went along with a six pack of beer. The whole crowd was talking and laughing as the opening credits rolled, shortly after all the laughing stopped! What a film! And all the effects are practical as well! By the way don't try surfing just after watching Jaws!

[@JJgibson1]

Check out the movie Tremors(1990).

[@oxhine]

Hey, Madison! 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!

[@Tiberious_Of_Elona]

Great reactions and great instincts. Ty