The Thing (1982) Retrospective / Review

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The Thing (1982) Retrospective / Review
Get The Thing on Blu-ray here goo.gl/vNAl3d
Get The Thing Soundtrack here goo.gl/1B44wb
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[@OliverHarper]

Get The Thing on Blu-ray here goo.gl/vNAl3d Get The Thing Soundtrack here goo.gl/1B44wb

[@Rick_Cleland]

_Pigs can sniff out truffles with their snouts._

[@metalfan9109]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKDCdnptYtBlo8k this is great

[@NoizyInSeattle]

My solution to the "problem" that the monster couldn't have built a spaceship from the helicopter parts: It's not a spaceship. A bigger problem is: Why would they have a flame thrower at an Antarctic research station? Or dynamite?

[@zepter00]

Oliver...Please review „Assault on precinct 13” (1976)

[@JohnSmith-hh2nz]

Regarding Blair-Thing and his building the spacecraft, you could reasonably extrapolate that he/it could build as much of it as possible from nearby vehicles. Then, assuming that he/it is not caught or killed, would then make a trek to the larger spacecraft wreckage to scavenge anything advanced such as navigation, power-source, etc.

[@jesseredwards]

One of the greatest movies ever made. No joke.

[@mr.destroyer3583]

hell yes

[@LionmaneElsie08]

agree!

[@davedogge2280]

One of the reasons I will never go to the north/south poles or cold / frozen countries like Green Land / Iceland particularly to remote areas in those places. You just don't know what diseases / bacteria / viruses are frozen in those wastelands. Perhaps safer than say tropical jungle but still....

[@tracygates771]

Agreed!

[@MrHereWeGoYo]

Without question.

[@timperley69]

One of the few movies i have watched 50+ times in my life and never get sick of it.

[@steerpike66]

I defy anybody to stumble over it on TV late at night and change the channel. You just can't.

[@mountaindewslave]

same

[@truthfilter]

kevin timperley I agree and I feel the same about ALIEN unrivalled masterpieces

[@traumachild1737]

kevin timperley this movie has been out since 1982 how have you not watched at least 200+ XD

[@bassage13]

@SFF Author B.L. Alley There is a jump scare, but it's a great one.

[@ceiiu2283]

John Carpenter is one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood.

[@joeshittheragman6252]

Critics killed his career

[@Jackrabbit_Slim]

He's awesome. Does things his own way and successfully. Unbelievably talented film maker. Got a fan in me since the late 70s

[@Tabish29]

Hes great but shouldve been more prolific

[@myimorata7678]

Besides his vision about what a project should do, he does it on modest budgets and on time.

[@philipthomas6808]

No doubt, one of my favorite directors. He's the Sam Peckinpah of Horror and Sci-Fi films.

[@HerrProfM]

The Thing is unique because is really captures the idea of paranoia, distrust, and fear. I know of no other movie that does it so well. The score by Morricone only reinforces these feelings. Not to mention that the special effects are incredibly good. They stand the test of time and look great even though it has been over 30 years since its release. That's the advantage of practical effects versus CGI. Just watch any movie that relies on CGI effects from 10 years ago. Also, compared to typical horror movie, especially modern horror movies, the amount of gore is rather small. At the time it was released, the gore might have offended some people with weaker stomach, but it is nothing compared to the more modern slasher horror movies.

[@macmcleod1188]

Even watching a monster that relies on CGI today still doesn't look as good-- doesn't look as real. Reality has random droplets of slime, impossibly complex lighting. I'm sure CGI will get there but mostly it doesn't look real compared to practical effects.

[@badwolf8665]

CGI has it's place, but I think of practical effects like a puzzle or a magic trick - it is the 'how did they do that?!" that makes it so awesome. I watched the making-of for this film and some of their solutions to the effects were amazing - not just the stomach-mouth scene.

[@HerrProfM]

Sure it does have a place. But it should be used judiciously. Also, in a movie like this there is really little need for CGI. And yeah, the "making-of-the-movie" is a must for anyone who loves the movie. It is really incredible the amount of work they put into these practical special effects.

[@reservoirfrogs2177]

HerrProf People always just praise the effects (they're amazing, don't get me wrong it's some of the best) but they forget how well done the tension and paranoia is, when I first saw it I had no idea what to expect, it had me on edge the entire film.

[@jorgebaptista4425]

HerrProf the Antarctic setting is also perfect for the fear factor

[@susantaylor3137]

One of the greatest movies ever made.

[@randybarnett2308]

I agree this movie, night of the living dead, alien, jaws and Frankenstein are my favorite movies l also liked the original Thing.

[@kawythowy867]

You got that right....

[@adalester9]

@@randybarnett2308 my favorite movies are The Thing, Alien, Frankenstein, The Terminator, License To Kill, Goldeneye, Batman, Superman, The Untouchables, Heat, Predator, The Crow, & The Matrix.

[@randybarnett2308]

@@adalester9 looks like we have the same taste in movies🤗🤗🤗

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@randybarnett2308 most of both of your choices are on mine. I also include Midnight Run, The Godfather parts 1 and 2, Terminator 2, Lethal Weapon 1 and 2, It's a Wonderful Life, Malcolm X, Bad Boys, Beverly Hills Cop, Back To The Future, From Russia With Love, Iron Man, Coming To America, Blade 1 and 2, Spiderman 1 and 2, The Dark Knight, Law Abiding Citizen and Star Trek Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered Country.

[@harlequin75]

Personally, I prefer 'The Thing' over Alien. I wasn't frightened or creeped out with Alien. But 'The Thing' is creepy as hell. Plays with your own imagination. The score is awesome.

[@DarkCyberElf]

Alien does suspense and tension better than frightening and creepy when compared with The Thing.

[@tiagocampos9824]

I agree 100% with you

[@martincann5052]

+harlequin75 Plus Alien relied way too much on people doing dumb things just to move the story on. In The Thing, they do dumb things in retrospect, at the time they make perfect sense.

[@DarkCyberElf]

Martin Cann I don't know about the characters doing "dumb things" so much as acting very appropriately based on the group atmosphere and situation at hand. Everyone was legitimately stricken with uncertainty, panic, and fear. That literally causes "foolish action" by default. There wasn't anything any of the characters did that was legitimately "stupid", just ignorant and without a great enough degree of caution. Many of the characters' decisions and their fates were also manipulated unknowingly by Ash, the android. The Thing is well-crafted in a sense but ultimately nobody was "stuck with no efficient way out" at that base like they were on the Nostromo in Alien. It should be considered more foolish to not expect more people to simply want to run away from a situation like that rather than stick around and try to solve it.

[@martincann5052]

+DarkCyberElf (Mylon Requiem) Good point. But still, that damn cat...

[@renragged]

Fans hated it when it was originally released? I definitely wasn't one of them. I was pretty young when it came out, around 10 years old, and it scared the heck out of me, but I loved it. As a matter of fact, I saw it at a drive-in theater. That made it all the creepier... Then my big sister who took me to see it sent me to the concession stand to get candy/drinks ALONE!!! Hahahaha. I was terrified!

[@OliverHarper]

renragged cheers for leaving your thoughts on your first experience with the movie. Fans of the original weren't too keen on the remake. John Carpenter has expressed their concerns in many interviews.

[@Johnlindsey289]

+Oliver Harper You mean the prequel, not a remake.

[@salaciousBastard]

+renragged I heard that moviegoers stayed away from the original release due to reviews that said it was much too gory, but maybe that was just a rumor.

[@salaciousBastard]

***** Sounds like Harper's talking about the original, "The Thing from Another World" in 1951, since it's supposedly considered one of the greatest sci fi films of the 1950s.

[@Johnlindsey289]

salaciousBastard What "original" movie? The Thing from Another World and The Thing are 2 very very different films, there is no film called "The Thing" in 1951, just The Thing from Another World. It's sooo different than the "original" film that i don't even consider it a remake, the true original is the 1938 book Who Goes There which was adapted twice on film. The Thing is rather a separate adaptation of the same book and a more truthful adaptation unlike The Thing from Another World which is a damned good movie but a rather poor adaptation of the original source material.

[@Somewhere-in]

Carp's masterpiece. This has an impressive cast and it rivals Predator and JAWS. Kurt is magnificent in this film, just magnificent.

[@Gobbygiblet]

I love predator, but the THING blows that film out of the water. One of the best films I have ever seen, despite the fact its over 30 years old

[@zachariahwade8482]

Andrew Watt Predator isn’t in the same universe as The Thing

[@potatoking4227]

@@zachariahwade8482 that's not what he meant.. he's saying that The Thing is better than Predator and Jaws.

[@zachariahwade8482]

potatoking124 Rivals means as good as

[@paulburns1333]

It is a masterpiece. Kurt was brilliant. A shout out for the photo and lighting people, their work is worthy of an Oscar, if that's worth anything nowadays.

[@broaddusmarines]

Almost 35 years later and this movie still stands the test of time. PS, Keith David hasn't aged a minute since then either.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Keith David is amazing. Too bad he's been underutilized in film. I'd have much rather seen him than Denzel Washington in every damn movie that cast a black protagonist.

[@jasperbeardly2938]

Keith David deserves a star on the walk of fame LEGEND!!!

[@darksharxz]

He is Goliath on Gargoyles

[@thealaskan1635]

He's the Arbiter!

[@mikeottawa8158]

I think David's Last major fiLm , whch was a dud , cLoud AtLas , amazng cast but boring moovie

[@llg3pe]

As we all outgrew E.T., we realized The Thing is a brilliant movie.

[@general_iroh_]

the thing's death cry is freaking scary as hell

[@andrewf1145]

There's something that never ceases to freak me out about 80's horror movies. In fact, most 80's movies in general have an atmosphere to them that sends shivers down my spine, it might be the music.

[@graphicsgod]

Nah, it's a little bit of everything! Actors can actually act, scripts aren't written in a day and rushed, directors can actually direct, and SFX wasn't done like a Saturday morning cartoon!! The late 70's through till the mid 90's had some of the best movies of all time!! Even the bad ones are still better than what is being churned out today.. Just like how video killed the radio star, computer generated SFX killed the movies.

[@Mogget01]

Any horror fan will tell you the 80s was a seminal period in horror film. It was literally the peak of practical effects, and the creativity to this day for most people has yet to be matched. I still to this day say the best horror films were made pre 1990

[@paulburns1333]

@@graphicsgod Ye, creativity and talent, a winning combination ignored in these sad times we live in.

[@literallyunderrated]

Ennio Morricones music was great in this movie, and I think John Carpenter composed some of the music as well

[@richard7645]

Dun dun..... dun dun.... dun dun.... 🥰

[@janetcraft]

I saw this film as well as the prequel and enjoyed both of them. I recommend watching these films when there's a snow blizzard on a Saturday night and the roads are blocked off for the snow ploughs. Beer, pizza, wings, popcorn are your food rations for the next three hours. Have fun.

[@janetcraft]

Cheers!

[@janetcraft]

The Great White North.

[@janetcraft]

+rascalMatt17 Province of Ontario. We have only two seasons here - Fall and Winter.

[@southlondon86]

Janet Craft How will the pizza be delivered if the roads are blocked off?

[@bvdatech1]

southlondon86 thats the real horror

[@nantu07]

There's tradition that the crew of permanent station on Antarctic watches "The Thing" after the last plane leaves before a 1-2 months of isolation.

[@daleksupreme2913]

Then you're the guy who turns the lights out at night 8|

[@FluffyBuzzard2TheMax]

I ate spaghetti while watching this movie, bad idea

[@steerpike66]

Yeah, I ate chili once while watching 'Naked Lunch'. I had to stop and breathe for a while.

[@georgemorley1029]

+Chazbot Your comment amuses me.

[@DelNiceBeto]

ha! weakling.

[@justcallmejay8170]

Hamsaphina you think spaghetti is bad I was eating human meat loaf. now try that while watching that shit.

[@qwolf2494]

十666 十 human meat loaf??? 2 pounds of child meat A pinch a pepperica 3 cups of ketchup Preheat to 450 And one crime scene cleanup kit

[@macready7402]

Keith David was an underrated actor.

[@terrygialliam1210]

MacReady Could you escape? Was Childs an Alien?

[@llamahipster4317]

Am i the only one who read the comics.

[@retromovieroom2819]

Damn! I need to read those!

[@bentramer682]

MacReady hey Mac so I take it Child's was the thing?

[@reallife5594]

Was this the first horror movie WHERE THE BLACK MAN LIVED TO THE END OF THE MOVIE???

[@salaciousBastard]

One of my favorite sci fi horror movies of all time. The creepy theme music. The terrifyingly unstoppable alien organism. The extreme setting. the ambiguous ending. Loved it all.

[@wattsnottaken1]

The Thing and the original Alien are absolute masterpieces. I love them so much both 2 movies never get old! 😁

[@racefaceec90]

the best special effects ever in a film :-)

[@windycitytoast]

Rob Bottin is a legend!!

[@hyhrthhrfbhtbdsgmgtubfjfyn1488]

Its good but i think jurassic park is better

[@ethanbrock5453]

the kaiged dinosaur I believe one of the same people who worked on the effects in this also worked on Jurassic Park

[@rogerwaters3165]

An American Werewolf in London also had great effects

[@Rhythmattica]

@Mr. Graves or "In Camera"

[@boxbreaker2011]

E.T has been forgotten, no one cares....The Thing is a masterpiece and now a timeless classic which will be enjoyed for many MORE years to come! It just goes to show you, you can win at the box office and with awards....but the REAL prize is immortality and that's where The Thing wins!

[@NostalgiNorden]

Sorry i prefer The Thing as well but way more people remember E.T

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@NostalgiNorden true but ET has always been overrated. Not a bad film but it's way overhyped and doesn't hold up all that well. I still can't stand that ugly butt faced alien lol.

[@ryans756]

ET has been forgotten 😅 ET is singlehandedly the reason we have a Mandalorian TV show. No one knew who Boba Fett was, or indeed his name, before Elliott showed ET his toy figure collection. But of course, no one remembers that 🙄

[@brown22sugar25]

E.T. Hasn’t been forgotten at all. You don’t have to shit on it because it unintentionally hurt the success of this movie.

[@rfkwouldvebeenaok1008]

@@ryans756 no one knew who boba fett was? Bro were talking about star wars. Not some niche indie film. Like I don't even like star wars and I can confirm facts when I see them. Star Wars has had huge mainstream success across generations for decades. Even before ET when people were lining up around the block to rewatch the first one in the 70s. The fan base is filled with toxic bloodlust levels of devotion. You'd be hard pressed to find someone then who didn't recognize star wars characters when they were mentioned. Especially since nobody would shut up about it.

[@rustykuntz94]

Rob Bottin's work is beyond amazing here, you just can't beat old school practical effects

[@DarthDJJD]

You can call this a great horror film, but not in the sense that many think of horror films. This is a Hitchcock-ing horror film with actual suspense and true horror, instead of the gimmicky jump scares or gore fest you get these days. "The Thing" would have been a movie Hitchcock would have made if he was into the Sci-fi genre. That's why I would put "The Thing" up there with "Psycho", and "The Shining" - which has more of a Edger Allen Poe intellectual horror than traditional B-Movie Horror films.

[@Broyale26]

DarthDJJD I totally agree. While fans of the film like myself praise the effects to high heaven, what really makes this film memorable and beloved is the acting, direction, and consistent tone throughout the film. The tone is set right from the beginning and doesn't let up 'til the end credits. I don't know what crack rock the critics and audiences were smoking back then, maybe the Spielberg and Lucas paid people to suppress positive reviews, I dunno. Movies like The Thing, Night of the Living Dead (the original), Alien & Aliens succeed because they make you feel like you're right there with the characters, sharing in their fear.

[@nicholasdickens2801]

I love that whole Lovecraftian vibe to The Thing. I'm glad you noticed it.

[@Mogget01]

I'm just happy it got rediscovered. This is my personal favorite horror movie ever made, and I love horror movies in general. I agree, it's not about the jump scares, the movie is a good study of paranoia, with great scenes and the special effects... What else can be said. Despite the attention it's gotten recently, I think Carpenter deserves waaaaay more recognition for this movie than he's getting.

[@Johnlindsey289]

+DarthDJJD Hitchcock does Sci-fi? a good one to describe this movie

[@MrTHEMONEEMAKER]

+DarthDJJD True one of the best things about it is the suspense

[@nafost]

Absolutely phenomenal film on every front

[@JurassicRod]

The craft the Thing builds isn't a space ship, just a vehicle to get it to the mainland.

[@Joseph-nx5gv]

i was gonna say this, there was no indication the thing was suppose to be space worthy.

[@bag101]

That's also the impression I got. Because the Thing can separate into independent organisms I always thought it'd just throw an arm or something onto the craft.

[@bag101]

That's also the impression I got. Because the Thing can separate into independent organisms I always thought it'd just throw an arm or something onto the craft.

[@ptrs41653]

Because Blair hadn't been assimilated yet.

[@zombieshoot4318]

@Omega Sirius Late reply but the answer is that Blair Thing didn't know how to fly a helicopter. The Thing didn't have Mac's memories since Mac wasn't a Thing but the Thing did have memories of how to build other types of craft from its alien origins. Also a helicopter wouldn't have the range to reach the nearest landmass which would be South America so Blair Thing needed to build something that would have the range to make it to the southern tip of South America.

[@skyhazel6205]

CG monsters, aliens and effects have me saying "alright, not bad" on their best days. But I STILL can't look at these practically-made, visceral creatures without being sickened or nervous. They will, in my mind, always be more effective at eliciting such responses (in myself, at least), than anything computers can come up with.

[@wdunn06]

Same

[@99kozi99]

The movie was overshadowed by ET? Its a joke!

[@99kozi99]

***** Yes. The Thing has had the last laugh. Its an amazing sci-fi horror movie.

[@starcrafter13terran]

András kozák I think the problem was that at the time horror movies were getting so overloaded with people thinking gore was the way to go rather than suspense that people were put off by it before they even saw it. Gore is not scary, it's just disgusting. The true nightmare of the thing was not that it changed form or killed but rather the fact it could have been any of them. The paranoia is what made the movie. It never had a chance to be noticed in 82.

[@s0nnyburnett]

András kozák ET phoned home when he heard about McReady coming for him.

[@99kozi99]

***** Maybe. But I think classic sci-fi horror movies like (Thing, Aliens, Predator, Event Horizon etc) are awesome and way above the B horror movie shit like slashers movies which was made for idiots or garbage where the multiple ressurected killer with some sharp object is running after 90 pound of girls in lingerie. Not to mention repetative zombie movie shit.

[@Johnlindsey289]

+András kozák It came out in the wrong time, perhaps Halloween would had been a better time

[@cl8804]

Alien's a masterpiece, but this is on another level, intellectually.

[@swahiliranger1022]

The irony is that E.T. is fairly overrated, I definitely don't think its concepts, visual design or ideas have aged very well, but people wanted a family-friendly alien film that is utterly safe and boring. On the other hand, "The Thing" has only grown in popularity and has been praised as a masterpiece decades after its release. The acting is much stronger and the dialogue is very well written in comparison to other films both from the past and present. Its a perfect update to the original film, but follows the novela much more closely. Meanwhile E.T.'s spiritual successor, "Super 8," was about as schlocky as you could get, featuring a spooky alien that's actually friendly. Its a funny world we live in.

[@HabitualJoker]

Great review. This is not only one of my favorite horror movies, but it is also one of my favorite movies of all time. I make it a point to show it to my friends who don't think that "old movies" are scary, or the ones who only watch CGI-filled horror flicks. Their perspectives always change after I show this to them. 5 stars.

[@eBenkyou]

This is one of the best movies ever made. How can movies nowadays suck so bad. They need to watch this and learn something. You can see the effort put in.

[@vivian9538]

Undoubtedly "The Thing" is John Carpenter's true masterpiece, which was ahead of its time. The score by Italian composer Ennio Morricone sounds perfect for this SciFi horror classic from 1982. Waxwork Records released it a few months ago.

[@eldongrimes2306]

Nobody is watching E.T as much as we watch the thing 😂

[@ferd1572]

E.T was more successful than The Thing, no doubt. Doesn't make it better, but it does make it more successful

[@reneelasswell3734]

Best dog performance ever. That pupper deserved a best supporting nod!

[@Gingerninja1138]

This movie should still be able to get an Oscar. I know it was made in the 80s but OMG what a movie. The special effects were out of this world. A true classic.

[@gestault2000]

One of the greatest films, period. The original was as well. I haven't seen any other versions. My boys, 19 and 23, have never watched ET all the way through because they got bored. They love this film and the original as well. I'll watch it at least once a year with one of them when there's nothing on Netflix we want to see. Classic. It will remain a classic long after we're all gone I would guess.

[@jeepowner2858]

yeah the thing was more my kinda movie than ET

[@mikeottawa8158]

it wiL remain a cLasic Long aftr humans hav dstroyd aLL of Life on erth , humans r tha thing

[@KaeMcSpadden]

Just imagine if they made a video game of this today, but make it similar to Alien Isolation, it would be terrifying!

[@HuskerDoesMovies]

I feel like this would be an amazing "Telltale" game (walking dead, wolf among us, game of thrones, etc) because the distrust and paranoia would be amazing with the great decision making and writing of Telltale games.

[@KaeMcSpadden]

+Kaijufan14 That's true. The unpredictability of the alien is what makes it scary. One minute you are with a friend looking for weapons, next thing you know the friend transforms and tries to kill you.

[@mountaindewslave]

kaiijufan14- I actually usually am not a huge fan of Telltale games but I agree that "The Thing" would work fantastically as one. Since the decision making and cast of characters and figuring out who is who would be the most valuable components (rather than the gameplay)

[@michaelb9816]

Dead Space used this as its inspiration. There are certain similarities between the Thing and the Necromorphs seen in the game.

[@osdbest]

They could. However, they would need to make it so that if the player dies, then he needs to start a new game. The reason this is necessary is because if the player dies from The Thing then all suspense is lost on who is an imitation. Obviously the imitations would have to be randomly selected.

[@sburgos9621]

One of my top ten horror scifi films ever. Thick atmosphere, very inventive gore, great story. They don't make horror like this anymore. What a shame for all of us who grew up in an era of such great films. Not much today can compare. CGI has taken the helm at the expense of everything else.

[@Wolfsheim23]

This has always been one of my favorite horror films of all time!

[@BlackPantherFTW]

Keith David is very famous in the gaming world too. The man absolutely nailed it as the arbiter

[@akfreed6949]

All hail the Arbitor !

[@Adam-082]

This movie is a true horror movie.Nothing after it has come close to it.Distrust and paranoia are two of the most frightening things in horror and they nailed it.Not knowing who to trust is very powerful over the mind.

[@diogogomes3238]

My favorite movie of all time. Pratical effects cant get better than this. In 100 years people will still be talking about this masterpiece

[@CptKennyLoggins]

My top 80's-ish creature horror movies: Alien, The Thing, Invasion of Body Snatchers, and The Fly. Amazing how well these movies hold up today.

[@Corporal_Hicks]

Super Review :-) The Thing 1982 is a crazy creepy sci-fi / horror movie with some wild fancy effects, music and sound effects. The claustrophobic atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. The different actors are doing a fantastic job in making the whole movie believable! Great movie !!! I also liked the The Thing Prequel 2011. I think that it gets hard criticized... I have a good impression of the movie and cant really see the problems that others thinks it has! Note : I am dyslexic so have used google translator to help me! (Danish to English)

[@mikeottawa8158]

for a dsLxc transLating Danish to ngLsh , not bad at aLL

[@robertcartier5088]

Saw this on VHS at a friend's house, then had to drive home at 2 in the morning... That in itself is nothing to be afraid of, except that it was February in Canada, there was a blizzard, and it was -25C! Kept thinking of my car going off the road and being stuck in the snow for hours until I froze to death! So, yeah, the movie is scary as shit under the right circumstances! lol

[@CaliPatriot88]

One of my all time favorite films. So much I spent three years looking for an original movie poster until I finally found one in mint condition.

[@gangsterjim5394]

+CaliPatriot88 I been searchung for a dawn of the dead one

[@protoculture289]

This movie scared me so much when I was a child that even now at 31 I still get goosebumps every time I hear the theme music.

[@womanarethebest]

+MonkeyWith72Magic So your from 1984, and you wasn't even born. When you discovered the movie?

[@georgemorley1029]

Tom Stadman What has that got to do with anything?

[@renehernandez52]

this film is still great, even to this day!! and loved the musical score!!

[@jordanwright2313]

For me, this movie, along with the terminator, t2, alien, aliens, alien 3, predator, total recall, and die hard are movies I never get tired of.

[@tillyedwards9850]

I would like to comment in regards to the 'discovered' space ship scene. In honestly, I'd like to share a rather small theory, in which I would propose that the monster wasn't actually making a space worthy vessel, but rather a small atmospheric skimmer or perhaps an aerodynamic saucer craft that it could use to get off the ice and possibly launch itself to the oceanic edge where it could take on an aquatic form and reasonably sustain itself on fish to create a very large biomass and then get to the closest landmass in South America, most likely Chile or Argentina. On the flip side, it was hoping to use the lack of vehicles at the base to distance itself from the rest of the humans, which to me, considering it has learned the limits of humans in the extreme cold, knew that it could possibly be found first when the spring/summer rescue time arrived. This seems like a weak, hard to explain scene otherwise, but I think Blair was expecting to turn the craft and launch it from the hide-out, considering he had already made a ramp upwards. The hardened front of the saucer would smash through the weak shack and he, presumably curled up inside of it, would be launched far, far away, using the remaining helicopter fuel to facilitate his escape via rocket action. Once he crashed again, he could go back into living stasis in the snow, knowing that the rest of the Americans would have no chance of finding him on foot at all. He probably was intending to saboutage the generator like he does near the end before taking off, but had been too late to do so. Hope that little theory makes some sense.

[@jerobriggs6861]

That's what I assumed. It wasn't trying to leave this planet, just the Arctic.

[@YankeePendragon]

This theory follows the original novella from Campbell as well, in that the last 'Thing' was confronted killed just as it was about to strap on an anti-gravity harness it had built behind everyone's back, apparently with the intention of flying itself northwards towards South America. It stands to reason that the alien in the movie had similar intentions, especially if it was driven solely by self-preservation.

[@maxgarufo3494]

The part where Blair makes the ship is supposed to be like the novella, who goes there, where Blair builds a similar energy, assumed atomic, device. They were trying to stay close to the original piece of literature which I think they did quite well.

[@OliverHarper]

+Simon Kidd Hi Simon, haha yeah a lot of people were surprised I liked the prequel. Before i saw it my expectations were extremely low and I had read reviews so when I watched it I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't as bad as I thought. yeah the CGI was pretty naff and I know a lot of the practical effects were left out but the it looked nice and the acting was good and it expanded upon the monsters background and showing you the inside of the ship. It must of been tough to bring across on screen the visual design. Thanks for your feedback and Im glad you're enjoying my videos.

[@Mogget01]

Yeah, I mean, it's not going to be as good as the original, but on it's own, and as a part of the story, it definitely does work pretty good. I liked it a lot as well.

[@TitanFind]

The biggest problem is that the pacing is wrong. The script and direction don't give the story enough space to breathe in the first act. The best horror movies build slowly, and allow tension and dread to creep in on the "chain pull" section before the rollercoaster goes over the first dip. The recent prequel is typical modern ADD filmmaking; it jumps into the action WAY too early.

[@TitanFind]

***** Absolute rubbish.

[@misterwillguitar]

TitanFind I really enjoyed the "prequel" - often let down when they cast a female in the lead (nothing against females, just generally they write badly and just assume sticking a female in there makes it "contemporary") - I actually found alot of the FX better if Im honest, especially how the two headed monster got established..........I think cult followings established the original as some sort of standard - but many of the FX in the original are pretty easy to spot (especially the stop motion effects at the end). I love both the movies - and im pretty sure Carpenter would have loved the budget to make the spaceship sequences come alive (my least favourite bits of the prequel). Both have the fun of guessing who has been replaced though, and even though the original had a far better test, they were both pretty good..........you're right though I prefer the pacing of older movies - though I didnt think the prequel suffered that much - ie the creature doesnt move faster than light a la every movie since THE RING (or michael bay) and seems like a living creature rather than a "larger than life, faster than light, stronger than tanks" kind of monsters of nowadays......

[@LUCKO2022]

I disagree with you on the prequel. I HATED IT. It didn't match up to the 82 film and that is what bothered me. I especially hated the ending where they made Lars the guy who gets shot in the 82 film when it was clearly the pilot who gets shot in the next film. That really irked me that they didn't have the costumes right because they missed the torn green parka for Lars, and the pilot is the one with the slitted goggles who gets shot but now he comes after The Thing prequel events so why would he be freaking out trying to kill the dog (which is a Alaskan Malamute btw not a Husky for the 82 film, and in the prequel the dog didn't even look close like they didn't even bother trying to find one that looked like Jed from the 82 film) when he never experienced any of it.

[@LudeandLude]

Holy Crap! I've seen this movie plenty of times and never knew that shot of earth was a painting! I always assumed it was stock photo from space or something. Man, that is some real talent. I miss practical effects so much.

[@Mrtoxicflash]

My favorite movie of all time. the suspense is chilling and the paranoia takes you away. And Kurt Russel is just amazing. This movie is what got me into collecting movies. After watching the making of: I was blown away because of the effects! great review!

[@360whiplash]

I think that movie has some of the best special effects that I have ever seen, that even today's CGI can never touch.

[@OlivierGrasakaolo]

Perhaps my favourite movie ever, can't get bored watching it. I juste love Mr carpenter's work in general.

[@PhantosTheHedgehog]

I'll never forget how I discovered this movie. I was about 13 at the time and my mom took me to our local Blockbuster and I was aiming to get the original film. I picked this up thinking it was the original and when I put it in, I was blown away and grossed out at the same time, lol. This movie quickly became one of my favorites shortly after.

[@Darjaboo]

When the alien can literally be anyone totally adds creep factor and raises paranoia through the roof.

[@benjaminlucas1635]

I always wondered what part of this creature was able to pilot and navigate a space ship since it was essentially nothing but an organism. I wondered if it had some type of true form.

[@yannosx]

I've only recently discovered your channel but I gotta say; those pre-review montages you makes are top notch. You really have a knack for making even bad movies look incredible (The Thing is a masterwork of course).

[@OliverHarper]

Thanks Yannick!

[@warmecanic]

One of my favorite films ever. Even the new one bows before this classic

[@spooninjapan]

Great review. I didn't see it until I was about 20, and I was absolutely floored how awesome this movie is and still holds up to the test of time. This movie illustrates what craftsmanship and creativity, combined with good storytelling and acting can achieve. I love how the special effects teams describe using a stunt double with no arms to achieve gory reality in that doctor scene. Back then, you would have said, "how'd they do that?" Now, you just know its CGI, which loses that magic.

[@benjaminlivingston9706]

I've always loved Dean Cundey's photography. The diverse colors and the effective use of limited lighting really set the mood for me.

[@BigRedPower59]

One of the greatest science fiction films ever made. It still stands up.

[@Williameagleblanket]

John Carpenters The Thing 1982 Back in 1982, I asked my Mom to take me and my Brothers to see this movie, she did and just about died when she saw it. Me and my Brothers got a laugh and my Mom said never again, did she want to see a movie like this. (RIP Mom 1995...we miss you, even though we got you on this one...lol.) This is one of my MOST fave movies of all time.

[@Williameagleblanket]

\m/ The Thing \m/

[@thebailey67]

I was a teenager when this came out and I actually loved it at that point I was a huge John Carpenter fan so I was on board with it and I love the special-effects and the idea of being isolated out there in the Arctic snow or where the hell they were and I do remember most of my friends liked it too I don't know why a lot of other critics and fans did not enjoy it I think it was fantastic and stands up even today as being one of the best horror films of all time.

[@cmlegend]

I only saw this movie about 7-8 years ago... and boy was I surprised how amazing it was. I love the prequel as well but this version is simply a masterpiece. A gem from the 80's... and of course it had to be from Carpenter's portfolio...

[@rufnek3124]

in my opinion on par with alien

[@georgemorley1029]

Easily.

[@uergihliauglhufirgu]

Even better.

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

I would put them on a par, but separate. Each brings its own particular flavour of horror to the table.

[@irina1296]

I'd add Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) too

[@dweliq2993]

Its more creepy than Alien, the best part of Alien (the alien morphing people into eggs) was cut from the movie.

[@bjrmagic1]

Have watched near all your reviews...what's crazy, is how spot on they are. It's shocking how well u GET, the cinema from the US, being from the UK...being about the same age I guess, nearly everything u say, is exactly how I feel, and others, I know about these films. These r the best reviews, I've ever seen, deeply talking about these films...nothing like it on the Internet..., highly addictive, and informative...should have million plus subscribers...keep it up plz...👍

[@OliverHarper]

Thanks Bryan!

[@raygoshay4096]

Of all the years (born in '59) I've lived, 1982 is my favorite year in cinema - Especially for Sci-Fi & Fantasy: The Thing, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Road Warrior, Tron, Blade Runner, Conan the Barbarian, Cat People, The Beastmaster, The Dark Crystal, Q (the Winged Serpent), Liquid Sky and Android... I viewed most of them in the theater (some multiple times). I caught the last two on cable two or three years later.

[@mikeottawa8158]

I was born in 1970 , f1rst moovie I remmbr seeing wth ma parnts at a moovie theatr was tha goLdn voyage of Sinbad 1973 , I was frightnd by tha statue whn it came to Life on-board tha ship , ma dad's aunt ownd a moovie theatre in tha town ma dad was born and I grw-up wth ma yungr brothr and sstr , I saw aLL tha cLasic moovies of tha 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s , rareLy had I bn sooo frightnd scared by a moovie Like I was by aLien , haLoween and tha thing , they dont make moovies Like these anymor

[@southlondon86]

Ah my favourite horror movie of all time turns 38 today! Still remember seeing it for the first time. What a journey!

[@michaelchambers530]

"YOU GOTTA BE FUCKIN KIDDING " Line of the movie

[@workingjoe6424]

Ironically, it was The Thing who said that, since Palmer was the first person to be assimilated

[@recht_voor_zijn_raap5506]

This movie, Predator and the first Alien, are three of the best creature/Sci-fi horror movies ever made. And stil (to this day) unsurpassed in its respective genres. True masterpieces.

[@parrishharris3008]

As a child, I really loved ET- but being an adult I'm in love with this 1982 version and the 2011 version - phenomenal movies.

[@-Benny-242]

I strapped my family to the couche and checked there blood after watching this movie.

[@-Benny-242]

***** I suspected them to be infected so i torched them.

[@-Benny-242]

***** Well yeah of course...i tested my self yes!

[@-Benny-242]

***** Trust is hard thing to come by these days

[@-Benny-242]

***** Im in a mental facility now. They sent me to jail first, then i told them that my family might have been aliens so they sent me to a mental facility

[@joshvoelkner5261]

"I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter, TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!"

[@malicered5603]

I love your reviews. Really captures the feel, also I am a fan of the 80's movies.

[@beninglis8097]

The Thing was an epic film... Love your reviews Oliver!

[@jamesllewellyn5191]

One of the best horror films ever made . The special effects of the time were second to none. Just for the suspense and atmosphere alone this is a must for any horror fan.

[@DarkdustDragon]

Supposedly the prequel has the same title as the first instalment because they couldn't decide on a good name that didn't sounds cheesy and yet got across the idea it was a prequel. Unfortunately, this led many people to believe it was a remake, and several people who've seen the film REFUSED TO BELIEVE ME when I told them it was clearly a prequel.

[@hafabee]

Great horror movie, one of the very best. It scared the hell out of me when I was a child, I watched it on an old black-and-white television and I didn't sleep for 2 days afterward I was so terrified (and you know what it's like when you can't sleep, you only get more paranoid!). Probably my favourite horror movie if I really thought about it.

[@claudioricci1]

I’ve always marvelled at Bottin’s incredible work on this, but what I never knew until now is how many of the scenes were so brilliantly painted - that shot of the Earth for example - I just presumed it had been from a satellite or NASA stock, but it a painting. The artist made it look real without a second thought; the level of artistic talent on this film is ridiculous

[@markgariepy1]

These are great retrospects so far. I've saw escape from NY and The Fog so far. These are well done from the visuals to the nostalgia value. Got yourself a new subscriber. Thank you for the your efforts.

[@davidsammataro]

One of the most perfect movies of all time ..and no happy ending and no women and love interest ..so damn refreshing

[@Cyromantik]

One of the things I didn't think added up was the alien building another ship from scrap. Not so much the idea that building one from helicopter parts was improbable, but because I don't personally think that it makes sense for the 'thing' to be from a ship-building culture. It seems more like a predatory virus that takes over and makes its hosts violent and crazy. On the opening shot, where the ship enters Earth's atmosphere, it appears to be doing so rather haphazardly, as if there's engine trouble, or something deeply wrong with the pilot. The ship's scale is also much too large to only have one occupant, so my thought (without having seen the prequel) would be that it used to have a full crew compliment, but that there was some kind of event similar to what happened on the human research bases happening on the ship prior to entering planetary orbit.

[@macklee6837]

Your reviews are awesome, and bang on. You sir, have earned a sub.

[@DressCode2005]

Just watched this movie today for the first time in my life and it EASILY cracks my top 5 movies of all time list. This is a MASTERPIECE!

[@VampiresCrypt]

genre milestone !

[@vincentschouten9452]

Best .... movie .... ever .... ! .... (period)

[@DominikSobolewski]

It's up there for sure.

[@vincentschouten9452]

Period ! :-)

[@ReubenBlade]

One of the greatest movies ever made!!!

[@karanvirkooner1993]

The Thing(1982) is one of my favorite movies of all time

[@JD-re3cj]

5:30 the look in Palmer’s eyes when he realises he is gonna get tied to a chair...that looks like genuine fear from the thing...

[@Yuna69able]

smoke too much weed and watch this in the dark during a winter night. you will bug out like no other.

[@jounik8980]

Idiots do drugs

[@xMoac]

It’s such a timeless movie … it looks great even in 2023. The atmosphere created by the music and filming is simply amazing and eerie. The Thing might well be my favourite horror movie, it’s a movie I rewatch time and again and it’s never boring.

[@alanroberts4060]

One of the best films ever made. TFS

[@benjamindunne8132]

Without doubt one of the best films I've ever seen and my favourite horror film (not difficult as I'm not a big horror fan)

[@ChristianSchonbergerMusic]

Awesome movie! Watched it with my dad when it came out. The special FX were so incredibly convincing that I really was on the edge of my seat - and I just loved the tension during the "hot copper wire touching the blood samples" test. This movie is solid proof that CGI still isn't even remotely "there". Great and insightful review as always! BTW: "E.T." (possible deeper/hidden meaning underneath the cheese and all) is the exact opposite (IMHO): John Williams' score is one of his very best - and that really means something - but the movie (without the music score) is just one huge overdose of sugar and corn syrup.

[@TigressOrchid]

One of the TOP movies ever made. Only a FEW can conquer this movie from all aspects. Bravo, to all filmmaker of this jewel.

[@OliverHarper]

Thanks for your feedback buddy. With regards to the prequel, I only really cover old flicks at this time. :)

[@CidsaDragoon]

One of my favourite movies ever, it blows my mind that this (and Blade Runner at the same time!) were panned. Great video :)

[@whade62000]

And yet is there a single online critic discussing E.T. today?:p

[@mirG]

I saw it on June 26th 1982, rite after watching blade runner for the first time. During the dog scene people were screaming and gasping in the theater and a few people ran out. It was the best movie day ever.i loved both movies.

[@garrisonnichols807]

The only movie that I never get sick of watching. It's a Masterpiece!