The Thing | Movie Reaction | First Time Watching

[@GuardianOwl]

43:41 The 5 stages of a reactor watching The Thing blind: Stage 1: AWW! A Puppy! Stage 2: How awful, he's shooting at the puppy! Stage 3: Thank goodness, the puppy's ok. Stage 4: That puppy is a little sus... Stage 5: *KILL IT WITH FIRE!*

[@SunlessNick]

Most reactors I see miss out stage 4 :).

[@valeria262]

Yeah I think by the point they land and he's clearly yelling at them to move away is when people should wonder why he was so bent on killing the dog in asking what was wrong with the dog rather than what was wrong with him

[@rangerone8813]

@@GuardianOwl The stages are different for male reactors: Stage 1: He’s trying to kill the dog. Dog is sus. Stage 2: yup.

[@AlessaParker]

​@@SunlessNick it's the opposite for me :D

[@IanM-id8or]

Stage 6: Share a drink with the Thing Let's be fair, they are probably both the Thing by that stage. McReady *definitely* is the Thing

[@martinholt8168]

Fun note: the Norwegian gunman basically gives the whole plot away at the beginning of the movie - but only if you speak Norwegian.

[@PlacidDragon]

Calling it Norwegian is kind of generous, the accent is atrocious. But yes, you get the info that its not what it appears to be :)

[@dandotvid]

@@PlacidDragon saying it's not the language because the accent is really bad is strange. Does that mean if someone has a really thick Indian accent, they're not actually speaking English?

[@Cenindo]

I'm Norwegian and I think the (German) actor does a decent job. He is borderline credible as a (breathless) native speaker.

[@evanirvana500]

@@martinholt8168 boy then Americans don't speak English then, huh? Ask the Brits and we slaughter the language!

[@GarrettJayChristian]

@@Cenindo Thanks for this perspective. I'm always curious about these things.

[@stumblepuppy606]

as of 1994, sled dogs are forbidden in Antarctica. They say it was for ecological reasons - every scrap of poop, human and canine, must be removed from the continent and that is difficult to do when you're running with sled dogs, and if a dog got loose it posed a risk to indigenous wildlife. We all know the real reason though. Every scientist in Antarctica has seen The Thing and doesn't want to be left alone with a sled dog anymore.

[@PChazman1]

Lol 😂😂😂 Imagine if they had penguins in this movie!

[@stumblepuppy606]

@@PChazman1 one slowly waddles up to Mac, and looks up at him, then its face opens up like a flower and it screams while its flippers turn into tentacles

[@ALJ9000]

⁠@@stumblepuppy606 What if the face peeled back and a tentacle came out as the flippers grew spikes or extended into mantis arms?

[@stumblepuppy606]

@@ALJ9000 it's a shapeshifting monstrosity that has likely assimilated tens of thousands of species across the Galaxy, and can change any part of itself into any part of something it ate. We could riff off countless permutations of what a Thing-Penguin could do to freak out Kurt Russell

[@ALJ9000]

@@stumblepuppy606 Maybe add in some Necromorph as well?

[@kevinburton3948]

I met Keith David (Childs) in 2023 at a convention in Niagara Falls (Canada)... (I was cosplaying as MacReady) I told him my opinion on "Who is Who?" at the end- They are *BOTH* human- the only two survivors. And it isn't about "seeing someone's breath in the cold" or "Childs' switched jacket" or "a gleam of light in someone's eye" or "gasoline in the whiskey bottle that Childs drinks" (all theories to tell if someone is the Thing and all of which *do not* hold up under scrutiny).... The point of the ending is that these two characters have been at each other's throats through the entire film. Childs is Mac's opposition. And they were both prepared to kill each other- Childs willing to let Mac to freeze to death outside, and Mac ready to shoot Childs if he didn't comply with being tied up for the test. But now at the end, all that animosity for each other is gone- Mac's offer of the whiskey is not a final test- it is an olive branch. They have finally put aside all their hate and distrust for one another knowing that although they will not survive, they have saved Humanity. This is our "happy ending." The whole time I was telling Keith David this, he had a smile that kept growing and growing. When I finished, he shook my hand. It might not be "the answer", but it was good enough for me.

[@Redfern42]

Aww...! really I LIKE that! Both Mr. Keith's kind gesture and your suggestion they've made peace with each other! As you noted, the closest thing to a "happy ending" a film like this (as presented) could have. That's going to serve as my head canon from now on, softening the normally nihilistic feel many people get from the ending. We certainly need a bit of hope these days. Thank you!

[@evanirvana500]

Good enough for me!

[@walfiend2]

This is how I've always seen the ending, too.

[@Milleniumlance]

27:00 notice how Palmer and Norris are always by each other and giving each other funny looks

[@BarebonesNetwork-w3s]

John Carpenter was on Colbert's late-night show and told him that one of them was, indeed, infected. There are clues and I saw a KZbin channel of someone who pointed out the clues. I think he got it right.

[@bradleyjohnson1702]

Literally EVERY reactor ever: "DONT YOU DARE KILL THAT DOG!" 15 minutes later : "KILL IT WITH FIRE!"

[@WhatTheExpletive]

Literally, SOMEONE posts this in the reactors comments...

[@bradleyjohnson1702]

@@WhatTheExpletive literally

[@Wouldyoukindly4545]

​@@WhatTheExpletiveLiterally someone always calls the person who made the comment that is on every reaction of the thing.

[@prd1073]

"Puppy!"😍

[@WhatTheExpletive]

@@Wouldyoukindly4545 It's like breaking one's toe whilst kicking a bucket... Literally

[@RetroRobotRadio]

9:16 award for best dog actor goes to Jed, the wolf-Alaskan Malamute who played the pup.

[@Jacquer68]

He also played White Fang back in the day, if I recall

[@cornerpage6634]

He brought a lot of gravitas to the role and projected a nice understated menace.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

​@@cornerpage6634 the actual reason why dogs are so focused in when they are in Antarctica... There are no squirrels!

[@fusionaddict]

@@Jacquer68 And he's in The Journey of Natty Gann!

[@Vinterfrid]

Why do you persist call it "pup" when it apparently is an adult dog? Isn't that denomination reserved for puppies?

[@McBeelzebub]

I never…EVER get tired of people saying, “THATS HOW IT ENDS?!” but think about it. Could there be a better ending?

[@Kasino80]

No, Chandler, there couldn't 😊sorry, I just couldn't read without hearing Chandler.

[@TheTangothrax]

No. It's perfect

[@rodentnolastname6612]

As usual "don't hurt the puppy" (twenty minutes later) "KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!" 🤣🤣🤣

[@WhatTheExpletive]

As usual, SOMEONE posts this in the reactors comments...

[@potencjalnypracownik2966]

They dont think with brain.

[@descendfromgrace1]

I used to work with a guy who would do the south pole station networks. They watched this every year when they were officially locked down for winter.

[@51tetra69]

In the prequel to “The Thing”, they were able to identify people who had been imitated because the Things were only able to replicate organic matter and were therefore unable to duplicate inorganic matter, which meant that items such as pins inserted to hold together broken bones and fillings in your teeth would be missing in people that had been taken over. That would obviously be the case for anyone like Norris that had a pacemaker as well. They were thus able to identify who was a Thing and who was not by checking for fillings, etc… When the Thing imitates someone, it perfectly duplicates every cell with such precision than it actually retains the memories, knowledge, and personality of the individual it copies. Norris (the guy who’s chest bursts open, chopping off the doctor’s hands with its bear-trap teeth) had a bad heart, and likely a peacemaker. When the Thing took him over and perfectly imitated him, it also faithfully recreated his heart defect, but not his pacemaker, which eventually caused Norris to suffer a heart attack for real during a high-stress moment. The Thing would have been happy to hide itself in a presumably “dead” body, but it couldn’t tolerate the electro-shocks from the defibrillator and was thus forced to reveal itself. Of course, the amazing scene where Norris’ head separates from his burning body, slides onto the floor, and pulls itself away, transforming into a crab/spider with his upside-down head as its body, and tries to crawl away unnoticed, is an iconic moment! (Incidentally, at the beginning of the movie, the spaceship was flying erratically because the crew was desperately trying to fight off the Things that were aboard their vessel and causing havoc. That’s why the spaceship attempted to make an emergency landing on the nearest planet and ended up crash landing in the Antarctic. Only one of the Things as survived the crash and made it out of the ship alive, only to freeze in the ice.)

[@mikedavis979]

Although interestingly, in the original short story ("Who goes there?"), the Thing, while able to mimic other organisms, does not do so at the cellular level, thus it is killable and far less dangerous than the Thing in this movie. Still great story, however, worth reading. The 1950s movie is excellent as well, I think...although they did not have any shape-shifting or chameleon abilities in that movie (probably for budgetary reasons). Basically an intelligent vegetable in that movie. Still one of the ground-breaking sci-fi movies, IMHO. You can watch that movie and see how it influenced this movie, and Alien, and other movies. ("The Thing from Another World" was the 50's movie). They use geiger counters like the proximity trackers in Alien....the realisitc dialogue reminds you of some of the scenes in Alien....just a fantasatic movie, directed by Howard Hawks.

[@GranpaMike]

You should really be mindful of giving away spoilers. I doubt she's seen "THE THING" (2011), yet.

[@ssort69]

@@mikedavis979 Matt Dillon from the famous western show Gunsmoke plays the creature in the 50s show, this was before Gunsmoke and one his biggest parts at the time that he made it.

[@evilscary]

The Thing, The Fog (1980), In the Mouth of Madness, and Prince of Darkness are some amazing horror movies, all by John Carpenter.

[@gmchris3752]

Don't forget They Live!

[@fusionaddict]

Never any love for Christine, sadly, which so often gets forgotten and it's one of his best.

[@DerekHarrison-d5d]

John Carpenter is a genius as is Rob Bottin.Apparently the criticism Carpenter got from the critics for this film hurt him badly.Thankfully,it’s been reappraised as the classic we all knew it was.Carpenter has talked about doing a follow up movie about the events after finding Child’s and Macready.Kurt Russell has also spoken about it too.I hope it happens using the practical special effects that Bottin used in the 1982 movie.I actually like the Thing 2011 prequel because it told the story from the Norwegian perspective.So many reactors never understand why the dog/husky is being shot at and why the body that Macready and Copper bring back from the Norwegian camp is deformed.The prequel tells us that and while so many HATE the CGI effects,the story is good and leads to the events in this film.AND@evilscary,don’t forget ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13(great soundtrack),ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK & 🎃HALLOWEEN.

[@quixote6942]

I liked "Vampires" as well.

[@biguy617]

@@quixote6942vampires is pretty good

[@BanyanTree1]

What makes this an all-timer, even more than the effects, is that the characters are smart and all making the best choices they can to survive, even if those choices turn out to be wrong. Too many horror movies rely on characters acting like idiots.

[@shalekendar6759]

*EXACTLY* this!

[@johnsensebe3153]

Especially _Oculus,_ where the main character literally takes years to work out a completely idiotic plan.

[@TheTangothrax]

A horror Kobayasi Maru, they weren't foolish at all but it was a true no win scenario. Their absolute best was never going to earn more than a draw where both sides lose. Test of character

[@fusionaddict]

@@BanyanTree1 Even the “dumb” decisions are 100% realistic. Every reactor screams some variation of “You brought it BACK with you?!?!” when they return with the burned remains. But of course they did. They’re scientists. Their job is literally to observe & investigate the natural wonders & mysteries of the universe. But once the threat is revealed, they make realistic & intelligent choices with the resources they are given. “I suggest everyone prepare their own meals, and we should only eat out of cans” is a line representing levels of character competence that borders on the pornographic.

[@chazzerous]

“As a big strong adult that can handle it” - famous last words for The Thing 😅 That is THE Wilford Brimley, btw.

[@morphman86]

Wilford Brimley was a prominent actor with 80 acting roles to his name, not including the infamous commercial. He was acting all the way up to his death 4 years ago, last appearing in an episode of Yellowstone. He even did some stunt work in the late 60s.

[@CCFONESOL]

And oatmeal commercials

[@DerekHarrison-d5d]

He’d also been a US Marine,a Sergeant,in the 50s.

[@patbrewer4205]

He and Richard(Diamond) Farnsworth they even made a movie together

[@lolmoomin]

And so ends the worlds first and most realistic game of Among Us. The model work in this film is second to none.

[@GARYHODGKINSON]

Windows was so nervous because nobody knew for certain that they weren't infected, Norris was infected without knowing, because he was exposed to a small part of the Thing, and the Thing was slowly eating him alive, one cell at a time, rather than the fast assimilation many of them suffered. So yes, Norris probably did have a heart attack, when too much of his body mass had been replaced with the Thing. He was still mostly human, until he collapsed.

[@johnhoblock5872]

A little trivia... When The Thing screams it's the screams of every lifeform it has ever imitated.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

7:06 they actually used one of the production staff to make the shadow, so the audience would not be able to tell who is was.

[@cybergeek11235]

oh, that's MEAN

[@Dylan_Platt]

Which is wild, because that hair silhouette looks exactly like Norris'.

[@highlander31527]

4:49 Apparently, a knight in chess cannot move between those squares. It's L shaped movement cannot start on that position and end in the second position. So, Mcready was right. She cheated.

[@jddonov]

It's possible but if you watch the screen throughout the scene the board changes so it's probably a continuity error.

[@deanwalker9605]

I will never scroll past anyone's first time watching reaction to The Thing!!

[@Raptorrex65]

If you spoke Norwegian you would have known the dog was the thing he says it all right from the beginning, got to love carpenter's humor.

[@Vinterfrid]

Not true - that must be some very odd Norwegian accent.

[@jd190d]

@@Vinterfrid Well, people who speak Norwegian can understand it. Centane does a reaction and does say how it is kind of Norwegian but close enough to understand the message.

[@dabbadonisthestout7284]

Bennings scream is an amalgamation of all the creatures and beings it has absorbed over the millions years it has lived 😮

[@fusionaddict]

This is legitimately my all-time favorite movie and the only thing I love watching as much as The Thing is watching other people watch it for the first time. Also, it is absolutely the Wilford Brimley you think it is. Kurt tells a great story about Wilford on set in the making-of documentary. Rob Bottin's work on the creatures that Blair autopsies freaked everyone on-set out except for Brimley. Brimley was a legitimate Wyoming cowboy and a USMC veteran, and had no problem diving right in. "It's just like skinnin' a deer!" he allegedly declared.

[@DerekHarrison-d5d]

Completely agree.It’s one of my all time favourites with Romero’s Zombies:Dawn of the Dead,Terminator 2:Judgement Day & Aliens:The Special Edition Version.I just can’t understand why the critics panned The Thing so badly when it came out in 1982.I saw it when it came out,and could never understand the hate.It captures paranoia perfectly in an isolated outpost.Apparently John Carpenter was hurt by the criticism,but thankfully it’s been reappraised as the classic we all knew it was.I actually like The Thing 2011 prequel as well,because it tells us the story from the Norwegian perspective.A lot of reactors don’t understand why the dog/husky is being shot at and why the body Macready and Copper brought back from the Norwegian base is deformed.That film clears all that up.Sadly it gets ripped apart because of the CGI effects which don’t compare to the work Rob Bottin did on the 1982 film.

[@fusionaddict]

@@DerekHarrison-d5d "I actually like The Thing 2011 prequel as well,because it tells us the story from the Norwegian perspective." That's actually why I thoroughly dislike the prequel. Some things don't need to be explained and actually lose their mystique when you do so. SEE ALSO: Han Solo winning the Millennium Falcon & making the Kessel Run.

[@DerekHarrison-d5d]

@@fusionaddict This is exactly the attitude the critics had to The Thing when it came out in 1982.Hated it,not understanding why we had this shapeshifting creature tearing people apart when we have the good alien …ET which came out the same year.It’s all about opinions.Carpenter has said he’d like to do a follow up story to what happens when the rescue team finds Child’s and Macready.Kurt Russell has also said in interviews he’d be up for it.Why shouldn’t that story be told.Should it just end with Childs and Macready guessing who’s the Thing? How many movies end up becoming franchises.The Alien story could and should have ended with Aliens,but they did the awful Alien 3.Some like that movie,others don’t.As I said,it’s all about opinions.The right story from John Carpenter could give us a good sequel.Just because you didn’t like it dosent mean others should hate it.It’s hated by people because of the CGI effects.If Rob Bottin had worked on it,it would have been a far better movie.It’s all about opinions.

[@fusionaddict]

@@DerekHarrison-d5d "Should it just end with Childs and Macready guessing who’s the Thing?" Yes, yes it should. Because the entire point of the film is mistrust and paranoia, so an ambiguous ending is the most on-theme ending possible.

[@DerekHarrison-d5d]

@@fusionaddict ‘YES,YES,it should’.This isn’t about what you want or I want.This is about a reactor watching the film and judging for herself.Why is this bothering you so much? If John Carpenter makes the follow up movie are you going to start moaning about that! GET A LIFE!!!

[@daveemerson6549]

"Well, at least the dog is safe!" Oh, you poor, poor lady.

[@fedos]

At least Childs is safe.

[@cbobwhite5768]

The first movie made from the book, was "The Thing from Another World" 1951. No shape changing, but still a good movie. Carpenter's title reveal was an homage to the 1951 original. James Arness, Sheriff Matt Dillion from "Gunsmoke", played the thing.

[@Vinterfrid]

James Arness is best known for his role as Zeb Macahan I'd say.

[@vincegamer]

​@@Vinterfrid you could say that, but I wouldn't believe you. Never heard of Zeb.

[@kemowery]

Comedian A. Whitney Brown, years ago on Saturday Night Live, made the joke "I'm A. Whitney Brown, someday I hope to be THE Whitney Brown." Not only has that stuck with me for like 40 years, the credit for "A. Wilford Brimley" makes me make that joke EVERY TIME.

[@justinclloyd]

"I'm *a* god. I'm not *the* God... I don't think."

[@mpg272727]

Although it's never stated i'm pretty sure the directors intended for it to be that the thing did not make the spaceship it simply stowed on board, killed whatever aliens were flying it which is was caused said spaceship to crash to Earth in the first place

[@Dylan_Platt]

Hmm, interesting. What makes you think that?

[@necrosunderground]

I've always had a theory that the thing was a science experiment gone wrong. I mean, if it was a naturally evolved species, could you imagine what kind of hellscape planet spawned it? No, I think it was an experiment, probably originally a fast-mutating virus or something that grew as it consumed and somehow got loose in the ship and attacked the actual aliens who were studying it. It clearly has at least a degree of animal cunning, but that doesn't necessarily imply sapience; although it might level up in intelligence as it absorbs more evolved species. Whatever the case, I just can't picture this thing being part of any kind of natural food chain or environment. If it was an apex predator, then it would have taken over its home planet through absorption; and if it was a lower tier occupant on the food chain, then what the hell kind of creature would be capable of snacking on it? Science experiment gone way wrong, it's gotta be.

[@TheGoldenAlchemist86]

I’ve seen this movie probably 10 times at this point and yet I still keep jumping and flinching when The Thing acts up

[@kinokind293]

Richard Masur was on "One Day at a Time". That's probably where you know him from (if you're old enough!).

[@Citizen88020120820]

Event Horizen and the Mist are definitely two must sees. Even if the Mist is a bit lower budget feel but the story itself is interesting.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

According to supporting material that the space ship was NOT the ship of the Thing. Alien explorers were visiting other worlds and the thing took over one of the crew. The aliens couldn't stop it so they crashed the ship in the ice to stop the Thing for getting to their world.

[@Dularr]

The other storyline. It's a prison ship.

[@morrigannibairseach1211]

In the original book Who Goes There and its expanded version Frozen Hell it was the thing's ship. Ship's engine just got caught in the magnetic field. In the short story The Things, told from the thing's perspective, it was also its own ship.

[@Poss1]

The Thing forces the viewer into the environment, into the story, so well. Just amazing film-making. This will be fun to share. Here we go! :)

[@davidwatson22]

Old movies are so good as they spend more time developing the characters and not relying on the wow effects of cgi. Its left open to make the audience think and ask that question who is the thing Thete is a prequel to this and thetes also a short animated cartoon that continues on from the end of this movie..

[@flatcat6676]

As much as you love sci-fi, I can't believe you'd never seen this classic! So glad you've had a chance to experience now. The tension throughout this film is delicious, and most of the action sequences that occur when the Thing has to reveal itself are genuinely surprising and scary. Your response when the end credits started was pretty much universal for everyone the first time they see this one😁

[@MadTheDJ]

They're both human at the end and that's the tragedy of their sacrifice. There are a lot of theories about Childs being infected and Mac testing him with the bottle, but they either misread the scene, cherry-pick details, or misunderstand how the Thing infects people. A few cells aren't enough, it needs at minimum a small piece and time to first absorb a victim and then create an imitation. It's not a virus infecting people slowly from within. They literally explained it in the movie (and show it, several times). So yeah, Childs is not infected. He was following Mac's instructions to burn Blair if he tries to comeback without Mac, Garry and Nauls. Childs didn't know that Blair-Thing was building a craft to escape and had been busy coming and going from the shed. He and the others would've figured that he was just sitting in the shed either fully human or as the Thing (or had used that noose), and if he was the Thing that he'd try to escape when they came to give him the test. Hence: burn him on sight if he's alone and out of the shed. So that's what Childs did, went after him. And lost his bearings in the dark until the camp started blowing up.

[@gazzamanazza4pm]

If I had to pick a word for this film I'd go with Effective. Everything, from the practical effects to the character tension and even the score is so simple yet so effective. It's no wonder this film remains genre-defining to this day.

[@skribblestyle]

Cool tidbit about that intro card. This was filmed in 1980 before CG was used readily in film and tv, so it was actually a practical effect! They drew the title on an animation cell and stuck it to the back of a fish tank. They filled the fish tank with smoke, put a floodlight behind it, and then used a black trashbag to block the light. Then they lit the bag on fire, and it slowly burned away letting the floodlight spill through the animation cell, into the smokey fishtank. You can even see the flames as they burn away the trashbag. Endless creativity in this films production! Absolute geniuses at their craft.

[@erikhanson1162]

Keith David, who I did not realize was in this until the credits rolled, is an iconic voice actor. He voiced Goliath in the Gargoyles animated series, Dr. Facilier in Disney's Princess and the Frog, and most recently Husk in Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime. Wonderfully gritty gravitas, and the man can *sing*.

[@cybergeek11235]

And Admiral Anderson in the Mass Effect trilogy, let's not forget.

[@DarkPaladin24]

And let's not also forget Spawn in the HBO animated series and also MK11.

[@shalekendar6759]

He plays himself (as the Vice President of the United States) in Saint's Row 4

[@manjackson2772]

Don't forget his other on-screen roles! John Carpenter directed him more than once, he was one of the main characters in They Live. He had that ten minute fist fight with Rowdy Roddy Piper.

[@otis1624]

You forgot the arbiter from Halo he voice acted that one

[@theylied1776]

The original version (1951:The Thing From Another World) is what inspired John Carpenter to become a director. In the Movie Halloween, the kids are watching the original version of The Thing.

[@mahliz]

So the actors apperently talked it over and came to the conclusion that if they where the thing they wouldn't know it themself. Gives a new meaning to the "If I was an imitation a perfect imitation how whould you know", the way I take that is, the thing can hide within anything and take over when it wants to. So that is why windows is acting releafed when his blood isn't reacting to the hot needle. Ty for the reaction

[@vashsunglasses]

That's how it is in the original story. At one point you're in the POV of someone who is being infected (he touches the mutated corpse) and he sort of just gets drowsy and falls asleep for a bit.

[@Vinterfrid]

"Releafed"? He was actually a tree you mean? And now the leaves are growing back on him? 😉

[@3Kings_Industries]

Oh no, FunnyLilGal is gonna freak on those dogs !!!

[@alicepbg2042]

it never fails. first is "no! don't shoot the dog" and then "kill it with fire!"

[@jjc5871]

3 years for the Earth to be taken over by that thing is being very generous. Especially back when the population was half of what it is today. That thing would spread and multiply very quickly.

[@raymondamador1487]

Less populated then, but less connected. More populated now, and more connected, I'd think it would spread faster now

[@gabrielestrada8523]

Water supply, infecting insects, mold spores, yeah, 3 years could be done.

[@andrewmccormick3899]

I actually worked in Antarctica at McCurdo Station.. We also watch this come winter

[@alextrill1746]

Do you get many eldritch monstrosities there?

[@thomashiggins9320]

​@alextrill1746 Pfft. 🤨 Like he'd actually *tell* you if he did. 🙄 (Besides, those of us who have seen "Cabin in the Woods" know the *true* reason the Norwegians were there. 😁)

[@nathanmead9585]

@@alextrill1746 Giant albino penguins.

[@alextrill1746]

@@nathanmead9585 I understood that reference.

[@SunlessNick]

I think Windows was relieved because he didn't know what McReady would interpret as the blood trying to survive.

[@paulschuckman6604]

Wilford Brimley will forever be the Quaker Oat man to me.

[@UncleMilo]

The ratings were fine. People today treat their kids like they are so fragile.

[@Diomedene]

The main parenting philosophy at the time was that it is the parents job to prepare children for the world, today's seems to be that it is the parent's job to protect them from the world. Both how the change came to be and where it will lead is an interesting sociological puzzle.

[@GhostPurple69]

john carpenter is my absolute favorite filmmaker he usually writes, directs, *and* composes the score to his movies. they usually have zero budget, yet he is so good with camera placement and economy of storytelling and editing, he makes it stretch way further than it should. the first halloween (the only one he actually directed) is sometimes my favorite movie ever. i kinda thought i would be jamie lee curtis when i got older. 😅 carpenter's films are so distinctively *themselves*, while covering such varied ground in style and tone and genre, that it would totally be worth doing a marathon. assault on precinct 13, halloween, the fog, escape from new york, big trouble in little china, they live-all stone-cold brilliant, and it's worth appreciating the commonalities and differences amongst them all.

[@GhostPurple69]

carpenter's films are specifically one of the main references that stranger things makes an effort to pastiche. its music in particular is basically a john carpenter score, not written by carpenter. also carpenter hasn't really directed much in the last 25 years or so, but he has been releasing a whole string of electronic music albums, each track meant as a theme for a movie that doesn't exist outside of carpenter's head. and, they're really frickin good. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inWln3Wag96Mn68

[@chrisbiebel6205]

Another great Carpenter film that's in the Sci-Fi genre is "They Live." It also has Keith David in it. Definitely worth a watch.

[@Wannabe_Baby]

"Flamethrower?! [evil laugh]" I'm glad you mentioned Doctor Who and Farscape. I do sometimes wonder how the Doctor would handle this situation.

[@eddhardy1054]

If you want a rough idea of the Doctor in this sort of situation mate I'd recommend you watch pts 1 & 2 of Classic Who serial The Seeds Of Doom from 1976. It's basically a mashup of The Thing and Day Of The Triffids and it's wonderful

[@Wannabe_Baby]

@@eddhardy1054 I have. :)

[@eddhardy1054]

@@Wannabe_Baby In that case my apologies mate 😔

[@alexanderharris5022]

For the actual Thing vs The Doctor it would depend. 2,5,10,13 and 14 would probably die. They’re too friendly, too quick to rely on their companions and a lot of their monsters get given ‘a chance’ to back down even when it’s clear they’re a threat. 1,6,7,8,11 and 15 have a 50/50 chance based on how they handle their enemies. They tend to back off and evaluate before getting involved or they are quite skilled investigators often working faster than their opponents. That said, they have character flaws that make them somewhat vulnerable and they might not know how to handle the loss of their companions if they got infected. 3,4,9 and 12 kill it and lament or debate the ethics of having killed The Thing later. Their number 1 priority is to identify its weaknesses and then kill it. Work out what it wants after everyone else is safe. With potential for 12 to let it kill some people just to help him work out killing it faster.

[@alicepbg2042]

ever seen midnight?

[@DivusMagus]

Honestly the ending is perfect. The whole movie is tense and encapsulates paranoia. So ending it without a deffinent answer suits it. Edit: also the noose with Blair is likely due to him realizing he was infected but it took him over fully before he could off himself.

[@theunamiable]

The first person infected was presumably the guy that we only saw as a shadow on the wall. When they filmed that, they got someone who wasn't an actor (I think it was the shoot's bus driver) to cast the shadow, so you couldn't recognise it as a particular character.

[@Ernie_And_Monkey]

You mention how Clark looked familiar. He was on an old TV show called, "One Day At A Time". He played a lawyer but was also the boyfriend of Ann Romano. Annie also had 2 daughters who were Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips.

[@x_warhog_x8701]

Yep....

[@Johnny_XR]

"Apparently grazes heal very quickly these days." - nervous laughter - EFFING LOL 🤣

[@0725038]

What I love about this movie is that John Carpenter said in an interview that there is a clue that actually answer if Childs is the thing or not. It makes every fan theory possible and that's why it is so rewatchable. Anyone could be right, but we might never know, just like the characters. That's immersion.

[@chadlynch1551]

I watch every reaction to this movie I can just so I can see people go from "don't shot that cute dog!" to "OMFG! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!"

[@noahschultz9031]

The special and practical effects used in this movie was way ahead of its time, its top notch even 40-something years later! Not to mention the movie is genuinely horrifying and it just makes you question EVERYTHING

[@diannebdee]

The actor dog's name was Jed. He was an Alaskan Malamute/Wolf Dog hybrid. He was as both John Carpenter and Kurt Russell both said on the audio commentary on the bluray special edition, "The best damn actor in the film." That hallway scene where he's stealthily checking each room he did all on his own without prompting. Carpenter asked for him to be placed at the end of the hallway and he just did what he did. He was born in 1977 and died 18 years later in 1995. After his acting career was over, he was sent to an animal refuge where he is now buried. He also appeared in "White Fang, The Journey of Natty Gann," and others. Ethan Hawke who appeared in "White Fang" and Richard Masur who played Clark both said what an amazing animal he was. I can't disagree. Masur offered to take him after the filming on "The Thing" ended. What a special boy he was. As for the ending on who is The Thing and who isn't. Look at which one has breath and who doesn't. Namely Childs doesn't and MacReady does. Also, Mac put gasoline in the bottle that "Childs" drank. Instant Molotov cocktail. Bye bye Childs. Also, the Norwegian base is the exact same one the Americans were at. Those scenes were filmed AFTER the film was done to take advantage of the destruction of the American base. So both were the same base. Cleaver economy of sets if you ask me. It is THE Wilford Brimley. Keith David was in both Riddick films.

[@iamredoctober]

Quite honestly, that dog should have been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

[@MySerpentine]

There should be a Best Animal Actor award for stuff like this :D

[@vashsunglasses]

I think the best version of the ending is if neither one is infected, they've successfully defeated the Thing, but they're so paranoid that they'll die needlessly instead of working together to survive.

[@synaesthesia2010]

this fil is less about the horror, more about the paranoia. it's an absolute masterpiece. also, the Norwegian tries to tell them that the dog is not a dog, it's an alien creature

[@reverseBLT]

I'm in the camp that says *everyone* was the Thing, just at different stages of infection. All it takes is a single supercell, and there's no way any of them got out of this without getting at least one of the supercells on them. So, at the end, you had two Things staring at each other, waiting to see what would happen. The only real question was how human each still was, when those haunting bass chords started back up.

[@Khay-77]

This and The Mist are the feel good movies of October everyone needs to experience.

[@pauljanetzke]

Creepshow is a good one as well, both of them as well as the Twilight Zone movie.

[@DeadLikeMe-ir9ix]

Too bad the ending of the mist didn't follow the book. ORIGINAL ENDING IN THE BOOK. In the book the military doesn't show up and they just drive away into the mist

[@asciishallreceive3871]

@@DeadLikeMe-ir9ix What the fuck? saying a spoiler one a reaction channel...some people, I swear.

[@DeadLikeMe-ir9ix]

@@asciishallreceive3871 sorry I just get pissed off with the ending.

[@Khay-77]

@@DeadLikeMe-ir9ix Even Stephen King said the director's ending was better than that.

[@RadianIndustries]

The score was written by Enio Morricone and is also one of the best horror soundtracks ever. The Thing is also one of the few John Carpenter films that Carpenter did not score himself.

[@bensneb360]

Fun Fact: this was released the same weekend as Blade Runner, which both bombed because the weekend before, ET came out and went on to be the highest grossing film at the time… definitely my favorite John Carpenter movie

[@tskmaster3837]

"Nice knowing you, Windows." I swear I've said that to a Blue Screen of Death. I know I've said "ooh Windows..." to one of its Black Screen bad updates.

[@Sournote88]

I love the heavy-handed foreshadowing of McCready breaking the chess game when he can't win.

[@MsSwordwolf]

You must check out the 2011 version with Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton.

[@Vinterfrid]

It is really not a "version" - it's a prequel to John Carpenter's film.

[@aaronhedlund8136]

We have a standard response in our house for when people ask questions about movies or shows that will obviously be revealed later - “Why are they shooting at the dog?”

[@visualartsbyjr2464]

Huh… you faired a lot better than i first thought. Hehe One of the best practical effects in movies ever. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@fedos]

There is so much theory material about The Thing out there that someone could probably dedicate a channel to reacting to lore and breakdown videos about this one movie.

[@springdeerling7866]

I love the body horror but also the psychological aspect. If youre infected where do you start and it stop? If it exists with all your memories intact is it still technically "you"? Theres a newer manga ive been reading called The Summer Hikaru Died. The premise is that one day a boys friend name hikaru went to the mountain and was missing for days, then he suddenly popped up again. He's the only one who realizes that its not REALLY his friend. Something took his form after he died but the thing still has all of Hikarus memories to the point that it doesnt know if what its feeling are it's own feelings or Hikarus (ik i commented hours apart, my adhd brain pulled me elswhere for a bit)

[@vashsunglasses]

Ship of Theseus

[@othervoices76]

One of my favorite movies.. still holds up after 40 years

[@zmarko]

Keith David is an absolute treasure. He's an amazing character actor and has been in hundreds and hundreds of films/tv shows/video games. Some of my favorite parts being in There's Something About Mary, Platoon, They Live, Men at Work...just a slew of roles he's played. An amazing actor.

[@PlacidDragon]

Never fails for reactors for this movie : 5 seconds in : aaaaaw, what an adorable puppy, get those men hunting it!! 10 minutes later : Yaaaargh, kill it with fire!!! :D Though, to be fair, she picked up on the "this is eerie" feeling very quickly :)

[@hjorturerlend]

20:15 In this case it's a random set worker so you can't guess via the silhouette.

[@toddhill7483]

You are sporting the perfect shirt for this reaction. But if you're cold from watching a film in an arctic landscape, throw on another layer, and exchange the iced beverage for a hot one. 🗻

[@djgamer5546]

I'd reccomend the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It's got Jeff Goldblum, Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy in it. It was made right on the cusp of the 80s golden era of practical effects. On the subject of Jeff Godlum and 80s effects, the remake of The Fly that he was in is also amazing.

[@eddhardy1054]

& don't forget Veronica Cartwright from Alien is also in it

[@19wulfy69]

The opening title was done with a fish tank, a plastic garbage bag, a stencil, a lighter, some dry ice, and a light. In 2002 there was "The Thing" video game that gives this an end and Jhon Carpenter validates it as cannon. The big hat Kurt Russell wears is so you can pick him out in long shots... I think they just wanted to see if he could pull it off.

[@VACIO666]

An image I will never forget is that of Donald Sutherland pointing his finger and giving that chilling scream, in the 1978 film "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", or the number of times I have seen "Andromeda Strain" from 1971, a film that attempted to apply scientific rigor to a threat from outer space, or the recent surprise called "Abigail", terror and black comedy very well combined.

[@mcgfn]

what does any of that have to do with the thing?

[@VACIO666]

@@mcgfn I was referring to the classic gems of science fiction and horror films that remain in our memory, like "The Thing", and that today, from time to time, surprises appear like "Abigail". Greetings.

[@HeliRy]

“Antarctica: Winter 1982” Ah yes, winter. In Antarctica. As opposed to all of it’s other seasons 😂

[@Cenindo]

Don't worry, you actually began to suspect that the dog was bad already before the kennel scene. I have seen reactors who are so dense that only ten minutes AFTER the reveal do they finally say something to the effect, "oh, so THAT was why the Norwegians were chasing it?"

[@prescott7333]

Thanks for watching this one,Angela. You are a legend.❤

[@Palora01]

I bet everyone who's watched the movie was grinning like a mad man throught out.

[@Hawksmoor42]

Angela, who works in a medical field, being just as horrified at the unsterile blood drawing as the body horror and alien monster. Just goes to show people can find horror in all sorts of places.

[@GrrrTurtle]

Kurt Russel plays a wicked alien, cussing out his boss when he quits his job.

[@robertballard2998]

As gnarly as 22 year-old Bottin's effects works are, nothing is more disconcerting than Wilford Brimley without a mustache.

[@pfreelantz]

I'm pretty sure there's a subreddit where people do entire vision boards to try and math out whether or not one of the last two were actually a Thing. :D The funny part of that is: It doesn't matter...there's still a whole spaceship just sitting there that probably has more.

[@rodentnolastname6612]

You only see the aftermath of what happened at the Norwegian camp but those events are echoed in what happens in the American camp

[@MySerpentine]

They shot the Norwegian camp using what was left of the main camp after the fire.

[@pcbutler1971]

A few things. It's based of a short story and the Thing from Another World 1951. "watch Clark" was meant for us the audience as a distraction, the scene where Docs arms are bitten off (screaming) was played by an double arm amputee war vet with a mask. There was a comic mini series that takes place immediately after the movie ends with Clark and MacReady as the main characters.

[@pcbutler1971]

oh... And the movie is spoiled at the beginning if you know Norwegian. The shooter yells, In Norwegian, to "stay away... It's not a dog... It's some kind of thing..."

[@papa_xan]

This film remains the gold standard for practical effects, and even after 40+ years the CGI has not gotten close.

[@kemowery]

This and the dragon in Dragonslayer, IMO. FLG: Watch Dragonslayer!

[@garethmitchell7723]

One of my favourite films, love tge fact that you don't know if either of the guys at the end is infected or not.

[@swahilimaster]

Every single reactor: "Puppy", "Why are they trying to shoot it". Everybody who's seen the movie: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@carnicus1]

Macreadyy entire character is encapsulated in that chess match. He would rather destroy everything than admit defeat

[@phoenixsoren]

There's a popular theory that the bottle at the end was full of gasoline, and Mac was checking to see if he was talking to a Thing or not because it wouldn't know the difference

[@spooney100]

@@phoenixsoren but that was debunked for a few reasons. Firstly Mac thought he was the only survivor and he just killed the Thing, he knew he was gonna eventually freeze to death so brought a drink to numb it and he likes a drink anyway. Why would he bring gasoline? Secondly, Mac goes to take a swig of the drink just as Childs shows up. Obviously he wouldn’t drink gasoline. Thirdly, the Thing retains its victims memories so even if Childs was an imitation it would know its gasoline.

[@revolutionaryspectre9023]

This is the absolute top tier "Kurt Russell is hot in this" film, which says a lot because that man is goddamn gorgeous on the worst of days lol

[@CraftsWithCrafts]

The opening title card was actually practical in that they had a garbage bag behind the cut out title card, shone a light at it and then burned the plastic bag to get that upwards crawling reveal effect.

[@supermoogle07]

OMG!!! I watch a bunch of reactions so I don’t really keep track of what everyone has watched. Totally didn’t realize you hadn’t seen this movie. SO happy I get to see one of my favorites react to one of my favorite horror movies.

[@morphman86]

Those iconic opening titles were made with practical effects, not the CGI Tron would be known for the next year. The FX team achieved this effect by stretching a garbage bag onto the animation cell with the titles and place that behind a big fish tank they filled with smoke. Aiming a light behind the letters gave it this ethereal feeling. Then they just put a match to the garbage bag, and what we see is the plastic melting to reveal the title, with the smoke in front of the letters and the light coming from behind them.

[@staticXorcism]

One of the things that really sets you apart from other reactors is your production. It's not just your lighting or sound (which are great), but your editors are absolutely incredible. Xander, Nathanael, thank you for the work you do and putting out content that allows us to experience these movies and TV shows as if we were right there with Angela. I also love the consistency of little details like the Dr. Who snap 😂. You all are amazing. 🙏 PS: You do a pretty damn good job yourself when you have to do your ow editing too, Angela!