10 reasons we still love John Carpenter's The Thing 30 years later
John Carpenter's arctic-alien-shapeshifter horror flick—which pits Kurt Russell's grizzled survivor against a thing from another world—occupies a special place in our collective nerd heart for lots of reasons. But here, 30 years after its June 25, 1982, opening, are our favorite 10.
Carpenter's flick was ignored and dismissed when it was first released into theaters, but time—and the thriving home-video market—have been rather kind, elevating it to the beloved post it now holds.
These are just some of the reasons why we love it so. What are yours?
[Warning: There will, of course, be spoilers ahead!]
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THE MALAMUTE
The movie starts rather innocently, with a sled dog racing across the Antarctic tundra—the very definition of big events having small beginnings.
THE COLD
Few films look as inhospitable as The Thing, which was shot during a British Columbian winter and on artificially cooled soundstages. Everyone looks miserable, which only adds to the drama.
THE HEAD COMES OFF
If youâve seen it, you know. The moment when Norrisâ head slowly detaches from his body, sprouts legs, and skitters along the floor like some crazy head-spider? Yeah, that one.
THE BLOOD TEST
Who is infected? Whoâs the shapeshifter? MacReady devises a simple test: take a small sample of everyoneâs blood and put a hot wire in it. If the blood is normal, itâll just sizzle. If itâs not .... The tension mounts in the most delicious way.
THE PARANOIA
Like Alien, The Thing is a sci-fi haunted house movie, with the added element of the monster being âone of us.â As such, Carpenter goes to great lengths to foster that sense of distrust in both his characters and the audience.
THE END?
Two men sit in the cold, watching their temporary home go up in flames. Are both of them human? Will one of them bring untold horrors to civilization once rescue arrives? Itâs a beautifully depressing, ambiguous ending.
KURT RUSSELLâS BEARD
Just look at it. Itâs so lush and overgrown, like the charred brown lawn of the old man down the street who never cuts it and leaves it to roast in the summer heat. Itâs so perfectly, defiantly manly. Plus, it holds icicles really well.
THE GORE
Before The Thing, there had been gory movies and there had been sci-fi movies, but the two were never synthesized together with such visceral skill as this, with special effects maestro Rob Bottin (and an assist from Stan Winston) going balls-out to gross out moviegoers.
KEITH DAVIDâS VOICE
This actor—who also lit up Carpenterâs They Live—has one of the five best voices in all of Hollywood. Any chance to listen to him growl it out is welcome.
THE BRIMLEY
Wilfred Brimley. That is all.
