Science fiction and horror go together like peanut-butter and chocolate, and in no film is that statement more true than in John Carpenter's cult classic, The Thing (1982). A remake of Christian Nyby/Howard Hawk's The Thing from Another World (1951), the film tells the story of an American scientific expedition in the Antarctic that is interrupted by a group of seemingly insane Norwegians shooting at a dog, with the helicopter pursuing the animal crashing and leaving the Americans no explanation for the seemingly mad chase.
During the night, the dog, rescued by the American expedition, mutates and then attacks the other dogs in the American's kennel, prompting members of the team to investigate. Only then does the team realize that the dog they recovered is a homicidal alien life-form with the ability to perfectly replicate other bodies, and that not only is it loose, but someone might've already have been taken over by it.
The name John Carpenter is synonymous with the horror genre thanks in part to his directing a number of horror classics previous to this one (Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980)). However, of all of Carpenter's darker cinematic works, none of his films contain anything that can rival the paranoid atmosphere and sheer weirdness that one encounters in The Thing,
Ultimately, the success of the film can be boiled down to two very successful elements: the film's eerie atmosphere, and the special effects of Rob Bottin. The location of Carpenter's film could not be a more secluded and hopeless environment: the Antarctic wasteland shown in the film is one of constant snowstorms, darkness, and above all, isolation.
There is no chance of rescue or outside help coming to our character's aid, which only adds a deeper dimension to the thick swath of paranoia that pervades the entire film. The speed at which the alien transforms ensures that at any time, any of the film's character's could be a dangerous imitation, rather than who they claim to be.
But atmosphere and dread alone do not offer up frights and scares, which is where the special effects of Rob Bottin come in. The creature effects by Bottin are nothing short of hideously alien, an effective combination of abhuman anatomy, viscous fluids, and pseudo-animal parts that results in a number of grotesque and nauseating frights that remain disturbingly vivid and startling to this very day.
However, despite the film's hopeless atmosphere and disquieting effects, The Thing is somewhat blemished by the fact that it is lacking when it comes to characterization and memorable personalities: in truth, there is very little difference between the characters in the film, with few, if any of them developing anything remotely akin to individuality. All of the characters, with the exception of perhaps Kurt Russell's R.J. MacReady, could easily be switched around with each other, and it would have little to no impact on the whole story.
But despite the film's lack of distinctive characterization, Carpenter's film is so palpable and twisted that it's difficult to watch and not be drawn in to the lurking fear and pseudo-nihilistic doom that exists through the film's entirety. The Thing is a film that's sure to frighten and scare this upcoming Halloween, and is definitely worth the viewing for those interested in some genuine frights and fear.
Find the nearest Blockbuster near your home so you can rent this film almost immediately. Or, if you prefer that movies came to you instead, set up a Netflix account and start your ordering as soon as possible.
