The Thing

Perhaps I’m overly sensitive to the genetic transformations of people in movies, but the first time I saw The Thing, when I was an eighth grader at elementary school, I couldn’t sleep all night and was sweating like I had a fever. It was a terrifying experience. I vowed to never watch another horror movie. However, that intense experience was also the reason that horror later became my favorite genre. The Thing has a unique atmosphere of isolation and despair, which is perfectly supported by Morricone’s gloomy music, timeless special effects and a wonderfully dark, pessimistic ending. It’s a precisely paced horror movie that gradually tightens the noose around your neck and it’s an existential downer almost from the start to finish, with some of the most terrifying horror scenes ever. (04/06/2002)

Carpenter's The Thing is, without question, the scariest sci-fi horror film of all time. An orgiastic atmospheric experience that cuts deep into your nervous system from the very opening moments, in an oppressive and bleak setting, with a cold and unbearably depressing directorial rhythm and accompanied by a chilling soundtrack or physically disgusting (or cinematically beautiful) gore effects, only to place a devastating charge at the end and scatter even the last vestige of hope and light. A brilliant, incredibly compact film that never wavers, even with a single shot or spoken line, from its predetermined, most beautiful and purest imaginable genre path... One of those very few films I really never get tired of. 100% (30/04/2011)

I had chills running down my spine throughout this outstanding horror sci-fi. Carpenter’s style is put to ample use here and the B-movie make-up suddenly looks darn convincing. The subject is excellent and has great potential in itself, maybe slightly B-movie, but high quality. The atmosphere of anticipation, distrust and secrecy grows by the minute. Kurt Russell gave perhaps his best ever performance in The Thing, and when I think about it, Carpenter did too. The carefully build up in atmosphere in combination with Morricone’s music creates an amazing experience making for a rather sleepless night ;). (31/12/2006)

I'll admit this one got me. As always, great atmosphere (I managed to nibble on the Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film while watching it), decent Morricone music, a pretty good Kurt Russell, really good visual effects for its time and above all a brilliant ending. I love this movie! (14/10/2002)

A horrifying parade of disgusting special effects with bodies disintegrating and mutating into hideous slimy creatures, the human head with spider legs is very cool. The chilling atmosphere of hopelessness and isolation perfectly underscores everything. We can only thank Carpenter for his bold directorial concept and the distribution company for having the courage to put this into wide distribution in its time. (07/07/2002)