The Thing is one of my favorite horror films, and in my opinion John Carpenters best. The combination of groundbreaking practical special effects, and a great script and cast, make The Thing a true classic. I must have seen the film at least forty times, and every time I've enjoyed it just as much as the first.
The plot follows a scientific research team stationed in Antarctica; who find an alien creature buried in the antarctic ice. Over the course of the film the mysterious creature begins to absorb and duplicate the team members. The tension and suspense builds slowly as the team members begin to suspect each other. They all begin to loose the plot. he The lead scientist of the team, Dr. Blair, completely looses it and destroys all the radios leaving the group stranded.
The one thing that has made the film stand out over the years are the special effects, which still hold there own against today's CGI laden affairs. The a in the film are some of the best ever seen. The only film that comes close to the The Thing in terms of practical effects is Tremors (1990), another classic. There are some great gore effects in the film. The highlights being the transformations of the dogs in the kennels, and Palmer's transformation in the image above. The scene when they all cut their fingers open to draw blood always makes my skin crawl as well.
Kirk Russell plays the strongest character, Helicopter pilot M.J. MacReady. Russell's performed is superb. He takes charge towards the end, and using a test devised by the teams doctor, Dr Copper, he forces the elusive creature out into the open. Slowly the remaining team members become victims of The Thing, leaving only two left at the end. The film ends on one of the biggest cliffhangers ever. Thirty years on and The Thing is just as fresh,exiting, and trilling as ever, and is a must watch, both for horror fans and others alike.
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