This is My most favorite of All Time.The acting it outstanding one of Carpenter's TRUE work of horror. the story was is a little of side but it explains what happen later on in the movie.Visual was Awesome for the early 80's to the fans of the horror this movie will talk about in time to time.5/5

The Thing didn't meet my expectations i guess i expected alot more after all the reviews i read on it. With an all that acting cast headed by Kurt Russell and John Carpenter writing the script i though this movie busted at times i caught myself falling asleep. Overall I still though The Thing was worth of 3/5 stars and worth a watch may bee different through someone elses eyes as im not much of a Sci fi fanatic...

Okay, I'll say right up front that the special effects in this were some of the worst I've ever seen on film. But for me, that's where the flaws stop.

A group of scientists (I believe that's what they were) were positioned in an arctic station conducting research on the environment, when they spot a Norwegian helicopter shooting at one of these Alaskan sled-type-dogs. One of the Norwegians accidentally shoots one of the American scientists in the leg and is killed by other members of the wounded man's research team.

Meanwhile, the dog takes shelter with the same team. We don't understand why the Norwegians were trying to kill the dog until later when it's revealed that the dog isn't a dog at all but some type of alien being who can assume the identity of it's prey. This is directed by John Carpenter and is a remake of the 1950's original.

This was very well done and if you can get past the really cheesy effects and just look at the story and appreciate the idea of it, you can really enjoy it, like I did.

In the Antarctic, an American scientific research base is invaded by an ancient alien capable of taking on the form of any human it comes into contact with.

This is the first of what director John Carpenter calls his "Apocalypse Trilogy" (The Thing was followed by They Live and Prince of Darkness). In some ways though it's better to regard the film as the last of his "Great Horror Trilogy" (after Halloween and The Fog) as they're more representative of the awesome skills Carpenter once wielded. This excellent adaptation of John W. Campbell's short story, Who Goes There? provides (like so many great horrors) a very simple situation and group dynamic on which the filmmakers can build tension. When we're introduced to the isolated men at the start, a tense atmosphere already exists. Later, when it must develop with the influence of The Thing itself, it becomes infinitely more threatening. Alongside Halloween, The Thing features Carpenter's best achievements in this area. But unlike Halloween, The Thing didn't kick-start a sub-genre, (though it did help dramatically in the advancement of special makeup effects technology), instead it almost deliberately bucks the slasher trend only four years after Carpenter started it. Part homage to 1950s sci-fi B-movies, part original creation, the film contains one of Carpenter's best characters, the surly helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady, a role Kurt Russell fits into magnificently.

Although not a huge success on release, (possibly a less demanding alien movie in the shape of E.T. was part of the reason), The Thing has since achieved a huge fan base and has become one of the best loved horror staples of late night TV.

“We’re not getting out of here alive…but neither is that thing…“

I remember being completely terrified during the course of the film. The special effects were, and still are, shocking. ( Special effects wiz Rob Bottin was only 22-years old when he did the effects for "The Thing".) Unfortunately we could not plug our ears to spare us from the horrifying screams and howls of the creature, along with the creepy soundtrack.

I still have fond memories of that night, and I sincerely doubt that I will ever see any monster movie that will shock me as much as the first time I snuck into "The Thing" with my kid brother. I believe the only other movie that came close was "Alien" (which I didn’t have to sneak into

I write this review as a "tip of the hat" to one of the great monster movies of our time, so any seemingly cynical remark I make is made in the spirit of good fun. Maybe not a "classic" in the sense of "King Kong" and the like, but boy, did this film make on impact on me.