The Thing

On the year of its 40th anniversary, I wanted to revisit John Carpenter's arctic horror The Thing that released in 1982 to see how it holds up today and if my initial thoughts had changed on the film. This released a year Carpenter's Escape from New York, a film I found some enjoyment with but didn't quite see what all the fuss was really about, and the same can be said when I first saw The Thing somewhere in 2019. It was a decent thriller but, again, I came away not all that enthused by what the fans had made it up to be. Were my hopes too high, was in not in the right mood to appreciate this? Well I hoped a second viewing might remedy that.

Set in a remote American research base in Antarctica, the team find that not everyone is who they say they are after a mysterious dog enters the base who was being hunted by two Norwegian researchers, who come from another base that lies in ruin. This is a loose remake of Howard Hawks' 1951 thriller The Thing from Another World but is largely considered to be superior, similar to Brian de Parlma's Scarface, and this second viewing has really made me come to appreciate The Thing.

It was only four years prior to this when Ridley Scott's Alien released where a crew onboard a spaceship are slowly picked-off one by one by a vicious creature but, aside from some corridor running sequences that bear a passing resemblance, Carpenter keeps the experience feeling fresh, exciting and oh so very tense. The setup and pacing is excellent as are the cast, which includes Kurt Russell and Keith David, not forgetting Ennio Moriconne's chilling score and the immersive practical effects which are best seen to be believed. Modern thrillers like this can feel too clean but The Thing has this atmospheric substance about it that feels real and I was hooked all the way through this time. 

The Thing then concludes on a brilliant high note that can be taken at face value or questioned as so many fans have done. I looked into some of the FAQs only looking at the tip of the iceberg and it's a film that rewards multiple viewings which I will look forward to. I'm not sure why Carpenter's work here didn't win me over the first time but I have been converted and will give this a full recommendation to anyone who isn't faint hearted at the sight of a little blood. Safe to say this holds up pretty damn well and I expect it will continue to do so for another 40 years.