If you think there is a better horror movie, ever, than The Thing, then you are wrong.
It is that simple.
And now, if you dare, you can get a Thing of your own.
Oh man. If any enterprising BABloggee has a spare few grand lying around… I would place that in front of my door, and really really hope a burglar drops by.
Tip o’ Kurt Russel’s cowboy hat to io9.
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Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
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March 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I’m still amused by the fact that Carpenter’s film (a remake) is a lot closer to the original story (”Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, Jr., published in 1938) than the 1951 movie.
Yes, it’s one of my all-time favorites. Got to get a copy on DVD…
March 6th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“If you think there is a better horror movie, ever, than The Thing, then you are wrong.
It is that simple.”
You’re so right it hurts.
Actually, if there was no Forrest Gump, it would be the best movie in any genre
March 6th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
So I guess you forgot about a little movie called Alien?
Sure, The Thing is good…but there’s no way it tops Alien. No way.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Um, the original Wicker Man? The Thing is great, not arguing that, but Christopher Lee’s urbane, erudite and cheerful Lord Summerisle sends chills down my spine every time…
Just a personal opinion. No warranty expressed or implied.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
sorry doc, i dont watch scary movies. i was scared as a kid by watching IT
March 6th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
ohhh forgot, hellraiser bout made me soil myself, ofcourse i was like 10 yrs old.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I have to agree with Mark and say that Alien trumps The Thing.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I remember the 1950’s version of the thing. I was only 21 at the
time, and it scared the bleep out of me. Very glad to have a good
buddy with me on my walk home.
Alien was also good. But scary in a different way. Maybe it was
because I was older and saw it on small screen TV.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
The Thing is a great horror movie and I am a huge horror fan. But I still think to date the best horror film is the Exorcist. That movie absolutely terrified me as a kid. Then next after that would have to be Zoolander if that movie dont scare you then you are not human.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Here’s a sad thought — like pretty much every horror movie, The Thing is being remade at Universal, though on a positive note, Ronald Moore (of SciFi’s Battlestar Galactica) is involved…
What a weekend at the movies that was; the Thing and Blade Runner were released on the same day…
March 6th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I think I know what DVD I’ll watch tonight.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
THEM
March 6th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
The last true horror movie made was The Exorcist. Every “horror” movie made since then has been just a parody/comedy.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I loved that movie. It matches Alien in shock moments, and that wonderful thing that is absent in many so-called horror films, paranoia. I love how no one trusts anyone else. Carpenter really outdid himself and I don’t think he will ever match what he did in The Thing. John W. Campbell rocks, by the way!
It is nice when modern directors do a decent job with old sci fi stories from the grand masters. I am excited about the Rama movie that David Fincher is going to direct. Should be seeing that in the near future. XD
March 6th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Trivia: “Alien” was very inspired by the 1965 Mario Bava B-movie, “Planet of the Vampires”…
http://worldofkane.blogspot.com/2005/10/planet-of-vampires-1965-directed-by.html
March 6th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Was the remake as good as the original? I didn’t see it, but, I saw the first one in 1951 and it was excellent!
March 6th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Alien and The Ring get my vote.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
blueberrys: “The last true horror movie made was The Exorcist. Every “horror” movie made since then has been just a parody/comedy.”
Somebody’s never seen “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” (1986). Based on the confessions of a real life serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas, it will drag all of your beloved Exorcists, Omens, Wicker Men, et al. into an empty alleyway and do things to them that cannot possibly be described on a polite family forum. A genuinely good movie, bowel-voidingly honest in its treatment of the subject and deeply, truly unpleasant to watch.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I like The Thing, but i prefer creepy atmosphere to gooey special effects.
The Haunting (1963) is my favorite horror movie.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Carpenter’s version was much, much scarier than the original, but I think that Alien trumps it. However, my personal all-time favourite scary movie is American Werewolf in London. The mix of nowhere-to-run terror with good campy fun makes it a treat.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
The Thing is merely a science fiction thriller. Very good but not horror in my respect. Personally I regard The Shining as the best horror movie until now since it plays tricks with the mind and was well written by somebody with good knowledge of psychosis. The story tries to draw you into one in a very clever way. 1984 might be considered to be horror as well, although the book was far better than the movie.
Never mind. Relics from a movie like The Thing are cool.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I liked both The Thing and Alien.
Alien was scary because of the many “boo” moments in it, but I think the The Thing was more suspenseful overall.
The prop is a little out of price range, but it got me looking around the Movie Memorabilia section on eBay and I wound up getting a Dilithium Crysal prop (with COA).
I don’t know if I should thank or blame you for this one BA.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Hmm, regarding an antecedent to ‘Alien’, try ‘It! The Terror from Beyond Space’ (1958) where the literally blood thirsty stowaway (a Martian played by Ray “Crash” Corrigan) hides for a time in the rocketship’s ventilation shafts along with the very much alive human victims upon which it slowly feeds.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
“An intellectual carrot?! The mind boggles!” Still one of my favorite lines from the Howard Hawks/Christian Nyby film original.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I saw a French film in a small theater off the U.C. Berkeley campus in the late ’50’s called Diabolique. This was one of the first films I saw which played on psychological fears, both of the characters and of the audience. I have yet to see a movie as powerful, compelling and totally fear-inducing as that one, including the older monster genera movies like Dracula and Frankenstein and Jaws. Once the monster is outed, there’s little left to wonder about except which of the characters it will kill or maim or dismember. If you are curious, Netflix may have Diabolique in stock under “foreign films.” It is truly worth a viewing.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Oh, yeah; it’s in black and white. Truly adds to the creeped out feel.
Will. M
March 6th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I’m not sure, I think Alien was a better movie, but The Thing certainly broke ground in the “creepy” department for special effects; especially that whole “Head coming off and sliding down to the floor, growing legs, and walking away” scene …
That was just so creepy on so many levels back then.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
John Carpenter’s The Thing is still fantastic! What a perfect cast! What a freaky alien! Head spider!
March 6th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
The Thing is probably the most intelligent horror movie ever made. I have seen it many times, and there is a section of the movie where Carpenter purposely doesn’t let you know who is who, though you know *someone* is a Thing. There are websites devoted tot he movie, and they’re worth reading if you like it; lots of insight from dedicated fans.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
John Carpenter’s The Thing is one of my favorites. One of the best scenes: They’ve got one of the early victims on an exam table. His drops off the body onto the floor, sprouts legs, and starts crawling away like a spider. The survivors just stare in disbelief until one of them sums up EVERYONE’s thoughts by saying “What the f*ck?”
That said, the best part of the movie was Kurt Russell. Until The Thing and Escape from New York, Russell was best known for his roles in several Disney movies. And suddenly here he is dropping the F bomb every other word!!
Poor Walt is still spinning in his grave.
March 7th, 2008 at 2:54 am
What about “The Master of Disguise?” Now THERE’S a scary frickin’ movie!
March 7th, 2008 at 7:26 am
I think BOTH “Things” are masterpieces, even though they’re very different movies.
The pacing and overlapping dialogue in the 1951 original are still fresh every time I watch it. And haven’t many of us seen reporter Scott’s admonition — “Watch the skies! Keep watching the skies!” — repeated often?
The 1982 film, as has been noted, follows the plot of the original short story. Special effects aside, the dialogue and acting are superb, and the tension is palpable. The ambiguous ending is great, too!
Now, I wonder what Spielberg will do to/with “When Worlds Collide?” His version of “War of the Worlds” grows on me each time I watch it.
Les
March 7th, 2008 at 7:43 am
You know, I had no idea that the petri dish Thing actually looked like anything. I’ll have to watch that scene on slow-mo some time soon. Great film, but my personal favourite is the 1980s version of The Fly. I’ve never been so disturbed by a movie.
I was horrified to read that the studios were going to remake both of those. Apparently the new Thing will be written by Ron. D. Moore which is immensely reassuring, although I’m sure the monsters will be CGI. Bah! As for The Fly, somebody came to the studio with a version which was more metaphorical than literal, but all that did was put the idea of a straight remake in the studio’s head. Bah again!
March 7th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Well, I will say that I first saw Alien in the theaters at a ripe age of 9. That might have some impact on my decision.
Another one that I saw in theaters was Jaws, I would’ve had to be 5 or 6. That one scared me quite a bit; for quite some time I thought sharks could get me in the bathroom or the swimming pool. I like to think I’ve become a bit more logical since then.
I did watch The Thing again not too long ago on HD-DVD (yeah, poor format choice) and thought it had a lot going for it. I think the main thing that I like about it and Alien is the feeling of isolation you get in both movies. It’s just hard to beat a creature that has two sets of jaws, is ultra-strong, and has acid for blood.
Plus, it allowed us to have a rare sequel that is as good as the original movie.
March 7th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Blu-Ray-Ven:
“ohhh forgot, hellraiser bout made me soil myself, ofcourse i was like 10 yrs old.”
I can trump you there. I nearly peed myself during The Land Before TIme. Course I was like 4 or 5 or something;).
March 7th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
antaresrichard, you beat me to it. Or, should I say, to It! Crazy magazine’s parody of Alien was what made me aware of that. I wonder if A.E. Van Vogt’s people went after the people who made It!
…and in a similar vein, The Terminator was essentially a remake of Cyborg 2087. Though that movie was actually from 1966, while Harlan Ellison’s Soldier and Demon with a Glass Hand were from 1964.
Phil, I believe Kurt Russel wore a sombrero in The Thing, not a cowboy hat.
The Thing is definitely one of the most quotable films around, right up there with Ghostbusters.
March 13th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
The Thing IS the greatest horror movie of all time, no question. Did you ever listen to the DVD commentary? Carpenter was really concerned the visual effects were going to look dodgey; they used the syrup that goes inside Twinkies to make frozen blood in some of the scenes.
March 13th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
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