The Thing had the unfortunate luck of being released at the same time as E.T. and Blade Runner. Despite bombing at the box office, this sci-fi horror has become the true definition of a cult classic.
Written by Bill Lancaster, the son of acting legend Burt, the screenplay was ideal material for John Carpenter, a filmmaker of great skill but with little patience for pretension and sentimentality.
The film is so effective because it preys on some of our most basic fears, such as paranoia and claustrophobia. It is also one of the most purely visceral horror movies ever made. The awe-inspiring creature effects designed by makeup wunderkind Rob Bottin achieve a menace worlds apart but as successful as those seen in Alien.
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You can find more information on this U.S. movie on Wikipedia and IMDb.
As always, we recommend you don’t ruin any surprises by reading spoilers or watching this trailer:
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Title: The Thing
Language: English
Direction: John Carpenter
Screenplay: Bill Lancaster
Cinematography: Dean Cundey
Editing: Todd C. Ramsay
Score: Ennio Morricone
Stars: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Donald Moffat, Richard Masur, David Clennon, Charles Hallahan, Joel Polis, T.K. Carter, Richard Dysart, Thomas G. Waites, Peter Maloney
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I am a HUGE JC fan and The Thing is in my top 5 fav films of all time. Love the blog!!!