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.
NEWLINE
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:
NEWLINE
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
NEWLINE
NEWLINE
Wonderful Cinema 
I am a HUGE JC fan and The Thing is in my top 5 fav films of all time. Love the blog!!!
I agree with you…I can´t forget those poor dogs…amazing
I remember seeing this on VHS when I was a kid … and it scared the absolute s%^t out of me. Being a fan of the original I went into it thinking, “Oh, this is gonna suck.” I came out of it thinking it might have been the most frightening film I’ve ever seen. So great. Like you said, it just hits you on an intense visceral level. Oh geez … looks like I have to rent it again!
I’ve watched The Thing so many times. I just can’t get tired of it. The opening scene with the dog and the helicopter; just perfect.