Review of The Thing (1982) by Danny R — 28 Mar 2016

John Carpenter has created a modern sci-fi horror classic so chilling that it will crawl up your right leg. The film opens with a Siberian husky running across frozen tundra of Antarctic while being chased and shot at by a helicopter from a near by Norwegian scientific outpost, the dog makes its way to the remote American scientific research outpost.

The men at the post hear the gunfire from the helicopter and come out to see it land. One of the Norwegians on board comes out of the chopper with a rifle shoots at the husky, while the another grabs a grenade to throw it at the dog, but he accidentally drops it blowing himself and the chopper up.

The remaining Norwegian is shoot dead by one of the camp personal after he shot one of its scientist who was to close to the husky. The husky is brought into the outpost, it is then decided by the camp group to investigate the Norwegian base and see what has happened there, the camp medical doctor Copper, well-played by the late Richard Dysart and chopper pilot MacReady, played by Kurt Russell in a sensational performance, fly off to the outpost and make a terrifying discovery that the Norwegian outpost has been destroyed and lays in ruin with one of its members frozen solid, still holding the straight razor in his hand that he used to cut his own throat, they also find a giant cut hollowed out block of ice in one of the rooms, as well as burnt remains of one of "The Things.

" it seems that the Norwegians have discovered an alien organism that has been buried in the ice for 100,000 years, it still alive and can transform into an exact replica of anything it kills. Copper and MacReady bring back the burnt remains to their outpost, unaware that the husky from the Norwegian outpost is a "Thing" in disguise, it will change into this killer alien organism and a life and death struggle between the men and it will begin, and one by one the men are taken over by it, to the point where no one trusts anyone anymore.

The supporting cast features top-notch character actors which includes Wilford Brimley Keith David, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Richard Masur, Peter Maloney and Thomas Waites, they all deliver excellent performances.

Atmospheric with unbearable tense and suspense. A wonderfully creepy score by the great Ennio Morricone, outstanding special effects by the late Albert Whitlock, and incredible makeup & creature effects by makeup maestro Rob Bottin, which are absolutely horrific and not for the squeamish.

A unnerving sci-fi gem, masterfully directed by Carpenter. Highly Recommended.