Review of The Thing (1982) by Jarrett M — 24 Jun 2012

John Carpenter's The Thing is probably one of the best remakes that has been made, and is one of the more effective sci-fi/horror films made in it's time. It is not the most terrifying film I've seen, but it certainly does have some very effective scares that are built up by some very well crafted suspense and tension.

This is also not the goriest or most disgusting film that I have seen, but the makeup and monster effects by Rob Bottin are incredibly well done and even 30yrs after the fact, are very effective and more convincing than the majority of CGI heavy horror effects of the last 10-15 years.

The performances are also very good from the entire cast; the actors effectively conveying the fear, paranoia and mistrust of each other as things rapidly spiral out of control. While Kurt Russell may be the mos recognizable name in the cast and delivers a memorable performance, the real star of this film is John Carpenter.

He has crafted a film with a very palpable atmosphere, from his choice of camera placement, to the haunting and memorable score, to the utilitarian look and feel of the set. This is a film that should be seen by everyone who is a fan of horror or sci-fi.

It's just too bad that the recently released prequel to this film is not nearly as effective as this one is. Go get this, turn down the lights and discover why John Carpenter has the moniker of 'Master of Horror'.