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John Carpenter's THE THING As Good Today As 20 Years Ago? - Review

It's hard to review something everyone has seen. While most everyone who will read this has seen The Thing, and know right away what kind of score it will be getting, I'm going to approach this as if you the reader, has not. To which I say, get the fuck off my review and go watch it!

The Thing is the story of an Antarctic research base, while on a day just like any other, a Norwegian helicopter lands by them, the people inde shooting at a dog that runs to the Americans at the base to hide. Shooting one of the Americans, they kill the Norwegian, and take the dog in. Among checking out the Norwegian base, they find that the Norwegians have made a discover in the ice, of a ancient spaceship. Long story short, the dog is really an alien who can take the shape of any form, a perfect clone, unable to tell who is human and who is alien.

While it sounds like it could be a downright cheezy film, The Thing is one of the best cases of paranoia in film, nce the original Alien movie. There is an almost palpable air of paranoia coming out of the tv screen when viewing the movie, which is one of it's strongest points, with all the characters going crazy in their own little ways.

Even more so than the paranoia, this film is best known for it's creature effects. The creature effects in the movie are so badass, and I haven't seen anything like them recreated nce. It's even more impresve that this came out in '82, and still looks amazing today. You have heads growing legs, and moving like spiders, stomachs opening up into mouths, it's nuts.I don't normally talk about the score in films, but as with any John Carpenter movie, you can expect a haunting score, that really makes it's self known. There is a scene when they are at the Norwegian base, looking at hollowed out ice, and the score keeps getting louder and louder as the camera pans, it's really something to be heard.

All of the characters are believable and well acted, which is good because otherwise

the movie wouldn't be near as good as it is. The highlight is of course Kurt Russell, who plays a helicopter pilot who steps up into the role of leader when times get tough. I really loved his character,

So if your still reading this, what the hell is wrong with you, go watch The Thing.

Score - 99% Gore - 10/10

http://youtu.be/p35JDJLa9ec

Could not agree more with this review! The creature FX in this movie is so far beyond many films released today. CGI this and CGI that . . . the Thing will still look as good another 20 years from now while all the computer generated FX flicks will be extremely dated.

I just hope they go the same route with this upcoming remake/prequel (but nce I've already noticed CGI in the trailer I'm hoping for a minimum of it).

best film ever I have watched the thing well over 100 times and still it shocks. It's hard to believe it was slated so badly when it came out

Could not agree more with this review! The creature FX in this movie is so far beyond many films released today. CGI this and CGI that . . . the Thing will still look as good another 20 years from now while all the computer generated FX flicks will be extremely dated.

I just hope they go the same route with this upcoming remake/prequel (but nce I've already noticed CGI in the trailer I'm hoping for a minimum of it).

This! This! Exactly this!

You immediately recognize CGI in films these days; it's no longer a matter of letting it seamlessly blend in, it's always just that little bit out of place, making clear what it is and pong the threat of taking the viewer out of the right mindspace to be watching the film.

The Thing was fantastic the first time I saw it, and remains that way to this day. I'll readily confess - I have to turn away during the part with the dogs. I've never had to do that with CGI. If films continue relying as heavily as they are on computers to create their effects, the hands-on work we all grew up watching will become a lost art form, and mores the pity.

The Thing is a film that you can watch over and over again, and never get bored. Great review!