A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
- Awards
- 5 nominations
Wilford Brimley
- Blair
- (as A. Wilford Brimley)
Thomas G. Waites
- Windows
- (as Thomas Waites)
Adrienne Barbeau
- Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
John Carpenter
- Norwegian (video footage)
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJohn Carpenter has stated that of all his films, this is his personal favorite.
- Goofs(at around 1h 20 mins) Although Fuchs has told them that the alien organism is highly infective, they don't care about sharing the same knife to get their blood samples.
- Crazy creditsThe title of the movie is revealed in the same style as in The Thing from Another World (1951). The effect was achieved with a plastic bag placed on a stencil that was melted by a heat source placed below it.
- Alternate versionsCBS edited 12 minutes from this film for its 1986 network television premiere.
- ConnectionsEdited into Deep Freeze (2001)
- SoundtracksDon't Explain
Music by Billie Holiday (uncredited)
Lyrics by Arthur Herzog Jr. (uncredited)
Performed by Billie Holiday
Courtesy of MCA Records
Featured review
A group of explorers in the arctic region have encountered a vicious alien organism that can consume a person and make itself a perfect copy. This is a classic horror film that is loaded with brilliant special effects and graphic violence that is a perfect way to spend a cold evening. Kurt Russel stars as a troubled alcoholic who takes charge and tries to find which person is really the alien creature. One of the most brilliant things about the movie is that it plays with the idea of not knowing who you can trust. I found it interesting that it had an all male cast, something uncommon for many movies. The acting is very natural and very realistic. This movie was surprisingly scary and the graphic scenes were surprisingly horrific. It's a dark, brutal, and claustrophobic sci-fi horror film that has stood the test of time from the genius of John Carpenter.
- desotowright
- May 2, 2008
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- La cosa del otro mundo
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $15,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,857,465
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,107,897
- Jun 27, 1982
- Gross worldwide
- $20,630,135
- Runtime1 hour 49 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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