The Thing (1982)

A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

Bill Lancaster (screenplay), John W. Campbell Jr. (story)

Stars:

Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David

Top Rated Movies #160 | 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kurt Russell	...	MacReady
Wilford Brimley	...	Dr. Blair (as A. Wilford Brimley)
T.K. Carter	...	Nauls
David Clennon	...	Palmer
Keith David	...	Childs
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. Copper
Charles Hallahan	...	Vance Norris
Peter Maloney	...	George Bennings
Richard Masur	...	Clark
Donald Moffat	...	Garry
Joel Polis	...	Fuchs
Thomas G. Waites	...	Windows (as Thomas Waites)
Norbert Weisser	...	Norwegian
Larry Franco	...	Norwegian Passenger with Rifle
Nate Irwin	...	Helicopter Pilot

Storyline

A US research station, Antarctica, early-winter 1982. The base is suddenly buzzed by a helicopter from the nearby Norwegian research station. They are trying to kill a dog that has escaped from their base. After the destruction of the Norwegian chopper the members of the US team fly to the Norwegian base, only to discover them all dead or missing. They do find the remains of a strange creature the Norwegians burned. The Americans take it to their base and deduce that it is an alien life form. After a while it is apparent that the alien can take over and assimilate into other life forms, including humans, and can spread like a virus. This means that anyone at the base could be inhabited by The Thing, and tensions escalate.

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Plot Keywords:

antarctica | isolation | paranoia | body horror | alien creature | 

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Taglines:

Man is The Warmest Place to Hide.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R16

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Thing (1982) came out in the early days of home video with stereo sound. It also came during the time videophiles began to learn how to decode the matrixed surround track encoded on Dolby Stereo films by use of a left minus right decoder with delay applied. The Thing was one of the main films that was recommended to test out the setups, due to the aggressively directional surround stereo mix, especially in the opening helicopter chase. The Thing was among the first movies to advertise that it had a "matrixed surround track" on its packaging for the stereo soundtrack versions.

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Goofs

(at around 18 mins) While they are looking at the ice block in the Norwegian base, several of the icicles can be seen swinging.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Computer Voice: [after MacReady inputs a move on the keyboard] Your move: bishop to knight four. My move: knight to rook three.
MacReady: Poor baby, you're startin' to lose it, aren't ya?
[inputs a move]
Computer Voice: Your move: king to rook one. My move: rook to knight six. Checkmate. Checkmate.
[MacReady angrily pours his scotch into the computer tower, frying it]
MacReady: Cheating bitch.

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Crazy Credits

The 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 place on a stencil that was melted by a heat source placed below it.

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Alternate Versions

The film was cut in Finland back in 1982 to receive the K18 rating, these cuts include:

• The scene where the dog turns to the weirdo creature is shortened, the scene where the stomach opens and rips doc's hands off is shortened (the stomach opening is intact, but the hand-severing is no more), shots of the alive separate head have been deleted, the scene where one of the team members turns to a weirdo-creature pretty graphically (in the blood test) is shortened, and the burning of Windows is shortened.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Horror Movies: 1980s (2015)

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Soundtracks

One Chain Don't Make No Prison
(uncredited)
Performed by The Four Tops
Courtesy of MCA Records, Inc.

User Reviews

One of the best scary films I've seen

Hitting the video store late on a Saturday when all of the current films were unavailable, we ran across The Thing in the "classic" racks. I've seen this film at least twice before and truly enjoyed seeing it again. If it lacks plot or character development, the premise is frightening enough to make it an engrossing film. The gross-out special effects don't hurt either. For me, The Thing ranks with Alien as one of the best scary films I 've seen.

Details

Country:

USA Antarctica

Language:

English Norwegian

Release Date:

25 June 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt

Filming Locations:

Juneau, Alaska, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,107,897, 27 June 1982

Gross USA:

$19,629,760

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,632,053

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Turman-Foster Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min 127 min (VHS)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1