I think I'm still human - I hope

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2009)

There are so many comments here on this brilliant movie, yet I've been compelled to also write one for so long, so here we go at last.
You can opt to answer if my comment is useful, well, I guess that depends on whether you've already seen The Thing or not :-)
If you have, perhaps you're in a younger generation (IOW, you didn't see it in the cinema, I think ?). If so, this is an opportunity for you to take a ride back to 1982, as a teenager and the account of it on the big screen. What do you reckon ? If you haven't, no worries, this is not another user comment claiming to not spoil the movie when I think (IMO) it does.... at least to some extent - not plot-wise per se. For example, I read user comments claiming it's not about special effects... you kidding' me ? The Thing's special effects (in 1982) didn't just shock, they truly terrorised (more below on that, stay tuned)!
So, let's go back to 1982. All the masses were flocking to the theater to phone home (ET). A bunch of teenagers about 15-17 - my friends and myself included -wanted to see 'The Thing'. (I personally had no desire to see ET at that time, I'd read the book and that sufficed - for now). In hindsight, I'm glad we did. Sorry - correction, a couple of mates back then didn't, I think. One "friend-of-a-friend" (amongst the bunch of us) came out of the theater looking pale, he felt sick (well, he looked it :-) because of the terror he just went through. Is that good ? Absolutely !
Now, let me digress briefly to the special effects. I've seen my share of horror movies. Some have great special effects, sure. But this is 2009. Terminator 2 presented a quantum leap in CGI. But James Cameron thought it through, as usual. He knew then that CGI is - or should be - the last resort, not the first. The team that ensured The Thing delivered its full impact beyond the nightmare story, using every resource available at that time (CGI wasn't one of them), succeeded too well it seemed. Rob Bottin's (yes, even Stan Winston) willingness to push the envelope - of course with the help and synergy of many other brilliant minds - did something I have/had never seen in a story on the screen : I spent years, stumped ... speculating how on earth the movie's visual juggernaut was conceived and punched into my face... And I couldn't figure it out. (not until the fine day I got my hands on the special edition DVD).
Now, again, consider this is 1982 ! I can't muster another movie title where I've wondered how it looked "fake" in other words, how it was done. All others are fake ; some take little effort to conjure up or accept the story's reality, many need a willing mind and some effort. That's not necessarily bad of course.
Now back to the future, today. It's 27 years on and this movie still manages to either make you think you're human (you hope) when it picks you up and immerses you into the story of this "frozen dozen" characters. They're isolated, exhausted and too terrified to even consider sleeping. But one or several are hoping they're human - I think - but are probably not. Why ? Because something has infiltrated them, or should I write, 'some THING'.
So, if you're still reading and you didn't see the movie then I urge one of 2 things. Rent the movie or buy the DVD movie (I did the latter). OK, now proceed with your favorite ritual (you can get popcorn, I'm not sure if you'll actually remember you have it while viewing:-) and get ready to watch film making that is so brilliant that the audience wasn't fully ready for it in '82, sadly underscored by lack of "box office success". I'm not even sure about 2009. I have flagged this Chef D'Oeuvre to a few younger friends asking to see a "scary movie" when thirsty for more of today's gore entertainment.... most have afterwards admitted they got too scared and didn't see it through :-)
So, are you game ? Ennio Moriconi will give you a taste with his introductory sound score, that this story will finally thrill you as you were promised. If you're anything like me, it'll do so much more. Every line of dialogue is great. The actors' performances are outstanding and utterly convincing. (perhaps save for a single line "What do we do now" by Donald Moffat). But Moffat and all other 11 are discerningly cast near perfection and clearly spilled their blood, sweat and tears, it seems, to bring these outstanding performances.
To close, it's quite hard to fault The Thing when put in its context. The lighting is perfect, the sound and dialogue is, the score is. And a handful of dark humour will make you laugh, but I did it afterward - when I was able to - back in 1982 when I got every cent of my pocket money's worth paying my cinema ticket.
I'm sure you will treasure The Thing's special DVD edition after you've added it to your collection... I did and still do. Finally, in my opinion John Carpenter brings you his best direction and breathtaking camera work in this movie.
(DVD purchased in 2004, watched every 3-4 months or so since, the last viewing earlier tonight).