One of the best, if not the best Sci-Fi Horror film.

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2012)

I first saw this in the theater at its initial release in early 1982. This is definitely a testament of how horror films should be made. Although their is copious amounts of gore, it never lags in suspense, good acting, taut plot buildup, and enthralling drama. This is a time when CGI was nearly unheard of and special effects and horror make-up were made from scratch in an artists studio. Yes, they literally had to build and create tangible/three dimensional puppets, robots and props to enhance the movie monsters and horror effects. By the early 80's there were several notable horror make-up artists that earned the majority of the business. Therefore, they were at the height of their craft due to competition and a deep appreciation and desire to explore the depths of their creativity that the imagination could fathom.
The drama is also excellent as the story envelops e are immersed in the crew's journey and struggle to examine what is happening to their camp due to this alien intelligence that has invaded upon them. Kurt Russell is simply great as the unshakable MacReady. The rest of the cast offers some good performances as well.
What makes this movie so frightening is that eventually the crew members all become feverishly suspicious of each other as this inevitable terror befalls them. They must decide to either collaborate or fight each other in order to survive. Being stranded in the desolate arctic snow is claustrophobic enough; but add the ominous and elusive alien presence with the growing resentment and distrust for each character and we are left with a confounding morass destined for doom. A sequel to John Carpenter's version was made in 2011 and is supposed to be the backstory to his version. These two movies should never be confused for the 2011 version is far inferior and lacks the good acting and character development. It also relies to much on the usage of CGI to be taken seriously.