A True Horror Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2017)

John Carpenter's "The Thing" is truly a masterpiece of the horror genre, and arguably deserves a spot at #1. So few truly good films come out of this genre, this is one of those rare gems that sets the benchmark for excellence. I saw this movie when it came out as a young teen, it scared the s*** out of me in a way no horror movie before or since has been able to.
John Carpenter's strength lies in his ability to create intense mood in his films, and "The Thing" is by far his best work in this regard. The musical score, the sets, the cinematography and the dialogue all work together in perfect harmony to create an incredibly eerie and terrifying setting for the viewers to be dropped into. You can feel the isolation and paranoia he creates almost as if you're trapped down there alongside the characters. The film brilliantly plays on some very core fears in the human psyche with chilling effectiveness.
The buildup is purposely slow, and by the time the reality of situation the characters are in is realized, you feel like you're right there with them due to Carpenter's masterful ability to draw the audience into the film. The balance of tension is perfect, and keeps you feeling uneasy and frightened throughout the entire film.
"The Thing" is extremely well cast, every actor delivers a solid and convincing performance of his respective character. Character development is a touch on the weak side, but it's more than ample for this particular film, and where it's lacking, Carpenter more than makes up for it with his ability to draw you into the events and setting of the film.
The conventional special effects are top notch, even by today's elaborate CGI standards, and have aged quite well. Compared to the CGI alien from the disappointing 2011 "prequel", Carpenter's alien has the material substance and realism that computers just can't deliver, making it far more frightening and believable than its later CGI counterpart. Gory by any standard, but not depraved...some of the truly horrifying images created will stay with the viewer for a long time after viewing.
Here's a personal example of exactly how effective this movie is...last Halloween I was showing my teen son and stepson different horror movies from my collection in an attempt to scare them. They are typical teen boys from today, jaded and desensitized by the constant digital bombardment they receive from video games and cable television. One movie after the next was shrugged off, laughed and yawned at. Then I showed them "The Thing".....both of them sat wide eyed and transfixed, not uttering a word throughout the entire film. 10 minutes after it was over they both still sat there silently, until my stepson weakly said "that was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen"....my son nodded and uttered an agreement. Neither of them slept well for a few nights following.
Initial reception and box office returns in 1982 were mediocre, but the passage of time has allowed this film to be recognized as one of the true masterpieces of the horror genre, and an excellent film in its own right. It currently enjoys a spot on this websites top 250 films, and top 10 ranking on practically every online list of best horror movies. For best effect, view it alone at night, preferably with a good snowstorm raging outside.
And remember,......"it ain't Fuchs.....it ain't Fuchs"