@@beestingza Yeah the operating room table scene. The dyes and such for the green goo let out fumes and the filming room they were using had no ventilation. So when the flames over the camera came up to give it that firey effect. The fumes ah.... ignited. If Bottin wasnt under the table at the time, hoo boy.
Interesting factoid: Carpenter filmed the Norwegian camp scenes after the end explosion scenes, using the damaged American base as a stand-in for the charred Norwegian camp.
Yeah the Alien was super aggressive, but he didn't have the insane contagion aspect. If it was true only one cell was necessary to begin the replication process you basically couldn't escape it.
So.... It's 1982 and I'm standing outside the theater, waiting for the previous crowd to exit. As they left the theater, everyone has an erie, silent and shocked look on their faces. A foreboding sign of "Things" to come.
I saw this and poltergeist in a double feature at night, by myself in a theatre when I was 12. Freaked me out. Then my mum forgot to pick me up so I was stranded in a dark empty carpark for hours. Good times, in 1982.
@@dipsydoodle7988 Nah, I'm an Aussie born in the early 1970's. I dont really give a fk about much. Freaked out as a little kid for a bit, but no tears, just jumpy for a few hours.
Best Sci Fi Horror Thriller Film Ever Made! Even though critics tore this movie apart, calling it "instant trash, boring, dull a wretched excess", it has gained positive reviews overtime and has been regarded as one of John Carpenter's best movies ever made.
You’re absolutely right.I saw it when it came out in 1982.Fangoria magazine did great reviews on it and the special effects.Unfortunately the film critics just attacked it.Apparently the criticism hurt John Carpenter really badly as he’d talked about doing a follow up to what happened to Childs and Macready.I’d seen how film critics had torn apart THE BLUES BROTHERS in 1980 and BLADERUNNER in 1982,the same year THE THING came out,and it’s why I NEVER listened to what they had to say.THE THING was a classic then and it’s still a classic today.
Strong recommendation for 'The Blob' (1988). More glorious, drippy, wet practical effects, well-written script, and some of the most creative creature kills ever filmed.
Some people think that part of the thing escaped the Norwegian camp and infected the world, which is why Windows said he hadn't been able to contact the outside world in weeks... they're the last humans alive.
John Carpenter's The Thing has a 2011 made prequel and some comic book sequels plus there is a video game based on The Thing made in 2002 that will be remastered this year.
The thing isn't inside you. It is you. It's replaced you at the cellular level every single one of them. So the question becomes, are you still in there somewhere. Is your consciousness still there? Is your soul still there? We see that it takes on your memories and your knowledge. It even has the memory and knowledge of all the creatures it's absorbed before. And, in the case of Norris, even his heart defect. (Unless it was faking that to get to the next victim....) So how much of you is still there? Is it actually you?
My older sister was in the Navy and she did a summer in Antarctica. I have pictures of her at the South Pole. The ironic “THING” was that she was there when this movie was in theaters!
Favorite memory is showing this to my girlfriend at the time, who had never seen it. When the infamous "jump scare" moment came up during the blood test scene, I goosed her. She jumped so high off the couch, screamed so loud, I thought I was going to die laughing. She windmilled me with slaps and curses for five minutes, but it was worth every second.
1) We can see MacReady's exhale at the end, but not Childs'. 2) At the beginning, MacReady destroys a computer with a drink. At the end, he offers Childs a drink, which he takes, even though they all know to prepare their own food. MacReady gives a chuckle as Childs' fail.
Incorrect, the breath has no meaning confirmed by Carpenter himself, it was due to a filter change in the cameras being used. The Thing Bennings had breath when it screamed, at the end it was pointless to avoid sharing a drink. Also Childs literally has a flame thrower if he were the thing he could easily burn Mac and make wait for rescue making up any story he wanted. Childs also still has an earring which reflects in the firelight. So theory disproven.
The Thing has become one of my favorite movies to watch reactions for... everyone is so concerned for the dogs safety... i've started blaming the reactors for the the Things existence... 😂😂😂
I'll take practical effects over CGI crap any day. Practical effects lend an air of authenticity to the scenes. The Thing is a classic. It still holds up to this day. Great movie.
The dog's real name was Jed. He was a hybrid of a Husky and Wolf. Richard Masur who played Clarke in the movie said that Jed was one of his best acting collaborators in his entire career. 🐺
@p.d.stanhope Richard Masur also stated how the Wolf part of JED would be very obvious at times as he would stare at the crew as if sizing them up !!🐺 The Thing is truly one of the greatest Horror/Sci FI thrillers ! loved this .
For years i thought i had seen this movie, but in reality i had always confused it for “The Swamp Thing¨. The Wes Craven movie that came out the same year.
There should be a specific word for the small joy you get when a reactor says “nothing better happen to that dog!” while watching the beginning of The Thing.
23:20 - notice that the guy who is the Thing now, is also the one that mentioned the head-thing at 21:51. Imagine that head-thing cursing its buddy "you traitor!"
I actually think Palmer was the first one infected. I got that vibe from his reaction ehen MacReady and Doc Copper were taking off to fly to the Norwegian outpost. We see the dog approach Norris a bit later, with Norris's reaction shown as a startled shadow. I think Blair was infected while doing the autopsies. That's the thing... no pun intended... about The Thing. We don't know exactly how the infection and transformation process works. It xan be "all at once," but it doesn't NEED to be. Is it possible that Blair was infected and didn't know it yet, when he was trashing everything? I think it was. Is it possible that Norris was entirely unaware that he was infected, until his "heart attack?" I think so. Is it possible that Palmer was being honest and dincere, with no idea that he was infected himself, ehen he said "you have got to be f***ing kifding me?" Sure. The best way to hide an asset in enemy territory is to keep that asset from knowing what they are until you "activate" them. Whether it be a Soviet agent in 1970s America who has been brainwashed to believe she's really a suburban housewife, or a biological "hive mind" copying and "running" that copy of a dead victim's personality... or the same biological hive mind keeping the original "program" intact and running until it's no longer useful as camouflage... The question, to me, isn't just "if I were a thing, a perfect copy, how could you tell?" To me, the question is also "how could I tell?" And this was particularly well played out in the blood test scene. Windows, for example, was really nervous about how his own test would turn out. He literally did not know whether he might be infected! Of course, this just leads to an easy way for The Thing to beat this test. Why not just keep a "reservoir" of the original blood or tissue. If the creature can reshape itself at the cellular level, it should be trivial for it to choose not to infect a small number of original host cells, right?
Loved your reactions, Amelia. This is one of my favorites. I even had the McFarlane Toys Norris and Blair Monster figures for a time. Interesting that you compared this to Jaws and Alien. There is one big difference, in the first two, you barely see the creatures until the end. With The Thing, you get full on looks at it all the way through the film.
Child's said he saw Blair and went out after him, yet left the door to the main facility *wide open.* Not only did this expose the facility to extreme sub-zero temperatures, but it practically gave a green light to The Thing (wherever it was at the time) to just waltz right on in. A human wouldn't do that.
There's a not-very-well thought of prequel, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an American observer at the Norwegian camp. I myself thought it stands up pretty well.
Good example how even these older (great) practical effects and real build sets will triump the newer CGI stuff. Nowadays with CGI etc, movies look like we are watching cartoons or games cause most of the picture is not even real. Our subconscious mind can tell the difference. 🤓
Will pause and stop anytime a reactor views this classic. As an "old head classic sci fi fan. I love how Carpenter pays homage in so many ways to the classic original B&W 50's classic original starting with the same title card " burn through." A great work lunchtime watch on my phone!😆👍🏾 thank you!!!👏🏾
Who say`s Kate(2011), Mac & Childs all died ?? Would be interesting to see that it`s Kate that rescues Mac & Childs and they just basically disappear for a few decades or so(set in 2002--07) but are found living off grid in the far tip of Canada with new names married(Kate & Mac) childs is the uncle they are found be the US Army and are told something survived out at the base camp and was returned to the States and things go bad from there...
I was 4 when this came out but I remember watching this several times before I was 10. Hands down, some of the best practical effects. This is based on a novella from the 1930s called "Who Goes There", even sharing some of the same character names. It takes it name for the 1951 movie adaptation "The Thing From Another World" but that movie is nothing like the original story. Some will disagree, but the 2011 prequel is worth watching. The effects are CGI and don;t look as good, but we gwt to see what happens at the Norwegian camp.
According to lore, the spaceship crashed because the crew was fighting The Thing. The story actually continues in a series of graphic novels. MacReady and Childs are rescued and battle the Thing on the rescue ship, in the end Childs dies saving MacReady who then pursues the Thing through South America. Their final battle happens in a secluded New Zealand fishing village. He survives and the Thing actually finds peace and decides to live as a fish and swims away.
I don't think it "found peace" in the ocean. The ocean is a hostile place. It's just going to start consuming life underwater. If another fish eats it, then that one too is going to get turned into a Thing. It'll just keep going like that until the entire ocean is consumed or until it gets caught by fishermen, then it's going to start all over again until the entire world population is infected.
All carpenter movies should be watched! Specially Assault on precinct 13, escape from New York, escape from LA, Starman, Big Trouble in little CHINA, they Live, The Fog, Eyes of Laura Mars, Prince of Darkness, and others. Carpenter resented Spielberg for ET AND it took all the money and awards. But Carpenter had the last laugh! Because this movie is much better! Carpenter made his own alien love story with Starman! Carpenter also is the master of the minimalist creepy theme music! Kurt did 4 movies with carpenter! He even did an early TV Elvis movie, for John! This is one of the 3 most important sci-fi movies ever made. Plus Alien and Bladerunner, which are all related, by actors, and some other technicalities. Also the brilliance here is, when the thing busts out, it comes out of u anywhere, any size, shape, etc. The dog trainer should have won an Oscar and the special effects guy should have won an Oscar! He was a twenty one year old college student!😮😮😮. Pro tip, carpenter is still thinking about a sequel! But there's still a massive tie in here with Alien, predator Bladerunner this , and a movie with Kurt Russell called, Soldier! They are related by the beings called Engineers, for Aliens, Terminator, predator, Bladerunner this, and a movie with Kurt Russell movie called, Soldier. Common companies, technology, Replicants, synthetic humans, beings that Engineers created, and even writers and producers! And this is why, prosthetic, robotics, special/ effects, practical effects, are way better than CGI! The three main corporations... Cyberdyne (Terminator) Weyland Corp (alien) and Tyrell Corp (Bladerunner) all did cross work for each other, and also shared some employees!😮 Kurt better have kept the hat! Also the total brilliance here is, once u have been infected, even from just a scratch, u have no idea when u are being taken over, u don't become the thing, until it's cornered found out or threatened! Then it's cells take over ur cells! One of the absolute must watch Carpenter films u must watch! Along with Starman, escape from New York, escape from LA, Big Trouble in little CHINA, assault on precinct 13. Go with those, and his Halloween stuff, Eyes of Laura Mars, They Live, The Fog, Christine, In the mouth of madness, prince of darkness, memoirs of an invisible man, vampires! There are critics who say this is Carpenter's version of Communism Socialism, etc , and how it takes over countries, much as a film in the 50s by the same name, i think...the special effects guy here went on to do some great movies! This movie has literally been discussed for 40 years, one of them has to be the thing...who is it? Lots of theories have been discussed. When it happened.... before or same time as Palmer, and something about a vision effect, in an infected person's eyes. But carpenter is adamant, that no one knows who the thing is, and there are no giveaways!!
Predator is coming to the channel soon, we can add Creepshow to the queue, and I’m well-versed on Halloween, my mom and I have a Halloween marathon every year with the sequels :)
This film was the closest version to the 1930s book. Amazing that a novella could be that gory and violent at that time. Then-again, WWI was still pretty fresh in people's minds.
One of the greatest Sci-Fi thrillers ever made. The musical score is incredible. It flopped at the box office cause it was up against ET but when it came to VHS it became a cult classic.
I checked to see if Rob Bottin did win any awards for this, and he was nominated for a Saturn award. And, I didn't know this, and it perhaps goes towards showing how pointless, stupid and insulting the Razzie awards are, but Ennio Morricone won a Razzie for his incredible score for The Thing.
The sequel to this in 2011, which is actually a prequel, is a good watch also. It shows what happened at the Norwegian camp prior to the American team finding them all dead. It does answer a few questions raised in this movie.
So right about "cabin fever" in Antarctica. I got offered a job contracting to the Australian Antarctic Division flying fixed wing planes during a summer contract but in winter they keep a few helicopters there and crews on stand by. Their stories were all sorts of weird. Of the five or so bases only one or two run skeleton crews over winter and the stories are wild. Complected pregnancies, feuds, people going insane etc... The helicopter crews maintained their couple of choppers but you can't go anywhere. Their only job was to occasionally help out the other open base or help the French, Kiwis etc once or so a month in terrible weather
Hi, Amelia! ) Here are some interesting facts about the film: first, I must say that the film, unfortunately, failed at the box office in the year of release, and was criticized by critics for being too gloomy. Isn't that a dubious argument). Further, this circumstance greatly upset director John Carpenter, he took his project very seriously and invested a lot of hope, but according to the results of the evaluations he was so discouraged, he did not expect such low results that he reportedly fell into depression and abandoned his career for a long time. He still does not give significant interviews on the film, as he is still worried about this failure. Thirdly: now, according to tradition, the film is, of course, recognized by critics as a cult classic of fantastic horrors). And this was facilitated, as always, by excellent promotion on VHS, and subsequent recognition by the audience. Here is such a sad story of creation that this wonderful film contains (... P.S.: on my own, I will add that well done for recognizing the quality of practical effects. They are really good). And they are quite creative. Still some moments are shocking - amazing work! And the film itself has an interesting and innovative concept!). Thank you for your reaction, I had a great time. I love your reactions!). From the recommendations for such subgenres, I think we can recommend the film "Tremors." (1989) - about monsters with elements of a horror comedy taking place in Nevada). Good luck to you).
Great reaction Amelia! I was about 13 when I snuck into a screening of this, summer of 82 (and coincidence it was early July when I saw it). Needless to say I was affected to this very day. The dog sequence just kills me every time (poor pups!). Its my favorite creature flick easily. This was a few years before Elm Street, before Chucky, before a lot. And very little that came out after The thing could compare for me. Thing didnt do well in theaters but its as influential in the effects industry as the 1st Star Wars. I had a similar experience 1st time seeing 2007's The Myst, which was very much influenced by Thing. Also shout out to the music. Carpenter & Morricone's score is so effective and unsettling. This movie is Iconic!
ny theory is Childs is The Thing.. remember when fukes told everyone to eat out of cans and most likely bottled water because of the contaminated alien parasite. in the very end when Macready hands Childs an open bottle, Childs doesn't hesitate to drink it knowing he was warned long before to not do that or risk infection. maybe that's why Macready smirks/laughs in the end because he knows?
Her facial expressions are just too cute! U did alien and the thing. Now anomist is Bladerunner and its sequel which only came out a few years ago! I will throw in a couple more musts....the very ahead of it's time, Tron and its sequel. And a very dark yet highly underrated sci-fi film from this era, dark city!
All carpenter movies MUST be watched! Particularly assault on precinct 13, starman, big trouble in little china, escape from New York, escape from LA, and all others. He did 5 movies with kurt😢. He was pissed at Spielberg for a long time because et came out, got all the money and press. But john had the last laugh, because this has gone on forever, recognized as a sci-fi horror suspense classic, of all time! Boy Kurt met Elvis as a kid, then did a movie with him, then did Carpenter's first TV movie about him, then did 3000 miles to Graceland, then his voice in Forrest Gump! This, Alien and Bladerunner, are why special effects practical effects are far better than CGI! The dog should have won a Oscar! The trainer should have won a Oscar! The suspense building in this is palpable! The music was done by spaghetti Western extraordinaire, ennio morricone! But the little 5 note synth stuff, done by carpenter, and he's the master of that type of movie music! Think of the music of Halloween and assault on precinct 13! Pro tip, he's still thinking of a sequel!😮. The thing is, u don't know even if ur infected, until the organism decides to openly take u over! And if there is a sequel, 1 of the last 2, has to be the thing! 😮😮😮😮 The thing half eating Windows maybe the greatest scene ever! All i wanna know is, did kurt keep the greatest ever hat, in movies?!?!😅. And NOBODY, does in camera scene parallax shots, like carpenter! No. Simple physics say aliens can't exist. Now then, the nephilim, the Watchers? And what they did and taught and corrupted man? Different story! Type in here, Sam shamoun talks about The Watchers! In this, the master effects, the way the head stretches all its innerds and pops and oozes goop as it's going over the tabletop to the ground...masterclass
I am SO GLAD the year I was born had fantastic movies. The Thing, ET, Poltergeist. Oh God I'm so old! LOL! Also, I know other ppl have put in popular fun facts about this movie, so I'm going to add an odd one. At 7:50 blood freezes at 31 Degrees F or -2 or -3 Degrees Cel.
23:30-I don't know if they did,but you're right--they damn well should have..even all the CGI tech they have today can't match it. In fact, I saw the 2012 prequel--good film/acting, explains how it all happened but the FX wern't near as good.
There were a lot of practical effects planned for the prequel, some of which can be seen in the behind the scenes. Unfortunately, the studio insisted on CGI to save time and money, so the special effects team was forced to throw almost all of their work into the trash. In addition, a lot of work was done on the prequel script to better develop the characters and answer some of the questions from Carpenter's film (in particular, the prequel script explained the disappearance of radio communications throughout the continent). However, the script was also mercilessly cut by studio bosses. The prequel could have been perfect if it had been directed by a more famous director with more clout. But even the most talented newcomer with a passion for the source material is still just a rookie in the eyes of the big bosses.
One of the best horror Scifis ever made. Regardless of fan theories, about light reflections, breath, earrings, sharing drinks, molotovs. Carpenter has said there are no clues as to who is what at the end. The only possible answer which Carpenter agreed with was a video game made, in which you play as part of a rescue team sent to discover what happened. At the research station.
Personally, I think Childs was a Thing. Earlier in the movie they said to not share food or drink as they could be infected but then at the end Childs takes the bottle that's offered and drinks which makes Macready smile knowingly.
Best part of my day A beautiful lady and fantastic reaction ❤ Fer more JOHN CARPENTER: CHRISTINE, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and THE FOG Great video, keep it up 👍
Basically, this got lost in the shuffle of the summer 1982 movie season, as most sci-fi/fantasy box office oxygen got sucked up by Spielberg’s official debut into kiddie-friendly sci-fi/horror/fantasy with “ET” and “Poltergeist,” after his ‘70s and early ‘80s masterpieces “Duel,” “Jaws,” “Close Encounters,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Speaking of masterpieces, “Blade Runner” also bombed that summer, coming out soon after “The Thing,” both in the wake of the Spielberg stampede. As someone like you working in set design, “Blade Runner” is required viewing. (Try and find the DVD extras, either on TH-cam or one of the DVD versions, as they’re chockful full of mini-docs on the film’s set designers and how the film’s cityscape was created.)
In the dvd one of the film makers explain that they shot those who were infected as having no light reflected in their eyes, and at the end conversation they shot Childs so he has no light reflected in his eyes.
Regarding that last conversation between Mac and Childs: Two humans talking? A human and a Thing? Two Things talking? Listen to it again. It could go any of those ways.
@rwd76 reflection was due to a filter change mid shooting, not proof. Carpenter confirms there is no clues or hints as to who's what. He did endorse the video game based on a continuation of the movie. But idk if it's considered "canon"
The dog was the alien. And if you understood Norwegian the pilot that was trying to shoot the dog told them what was happening...But they did not understand what he was saying.
I have unusual an vibe with this. The effects works is incredible. The use and understanding of the Uncanny Valley Effect and in it's day is interesting. I feel it is not the creature that is deeply scary. Because of that effect and it more invokes revulsion, intentionally and great prose there. It's knowing and not seeing it. Like losing sight of a camel spider vs knowing exactly where it is. Yet at the same time it is hard not be drawn into the craftsmanship of this movie. Everything from the sets, camerawork, lighting, pacing, transitions, usage of score, tension, script, acting and so on. I feel this movie is literally a class in how it is done hence the odd relation in that I am also disturbed on a real level by it or at least the dread that occurs though this film.
glad to hear you'll be checking out more scfi/horror, there really are a lot of great stories wrapped up inside scifi,.incredible characters, settings, environments,..even though its monsters, there still can be the human element, interest,.and the drama around how we as humans react,..to whatever the situation is, be it isolation, as with Moon, with Sam Rockwell, and Silent Running, with Bruce Dern,..there's a good one with Liev Schreiber, Last Days on Mars,..and James Spader in Alien Hunter, which like The Thing poses a dilemma for a group of people stationed in Antarctica,..(hmm, sound familiar?), on whether, or if they should protect the rest of the planet from a threat, and another, which may not be popular with everyone, a movie called Supernova,..with Angela Bassett, and again James Spader,..again the human element, the underlying theme, and how we react to extreme situations,..do check them out if you haven't already,..loved your reaction,...Godspeed , Peace ✌
It's a smart movie, a good script. The special effects were created by an 18 year old kid. In alien the creatures were inspired by Frank Frazetta's artwork, This movie, provides an original concept. There's a lot to be said about practical effects that gives movies a texture, if you will, with special effects.
Love This Classic Horror Remake It Has everything Shocks, Scares, Tension Fantastic Special Effects GLAD You Enjoyed This Amelia (May I Recommend Another Classic Horror Film Also Released in 1982 called An American Werewolf in London) Enjoy, Take Care
Fun Fact: This was the first film in history to ask the question: Windows or Mac?
That IS fun.
Oh god! That was brilliant! 😂😂
SWEET!
You do not have enough thumbs ups for this brilliant comment.
@@benuticone3079 ☺️😂🇬🇧
The Alien wasn't inside the dog, the dog WAS the alien.
Nothing happens to the dog. the dog IS the happening!
@@kissarococo2459 It had happened to the dog before the movie. The dog was never in the movie.
Decades later, the practical special effects in this film are still phenomenal.
Absolutely. Much better than CGI
Yeah, the monsters and interactions have weight.
Bottin or whatever his name was nearly killed himself making all those effects.
@@beestingza Yeah the operating room table scene. The dyes and such for the green goo let out fumes and the filming room they were using had no ventilation. So when the flames over the camera came up to give it that firey effect. The fumes ah.... ignited. If Bottin wasnt under the table at the time, hoo boy.
@@DraconX3 Oh wow. I thought I remember hearing about a fire, but damn.
Watching reenactors fall in love with the dog never gets old!
Reactors. Re-enactors is something entirely different.
@@grayadam Yeah. Reactors.
Interesting factoid: Carpenter filmed the Norwegian camp scenes after the end explosion scenes, using the
damaged American base as a stand-in for the charred Norwegian camp.
Alien: I'm the perfect organism.
The Thing: Hold my J&B and watch this.
Yeah the Alien was super aggressive, but he didn't have the insane contagion aspect. If it was true only one cell was necessary to begin the replication process you basically couldn't escape it.
My late father took me to see this in 1982 when I was 15 years old. It is my favorite horror movie to this day. Thanks, dad RIP.👍
So.... It's 1982 and I'm standing outside the theater, waiting for the previous crowd to exit. As they left the theater, everyone has an erie, silent and shocked look on their faces. A foreboding sign of "Things" to come.
It was so ahead of its time it didn't do very well in the theater. Ebert famously said it was depressing or something.
@@beestingza yeah, the critics hated it at the time.
I saw this and poltergeist in a double feature at night, by myself in a theatre when I was 12. Freaked me out. Then my mum forgot to pick me up so I was stranded in a dark empty carpark for hours. Good times, in 1982.
@@rowbearly6128 hahaha sounds horribly amazing 😂
Traumatized for life.😂
@@dipsydoodle7988 Nah, I'm an Aussie born in the early 1970's. I dont really give a fk about much. Freaked out as a little kid for a bit, but no tears, just jumpy for a few hours.
so you got your money's worth
classic gen x
Best Sci Fi Horror Thriller Film Ever Made!
Even though critics tore this movie apart, calling it "instant trash, boring, dull a wretched excess", it has gained positive reviews overtime and has been regarded as one of John Carpenter's best movies ever made.
Boring? I doubt they really watched it lol
@@norwegianmaster744 It's horror, and gory horror at that, so most critics immediately dismissed it as they nearly always do.
You’re absolutely right.I saw it when it came out in 1982.Fangoria magazine did great reviews on it and the special effects.Unfortunately the film critics just attacked it.Apparently the criticism hurt John Carpenter really badly as he’d talked about doing a follow up to what happened to Childs and Macready.I’d seen how film critics had torn apart THE BLUES BROTHERS in 1980 and BLADERUNNER in 1982,the same year THE THING came out,and it’s why I NEVER listened to what they had to say.THE THING was a classic then and it’s still a classic today.
freaked me out when i saw it. also great score!!!
The Thing is one of the best horror films of all time. The special effects are amazing
Strong recommendation for 'The Blob' (1988). More glorious, drippy, wet practical effects, well-written script, and some of the most creative creature kills ever filmed.
“Please tell me nothing’s gonna happen to the dog.”
Oh boy…
Too late
Never fails.
"Please tell nothing happens to the dog" Well... "The dog" is actually what happens. 😂😂
“This is honestly creepier than Alien”.
Yea, that’s one way to put it. 😂
Me: “I do not watch movies where the dog dies”
Also Me: “Yeah, you had it coming”
I absolutely relate 😂
Some people think that part of the thing escaped the Norwegian camp and infected the world, which is why Windows said he hadn't been able to contact the outside world in weeks... they're the last humans alive.
John Carpenter's The Thing has a 2011 made prequel and some comic book sequels plus there is a video game based on The Thing made in 2002 that will be remastered this year.
The thing isn't inside you. It is you. It's replaced you at the cellular level every single one of them. So the question becomes, are you still in there somewhere. Is your consciousness still there? Is your soul still there? We see that it takes on your memories and your knowledge. It even has the memory and knowledge of all the creatures it's absorbed before. And, in the case of Norris, even his heart defect. (Unless it was faking that to get to the next victim....) So how much of you is still there? Is it actually you?
When you started off mentioning "Eight Below" I was like, ugh, she's going to hate the kennel scene. I love Eight Below so much!
The significance of the dog is: dont imediatly side with something just because it is cute. Evil may lurk within, as it always does.
Amelia is cute. Are you suggesting that Amelia might be evil? 😧
@@Osprey850 Always gotta do a blood test to be sure.
@@Osprey850😼😼😼
The orig one was in 1951 , although it was called " The Thing From Another World ".
Which was based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?".
My older sister was in the Navy and she did a summer in Antarctica. I have pictures of her at the South Pole. The ironic “THING” was that she was there when this movie was in theaters!
You made sure your sister is your sister,right? Right?! 😮😮😮😮😮😮
@@Madbandit77 I think so. Hmmm.
Apparently, since the movie's release on home media, researchers down there have had "The Thing" viewing parties.
My mom watches this every Christmas when she wraps gifts, it’s a tradition now xD
One of the great Holiday films of all time.
Fun Fact, there are 2 stories in the movie... have you figured out the 2nd... ???
Move over Die Hard. Whether The Thing is a Christmas movie is the new debate.
Rob Bottin and Stan Winston genius😊😮🎉❤
The Thing rookie: "Please tell me nothing happens to the dog..."
The Thing veteran: 👽
I pressed pause to come look for this comment 😅
Favorite memory is showing this to my girlfriend at the time, who had never seen it. When the infamous "jump scare" moment came up during the blood test scene, I goosed her. She jumped so high off the couch, screamed so loud, I thought I was going to die laughing. She windmilled me with slaps and curses for five minutes, but it was worth every second.
Now, watch Halloween, Christine, Big Trouble in Little China & They Live. More John Carpenter movies for you Amelia.
Escape from New York. Ghosts of Mars. The Fog
Never mind all those. Watch _Assault on Precinct 13,_ the 1976 version.
1) We can see MacReady's exhale at the end, but not Childs'. 2) At the beginning, MacReady destroys a computer with a drink. At the end, he offers Childs a drink, which he takes, even though they all know to prepare their own food. MacReady gives a chuckle as Childs' fail.
Incorrect, the breath has no meaning confirmed by Carpenter himself, it was due to a filter change in the cameras being used. The Thing Bennings had breath when it screamed, at the end it was pointless to avoid sharing a drink. Also Childs literally has a flame thrower if he were the thing he could easily burn Mac and make wait for rescue making up any story he wanted. Childs also still has an earring which reflects in the firelight. So theory disproven.
The Thing has become one of my favorite movies to watch reactions for... everyone is so concerned for the dogs safety... i've started blaming the reactors for the the Things existence...
😂😂😂
You see, Windows crashed.
I'll take practical effects over CGI crap any day. Practical effects lend an air of authenticity to the scenes. The Thing is a classic. It still holds up to this day. Great movie.
The dog's real name was Jed. He was a hybrid of a Husky and Wolf. Richard Masur who played Clarke in the movie said that Jed was one of his best acting collaborators in his entire career. 🐺
@p.d.stanhope Richard Masur also stated how the Wolf part of JED would be very obvious at times as he would stare at the crew as if sizing them up !!🐺
The Thing is truly one of the greatest Horror/Sci FI thrillers !
loved this .
Wolf-malamute
Jed is also in White Fang.
For years i thought i had seen this movie, but in reality i had always confused it for “The Swamp Thing¨. The Wes Craven movie that came out the same year.
There should be a specific word for the small joy you get when a reactor says “nothing better happen to that dog!” while watching the beginning of The Thing.
This one really shows you what's possible using practical effects.
Practical effects are almost a lost craft compared to forty years ago. Now it's nearly all CGI.
@@SingleTax And it all looks as realistic as a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
23:20 - notice that the guy who is the Thing now, is also the one that mentioned the head-thing at 21:51. Imagine that head-thing cursing its buddy "you traitor!"
I actually think Palmer was the first one infected. I got that vibe from his reaction ehen MacReady and Doc Copper were taking off to fly to the Norwegian outpost.
We see the dog approach Norris a bit later, with Norris's reaction shown as a startled shadow.
I think Blair was infected while doing the autopsies.
That's the thing... no pun intended... about The Thing. We don't know exactly how the infection and transformation process works. It xan be "all at once," but it doesn't NEED to be.
Is it possible that Blair was infected and didn't know it yet, when he was trashing everything? I think it was. Is it possible that Norris was entirely unaware that he was infected, until his "heart attack?" I think so. Is it possible that Palmer was being honest and dincere, with no idea that he was infected himself, ehen he said "you have got to be f***ing kifding me?" Sure.
The best way to hide an asset in enemy territory is to keep that asset from knowing what they are until you "activate" them. Whether it be a Soviet agent in 1970s America who has been brainwashed to believe she's really a suburban housewife, or a biological "hive mind" copying and "running" that copy of a dead victim's personality... or the same biological hive mind keeping the original "program" intact and running until it's no longer useful as camouflage...
The question, to me, isn't just "if I were a thing, a perfect copy, how could you tell?"
To me, the question is also "how could I tell?"
And this was particularly well played out in the blood test scene. Windows, for example, was really nervous about how his own test would turn out. He literally did not know whether he might be infected!
Of course, this just leads to an easy way for The Thing to beat this test. Why not just keep a "reservoir" of the original blood or tissue. If the creature can reshape itself at the cellular level, it should be trivial for it to choose not to infect a small number of original host cells, right?
"Its all in the reflexes" - Jack Burton
Loved your reactions, Amelia. This is one of my favorites. I even had the McFarlane Toys Norris and Blair Monster figures for a time. Interesting that you compared this to Jaws and Alien. There is one big difference, in the first two, you barely see the creatures until the end. With The Thing, you get full on looks at it all the way through the film.
The mythical Kurt Russel's canned punching sounds!! 16:22
I hear that sound in my head whenever I see rapid-fire punches happening
Child's said he saw Blair and went out after him, yet left the door to the main facility *wide open.* Not only did this expose the facility to extreme sub-zero temperatures, but it practically gave a green light to The Thing (wherever it was at the time) to just waltz right on in. A human wouldn't do that.
There's a not-very-well thought of prequel, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an American observer at the Norwegian camp. I myself thought it stands up pretty well.
Good example how even these older (great) practical effects and real build sets will triump the newer CGI stuff. Nowadays with CGI etc, movies look like we are watching cartoons or games cause most of the picture is not even real. Our subconscious mind can tell the difference. 🤓
Bottin is the master artist, and yes he should have won an award for this movie masterpiece along with Carpenter.
Will pause and stop anytime a reactor views this classic. As an "old head classic sci fi fan. I love how Carpenter pays homage in so many ways to the classic original B&W 50's classic original starting with the same title card " burn through." A great work lunchtime watch on my phone!😆👍🏾 thank you!!!👏🏾
everybody falls for the dog. 😀 And everybody wants MacReady's hat.
This movie was actually a remake of a movie called The Thing from Another World from 1951
Now that you've seen one body horror classic, it's time for the other with The Fly (1986)!
I think The Fly outdid this movie with the special effects.
They later made a prequel about the Norweigian camp.
Who say`s Kate(2011), Mac & Childs all died ?? Would be interesting to see that it`s Kate that rescues Mac & Childs and they just basically disappear for a few decades or so(set in 2002--07) but are found living off grid in the far tip of Canada with new names married(Kate & Mac) childs is the uncle they are found be the US Army and are told something survived out at the base camp and was returned to the States and things go bad from there...
A suggestion for a follow up of this movie: watch the prequel also titled "The Thing" (curiously enough), released in 2011.
I was 4 when this came out but I remember watching this several times before I was 10. Hands down, some of the best practical effects. This is based on a novella from the 1930s called "Who Goes There", even sharing some of the same character names. It takes it name for the 1951 movie adaptation "The Thing From Another World" but that movie is nothing like the original story. Some will disagree, but the 2011 prequel is worth watching. The effects are CGI and don;t look as good, but we gwt to see what happens at the Norwegian camp.
This is actually a sequel
According to lore, the spaceship crashed because the crew was fighting The Thing.
The story actually continues in a series of graphic novels. MacReady and Childs are rescued and battle the Thing on the rescue ship, in the end Childs dies saving MacReady who then pursues the Thing through South America. Their final battle happens in a secluded New Zealand fishing village. He survives and the Thing actually finds peace and decides to live as a fish and swims away.
I don't think it "found peace" in the ocean. The ocean is a hostile place. It's just going to start consuming life underwater.
If another fish eats it, then that one too is going to get turned into a Thing.
It'll just keep going like that until the entire ocean is consumed or until it gets caught by fishermen, then it's going to start all over again until the entire world population is infected.
All carpenter movies should be watched! Specially Assault on precinct 13, escape from New York, escape from LA, Starman, Big Trouble in little CHINA, they Live, The Fog, Eyes of Laura Mars, Prince of Darkness, and others. Carpenter resented Spielberg for ET AND it took all the money and awards. But Carpenter had the last laugh! Because this movie is much better! Carpenter made his own alien love story with Starman! Carpenter also is the master of the minimalist creepy theme music! Kurt did 4 movies with carpenter! He even did an early TV Elvis movie, for John! This is one of the 3 most important sci-fi movies ever made. Plus Alien and Bladerunner, which are all related, by actors, and some other technicalities. Also the brilliance here is, when the thing busts out, it comes out of u anywhere, any size, shape, etc. The dog trainer should have won an Oscar and the special effects guy should have won an Oscar! He was a twenty one year old college student!😮😮😮. Pro tip, carpenter is still thinking about a sequel! But there's still a massive tie in here with Alien, predator Bladerunner this , and a movie with Kurt Russell called, Soldier! They are related by the beings called Engineers, for Aliens, Terminator, predator, Bladerunner this, and a movie with Kurt Russell movie called, Soldier. Common companies, technology, Replicants, synthetic humans, beings that Engineers created, and even writers and producers!
And this is why, prosthetic, robotics, special/ effects, practical effects, are way better than CGI! The three main corporations... Cyberdyne (Terminator) Weyland Corp (alien) and Tyrell Corp (Bladerunner) all did cross work for each other, and also shared some employees!😮
Kurt better have kept the hat!
Also the total brilliance here is, once u have been infected, even from just a scratch, u have no idea when u are being taken over, u don't become the thing, until it's cornered found out or threatened! Then it's cells take over ur cells! One of the absolute must watch Carpenter films u must watch! Along with Starman, escape from New York, escape from LA, Big Trouble in little CHINA, assault on precinct 13. Go with those, and his Halloween stuff, Eyes of Laura Mars, They Live, The Fog, Christine, In the mouth of madness, prince of darkness, memoirs of an invisible man, vampires! There are critics who say this is Carpenter's version of Communism Socialism, etc , and how it takes over countries, much as a film in the 50s by the same name, i think...the special effects guy here went on to do some great movies! This movie has literally been discussed for 40 years, one of them has to be the thing...who is it? Lots of theories have been discussed. When it happened.... before or same time as Palmer, and something about a vision effect, in an infected person's eyes. But carpenter is adamant, that no one knows who the thing is, and there are no giveaways!!
Amelia check out the movies Halloween(1978), Creepshow(1982), and Predator(1987).
Predator is coming to the channel soon, we can add Creepshow to the queue, and I’m well-versed on Halloween, my mom and I have a Halloween marathon every year with the sequels :)
@@meliakelle Halloween marathon? I’m proud of you lol! What is your favorite Halloween storyline?
If you like Antartica you should totally read "At the Mountains of Madness" by HP Lovecraft. :)
This film was the closest version to the 1930s book. Amazing that a novella could be that gory and violent at that time. Then-again, WWI was still pretty fresh in people's minds.
One of the greatest Sci-Fi thrillers ever made. The musical score is incredible. It flopped at the box office cause it was up against ET but when it came to VHS it became a cult classic.
I checked to see if Rob Bottin did win any awards for this, and he was nominated for a Saturn award.
And, I didn't know this, and it perhaps goes towards showing how pointless, stupid and insulting the Razzie awards are, but Ennio Morricone won a Razzie for his incredible score for The Thing.
Based on a book, "Who Goes There?" (1948)
1938
Well, I think it's a short story, but yeah.
The sequel to this in 2011, which is actually a prequel, is a good watch also.
It shows what happened at the Norwegian camp prior to the American team finding them all dead.
It does answer a few questions raised in this movie.
The Relic
The Exorcist
Videodrone
The Omen
Jaws
The Fog
So right about "cabin fever" in Antarctica. I got offered a job contracting to the Australian Antarctic Division flying fixed wing planes during a summer contract but in winter they keep a few helicopters there and crews on stand by. Their stories were all sorts of weird. Of the five or so bases only one or two run skeleton crews over winter and the stories are wild. Complected pregnancies, feuds, people going insane etc... The helicopter crews maintained their couple of choppers but you can't go anywhere. Their only job was to occasionally help out the other open base or help the French, Kiwis etc once or so a month in terrible weather
To let you know the video you saw them looking at came from the movie the thing from outter space i thank from 1956.
The most sus dog in movie history 😂
🐕🤨
Hi, Amelia! ) Here are some interesting facts about the film: first, I must say that the film, unfortunately, failed at the box office in the year of release, and was criticized by critics for being too gloomy. Isn't that a dubious argument). Further, this circumstance greatly upset director John Carpenter, he took his project very seriously and invested a lot of hope, but according to the results of the evaluations he was so discouraged, he did not expect such low results that he reportedly fell into depression and abandoned his career for a long time. He still does not give significant interviews on the film, as he is still worried about this failure. Thirdly: now, according to tradition, the film is, of course, recognized by critics as a cult classic of fantastic horrors). And this was facilitated, as always, by excellent promotion on VHS, and subsequent recognition by the audience. Here is such a sad story of creation that this wonderful film contains (... P.S.: on my own, I will add that well done for recognizing the quality of practical effects. They are really good). And they are quite creative. Still some moments are shocking - amazing work! And the film itself has an interesting and innovative concept!). Thank you for your reaction, I had a great time. I love your reactions!). From the recommendations for such subgenres, I think we can recommend the film "Tremors." (1989) - about monsters with elements of a horror comedy taking place in Nevada). Good luck to you).
Sigourney Weaver was fantastic in this. The whole cast was outstanding.
Great reaction Amelia! I was about 13 when I snuck into a screening of this, summer of 82 (and coincidence it was early July when I saw it). Needless to say I was affected to this very day. The dog sequence just kills me every time (poor pups!). Its my favorite creature flick easily. This was a few years before Elm Street, before Chucky, before a lot. And very little that came out after The thing could compare for me. Thing didnt do well in theaters but its as influential in the effects industry as the 1st Star Wars. I had a similar experience 1st time seeing 2007's The Myst, which was very much influenced by Thing. Also shout out to the music. Carpenter & Morricone's score is so effective and unsettling. This movie is Iconic!
There was a 2011 version of The Thing that starts at the other base - might be worth the watch as well :)
This is one of the great sci-fi horror films of all time. So well done and totally stands up even after 40+ years.
This is one of my favorite movies!! Love to see anybody’s first reaction to this incredible film.
ny theory is Childs is The Thing.. remember when fukes told everyone to eat out of cans and most likely bottled water because of the contaminated alien parasite. in the very end when Macready hands Childs an open bottle, Childs doesn't hesitate to drink it knowing he was warned long before to not do that or risk infection. maybe that's why Macready smirks/laughs in the end because he knows?
Her facial expressions are just too cute! U did alien and the thing. Now anomist is Bladerunner and its sequel which only came out a few years ago! I will throw in a couple more musts....the very ahead of it's time, Tron and its sequel. And a very dark yet highly underrated sci-fi film from this era, dark city!
All carpenter movies MUST be watched! Particularly assault on precinct 13, starman, big trouble in little china, escape from New York, escape from LA, and all others. He did 5 movies with kurt😢. He was pissed at Spielberg for a long time because et came out, got all the money and press. But john had the last laugh, because this has gone on forever, recognized as a sci-fi horror suspense classic, of all time! Boy Kurt met Elvis as a kid, then did a movie with him, then did Carpenter's first TV movie about him, then did 3000 miles to Graceland, then his voice in Forrest Gump! This, Alien and Bladerunner, are why special effects practical effects are far better than CGI! The dog should have won a Oscar! The trainer should have won a Oscar! The suspense building in this is palpable! The music was done by spaghetti Western extraordinaire, ennio morricone! But the little 5 note synth stuff, done by carpenter, and he's the master of that type of movie music! Think of the music of Halloween and assault on precinct 13! Pro tip, he's still thinking of a sequel!😮. The thing is, u don't know even if ur infected, until the organism decides to openly take u over! And if there is a sequel, 1 of the last 2, has to be the thing! 😮😮😮😮
The thing half eating Windows maybe the greatest scene ever! All i wanna know is, did kurt keep the greatest ever hat, in movies?!?!😅. And NOBODY, does in camera scene parallax shots, like carpenter!
No. Simple physics say aliens can't exist. Now then, the nephilim, the Watchers? And what they did and taught and corrupted man? Different story! Type in here, Sam shamoun talks about The Watchers! In this, the master effects, the way the head stretches all its innerds and pops and oozes goop as it's going over the tabletop to the ground...masterclass
I saw The Thing in 1982 and loved it. It’s in my top 5 favorite movies of all time.
That's no dog. It's a space alien.
It's not a UFO.It's a spaceship.
your reactions are PRIMO, Amelia!
I am SO GLAD the year I was born had fantastic movies. The Thing, ET, Poltergeist. Oh God I'm so old! LOL! Also, I know other ppl have put in popular fun facts about this movie, so I'm going to add an odd one. At 7:50 blood freezes at 31 Degrees F or -2 or -3 Degrees Cel.
23:30-I don't know if they did,but you're right--they damn well should have..even all the CGI tech they have today can't match it. In fact, I saw the 2012 prequel--good film/acting, explains how it all happened but the FX wern't near as good.
There were a lot of practical effects planned for the prequel, some of which can be seen in the behind the scenes. Unfortunately, the studio insisted on CGI to save time and money, so the special effects team was forced to throw almost all of their work into the trash. In addition, a lot of work was done on the prequel script to better develop the characters and answer some of the questions from Carpenter's film (in particular, the prequel script explained the disappearance of radio communications throughout the continent). However, the script was also mercilessly cut by studio bosses. The prequel could have been perfect if it had been directed by a more famous director with more clout. But even the most talented newcomer with a passion for the source material is still just a rookie in the eyes of the big bosses.
One of the best horror Scifis ever made. Regardless of fan theories, about light reflections, breath, earrings, sharing drinks, molotovs. Carpenter has said there are no clues as to who is what at the end. The only possible answer which Carpenter agreed with was a video game made, in which you play as part of a rescue team sent to discover what happened. At the research station.
Personally, I think Childs was a Thing. Earlier in the movie they said to not share food or drink as they could be infected but then at the end Childs takes the bottle that's offered and drinks which makes Macready smile knowingly.
I thought it was a molotov cocktail.
"Amelia reacts..." instant click
Hachikō (Hachi, the movie) the dog movie that will get those tear ducts a flowin'!!
Beautiful. True. Legend.
Best part of my day
A beautiful lady and fantastic reaction ❤
Fer more JOHN CARPENTER: CHRISTINE, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and THE FOG
Great video, keep it up 👍
this dog in this film is a good ator
Hardware is a 1990 British science fiction horror film written and directed by Richard Stanley, in his feature directorial debut. A++
Basically, this got lost in the shuffle of the summer 1982 movie season, as most sci-fi/fantasy box office oxygen got sucked up by Spielberg’s official debut into kiddie-friendly sci-fi/horror/fantasy with “ET” and “Poltergeist,” after his ‘70s and early ‘80s masterpieces “Duel,” “Jaws,” “Close Encounters,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Speaking of masterpieces, “Blade Runner” also bombed that summer, coming out soon after “The Thing,” both in the wake of the Spielberg stampede. As someone like you working in set design, “Blade Runner” is required viewing. (Try and find the DVD extras, either on TH-cam or one of the DVD versions, as they’re chockful full of mini-docs on the film’s set designers and how the film’s cityscape was created.)
It’s my belief that MacReady died in the explosion at the end (he was at ground zero), and the MacReady that Childs encounters is a Thing.
In the dvd one of the film makers explain that they shot those who were infected as having no light reflected in their eyes, and at the end conversation they shot Childs so he has no light reflected in his eyes.
@@rwd76 Maybe they’re both Things then. Lol
Regarding that last conversation between Mac and Childs:
Two humans talking?
A human and a Thing?
Two Things talking?
Listen to it again. It could go any of those ways.
@@brucebieberly4166 And that's what makes the film damn scary...
@rwd76 reflection was due to a filter change mid shooting, not proof. Carpenter confirms there is no clues or hints as to who's what. He did endorse the video game based on a continuation of the movie. But idk if it's considered "canon"
It is not inside the dog, it is the dog.
The fog.
Another great carpenter film. 😊😊😊
@@wesleyrodgers886 indeed it is. I fear it is one of his most underrated movies. Hopefully nobody mistakes it with that dreadful remake.
MEG RYAN???😮
The dog was the alien.
And if you understood Norwegian the pilot that was trying to shoot the dog told them what was happening...But they did not understand what he was saying.
Fun Fact: They ran out of fuel for the flame throwers at the Norwegian outpost and had to resort to using sick burns to set thing on fire..........
I have unusual an vibe with this. The effects works is incredible. The use and understanding of the Uncanny Valley Effect and in it's day is interesting. I feel it is not the creature that is deeply scary. Because of that effect and it more invokes revulsion, intentionally and great prose there. It's knowing and not seeing it. Like losing sight of a camel spider vs knowing exactly where it is. Yet at the same time it is hard not be drawn into the craftsmanship of this movie. Everything from the sets, camerawork, lighting, pacing, transitions, usage of score, tension, script, acting and so on. I feel this movie is literally a class in how it is done hence the odd relation in that I am also disturbed on a real level by it or at least the dread that occurs though this film.
The band Municipal Waste does a song version of this movie that wraps it up in 2:30 of Virginia based trash metal glory.
glad to hear you'll be checking out more scfi/horror, there really are a lot of great stories wrapped up inside scifi,.incredible characters, settings, environments,..even though its monsters, there still can be the human element, interest,.and the drama around how we as humans react,..to whatever the situation is, be it isolation, as with Moon, with Sam Rockwell, and Silent Running, with Bruce Dern,..there's a good one with Liev Schreiber, Last Days on Mars,..and James Spader in Alien Hunter, which like The Thing poses a dilemma for a group of people stationed in Antarctica,..(hmm, sound familiar?), on whether, or if they should protect the rest of the planet from a threat, and another, which may not be popular with everyone, a movie called Supernova,..with Angela Bassett, and again James Spader,..again the human element, the underlying theme, and how we react to extreme situations,..do check them out if you haven't already,..loved your reaction,...Godspeed , Peace ✌
It's a smart movie, a good script. The special effects were created by an 18 year old kid. In alien the creatures were inspired by Frank Frazetta's artwork, This movie, provides an original concept. There's a lot to be said about practical effects that gives movies a texture, if you will, with special effects.
I love practical effects.
Love This Classic Horror Remake It Has everything Shocks, Scares, Tension Fantastic Special Effects GLAD You Enjoyed This Amelia (May I Recommend Another Classic Horror Film Also Released in 1982 called An American Werewolf in London) Enjoy, Take Care
Great, now I want to search TH-cam for Stevie Wonder.
👨🏻🎤👨🏻🎤👨🏻🎤