The Thing (1982)
Not long after John Carpenter redefined the horror genre with Halloween, he would go on to make another important entry to the genre. Some even consider it to be his greatest movie to date, and I’m not exactly going to disagree with that. Going from the subtle terror of an emotionless stalker to the absolutely crushing fear of uncertainty itself, Carpenter once again changed the face of horror with 1982’s The Thing.
It’s funny now to try and imagine what it was like before The Thing came out. Even if you haven’t seen it, I can promise you that you’ve seen references to it. It’s one of those rare titles that enters the zeitgeist and becomes a permanent fixture of it. What makes it even better is the John Carpenter has no less than 3 entries that are like that: The Thing, Halloween, and Assault on Precinct 13. An argument could even be made for Escape From New York. It’s the kind of pedigree that only people like Scorsese can claim to have.
The Thing follows an Antarctic research station’s crew who one day, unannounced, are visited by their Finnish neighbors as they chase a dog through the tundra. While it seems at first that the Finns have lost their minds, it soon turns out that something very strange is going on, and distrust begins to spread throughout the team as they begin to question if any among them have been turned into violent creatures from beyond the stars.
Oh yes, this plot is very much one of doubt, and that doubt and paranoia easily transfers to the audience. The dog in question, to bury the lead no longer, turns out to be an alien that can perfectly assimilate other lifeforms, mimicking them to flawlessly. This dog, of course, was given full reign of the facility overnight, which means that any one of the seemingly-human staff could actually be a fake. The way the narrative is told means that you know just as much as the characters do. You’re just as in the dark on who’s the genuine article and who’s actually a killer in disguise.
The movie revels in this uncertainty; it honestly loves it. While it seems a safe bet that the clear protagonist, helicopter pilot R. J. MacReady, is a true-blue human, the plot separates him at one point, long enough to create doubt in not only the cast, but also you, the viewer. After all, while you almost always know where he is at any given moment, having him be absent for even a few minutes of screen time plants that seed of doubt. The situation gets worse for the characters, but that also means that the mystery and tension that YOU experience ramps up with it.
Many have said it before me, so I’ll only be repeating common belief, but The Thing probably stands atop the art of suspenseful storytelling. I’ve seen plenty of suspenseful movies, but few keep you in the dark as thoroughly as this film does while still giving you enough to go off of. Sometimes, the movie gives you partial information, meaning that you could never have possibly gotten the answer right. I don’t mind that style, truly; it works well for things films such as Shutter Island, where answering the question ruins the movie, at least if it’s your first viewing.
With The Thing, however, knowing the answer is actually irrelevant - even the fakes have to act human, and they even adopt the physiology of some of the characters so well that it includes things like heart defects or visual impairment. As such, even if you watch the movie a second time, the only thing you’ll likely pick up on is when a character was possibly taken. Otherwise, the Thing itself hides in plain sight with no hiccups.
Another fantastic aspect of this movie is the fact that none of the crew is really an idiot. Aside from one moment of panic and another of emotional breakdown, the entire team is actually quite intelligent and clever. MacReady is obviously the standout here, being the main character, but moments like the crew barricading every entrance while still keeping an eye on each other or the sled dog handler, Clark, obtaining a scalpel and hiding it on his person show that none of them are exactly helpless. This makes the proceedings much more impactful, because even though the victims are trying their damnedest to be ready, it doesn’t always save them.
Probably most famous about this movie is the effects. What’s funny is that much of the film is the actors acting in the dark, as most of the effects had to be done later in filming, due to how time-consuming they were to create. Oftentimes, the actors would be reacting with horror and fear to things like a tennis ball on a stick. The time taken to get them right was well worth it, though, as it’s one of the defining traits of the film. The absolutely grotesque and horrific forms that the Thing takes are something to behold, and the fact that it’s all done with practical effects definitely adds to it. I’m not one of those who thinks that CGI ruins the moment, especially with modern graphics, but I can still appreciate the artistry and impact of a well-made dummy or prop.
The Thing is another film that many horror fans point to when grilled on the merits of the genre. Horror is treated poorly pretty consistently, and even now, only very specific kinds of horror ever even get so much as a nod in the awards season. I honestly think that the effect of The Thing alone should have made that point to institutions like the Academy, and yet, the only awards it ever won were a couple Saturns and, of all things, a Razzie (for the score, which in itself is a crime, since Ennio Morricone’s score is perfect for the atmosphere of the film).
Regardless, The Thing, while it certainly didn’t rake it in in the box office, has been vindicated by time, and has now become one of the most beloved movies of its time, and indeed in horror as a whole. It’s a film that imposes the terror of the situation upon the audience unlike any movie before it, and some would say any movie since. I won’t weigh in on that, but I will say that The Thing is going to stick with me as a standout in horror cinema.
And yes, I did actively avoid using the word “imposter” for the entirety of this article. You’re welcome!
