The Thing (1982)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John W. Campbell Jr. (story)
Bill Lancaster (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Man is The Warmest Place to Hide.

Plot:

Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Helicopter | Alien | American | Scientist

Awards:

3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Dec. 4

3:20 AM

MAX

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	R.J. MacReady
Wilford Brimley	...	Dr. Blair (as A. Wilford Brimley)
T.K. Carter	...	Nauls
David Clennon	...	Palmer
Keith David	...	Childs
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. Copper
Charles Hallahan	...	Vance Norris
Peter Maloney	...	George Bennings
Richard Masur	...	Clark
Donald Moffat	...	Garry
Joel Polis	...	Fuchs
Thomas G. Waites	...	Windows (as Thomas Waites)
Norbert Weisser	...	Norwegian
Larry J. Franco	...	Norwegian Passenger with Rifle (as Larry Franco)
Nate Irwin	...	Helicopter Pilot

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's The Thing (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Norwegian

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1989) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1999) (uncut) | Finland:K-18 (1982) (cut) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) (2004) | Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:18 | Netherlands:16 | Denmark:15 | New Zealand:R16 | UK:15 (re-rating) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2009) | West Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (1984-2009) | Sweden:11 (blu-ray) | Norway:11 (blu-ray) | Australia:MA (DVD release) | Australia:M | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

David Foster Productions

Trivia:

To give the illusion of icy Antarctic conditions, interior sets on the Los Angeles sound stages were refrigerated down to 40 F while it was well over 100 F outside.

Goofs:

Continuity: Macready's bottle of whisky is completely covered in snow when he leaps into the snowdrift as the chopper explodes, but when he runs to help Bennings in the very next shot, it is totally free of snow.

Quotes:

Fuchs: I need to talk to you. Meet me outside in five minutes.
MacReady: It's 40 below zero outside.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Abenobashi mahô shôtengai: Huge Reversal?! Abenobashi Hollywood Shopping Arcade (#1.12)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

ONE CHAIN DON'T MAKE NO PRISON

I worship this film. 10/10

John Carpenter's The Thing is hands down the best horror film ever made. Not only that, but it is also on of my personal favorite films of all time. What makes the movie so great? It's hard to put my finger on it. Everything just seems to work in The Thing, it's one of the rare occasions where everything just seems to fall in place. The film is even superior to Alien in creating a type of moody atmospheric hell. The fact that it's not only about the gore (which is wonderful btw), but it is able to create a paranoia that is unmatched in films. A truly wonderful film that is worshiped by all horror buffs, and anyone who has good taste in films.