About three years ago, I rented "The Thing," directed by John Carpenter, via Amazon Video, for a weekend. To say the least, it has become a favorite film of mine to watch around Halloween or during the snowy winters at Sewanee. The film chronicles a group of men at an American scientific base in Antartica, who discover a flying saucer and a life form that can replicate its appearance to any living being. The men try their best to defend themselves from the creature, but it does not bode well for them.
One of the reasons why I love this film is its significant use of practical effects and creature designs. The practical special effects created by Rob Bottin still hold up to this day and look amazing compared to most CGI used in modern horror films. His designs for the creature are unique and hauntingly original. Whether it be the Swedish man with two heads, the dog-thing, or the autopsy scene, the creature's form breaks all of the boundaries placed by the audience. Each time the alien make itself known, its appearance becomes more twisted and exceeds one's expectations about aliens.
Also, I am a huge fan of John Carpenter and his work. Carpenter's filmography is widely diverse, and includes the creation of slasher genre with "Halloween," the fantasy action film "Big Trouble in Little China," "Escape from New York," and too many others to list. The excellent cinematography, the aspect of tension among the group, and great characterization are all factors that I love about Carpenter's style. I also respect his decision to create a film--which was a box office and critical disaster at first--gain the proper reception and praise it rightly deserved over the years.
Finally, "The Thing" is just a good movie! It's bleak tone, haunting '80s synth score, and influence on the horror genre help define its credibility in pop culture. In the television show "Stranger Things", Mike has a movie poster of "The Thing" in his bedroom. The film invokes nostalgia of watching horror movies late at night with a sibling, or discovering your first horror film on your own. "The Thing" will always be one of my favorite horror films. I would rather watch it than a modern scary movie, since the modern films miss one thing. That one thing being a passion for the craft and the genre as a whole.
