Halloween is upon us, with cheesy costumes, mountains of sugar filled, tooth destroying candy and dopey “horror” movies that emphasize on lame gags and focus solely on profits.
Such a great time of year, do you not agree?
The films of today are lacking in the horror aspect; shying away from anything scary and looking to only gain a profit from its campy storylines. Most of the time, the film’s acting is far more terrifying than the actual film.
Producer and director John Carpenter, the mastermind behind cult classics such as ‘Escape from New York and Starman,’ created the horror classic known simply as ‘The Thing.’
Released in the summer of 1982, ‘The Thing’ created a new terror of disturbing human-mimicking exterrestrial beings with the utmost of skill and pure perfection.
The film chiefly follows American pilot R. J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) who is sent to question survivors and investigate the events that had transpired.
From hostility amongst survivors, paranoia, and horrendous looking creatures, ‘The Thing’ strongly illustrates how fear and paranoia override the normal flow of one’s thoughts and actions.
Amongst superb acting, an engaging plot, and claustrophobic settings; The Thing’s special effects are among some of the most disturbing in horror film history.
Opting to use make up rather than CGI, director John Carpenter set the bar for cosmetic perfection in all horror films for the twenty years after the film’s release. In his executive decision, Carpenter birthed a more deeply disturbing and engaging film than its predecessors.
The distributing entity in the film, dubbed simply as The Thing (hence the title), is grotesquely beautiful. Once lauded for their appearance, film fanatics, and critics alike have praised Carpenter’s decision to use makeup and their fleshy look in recent years.
Despite being just over thirty three years old, ‘The Thing’ has held up surprisingly well. This can be seen through the fresh story and ominous feeling that spills from the film itself.
In an era of clones and re released remakes, ‘The Thing’ stands on top as it has never been duplicated.
The story oozes claustrophobia, with its close corner proximity, and heavy feelings of fear and unavoidable paranoia.
From the frigid and frozen landscape of the Antarctic, one can easily feel their blood chill as they indulge in such a great film.
If anyone should pull something from this film, it would definitely be the atmosphere. No other film, from greats such as James Cameron or Martin Scorsese, have ever been able to duplicate the thick and perilous atmosphere that ‘The Thing’ masters.
As MacReady begins to succumb to paranoia and fear, the film grows darker and darker. Trust is sparse between the survivors,and the horrendous Thing is feared more and more.
The film really shines in its darkest moments, supplying viewers with hefty doses of terror and uncertainty. Who is next? Who can they trust? Where and what is The Thing?
These questions circle their minds and eat at their nerves, sending chills up and down their body. The proper response to such a eerily creepy movie.
In the long run, John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’ is a masterpiece of a horror movie, in all of its bloody gory and claustrophobic glory. So, if you are looking for a good scare on a cold Halloween night, look for this old, but amazing film and ready yourself for a genuine fright.