The Thing | 1982 | USA | John Carpenter

It would seem strange to most people to suggest that The Thing was in any way less than a work of genius, and a horror film of the highest quality. Critics at the time of release however were extremely unkind to John Carpenter’s science fiction remake, which details a scientific expedition in Antarctica that discovers signs of a violent event taking place in a research base. As the crew decide to investigate, one of the base’s dogs violently transforms into an intangible mess of tentacles, fleshy growths and alien forms, revealing that a creature was unearthed in the nearby ice with the ability to mimic any lifeform it successfully absorbs. With the isolation of the harsh cold sinking in and incredible paranoia building between the men as the distrust increases with every new death, it seems no one may be able to escape the nightmare alive. Reappraised by modern audiences as one of the best horror films ever made, the special effects by Rob Bottin are truly something to behold, impressive even by today’s lofty expectations. These gooey practical tricks are undoubtedly the reason why the DPP judged it even worse than the critics of the time.