Currently Playing At The Bijou Of Cool - The Thing - 1982

 

 

  

 

Based on the original Howard Hawks production in the 1950s, this 1982 story of an alien invasion in Antarctica is as thrilling and as terrifying a movie as I have ever seen. The suspense and sense that anyone could be an alien and erupt at any moment held my attention and still does, even though I know how it ends. One of the most perfect character driven horror movies where what is in your mind is almost as bad as what may be in your body. That scene where they test each other's blood is one that I defy anyone to walk away from. Each time another guy get's proven to still be human you know someone is about to erupt and possible kill everyone else. That sense of the unknown, the dangerous unknown is what John Carpenter captured the best. And it also has to be said that the soundtrack, also by Carpenter is perfect for conveying the sense of dread and isolation. Kudos to the special effects department for creating creatures that hadn't been seen on the screen before and were incredibly terrifying in the darkened theatre. I hated the way they sounded when the various parts sprouted spider legs and started scattering across the floor. I hate that scratching on wood sound especially when it's done by claws.