Rating: 
Summary: a film that has outlived its critics
Review: i remember clearly when this film came out.
carpenter had been itching to retell the thing (and intentionally made an illusion to it in halloween-he shows a clip of it on a tv).
i walked out feeling he had done the often unthinkable: he had improved upon the original.
but, shorly after when the major of critics weighed in their opinions they, almost to a man, harped on the gross out fx.
the fact that this film more faithfully retold the story upon which it was based seemed to alude most commentators and the film quickly died and was supposedly forgotten.
but, when something tends to have a bit more meat on it than it is given credit for, it tends to refuse to go away and thats precisely what happened.
today the fx seems a bit tame and whats left is a ripping good yarn, a suspenseful and masterly telling of a classic story.
and, the film has developed a substantial cult following.
carpenter has always been a very underrated director and he, like his films, will probabaly have the last laugh.
Rating:
Summary: The Thing - You can't escape it!
Review: Great movie. A have seen few movies which create an inescapable atmosphere of bleakness...that's what made this movie for me. There are two colors used very effectively in this film: blue and red. The blue light appears relatively often and when combined with the dark, cold antartic environment, the gripping music, and the howling wind in the background, I was left with the sense of hopelessness, isolation, and inevitable doom. The red lights of the flares appearing ocassionally give you a sense of hope, but they are transitory and overwhelmed by the inhospitable environment. The special effects are well done, but what kept me on a little on edge was the unknown: who, if any, was converted to an alien creature, will anyone survive, etc? You feel more helpless as the humans begin to turn on each other and one of the creatures, disguised as a human, with insight into each members personality, tries to encourage disharmony among the group's members. I felt relatively relieved when the creature would show itself, but when it was out of sight or hiding withing a human, fear of the unknown resurfaces. The characters do not know when they will be attacked, where, and by whom. And a possible mistake in the movie even adds more to this uncertainty. When Mac is doing the blood test using a scapel, he is shown wiping it on his clothing before he proceeds to the next person. Earlier in the movie another character hypothesizes that even the smallest particle of the creature can infect a human. The movie ends with only two characters standing, with the distinct possibility that one or both are infected by the creature.
The fear of uncertainty persists 'til the end...well done!
This movie bring to my mind another classic with the same theme: ..."Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Cool in 82' .......
Review: It's still pretty cool in 2004. Kurt Russell gives a commanding performance that reminded my of his portrayal of 'Snake' in Escape from NY (Please forget the Escape from LA thing, it nearly ruined my opinion of him).This is a remake of an older film with the same title. The main difference is the creature. In the old B&W film, they didn't have the special effects that they did in 82' so the creature was more human-based. Not in John Carptenter's version. In 1982 they spared no expense to make this creature as 'out of this world' as possible. The scene where the head grows it's own appendages was very creative. Other subtile differences include the discovery of the creature, the time period, and the ending. Overall, the film has anticipation, suspense, solid acting, and great special effects. I highly recommend this film to anyone, especially if you're home alone and in the dark for added effect.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't be mislead!
Review: This DVD is NOT in widescreen. It is in 4:3 - with a 2.35:1 LETTERBOX.
Quite insulting considering they call this a "Collector's Edition". The Thing is one of my favourite films of all time.
While this release contains a great collection of entertaining and informative bonuses, I would trade each and every one of these in for a true anamorphic transfer. A poor effort Columbia/TriStar - please re-release it.
Rating:
Summary: By far the scariest movie ever made
Review: ITS RESIVOUR DOGS MEETS ALIENS=THE THING!! When I saw this sci fi masterpiece I had to get it as soon as possible. A shape shifting alien who takes control of humans is just plain scary!!! Kurt Russel is very good in this film he shows alota pottential and thats why I give him my dues.
The movie is very creeeeey. The part with the dogs made me stay up all night. John carpenter did a great job making this film and it is done brilliantly. What I also 5 stars for was cause it takes place in antartica
I THINK........NOW thats creepy!
And the shape shifting alien looks scary as hell!
They did good with the special affects. The ending will leave wondering how it will end once the movies over
but not be worried. If you play the game or listen to the commentary in the dvd youll no the trueth. Will......I did. Get the movie now!!!
I give it1000000000000000 stars if I could ...bottom line
SCARIEST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!
Rating:
Summary: Still scary!
Review: The great thing about this movie is the fact that there is an extreme sense of paranoia. John Carpenter does a fantastic job of making it frightening but not resorting to a bunch of teen slashers. Kurt Russell does an awesome job and the film doesn't rely on the top stars in the world to get the big bucks. It is done masterfully from start to finish. Yea, it's that good. Basically a lone outpost discovers a terrifying "virus". This virus is interesting in that the make-up department does a really great job with it. They make it look scary and make the sense of dread even cooler. This movie is great, but "the fog" is still a little scarier.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece masquerading as a geek show
Review: John Carpenter's "The Thing" is one of the most underrated films I have ever seen. Period. The reason I think it disappointed critics like Roger Ebert (who proclaimed it to be a "geek show") is because it is the first time the Master of Terror delved deeply into gore. "Halloween," "The Fog," and "Escape From New York" under his belt as successes, Carpenter had hardly spilled a drop of blood in his years as a director. Now comes "The Thing," a film meant to stir your insides with spectacularly gruesome special effects from the shops of Rob Bottin ("Total Recall") and Stan Winston (the "Terminator" films). There is some really gross stuff going on here. It is the inspiration for Squaresoft's game "Parasite Eve" (I believe). Sticking with Kurt Russell as his everyman star, Carpenter airdrops us into Antarctica with an all male cast. Testosterone is dripping off the walls in this film. The introduction gives us a small action sequence of two Norwegans in a helicopter (look for producer Larry Franco making up his own language) chasing down a dog. There is something immediately off about the dog, and while that concern is there from the get-go, Carpenter proceeds to isolate us right along with these men. All of their television entertainment on tape and narrow corridors to every part of the base, it's a lifestyle that's far from admirable, yet brilliantly executed by production designer John Lloyd. What happens next is heartstopping as the dog in question becomes the first of many Things. It tears apart a room full of dogs and becomes something completely indescribable. They burn it and investigate it. From here, the explanation as to what it is fascinates us so much that we almost don't see it coming when Wilford Brimley analyzes the possibilities of such an orgasm: One that can take over and imitate any host. The results could be apocalyptic if any one of them were infected and got to a populated area. The decision is made by an individual: None of them must leave. With this set, we have a film that engages us in one of the most paranoid, claustrophobic film thrillers in history. From scene to scene, Carpenter with his cinematographer (the great Dean Cundey) craft an atmosphere that keeps us bolted to our seats. With so many questions whirling through their heads, and ours, like "What if he's The Thing?" or "Do they even know if they're The Thing?" the film moves along as a patient tempo and leaps out at us when we least expect it. There are also bits of humor. And one of my favorite scenes in any film, The Blood Test, increases our anticipation to a breaking point before surprising us with a jolt that got me not just once, but twice. This is Carpenter at the top of his form. A razor sharp experiment in paranoia that engages our minds, our eyes, and our digestive tolerance. "The Thing" may not be for everyone, but for any fan or science fiction terror, it is one of the best examples of the craft. In typical style, at the end, Carpenter leaves us hanging on an ending that could mean one thing or another. In either case, it's riveting, exciting filmmaking. A masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Top 1 of horror genre!
Review: This movie is John Carpenter's best - frightening - realistic - no CGI effects - couldn't look more realistic!! Belive me this is one of those underestimated and underrated movies in this world. Good quality (picture/sound). Widescreen edition. A must-have for every horror fan, don't even dare to think you could be disappointed >:-)
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST HORROR MOVIE IN THE WORLD! *6 STARS*
Review: PICTURE QUALITY (4/5 STARS)
For a 1982 movie the image quality is very good. This is the Widescreen version! I think it is essential for this film to watch the Widescreen version. SOUND QUALITY (4/5 STARS)
The original soundtrack is still glorious, though it's just a VHS cassette. - SIMPLY THE BEST NON-CGI EFFECTS YOU'LL EVER SEE
- SIMPLY THE BEST ACTING YOU'LL EVER SEE
- SIMPLY THE MOST 'HORRIBLE' MOVIE-EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE COMMENT:
THIS IS MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE MOVIE! IT IS AWSOME EXCITINGLY AND FEATURES PERFECT ACTING COMBINED WITH EFFECTS THAT MAKE YOU BLOOD FREEZE INSTANTLY! DEFINETLY JOHN CARPENTER'S BEST MOVIE! A PITY IN 82 THE MOVIE WAS CRITICIZED TO DEATH. JUST WATCH IT AND YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY'S MOVIES COULD BE; AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS THIS IS A ALLTIME CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE!
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST HORROR MOVIE IN THE WORLD! *6 STARS*
Review: PICTURE QUALITY (4/5 STARS)
For a 1982 movie the image quality is very good. SOUND QUALITY (4/5 STARS)
The original soundtrack is still glorious, though it's just a VHS cassette. - SIMPLY THE BEST NON-CGI EFFECTS YOU'LL EVER SEE
- SIMPLY THE BEST ACTING YOU'LL EVER SEE
- SIMPLY THE MOST 'HORRIBLE' MOVIE-EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE COMMENT:
THIS IS MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE MOVIE! IT IS AWSOME EXCITINGLY AND FEATURES PERFECT ACTING COMBINED WITH EFFECTS THAT MAKE YOU BLOOD FREEZE INSTANTLY! DEFINETLY JOHN CARPENTER'S BEST MOVIE! A PITY IN 82 THE MOVIE WAS CRITICIZED TO DEATH. JUST WATCH IT AND YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY'S MOVIES COULD BE; AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS THIS IS A ALLTIME CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE!
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