10 Best Jump Scares In Sci-Fi Movie History

Not only is John Carpenter’s The Thing a fantastic sci-fi horror, it’s also a grotesquely satisfying body horror oozing with dazzling practical effects. And in this stomach-churning scare, Carpenter marries both aspects of his creation together to spectacular effect.

The plot follows a group of researchers in Antarctica come face-to-face with a shapeshifting parasite that’s capable of perfectly imitating any living organism. Paranoia and mistrust soon spread throughout the base as any one of them could be the creature. It’s up to them to discover who the impostor is before the intruder eliminates them all.

Amid the ongoing chaos, geologist Norris (Charles Hallahan) collapses from an apparent heart attack. The base’s physician (Richard Dysart) then attempts to revive his colleague, but when he tries to defibrillate him the unexpected happens.

Without any warning or suspicion that something's awry, Norris’s stomach opens into a toothy maw and severs the physician’s arms.

From this point the scene only escalates into viscera-spurting, head-melting chaos, and it all stems from this one scare.

Not only is the scene simply horrific to watch, the sudden nature and brutality of it ultimately reminds us that we can never know where the Thing is.