10 Horror Movie Scenes That Weren't Meant To Be Funny (But Were)

4. Crawling Away - The Thing

Sleepaway Camp
Universal Pictures

There are a myriad of scenes from The Thing that live rent-free in horror fans' minds. Even though the dog mutation scene, the blood sequence, and the climax sticks with viewers, nothing is embedded in our minds more than the defibrillator scene.

After Norris passes out, Copper readies two defibrillating pads to restart his heart. As he places the pads onto Norris' chest, it caves in, revealing his innards have transformed into monstrous teeth, which rip Cooper's arms off. This moment is nearly impossible to forget since it's so unexpected and gross.

But there's one aspect that nearly ruins everything. After MacReady incinerates the Thing, its head disconnects from the body in last-ditch effort to survive. After the Thing-head sprouts spider legs and antenna-like eyes, it crawls away.

Even though the extra-terrestrial often moves in an erratic and...well... alien manner, the comedic way it trots out of the room will make almost anyone chuckle. Considering this moment of levity is probably the funniest part of the movie, it's a little odd that happens immediately after the most terrifying and gruesome death.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows