10 Scariest Horror Movie Scenes From The '80s

The tragic story of The Thing is well-known. It was a major dud both critically and commercially when it released. With critics seeing it as nothing more than worthless trash. Of course, it is now regarded as a horror masterpiece, renowned for its amazing practical effects and excellent central performances - especially the dog.

The movie is terrifying as we, alongside the characters, never know who The Thing is. Everyone is a suspect. To deal with this, the protagonist MacReady devises a test to find out if everyone is who they say they are. This involves exposing their blood to heat, which in turn reveals who has been assimilated.

What follows is a nail-biting building of tension as we know one of the men must be infected, so it's just a matter of time before they're exposed and attack the rest of them. And sure enough, when MacReady figures out that Palmer has been turned, a bloodbath ensues.

Here, Carpenter successfully blends of all the elements that make The Thing such an effective movie. The tension expertly builds into a flurry of gore and incredible practical effects. You'll go from gripping your seat in fear to wincing in disgust.