10 Small Details That Make John Carpenter's The Thing Perfect

There is a clue hidden in plain sight right at the very beginning of the movie, though it is understandable that most audiences didn't pick up on it - at least, not those who couldn't speak Norwegian anyway.

The opening shot of the Norwegian helicopter chasing the Malamute across the snow is iconic. Once that dog catches up with the Americans, it runs straight into the arms of one of the men. The helicopter lands and the Norwegians hop out, shouting all the time. They cry:

"Se til helvete og kom dere vekk! Det er ikke en bikkje, det er en slags ting! Det imiterer en bikkje, det er ikke virkelig! KOM DERE VEKK, IDIOTER!"

For those who don't speak Norwegian:

"Get the hell away! It's not a dog, it's some sort of thing! It's imitating a dog, it isn't real! GET AWAY, YOU IDIOTS!"

This Norwegian (later named Lars in the prequel) has just given the men all of the information that they need to know. They don't understand him, leading not only to his death but all of theirs as well. While the prequel has its critics, the ending of the film brilliantly links both films, highlighting the awful futility of Lars' attempts to save these men and, in a wider sense, the world.