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

by Sean Ferrick

1. What Is It?

The Thing Norwegian
Universal Pictures

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.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"