10 Worst Practical Effects Movie Monsters

8. The Thing From Another World – The Thing

Rawhead Rex
RKO Radio Pictures

One of the most upsetting monsters ever committed to film is 1982’s the Thing, the shape-shifting menace from John Carpenter’s film of the same name. Slimy, gory, and bent on twisting both human and animal bodies into a bizarre array of gruesome mutations, the eponymous threat is one of cinema’s greatest practical effects achievements.

The pale imitation of 2011’s belated prequel provides a solid defence for anyone claiming CGI can’t compare to old-fashioned latex-and-slime work. However, the original 1950 film Carpenter remade features an antagonist so unconvincing that it’s hard to imagine anyone leaving the cinema without a smile plastered across their face.

The alien menace here consists of a frowny fellow with a massive forehead, Hulk hands, and… well, that’s about it in terms of scare factor. The actor complained the make-up made him resemble a carrot and honestly, it’s hard to argue, with a swollen head and ever-present scowl falling far short of the remake’s mangled nightmares.

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