100 Greatest Horror Movies Of All Time
2. The Thing
Nothing has ever come close to the sheer abject terror John Carpenter perfected in his remake of The Thing. The literal embodiment of an unseen horror, doubled with a monstrous physical form you can never accurately describe, this ticks all the boxes of preternatural horror, in a way that’s deeply unsettling on a primal level.
Story-wise we’ve got a group of scientists stationed out in the Antarctic, coming across the mysterious entity after a seemingly innocent dog scarpers into their station. That opening comes with an err of uncertainty though, as another Norwegian scientist - brandishing a rifle - dies trying to warn the crew of what the dog really is.
From here it’s a relentless showcase of practical effects that amazingly, hold up perfectly today. The Thing’s very abilities are routed in imitation, meaning at any given time, any member of the crew - animal or human - could be an imposter.
From concept to execution, it’s flawless - the “blood-test scene” alone being the stuff of horror legend.
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