John Carpenter's Films - Ranked From Worst To Best

1. The Thing (1982)

Pros: Perfect balance of sci-fi and horror elements. Ennio Morricone score. Revolutionary effects work

Cons: Those poor dogs. Frosty initial critical reception. Disappointing 2011 prequel

Overall: John Carpenter's greatest film was also the one which was most viciously attacked by critics upon its initial release. They hated Rob Botin's visual effects work, the music, the pacing, the ending and the bleakness of it all. This was the same year that E.T. was released, after all. That film offered a much more Reagan-friendly depiction of alien civilization.

The Thing was also a commercial disappointment. Released the same day as Blade Runner, grossing half as much as Ridley Scott's film. All told, it didn't make enough to cover its $19 million budget. But that isn't any indication of the quality of the film (box-office receipts never are).

The film is ultra-tense, boasts effects which hold up today and has one of the best open-ended endings of all-time. It has since been reassessed as one of the scariest and best films of the 1980s, and rightfully so. It's nothing less than the film deserves.