You Need To Watch This John Carpenter Chiller Before It Leaves Paramount+

One of the best sci-fi horror movies ever made is leaving Paramount+ (via the Showtime add-on) in 10 days. That means time is running out to revisit this iconic winter tale. As a fellow horror kid, I’m telling you to run to your TVs and watch John Carpenter’s The Thing now. If you’ve somehow missed out on this beloved cinematic masterpiece, it is my honor to introduce you. 

In the film,

“In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. When they take in the dog, it brutally attacks both human beings and canines in the camp and they discover that the beast can assume the shape of its victims. A resourceful helicopter pilot (Kurt Russell) and the camp doctor (Richard Dysart) lead the camp crew in a desperate, gory battle against the vicious creature before it picks them all off, one by one.”

The Thing was directed by John Carpenter. It was adapted for the screen by Bill Lancaster. The film was based on the novel Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. It premiered on June 25, 1982. 

The film flopped at the box office and received negative reviews from critics at the time. However, it has become a staple in the horror genre among those of us with taste. Fans of the movie even include Stephen Colbert, who interviewed John Carpenter about the beloved title earlier this year.

We aren’t the only ones who love The Thing. Check out what fans are saying about the horror classic below:

watched john carpenter’s the thing for the first time ever recently.
that was a really great movie actually, i can’t wait to rewatch every year when it gets cold outside

— Sydnie Clark 🌺 (@sydnie_clark) December 21, 2023

And The Thing works because John Carpenter respected/loved the Howard Hawkes original that many people dismissed as superfluous B movie from Hawkes and the fact that we can still feel true fear with the paranoiac tension that pervades the film speaks highly of it’s staying power.

— Margaret “Molly” Rasberry🏳️‍🌈🇵🇸 (@RasberryRazz) December 21, 2023

Greatest ending to a film….John carpenter’s the thing

— Dave Tomalewicz (@lp_enthusiast) December 21, 2023

John Carpenter’s THE THING (1982) is a gory, claustrophobic film that’s not only one of the best remakes ever – but one of the best horror movies ever! The 1951 original is fun, but this film is legendary. pic.twitter.com/dt8GJjeobu

— Kabuye Patrick 🇺🇬 (@Patrickkabuye99) December 20, 2023

Watched John Carpenter’s The Thing with my dad when I was 8, he made me watch an hour of bowling afterwards to take my mind off it, bless him.. i now own every John Carpenter film ever, cheers dad, my hero always

— Al Jones (@AlJones_1977) December 19, 2023

I am basically a Halloween stan account, but am also very loud about The Thing being the definition of cinema. From the practical effects to the ending moment with Titans Keith David and Kurt Russell embracing the inevitable, this is easily a masterpiece from one of our most beloved filmmakers. This is arguably one of John Carpenter’s best movies. I imagine many of us are about to squeeze it into our holiday celebrations. Let me know if you’re also hitting play ASAP at @misssharai.

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