It never fails. Every reactor to The Thing starts out "cute dog, I will be mad if it gets shot" in the beginning, which becomes "shot the fucking dog!!" some 20 mins. later.
Garry's line "I'd rather not spend the rest of the winter TIED TO THIS COUCH!" always makes me laugh. He's so calm, and then just screams. After the tension of the blood-testing, it's a great lighter moment.
One thing that always tickled me about Gary is that the actor - Donald Moffat - was big on TV at the time. He played "REM" in the TV series of Logan's Run.
@@maplenutsreactSo glad you guys saw this classic which I saw when it first came out in 1982.John Carpenter at his absolute best(watch some of the fan trailers for the Thing as well as they’re really good).Films to watch ALIEN(Special Edition),ALIENS(Special Edition cut),George Romero’s ZOMBIES DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE EXORCIST (Special Edition), TERMINATOR,TERMINATOR 2:JUDGEMENT DAY,ROBOCOP,SAVING PRIVATE RYAN,,FULL METAL JACKET, BAND OF BROTHERS SERIES,THE PACIFIC SERIES, I could go on,but these have been very popular with reactors.ENJOY😸
its one of my favourites.... I watched it about 20-30 years ago.. and was a fan... but at that time not many people i knew liked it... Im glad people get to watch it now and appreciate this amazing show.. the effects are just amazing
The longer it takes for someone to feel suspicious about the "dog," the more satisfying the payoff when the reveal happens. You know it's a fantastic movie when, despite Jordan saying that he saw it long ago, he still experiences all the suspense and shock that Chandra experiences upon her first watch. I love this movie so much, so it's always a treat to see others experience it for the first time. I wish I could experience this film for the first time, again. Also, I don't know if anyone has mentioned it in the comments, but at the beginning, when the Norwegian is yelling at the Outpost 31 crew, he's saying in Norwegian "Get the hell away! That's not a dog, it's some sort of thing! It's imitating a dog, it isn't real! GET AWAY YOU IDIOTS!!"
That “dog“ is Jed the wolf-dog (wolf and malamute). He was also in 3 Disney movies: the title character in White Fang 1 & 2, and Journey of Natty Gann (big role as well).
Fun fact: Kurt Russell was unprepared for the force of the explosion when the Palmer-thing was blown up. His reaction and movements were 100% real because the blast was unexpectedly strong. It really knocked him back.
Blair is the real hero here, he knew the danger after seeing the computer simulations, so he busted up the vehicles so no one could get away, and smashed up the databanks so that if the camp were found later, no one would dig further looking for 'the thing'. After he got locked in the tool shed though is when the Thing got him, you can tell because he's got a noose all ready in there, but he's just casually wanting to come back inside. Blair was gonna hang himself but the Thing got to him first.
List of favorite Kurt Russell movies 1. Big Trouble in Little China 2. The Thing 3. Overboard (1987) 4. Escape from New York 5. Stargate 6. Tombstone 7. Captain Ron 8. Backdraft 9. Tango & Cash About this movie Unused music composed for this film was later used by Ennio Morricone in Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight (2015). Ironically, Morricone's Thing score was nominated for a Razzie for worst score, while his score for Hateful Eight won him an Oscar.
Looks like we have another UA-cam reactor who owes those Norwegians an apology. If you want to explore more John Carpenter and Kurt Russell, watch "Big Trouble in Little China."
Flow chart for The Thing - Norweigans first and their dog -> then Norris who had the heart attack (dog infects him) -> then Blair as he puts his pencil eraser in his mouth (dog infects him) -> then Bennings (Norweigan Thing infects him) -> then Palmer and the Doc (undisclosed... this is subjective because either Doc or Gary messed with the blood, so there had to have been a mixup when gathering samples) -> then Gary (Blair) -> Nauls undisclosed, Childs undisclosed (but he still had his earring which The Thing could not replicate), Mac undisclosed. The world IS then infected (by the rescue parties) as this is part of Carpenter's Apocalypse trilogy, an unrelated series of movies which each posits the theme that the world is doomed befor the first reel is shown. His other in this trilogy - In the Mouth of Madness with Sam Neill and Prince of Darkness which is the only film that has successfully married science and religion with Donald Plesance. Also you should do Big Trouble in Little China with Kurt Russell which is just so much fun, a magic, kung-fu, adventure, monster movie.
One of the things that makes this movie great is something that you two pointed out - these characters are smart. Yes, they absolutely get stressed and make poor decisions out of paranoia, but they use their specialist knowledge and work together. They have quirks and irritate each other occasionally, but they aren't the stereotypical 'annoying teen' that you WANT to see get killed in a slasher horror movie. After all, these people have to spend months together in tight quarters, so they have to be fairly amiable and inter-connected. Therefore, when one of them dies, it means something.
Flogging a dead horse, but it's the exact opposite of, say, Prometheus, where in any given scene you have a character make the dumbest choice imaginable to progress the plot.
@@haroldcruz8550 At least when you see a xenomorph, you know it's a xenomorph, and you can kill it with gunfire. With the Thing, you don't know who or what it might be until it's too late. And you have to kill every single microscopic cell to completely kill it. And there's a fan theory that the Thing could spread through the air, like just go full airborne virus or even create a swarm of insect-like creatures to infect everyone, but the sole reason it couldn't in this movie was because it was in the arctic, so anything too small would freeze due to not enough body heat. If you encounter the Thing in a warm climate? It's over.
Best Sci Fi Horror Thriller Film Ever Made! When it was released in 1982, critics gave this movie negative reviews, calling it "Boring, Dull, and a Wretched excess." Roger Ebert gave it a 2/4 rating, "calling it "A great barf bag movie." It made $19 million dollars against a $15 million dollar budget. However it's gained a cult following overtime, being regarded as one of the best John Carpenter films ever made. The Dog Kennel Sequence was done by Oscar Winning VFX artist Stan Winston, after Rob Bottin fell ill with dehydration and a bleeding ulcer. Winston remained uncredited, but did receive "Special Thanks" at the end credits.
Stan Winston actually refused to be credited, but Bottin wanted there to at least be a thank you for his help. The dog transformation scene was where Bottin ran into issues, and Winston came in to help. Bottin has since said that he actually wasn't dehydrated or anything like that, he was doing a lot of coke and other drugs and with the stress and short time he had left to get things done, he had to have help.
Yeah unfortunately for Carpenter, E.T. came out right around the same time. His film was mean and Spielberg's was cute so as you can imagine E.T. was the more popular of the two.
@@tigqc The Thing came out about three weeks after ET, so it was bound to fail. Plus, 82 was a year with tons of releases of highly successful films. With the Thing being the only film that year, that was a bit of a shock to see in theaters. The practical effects are one of the films highlights, but I could also see that as an issue for audiences in 82. Poltergeist was really scary, but it still was a movie centered around a family.
For YEARS I put off watching this film due to once seeing the dog scene when I was young and it freaking me out. Finally watched it completely in 2000 when I was 20 years old and since it's become a favourite of mine. Thanks for the reaction 👍
The idea of treating the blood as if it were a separate entity--hitting it with heat!--comes from the original novella "Who Goes There" by John W. Campbell. (This film was much closer to that original story than the 1951 version (yes, this was a remake!), which was just an actor in a baldhead cap wearing a jumpsuit.)
I always like the way how we consider the Norwegian a berserk maniac at first but after witnessing the dog attack you it makes us think twice he wasnt so crazy after all
I saw this when it first came out in 1982 as a recently turned 13 year old. My mind was so blown away by this because none of us had never seen anything like this before when it came to the effects. I was so blown away, that I went back the next day to see it again to make sure I actually saw what I saw...no lie. And a little trivia, when The Thing screams it's the screams of every lifeform it has ever imitated.
I still hear THAT SOUND in nightmares today... more than 40 years after I first saw this movie. I have seen an "edited for television" cut of this movie that shows one more scene after the "sitting in the burning camp" scene. It starts with a shot of the burnt out camp in the morning, from the top of the hill... then, a dog lopes up to the top of the hill... in front of the camera.... he stops. Looks back at the burnt out camp... then lopes over the other side of the hill... out of sight. I've never looked at Huskies the same after this movie! This movie was right at the VERY PEAK of practical effects... Not long after this, more advanced on-film and computer effects started taking over. THESE were the real masters of practical effects.
PS... Soldier and Captain Ron are both GREAT Kurt Russel movies! So are the rest others have mentioned but those two are some under-appreciated favorites.
True story--back in the 1980s after this film had come out and I had seen it I was cleaning show from the front steps and...this dog that looked just like the dog from THE THING walks up to me, sniffs me and walks away. Scared the s#@t out of me and I've never forgotten it!
The original "Thing" in the story was telepathic and could place suggestions in the mind. Perhaps Carpenter kept that characteristic but didn't bring it up in the film? Explains why Nauls walked off on his own? It was also utterly insane.
Glad you guys liked it. The Thing is one of my favorite movies. Kurt Russell looking glorious, the effects, the set, the music. It's all great. In terms of other Kurt Russell/Carpenter movies, you should check out Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China.
Watching the innocence be ripped away from some of the people I've watched react to the thing is a great pastime, but i don't think I've ever seen anyones eyes widen as much this girls! Gave me a real chuckle lol
The great thing that makes the mystery of the monster work is that they never really figure out how it behaves. They have some guesses, but those are never confirmed. And most importantly, even though it's called The Thing and they often talk about The Thing, one of the first things that is established about it is that it can multiply. There was the burned thing from the Norwegian camp, but also the dog thing that had part of it climb out through the ceiling while another part was burned. That makes it pretty much impossible to really tell who might have been replaced at what point.
This was great! I like this movie because, for the most part, the people in trouble aren't making dumb decisions. Like you said at the start, Mac didn't mess around, he immediately pulled the fire alarm.
The video game sequel that came out a few years ago is a great game...you even get to go through the remains of Outpost 31 and listen to some of MacReady's tapes!
EVERYONE who see this for the first time always says, "Don't shoot the dog!" And Jordan, bro, if you can shoot a moving animal from a moving helicopter, kudos to you bro, you are better than 99% of US Marine Snipers! That is NOT an easy task! Two of my favorite movies of all time, The Thing and Alien. I was 10 when I saw The Thing in the theaters and 9 when I saw Alien. My dad took me and I was in love! Love your channel!
There is a short story, written more recently, that is a kind of sequel to this movie, told from the Thing's perspective. It's very well written, is a fascinating read, and ties up various ends from the movie. I recommend it to anyone who has just watched The Thing for the first time and wants to know more.
Also some 80s comics of the thing ,that give perspective of the person infected by the thing & boy is it really terrifying ,you don't know when it happens it erases the memory of assimilation until it feeds strikes again while the host is consciously experiencing the whole thing .truly terrifying .
*Spoilers* I am convinced that when they lock Blair in the tool shed he is still human but infected (probably from putting the end of that damn pencil in his mouth), and he hangs the noose to kill himself when he can feel it happening (he probably has no way to signal the others from there) - but before he can follow through with it, the Thing has taken him over enough to now want to survive and "come back inside." Unlike the other infected ones, it's interesting to see this before-and-after of his assimilation.@@Edward-6909
One of the things that makes this movie so good is that both the good guys and the monster are...well, smart. It's not a rampaging beast, and they don't win by beating it to death with a sledgehammer. Notice how the Thing is very strategic in the kill order. It kills off the doctors and scientists first...the people with the skills that are the most dangerous. By the time we get to the blood test scene, the survivors are Mac (pilot), Childs (mechanic), Windows (radio operator), Naals (cook), Palmer (assistant pilot), Clark (trainer) and Gary (administrator). The people already killed were Bennings (meteorologist), Copper (medical doctor), Blair (biologist), Fuchs (assistant biologist), and Norris (geologist). I don't think it's an accident that the scientists are dead first.
Fans of the movie suspect that the end is meant to leave you guessing if Childs is a Thing or not. There are several clues that point to him being a Thing (Different jacket, conveniently left the camp for a long time even though the camp was burning he didn't show up, and that he takes the bottle from MacReady without fearing that he might habe been infected)
@@luckypunfire6263 Yup, Childs lack of fogging when he talks suggests that he's either not breathing or he's not warm blooded ... probably taken over by alien ....
Fun facts time...There are 2 alternative endings.1,one of the dogs survives,which is the Thing and stares at the burned camp and then runs off,which was the cable version because the cable network wanted the film to be 2 hours.2,McCready is rescued and is tested for the Thing and his blood is negative for the the Thing.
I've seen the first variation... never seen (or even heard of!) the second one. Saw this movie on VHS one weekend with friends, and a it was the first variation... and a few days later saw a husky... and he was staring at me. Definitely creeped me out LOL!
Iirc, Carpenter was persuaded to film the alternate Mac ending in case test audiences didn't like the ending with just Mac and Childs. Personally, I think it might be the greatest, and the most misunderstood ending in film history.
@20:15 _Well, he had that pain a minute ago, right?_ The "Thing" can only *immitate biological matter* & never inanimate objects such as a prosthetic limb, tooth retorative filling or a glass eye. *Norris* (the geologist) has a *prosthetic heart-valve* which obviously isn't cloned if & when the thing attacked him. Therefor his thing-clone constantly got *heart attacks.* The fact that the thing only immitates "biomatter" gives us furthermore a *clue* as to who might be a copy or not, like for instance *Child's earring.*
First time seeing your content. I am so glad that you both seemed to love this movie! This is one of my favorite films of all time and John Carpenter's best work, in my opinion! The Thing is one of very few films that is just about perfect, because everything about it works and all these things support each other to make this as entertaining possible! The funny thing is that everyone debates what they think happened after the fade to black and ppl argue over who was the thing and when etc. Reading these different theories led me to you. I have still never seen ANYONE get it right and none of the opinions line up w/mine! The craziest part it the fact that all of the answers are right on the screen and Carpenter shows the viewer everything they need to know ....and everyone walks right into his misdirection and/or what they choose to believe! Discovering the answers or finally correlating things that you hadn't pieced together even in multiple previous viewings, only add to this being a very unique film that is truly one of a kind!
This is the kind of movie you have to watch more than once to catch all the clues. Go back and count how many individual pieces of “The Thing” are present at one time. (As soon as the “dog” showed up, they were all dead, they just know it).
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is the must watch Kurt Russell movie. Other Russell movies: Overboard, Soldier, Escape from New York, Escape from L.A., Tombstone, Stargate, Dark Blue, just to name some of my favorites. lol
You are one of the very few reaction videos that post the generator scene,huge thumbs up to you both, it's a short scene but meant life or death for them. Thank you for posting that scene ❤❤❤
12:42 Wow, Jordan you nailed it. I had to use an hour to day converter, then a day to year converter to discover that 27,000 hours is equal to 3.08 years...and I'm pretty good at math...you did it in your head.
I was just considering this morning whether or not The Thing (1982) was a Christmas movie. They have snow and beards and there's a surprise from the poles... Then I realized McReady said it was the first week of winter and in the Southern hemisphere winter starts in June! That's why there were no Christmas decorations.
First saw this after hearing about it at School, but finally got a copy on DVD for £2 in a Charity/Thrift shop bout 25 years later! Stuck in my old DVD player and it blew my mind!!! Immediately thought it was one of the best movies for creativity I'd ever seen! I had no idea what was going to happen next, and most movies I can read! This movie is creative genius!😮😮😮
This was such an awesome date movie back in the day. Girls were jumping into their fellas' arms every 2 minutes of every scene all the way out into the parking lot. Good times.
When ever I think of the thing I always think of the theme. Like Halloween the thing theme is iconic, you can't mistake it for anything else. And I love that its so tense.... Like a heartbeat 💓 of someone in a horrifying situation ❤❤ chefs 💋 of movie theme songs. Plus I miss abrupt endings that you never see these days because everything these days has to be tied up with a tidy bow but I love stories that have me thinking about it hours after watching ❤❤ great reaction 😊
Kurt Russel Movies for you: Big trouble in little China, Escape from NY, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Backdraft, Tango & Cash , Stargate, Hateful 8, Silkwood
Stunning reaction to the best Horror film ever made....to think this is 40 years old and still shocks today shows the masterpiece that it is without CGI effects.....You reaction was great...Both eyes barely blinked lol
A favourate horror of mine (that does take place in winter... valentines day actually) is a Canadian one called "Pontypool". It is one of the most enjoyable movies I have come across. And as far as Kurt... if you have seen Bladerunner... there is another movie set in that universe called "Soldier". It stars him, and is an absolute masterclass in non-verbal acting. He only says like 110 words through the whole movie. Oh... and if you haven't watched Bladerunner... that is one too watch!
6:04 I would also recommend the lesser successful prequel (Also called "The Thing") from 2011 starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It shows how all of THIS happened.
There is a fan theory that the last bottle MacReady had at the end was actually gasoline because he was making mockalav cocktails minutes before. So by Childs drinking it and say nothing was wrong told MacReady he was a Thing.
Michael Jackson saw this Movie and immediately asked Director John Carpenter to direct his 12 min historic Thriller Video! With all the special effects! 😮
It's not likely a spaceship. More like a rocket sled sort of thing, to get to the ocean, where it could jump in and start assimilating all life on Earth. Or, far enough away that it could freeze again and the others wouldnt' be able to reach it before they died from the cold. Also, 42 years after the movie came out, we're still not 100% certain of a lot of aspects of the movie. And that's part of why we love it, and why we love Carpenter, the cast, and everyone who worked on the movie. They made an epic masterpiece that still draws people in, and has a lot of truly unanswered questions that we can all try to find solutions to. The 2011 The Thing is a prequel, but doesn't really give too many additional answers. According to the videogame, MacReady survived and goes on to be the chopper pilot who rescues the hero of that game. But, we dont' know if that's canon lore.
The Thing From Another World (1951) is also great classic scifi, based on the same story Who Goes There?. Still of of the best fire gags in cinema. A super fun monster movie is Tremors (1990) A creepy, claustrophobic thriller is Below (2002)
I was born in 1973 so I grew up on movies made using practical effects. CGI just cannot ever replicate the realism of practical effects. The Thing is a masterpiece. Great movie.
Escape from NY and Tombstone are two of my fav Kurt films. Also you guys would like The Prestige, Seven, Identity, Memento, The Sixth Sense...all good movies that get resolved at the end with some good surprises.
If this movie doesn't show you why practical effects are so important, nothing will. If you want to see a similar premise but if the thing reached civilization watch " Invasion of the Body Snatchers " (1978). To this day no movie has filled me with such dread and hopelessness. Other must react to horrors: " Rec " - harrowing POV horror about people quarantined in an apartment complex after a zombie outbreak (its American remake "Quarantine" is also good) " 28 Days Later " - my favorite horror of all time for the music score alone.
There was another movie made about 10 years ago or so that was also called The Thing. It's basically a prequel of this film, but from the perspective of the Norwegian people at their camp. They're the ones that discovered the alien creature in the ice and brought it to their camp. Then it obviously came alive and decimated the Norwegians and the thing escaped in the form of the dog with the survivors giving chase in the helicopter. In essence, you could watch the new Thing movie first and then watch this Thing movie as one long film that was broken up into two pieces.
A little late to this reaction, but FANTASTIC! There are a lot of comments here, but Im guessing, hoping really, people already put down, Escape from New York, and Escape from L.A., fantastic movies, real Kurt Russel stuff, if you guys havent seen 'em yet. Can't wait for the next one!
I always consider Norris (the doctors arm biter) as being the first one the Thing took over. If only because his haircut seems to be the only one to look like the shadow when the dogo walks into the room. . .
Great reactions. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's A classic film not appreciated when it first came out (unfortunately, the same year as E.T.), but people can now appreciate what a masterpiece it is.
My fav movies with Kurt Russell:Bone Tomahawk(2015),Breakdown(1997),Deathproof(2007),Unlawful Entry(1992),The Hateful Eight(2015)and,of course,The Thing.
saw this in the theater in 82, I`d read the novella " who goes there " that it`s based on , so I had a good idea what was coming , the rest of the audience did`nt , the reactions to the film were almost as good as the film ! my ex put her hands over her face and watched the film through her fingers ! it`s part one of carpenters apocalypse series . part two is prince of darkness , and part three is in the mouth of madness ! you really should watch the second and third film in the group ! they are worth watching ! there is also a prequel to the thing , shows what happened at the norwegian camp , the thing 2011 not quite as good , but not bad !
I always find it amusing when people say that the Norwegian camp probably went through something similar. After the set was blown up, they filmed the arrival at the Norwegian camp. Yes indeed, the burnt remains of the Norwegian camp were in fact the burnt remains of the American camp. I'll bet you didn't guess that.
Came for the "no, don't shoot the dog" to "kill it with fire!"
Hahaha
And you weren't disappointed!😅
Not a PETA member are we ;-)
Every reactor goes through the same thing, and it's always fun to watch.
@@dallesamllhals9161 No decent person is...
It never fails. Every reactor to The Thing starts out "cute dog, I will be mad if it gets shot" in the beginning, which becomes "shot the fucking dog!!" some 20 mins. later.
Yes lol! It's always fun to watch their slow, terrified realization.
Garry's line "I'd rather not spend the rest of the winter TIED TO THIS COUCH!" always makes me laugh. He's so calm, and then just screams. After the tension of the blood-testing, it's a great lighter moment.
missed a word
@@platinumspider7859 I was being nice, but yes, it's even funnier with the swear.
One thing that always tickled me about Gary is that the actor - Donald Moffat - was big on TV at the time. He played "REM" in the TV series of Logan's Run.
loved that series!
@@malloid
Or the spider head walking away..."you gotta be fucking kidding." 😂
I always enjoy watching people see The Thing for the first time. It is a great example of a PERFECT film.
It was so incredibly made... I just wanted it to keep going haha
@@maplenutsreactSo glad you guys saw this classic which I saw when it first came out in 1982.John Carpenter at his absolute best(watch some of the fan trailers for the Thing as well as they’re really good).Films to watch ALIEN(Special Edition),ALIENS(Special Edition cut),George Romero’s ZOMBIES DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE EXORCIST (Special Edition), TERMINATOR,TERMINATOR 2:JUDGEMENT DAY,ROBOCOP,SAVING PRIVATE RYAN,,FULL METAL JACKET, BAND OF BROTHERS SERIES,THE PACIFIC SERIES, I could go on,but these have been very popular with reactors.ENJOY😸
Oh wow, thank you so much for all of these recommendations!! @@DerekHarrison-ue9vv
This movie still gives me the chills! One of my favorites!
So much fun😂🎉
Masterpiece ❤
"How the hell did they do that??" Exactly! This movie is over 40 years old and people still have that reaction to the gore effects.
Not to mention that Rob Bottin was practically still a kid when he built that stuff.
@@cbmx1x1 And he nearly killed himself from exhaustion with all the effort he put into his work.
@@cbmx1x1 I know, right? And the year before this he had worked on THE HOWLING.
its one of my favourites.... I watched it about 20-30 years ago.. and was a fan... but at that time not many people i knew liked it... Im glad people get to watch it now and appreciate this amazing show.. the effects are just amazing
The longer it takes for someone to feel suspicious about the "dog," the more satisfying the payoff when the reveal happens. You know it's a fantastic movie when, despite Jordan saying that he saw it long ago, he still experiences all the suspense and shock that Chandra experiences upon her first watch. I love this movie so much, so it's always a treat to see others experience it for the first time. I wish I could experience this film for the first time, again.
Also, I don't know if anyone has mentioned it in the comments, but at the beginning, when the Norwegian is yelling at the Outpost 31 crew, he's saying in Norwegian "Get the hell away! That's not a dog, it's some sort of thing! It's imitating a dog, it isn't real! GET AWAY YOU IDIOTS!!"
A good Kurt Russel/John Carpenter team up on the lighter side is Big Trouble in Little China.
The dog should have got an Acadamy award for best supporting actor.
Phenomenal dog. I hope he lived a wonderful life, he deserved all the rubs, toys and floofy doggy beds for his skills. The other dogs were great too.
Yeah, I'm always amazed at that dog's "acting".
@@lucianaromulus1408he did, Jed, also the same dog from iron will I think it's called.
Walking down the hallway, there was a camera right there. The dog didn't even look at it. Right before it entered Norris room
That “dog“ is Jed the wolf-dog (wolf and malamute). He was also in 3 Disney movies: the title character in White Fang 1 & 2, and Journey of Natty Gann (big role as well).
Fun fact: Kurt Russell was unprepared for the force of the explosion when the Palmer-thing was blown up. His reaction and movements were 100% real because the blast was unexpectedly strong. It really knocked him back.
I believe I saw someone say he didn't know it really be piece of dynamite/explosive.
Blair really actually probably saved the world. At least did the best he could.
Blair is the real hero here, he knew the danger after seeing the computer simulations, so he busted up the vehicles so no one could get away, and smashed up the databanks so that if the camp were found later, no one would dig further looking for 'the thing'. After he got locked in the tool shed though is when the Thing got him, you can tell because he's got a noose all ready in there, but he's just casually wanting to come back inside. Blair was gonna hang himself but the Thing got to him first.
I love this just because of how well it shows they are intelligent but unprepared.
List of favorite Kurt Russell movies
1. Big Trouble in Little China
2. The Thing
3. Overboard (1987)
4. Escape from New York
5. Stargate
6. Tombstone
7. Captain Ron
8. Backdraft
9. Tango & Cash
About this movie
Unused music composed for this film was later used by Ennio Morricone in Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight (2015). Ironically, Morricone's Thing score was nominated for a Razzie for worst score, while his score for Hateful Eight won him an Oscar.
Thank you so much for all of these recommendations!!
I would add the movie Soldier to the list. @@maplenutsreact
@@glennfitzroy4352 I agree Soldier was a pretty solid film Kirk did a great job in that one.
Good choice👍
I'd add Breakdown, another of his with great tension
I would definitely add Soldier to the list. Kurt does a great role, almost without speaking!
Looks like we have another UA-cam reactor who owes those Norwegians an apology.
If you want to explore more John Carpenter and Kurt Russell, watch "Big Trouble in Little China."
Swedes.
Flow chart for The Thing - Norweigans first and their dog -> then Norris who had the heart attack (dog infects him) -> then Blair as he puts his pencil eraser in his mouth (dog infects him) -> then Bennings (Norweigan Thing infects him) -> then Palmer and the Doc (undisclosed... this is subjective because either Doc or Gary messed with the blood, so there had to have been a mixup when gathering samples) -> then Gary (Blair) -> Nauls undisclosed, Childs undisclosed (but he still had his earring which The Thing could not replicate), Mac undisclosed.
The world IS then infected (by the rescue parties) as this is part of Carpenter's Apocalypse trilogy, an unrelated series of movies which each posits the theme that the world is doomed befor the first reel is shown.
His other in this trilogy - In the Mouth of Madness with Sam Neill and Prince of Darkness which is the only film that has successfully married science and religion with Donald Plesance.
Also you should do Big Trouble in Little China with Kurt Russell which is just so much fun, a magic, kung-fu, adventure, monster movie.
The cries of the Thing is so haunting.
One of the things that makes this movie great is something that you two pointed out - these characters are smart. Yes, they absolutely get stressed and make poor decisions out of paranoia, but they use their specialist knowledge and work together. They have quirks and irritate each other occasionally, but they aren't the stereotypical 'annoying teen' that you WANT to see get killed in a slasher horror movie. After all, these people have to spend months together in tight quarters, so they have to be fairly amiable and inter-connected. Therefore, when one of them dies, it means something.
Flogging a dead horse, but it's the exact opposite of, say, Prometheus, where in any given scene you have a character make the dumbest choice imaginable to progress the plot.
Once the alien went to their camp, they really stood no chance. I'd rather face the xenomorph than this alien.
@@haroldcruz8550 At least when you see a xenomorph, you know it's a xenomorph, and you can kill it with gunfire. With the Thing, you don't know who or what it might be until it's too late. And you have to kill every single microscopic cell to completely kill it.
And there's a fan theory that the Thing could spread through the air, like just go full airborne virus or even create a swarm of insect-like creatures to infect everyone, but the sole reason it couldn't in this movie was because it was in the arctic, so anything too small would freeze due to not enough body heat. If you encounter the Thing in a warm climate? It's over.
Since he says it's the first "week of winter" that actually sets the film in late June because the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere.
Best Sci Fi Horror Thriller Film Ever Made!
When it was released in 1982, critics gave this movie negative reviews, calling it "Boring, Dull, and a Wretched excess."
Roger Ebert gave it a 2/4 rating, "calling it "A great barf bag movie."
It made $19 million dollars against a $15 million dollar budget.
However it's gained a cult following overtime, being regarded as one of the best John Carpenter films ever made.
The Dog Kennel Sequence was done by Oscar Winning VFX artist Stan Winston, after Rob Bottin fell ill with dehydration and a bleeding ulcer.
Winston remained uncredited, but did receive "Special Thanks" at the end credits.
Stan Winston actually refused to be credited, but Bottin wanted there to at least be a thank you for his help. The dog transformation scene was where Bottin ran into issues, and Winston came in to help. Bottin has since said that he actually wasn't dehydrated or anything like that, he was doing a lot of coke and other drugs and with the stress and short time he had left to get things done, he had to have help.
I can't believe that!! What the heck were people thinking then!
The dog transformation scene was something else... I could see needing a lot of extra help with something like that!@@My-Name-Isnt-Important
Yeah unfortunately for Carpenter, E.T. came out right around the same time. His film was mean and Spielberg's was cute so as you can imagine E.T. was the more popular of the two.
@@tigqc The Thing came out about three weeks after ET, so it was bound to fail. Plus, 82 was a year with tons of releases of highly successful films. With the Thing being the only film that year, that was a bit of a shock to see in theaters. The practical effects are one of the films highlights, but I could also see that as an issue for audiences in 82. Poltergeist was really scary, but it still was a movie centered around a family.
For YEARS I put off watching this film due to once seeing the dog scene when I was young and it freaking me out. Finally watched it completely in 2000 when I was 20 years old and since it's become a favourite of mine. Thanks for the reaction 👍
4:52 "Oohooh, that's gnarly..."
Yeah, just wait about 25 minutes...
The guy in the helicopter was yelling something like "It's not a real dog! It a thing! Get away!"
"It imitates a dog! It's not real, idiots!"
Actually I believe it's "eyo, is that a bottle of JB? Can I have a sip? Why not? Goddamn you idiots"
Source: am svedish
The idea of treating the blood as if it were a separate entity--hitting it with heat!--comes from the original novella "Who Goes There" by John W. Campbell. (This film was much closer to that original story than the 1951 version (yes, this was a remake!), which was just an actor in a baldhead cap wearing a jumpsuit.)
I always like the way how we consider the Norwegian a berserk maniac at first but after witnessing the dog attack you it makes us think twice he wasnt so crazy after all
Norwegian audiences were, unsurprisingly, spoiled about the dog.
@@platinumspider7859 True
There's no way they could have known, but killing that last Norwegian was one of he dumbest things they did.
I saw this when it first came out in 1982 as a recently turned 13 year old. My mind was so blown away by this because none of us had never seen anything like this before when it came to the effects. I was so blown away, that I went back the next day to see it again to make sure I actually saw what I saw...no lie. And a little trivia, when The Thing screams it's the screams of every lifeform it has ever imitated.
I still hear THAT SOUND in nightmares today... more than 40 years after I first saw this movie.
I have seen an "edited for television" cut of this movie that shows one more scene after the "sitting in the burning camp" scene. It starts with a shot of the burnt out camp in the morning, from the top of the hill... then, a dog lopes up to the top of the hill... in front of the camera.... he stops. Looks back at the burnt out camp... then lopes over the other side of the hill... out of sight. I've never looked at Huskies the same after this movie!
This movie was right at the VERY PEAK of practical effects... Not long after this, more advanced on-film and computer effects started taking over. THESE were the real masters of practical effects.
PS... Soldier and Captain Ron are both GREAT Kurt Russel movies! So are the rest others have mentioned but those two are some under-appreciated favorites.
True story--back in the 1980s after this film had come out and I had seen it I was cleaning show from the front steps and...this dog that looked just like the dog from THE THING walks up to me, sniffs me and walks away.
Scared the s#@t out of me and I've never forgotten it!
The original "Thing" in the story was telepathic and could place suggestions in the mind. Perhaps Carpenter kept that characteristic but didn't bring it up in the film? Explains why Nauls walked off on his own? It was also utterly insane.
Glad you guys liked it. The Thing is one of my favorite movies. Kurt Russell looking glorious, the effects, the set, the music. It's all great. In terms of other Kurt Russell/Carpenter movies, you should check out Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China.
You're so right! Everything about this movie was soooo well done. And thank you for the recommendations!
"Those better be just tranquilizers."
They're hollow point, armor piercing projectile hugs. :)
hollow point projectiles are the opposite of armor piercing...
@@kalinmir You can't fire a hug from a gun either.
Watching the innocence be ripped away from some of the people I've watched react to the thing is a great pastime, but i don't think I've ever seen anyones eyes widen as much this girls! Gave me a real chuckle lol
Insanely good sfx for its day.
I love watching new reactions to this film and you guys didn’t disappoint.
Awww thank you! ❤❤❤
The great thing that makes the mystery of the monster work is that they never really figure out how it behaves.
They have some guesses, but those are never confirmed.
And most importantly, even though it's called The Thing and they often talk about The Thing, one of the first things that is established about it is that it can multiply. There was the burned thing from the Norwegian camp, but also the dog thing that had part of it climb out through the ceiling while another part was burned. That makes it pretty much impossible to really tell who might have been replaced at what point.
"We're chilly up here in Canada."
Parts of the film were shot in Stewart, British Columbia. :)
This was great! I like this movie because, for the most part, the people in trouble aren't making dumb decisions. Like you said at the start, Mac didn't mess around, he immediately pulled the fire alarm.
Possibly the greatest horror movie ever made. Great reaction!
The video game sequel that came out a few years ago is a great game...you even get to go through the remains of Outpost 31 and listen to some of MacReady's tapes!
My all time favorite movie. I love everything about it.
EVERYONE who see this for the first time always says, "Don't shoot the dog!" And Jordan, bro, if you can shoot a moving animal from a moving helicopter, kudos to you bro, you are better than 99% of US Marine Snipers! That is NOT an easy task!
Two of my favorite movies of all time, The Thing and Alien. I was 10 when I saw The Thing in the theaters and 9 when I saw Alien. My dad took me and I was in love!
Love your channel!
Yes, most viewers have no idea how hard it would be to shot a fairly quickly moving target from a Helicopter, even with a good rifle.
There is a short story, written more recently, that is a kind of sequel to this movie, told from the Thing's perspective. It's very well written, is a fascinating read, and ties up various ends from the movie. I recommend it to anyone who has just watched The Thing for the first time and wants to know more.
It's called "The Things" by Peter Watts.
Also some 80s comics of the thing ,that give perspective of the person infected by the thing & boy is it really terrifying ,you don't know when it happens it erases the memory of assimilation until it feeds strikes again while the host is consciously experiencing the whole thing .truly terrifying .
*Spoilers* I am convinced that when they lock Blair in the tool shed he is still human but infected (probably from putting the end of that damn pencil in his mouth), and he hangs the noose to kill himself when he can feel it happening (he probably has no way to signal the others from there) - but before he can follow through with it, the Thing has taken him over enough to now want to survive and "come back inside." Unlike the other infected ones, it's interesting to see this before-and-after of his assimilation.@@Edward-6909
@@Edward-6909 That must've been the Dark Horse Comics from the 1990s--and yep, they were all great reads.
Don't forget the original short story that the film was based on--the 1938 story "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell.
Big Trouble in Little China is definitely carpenters most underrated best movie you gotta check it out
*Not underrated. It's been a cult classic since it came out.*
@@hulkhatepunybanner A Cult Classic is by definition underrated.
Have you seen The Fly with Jeff Goldblum? Excellent practical effects in that movie directed by David Chroneberg
You can add Videodrome to that as another great Cronenberg film with mad body horror.
Fun Fact: The destruction of their camp was filmed first, and then the destroyed set was used as the aftermath for the Norwegian camp.
One of the things that makes this movie so good is that both the good guys and the monster are...well, smart. It's not a rampaging beast, and they don't win by beating it to death with a sledgehammer. Notice how the Thing is very strategic in the kill order. It kills off the doctors and scientists first...the people with the skills that are the most dangerous.
By the time we get to the blood test scene, the survivors are Mac (pilot), Childs (mechanic), Windows (radio operator), Naals (cook), Palmer (assistant pilot), Clark (trainer) and Gary (administrator). The people already killed were Bennings (meteorologist), Copper (medical doctor), Blair (biologist), Fuchs (assistant biologist), and Norris (geologist).
I don't think it's an accident that the scientists are dead first.
My Fav Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collab movie is "Big Trouble In Little China (1986)" :))
It sounds like a lot of people love that movie! I really want to see it now!
Fans of the movie suspect that the end is meant to leave you guessing if Childs is a Thing or not. There are several clues that point to him being a Thing (Different jacket, conveniently left the camp for a long time even though the camp was burning he didn't show up, and that he takes the bottle from MacReady without fearing that he might habe been infected)
Or perhaps it was Mcready who was the thing. He suggested waiting in the cold for a while to see what happens then infects Childs with the drink.
I think neither are the Thing. MacCready's little laugh at the end shows that he knows he's won.
@@robertmills8640 I feel the same way, they're not infected but clearly going to die from the cold.
Also, Childs's breath doesn't come out as fog the same way that MacReady's does.
@@luckypunfire6263
Yup, Childs lack of fogging when he talks suggests that he's either not breathing or he's not warm blooded ... probably taken over by alien ....
Fun facts time...There are 2 alternative endings.1,one of the dogs survives,which is the Thing and stares at the burned camp and then runs off,which was the cable version because the cable network wanted the film to be 2 hours.2,McCready is rescued and is tested for the Thing and his blood is negative for the the Thing.
I've seen the first variation... never seen (or even heard of!) the second one. Saw this movie on VHS one weekend with friends, and a it was the first variation... and a few days later saw a husky... and he was staring at me. Definitely creeped me out LOL!
@paulfeist The second one...The footage was never released.I found out about it many years ago when I was looking at imdb.
Iirc, Carpenter was persuaded to film the alternate Mac ending in case test audiences didn't like the ending with just Mac and Childs.
Personally, I think it might be the greatest, and the most misunderstood ending in film history.
Underrated Kurt Russell "Soldier"
A great one for someone to react to, too... They don't have to worry about talking over dialog, since there are long stretches without dialog!
@8:15 - it is a cool shot using a split diopter. You don't see them used too often anymore.
@20:15 _Well, he had that pain a minute ago, right?_
The "Thing" can only *immitate biological matter* & never inanimate objects such as a prosthetic limb, tooth retorative filling or a glass eye. *Norris* (the geologist) has a *prosthetic heart-valve* which obviously isn't cloned if & when the thing attacked him. Therefor his thing-clone constantly got *heart attacks.* The fact that the thing only immitates "biomatter" gives us furthermore a *clue* as to who might be a copy or not, like for instance *Child's earring.*
First time seeing your content. I am so glad that you both seemed to love this movie! This is one of my favorite films of all time and John Carpenter's best work, in my opinion!
The Thing is one of very few films that is just about perfect, because everything about it works and all these things support each other to make this as entertaining possible! The funny thing is that everyone debates what they think happened after the fade to black and ppl argue over who was the thing and when etc. Reading these different theories led me to you. I have still never seen ANYONE get it right and none of the opinions line up w/mine! The craziest part it the fact that all of the answers are right on the screen and Carpenter shows the viewer everything they need to know ....and everyone walks right into his misdirection and/or what they choose to believe! Discovering the answers or finally correlating things that you hadn't pieced together even in multiple previous viewings, only add to this being a very unique film that is truly one of a kind!
This is the kind of movie you have to watch more than once to catch all the clues. Go back and count how many individual pieces of “The Thing” are present at one time. (As soon as the “dog” showed up, they were all dead, they just know it).
This movie scared the daylights out of me the first time I saw it when it came out! Still does!!
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is the must watch Kurt Russell movie.
Other Russell movies: Overboard, Soldier, Escape from New York, Escape from L.A., Tombstone, Stargate, Dark Blue, just to name some of my favorites. lol
You are one of the very few reaction videos that post the generator scene,huge thumbs up to you both, it's a short scene but meant life or death for them. Thank you for posting that scene ❤❤❤
See how he first sees it gone his arm drops then he tells McCready it's gone and his arm drops knowing without the generator they're all done for
Overboard with his longtime partner Goldie Hawn 🎉❤😂love it !!
I interviewed Richard Dysart and Richard Masur from this movie. Great guys!
12:42 Wow, Jordan you nailed it. I had to use an hour to day converter, then a day to year converter to discover that 27,000 hours is equal to 3.08 years...and I'm pretty good at math...you did it in your head.
Garrys sadness for his friend is so sad.
I was just considering this morning whether or not The Thing (1982) was a Christmas movie. They have snow and beards and there's a surprise from the poles...
Then I realized McReady said it was the first week of winter and in the Southern hemisphere winter starts in June! That's why there were no Christmas decorations.
First saw this after hearing about it at School, but finally got a copy on DVD for £2 in a Charity/Thrift shop bout 25 years later! Stuck in my old DVD player and it blew my mind!!! Immediately thought it was one of the best movies for creativity I'd ever seen! I had no idea what was going to happen next, and most movies I can read! This movie is creative genius!😮😮😮
This was such an awesome date movie back in the day. Girls were jumping into their fellas' arms every 2 minutes of every scene all the way out into the parking lot.
Good times.
When ever I think of the thing I always think of the theme. Like Halloween the thing theme is iconic, you can't mistake it for anything else. And I love that its so tense.... Like a heartbeat 💓 of someone in a horrifying situation ❤❤ chefs 💋 of movie theme songs. Plus I miss abrupt endings that you never see these days because everything these days has to be tied up with a tidy bow but I love stories that have me thinking about it hours after watching ❤❤ great reaction 😊
When MacReady says we're not getting out of here alive... but neither is that Thing.
I believe him.
Kurt Russel Movies for you: Big trouble in little China, Escape from NY, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Backdraft, Tango & Cash , Stargate, Hateful 8, Silkwood
Stunning reaction to the best Horror film ever made....to think this is 40 years old and still shocks today shows the masterpiece that it is without CGI effects.....You reaction was great...Both eyes barely blinked lol
A favourate horror of mine (that does take place in winter... valentines day actually) is a Canadian one called "Pontypool". It is one of the most enjoyable movies I have come across. And as far as Kurt... if you have seen Bladerunner... there is another movie set in that universe called "Soldier". It stars him, and is an absolute masterclass in non-verbal acting. He only says like 110 words through the whole movie. Oh... and if you haven't watched Bladerunner... that is one too watch!
One of the best reactions, guys
Awww thank you! ❤❤❤
6:04 I would also recommend the lesser successful prequel (Also called "The Thing") from 2011 starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It shows how all of THIS happened.
There is a fan theory that the last bottle MacReady had at the end was actually gasoline because he was making mockalav cocktails minutes before. So by Childs drinking it and say nothing was wrong told MacReady he was a Thing.
Michael Jackson saw this Movie and immediately asked Director John Carpenter to direct his 12 min historic Thriller Video! With all the special effects! 😮
It's not likely a spaceship. More like a rocket sled sort of thing, to get to the ocean, where it could jump in and start assimilating all life on Earth. Or, far enough away that it could freeze again and the others wouldnt' be able to reach it before they died from the cold.
Also, 42 years after the movie came out, we're still not 100% certain of a lot of aspects of the movie. And that's part of why we love it, and why we love Carpenter, the cast, and everyone who worked on the movie. They made an epic masterpiece that still draws people in, and has a lot of truly unanswered questions that we can all try to find solutions to. The 2011 The Thing is a prequel, but doesn't really give too many additional answers. According to the videogame, MacReady survived and goes on to be the chopper pilot who rescues the hero of that game. But, we dont' know if that's canon lore.
I watched the thing when I was like 10 years old that head sprouting legs after the defibrillator chest teeth freaked me out big time
Funfact: Blair was played by the late Wilford Brimley, who some may know has the "diabeetus" guy
John Carpenter & Kurt Russell...i recommend
Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China...the best of both worlds. Superb reaction! 👍🏻
Thank you so much! ❤
The Thing From Another World (1951) is also great classic scifi, based on the same story Who Goes There?. Still of of the best fire gags in cinema.
A super fun monster movie is Tremors (1990)
A creepy, claustrophobic thriller is Below (2002)
The music in this movie is phenomenal!
I was born in 1973 so I grew up on movies made using practical effects. CGI just cannot ever replicate the realism of practical effects. The Thing is a masterpiece. Great movie.
Breakdown and Bone Tomahawk are 2 of the best from Kurt Russell and tense as hell!
3 years off the top of your head. Well done.
Amazing reaction you two. So great to see people come to this movie with no idea what to expect.
Thank you! ❤❤❤
Escape from NY and Tombstone are two of my fav Kurt films. Also you guys would like The Prestige, Seven, Identity, Memento, The Sixth Sense...all good movies that get resolved at the end with some good surprises.
Oh awesome! Thank you so much for all of these! ❤
The Prestige is such a great movie. I'd love to see them react to that.
Kurt Russel. Tango and Cash. Soldier. Stargate and Tombstone. Awesome KR movies.
If this movie doesn't show you why practical effects are so important, nothing will.
If you want to see a similar premise but if the thing reached civilization watch " Invasion of the Body Snatchers " (1978). To this day no movie has filled me with such dread and hopelessness.
Other must react to horrors:
" Rec " - harrowing POV horror about people quarantined in an apartment complex after a zombie outbreak (its American remake "Quarantine" is also good)
" 28 Days Later " - my favorite horror of all time for the music score alone.
A nice little winter comedy to watch is Grumpy Old Men. And they made a sequel, Grumpier Old Men.
You guys are really genuine, awesome reaction.
12:40 Are you two geniuses? How did you figure out 27,000 hours is around 3 years so fast?? 🧐😎
There was another movie made about 10 years ago or so that was also called The Thing. It's basically a prequel of this film, but from the perspective of the Norwegian people at their camp. They're the ones that discovered the alien creature in the ice and brought it to their camp. Then it obviously came alive and decimated the Norwegians and the thing escaped in the form of the dog with the survivors giving chase in the helicopter. In essence, you could watch the new Thing movie first and then watch this Thing movie as one long film that was broken up into two pieces.
8:16 She's freakin' out, he's laughing.
Kurt Russel movie recommendation - Soldier --- he has like maybe 2 or 3 lines in the entire movie and does an incredible job.
A little late to this reaction, but FANTASTIC! There are a lot of comments here, but Im guessing, hoping really, people already put down, Escape from New York, and Escape from L.A., fantastic movies, real Kurt Russel stuff, if you guys havent seen 'em yet. Can't wait for the next one!
I always consider Norris (the doctors arm biter) as being the first one the Thing took over. If only because his haircut seems to be the only one to look like the shadow when the dogo walks into the room. . .
Ooooo Good eye. I definitely didn't catch that
Great reactions. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's A classic film not appreciated when it first came out (unfortunately, the same year as E.T.), but people can now appreciate what a masterpiece it is.
30 Days of Night is a great winter flick
Great cold weather movie is The Thing From Another Planet, and yes it is the movie this one is based on.
My fav movies with Kurt Russell:Bone Tomahawk(2015),Breakdown(1997),Deathproof(2007),Unlawful Entry(1992),The Hateful Eight(2015)and,of course,The Thing.
“Edward Scissorhands” (1990)
Perfect winter movie!
It’s literally the story of where snow comes from.
That sounds so interesting!!
5:31 nervous laughter...
saw this in the theater in 82, I`d read the novella " who goes there " that it`s based on , so I had a good idea what was coming , the rest of the audience did`nt , the reactions to the film were almost as good as the film ! my ex put her hands over her face and watched the film through her fingers ! it`s part one of carpenters apocalypse series . part two is prince of darkness , and part three is in the mouth of madness ! you really should watch the second and third film in the group ! they are worth watching ! there is also a prequel to the thing , shows what happened at the norwegian camp , the thing 2011 not quite as good , but not bad !
30 days of night is one of my go to movies for this time of year. It is easily one of my all time fav vampire movies
Two of my all time favorite Kurt Russell movies are … big trouble in little china and overboard… both are really funny… oh and escape from New York
I always find it amusing when people say that the Norwegian camp probably went through something similar. After the set was blown up, they filmed the arrival at the Norwegian camp. Yes indeed, the burnt remains of the Norwegian camp were in fact the burnt remains of the American camp. I'll bet you didn't guess that.
And your point is?
It's a fun bit of trivia on its own, and doubly so in the context of people being more right than they'd expected
ya im in ontario ,canada she be nippy but not much snow compared to years back