Paranoia and claustrophobia: two defining elements of director John Carpenter’s 1982 film, The Thing. Initially panned by critics, it has long since evolved into one of the most respected movies of its genre. Here are some of its memorable lines.
First though, an overview. A dozen American researchers and support staff at a facility in Antarctica encounter the Thing, an extraterrestrial life form that is capable of assimilating, then imitating other organisms. As they become aware of its presence, the men realize that they can no longer trust each other, since any one of them could be the predatory alien.
As the opening credits roll, a Norwegian helicopter is in pursuit of a dog as it runs through the snow. The passenger is shooting at the dog but cannot hit it. Landing near an American research facility where the dog has taken refuge behind some of the men, the Norwegian, still firing, shouts something in his native language that might’ve changed the direction of the story. Here is the translation: “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!” Unfortunately, none of the Americans understand him, and he is killed in self-defense, the helicopter and its pilot blown up. The dog is taken into the facility.
A manifestation of the Thing.
American helicopter MacReady (Kurt Russell, the film’s star) states, rather dryly in relation to the incident, “First goddamn week of winter…”
After roaming around the facility for most of the day, the creature is put into the kennel by Clark, the dog handler. There, it begins to assimilate the other dogs as it assumes a horrid form. Stunned, Clark tells the others: “I don’t know what the hell’s in there, but it’s weird and pissed off, whatever it is!”
The Thing has escaped, and the assimilation of the men is underway. Dr. Blair, the biologist, has figured out just what it is and, going a bit mad, is threatening the others at gunpoint: “You don’t understand! That thing wanted to be us! If a cell gets out, it could imitate everything on the face of the Earth, and nothing can stop it!”
MacReady holds the others at bay while testing their blood.
MacReady, alone for the moment, is making a recording, in case there are no survivors: “Nobody…nobody trusts anybody now, and we’re all very tired.”
Norris, the geologist, has been beheaded by the Thing. The head grows a set of spindly legs and begins to walk away, prompting a character named Palmer to utter a low-key, “You gotta be fucking kidding.” (My favorite line. I even quote Palmer in some of my novels.)
The Thing makes a last stand as it faces off against a dynamite-wielding MacCready and roars at him. MacReady’s response: “Yeah, fuck you too!”
A blood test has exonerated some of the men and doomed others. Garry, the station chief, is the last to be tested. He had been tied up, but now he passes the test. “I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I’d rather not spend the rest of this winter tied to this fucking couch!”
By film’s end the survivors consist of MacReady and Childs (Keith David), the mechanic. They share a bottle of whiskey as the entire complex burns to the ground. Here is the brilliant—if somewhat ambiguous—ending.
This guy lost his head to the Thing.
Childs: “Fire’s got the temperature up all over the camp. Won’t last long though.”
MacReady: “Neither will we.”
Childs: “How will we make it?”
MacReady: “Maybe we shouldn’t.”
Childs: “If you’re worried about me…”
MacReady: “If we’ve got any surprises for each other, I don’t think we’re in much shape to do anything about it.”
Childs: “Well, what do we do?”
MacReady: “Why don’t we just…wait here for a little while…see what happens?”
I never get tired of watching John Carpenter’s The Thing, and I’m planning on many more viewings before the Mother Ship returns for me.