The Thing (1982)

Set in Antarctica, the members of an American research station find themselves under siege from an alien lifeforce that has the ability to take over human bodies by metamorphosing into exact replicas. Based on the the novella WHO GOES THERE? by John W. Campbell Jr. (previously filmed in 1951 as THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD) and directed by John Carpenter (HALLOWEEN). The movie is such a huge cult favorite today that it's easy to forget how reviled it was when first released in 1982. Carpenter's film adheres more closely to the original Campbell story than the 1951 film did. Carpenter does a wonderful job of creating a claustrophobic tension and its ambiguous ending is pure perfection. On the downside, Carpenter unnecessarily ups the gross factor (courtesy of Rob Bottin) which takes away from the horror factor. Grossness isn't frightening, it's just disgusting. Also, the acting is uneven and in Wilford Brimley's case, downright bad. While never realizing its full potential, it's a more than respectable remake of the 1951 and in some respects, improves on it. With Kurt Russell, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Richard Masur and Donald Moffat.