Summary
Monster movies follow a similar formula, and after the iconic movieThe Thing, directed by John Carpenter, premiered in 1982, many films were inspired by the story. The film is famously amovie inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulu mythos, which isn’t uncommon within the horror genre. Starring Kurt Russell,The Thingfollows a group of researchers in Antarctica who slowly turn against each other and are killed by the mysterious entity,“the Thing.” Key features of the film include the thing’s ability to imitate the physical appearance of anything it comes in contact with.
Like all great horror movies,The Thingholds up a mirror to the audience and comments on the rampant distrust and anxiety of 1982 during the Cold War.
Additionally, it’s not only the monster to be feared in the movie, asthe characters’ paranoia is their ultimate undoing, unsure if they can trust others or themselvesto be who they say they are. While there areharsh realities of rewatchingThe Thingover forty years after its release, the essential parts of the plot hold up. This is why so many horror movies still use it as a blueprint. Like all great horror movies,The Thingholds up a mirror to the audience and comments on the rampant distrust and anxiety of 1982 during the Cold War.
Kurt Russell Reflects On The Thing’s Ambiguous Ending 41 Years Later
41 years after starring in the John Carpenter sci-fi horror classic, The Thing, MacReady actor Kurt Russell reflects on the movie’s ambiguous ending.
7Under The Skin (2013)
Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Jonathan Glazer’s underrated early work,Under The Skin, shouldn’t be called a ripoff, as that term has harsh connotations an original movie like this doesn’t deserve. However, the central monster of the story, who also serves as the protagonist, can be directly compared to the titular creature inThe Thing.Scarlett Johansson plays the alien whose invasion of Earth begins by taking on the appearance of a young womanand using this body to capture her prey. It’s a departure for the actress, but one that works for her, as the small amounts of dialogue don’t carry the atmospheric movie.
As one of Glazer’sbest movies likeZone of Interest,Under The Skinbuilds tension slowly throughout the story, never resorting to overt acts of violenceor extremely gory imagery. This is reminiscent ofThe Thing’s pacing, as it takes its time before showing the audience the true purpose of the film. However, the biggest similarity between the films is Johansson’s character, and it should be noted how innovative a choice it was to follow the monster’s perspective and allow the audience to gain empathy towards it.
Under the Skin
Cast
Under the Skin is a sci-fi thriller directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Scarlett Johansson. Johansson plays “The Female,” an alien from another world that hunts men in Scotland. Despite receiving high praise upon release, Under the Skin was a box office bomb, only making a little over half of its budget.
6Leviathan (1989)
Directed by George P. Cosmatos
However, even the settings are comparable, as the extremity of being deep below the ocean’s surface and stranded in the frozen wasteland of the Antarctic similarly isolates the characters.
For all its campy ’80s movie magic,Leviathangets pretty scary asa submarine crew quickly gets in over their heads after discovering a Soviet experiment gone wrong.In many ways, it’s impossible to discussLeviathanwithout bringing upThe Thing. They are practically the same movie in different settings. However, even the settings are comparable, as the extremity of being deep below the ocean’s surface and stranded in the frozen wasteland of the Antarctic similarly isolates the characters. Coming out only a few years afterThe Thing,Leviathanis in conversation with many of the same themes.
Peter Weller plays Steven Beck, the hero, who is an amalgamation of Russell’s character inThe Thingand Ripley inAlien. One by one, the crew is overtaken by the titular Leviathan, which proves to be capable of taking over the bodies of the people it touches. UnlikeThe Thing,Leviathandoesn’t leave its ending ambiguous or up to the audience’s interpretation.The monster is definitively the work of government scientists, and the survivors witness the creature’s death in the end. This is more akin to the popular ’80s action movies that ensured the good guys made it out alive.
5Blood Glacier (2013)
Directed by Marvin Kren
Occasionally, glaciers will release a flood of iron-rich water that takes on a dark red color, which may have inspired the visuals inBlood Glacier. The story follows the same format asThe Thing, down to the cold and remote location. Though not Antarctica,the scientists in the film are high up in the mountains when they discover an evolving species that uses animal bodies as hoststo grow themselves in. It’s difficult to compete with the high-budget horror films that hit theaters these days, butBlood Glaciershouldn’t be overlooked merely because it’s an homage toThe Thing.
Blood Glacieris available to rent on YouTube and Apple TV.
WhereBlood Glacierdiffers fromThe Thingis in its purpose.Blood Glacier’s characters are studying the effects of climate change, and the monster is a species that began as a normal part of nature but evolved into something terrible because of what humans are doing to the planet.In recent years, climate change has been a recurring theme in media,as it’s one of the most pressing real-life horrors that humanity is living through. However,Blood Glacierdoesn’t comment on climate change so much as use it as an excuse to play with gruesome imagery and evoke dread.
4Life (2017)
Directed by Daniel Espinosa
It’s then that their goal goes from recovery to preventing the alien from reaching Earth’s surface at all costs.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebeccas Ferguson star inLifealongside Ryan Reynolds in a surprisingly serious role for the comedic actor. Their characters are astronauts among a group of researchers exploring the possibility of life on Mars. Initially, they think they’ve made the biggest scientific discovery of their time when they successfully recovered an organism they believe to be from the barren planet. However, things get dangerous whenthe alien evolves rapidly and begins taking out the crew.It’s then that their goal goes from recovery to preventing the alien from reaching Earth’s surface at all costs.
Lifeis a great example of amovie that blends sci-fi and horror, but it received criticism for how close the story is toThe ThingandAlien. Though the spaceship setting and intelligence of the monster are more similar toAlien,the parasitic nature of the creature and the cliffhanger ending are reminiscent ofThe Thing.Unfortunately,Lifedoesn’t have much to make its story unique, but the strong performances from the cast do much to save it. It’s easy to care about the characters, even in the short time the audience knows them, adding stakes to the plot.
Lifeis available to rent on YouTube, Apple TV, and Prime Video.
Life
A six-member crew is tasked with studying a sample from Mars that may be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life.
3Splinter (2008)
Directed by Toby Wilkins
What begins as a crime thriller quickly evolves into a terrifying body-horror film rooted in reality by a gritty aesthetic. Made on a small budget using practical effects and a tight cast,Splinterembodies much of what makes horror such an effective genre for getting grassroots productions off the ground.The filmmakers were aware of the story’s origins and reveled in taking liberties with the original themes laid out by classics likeThe Thing. Unlike other survival horrors, the characters inSplinterare bonded by a shared passion or goal until the creature attacks.
WatchSplinteron Prime Video, Hulu, or Peacock.
The terror of a parasitic organism was well-worn territory by the timeSplinterwas released. Using the splinters as a means of controlling the host’s body was an innovative choice. Additionally,the characters prove themselves to be resourceful and clever at every turn,even if they aren’t the traditional scientists who are so often centered in these types of films. Their ability to outsmart the monster and display their value in the group makes the dynamic more compelling. There is little pressure for them to contain the creature for humanitarian reasons, as their primary aim is to survive the night.
2Phantoms (1998)
Directed by Joe Chappelle
InBen Affleck’s lesser-known foray into the horror genre, he plays a small-town sheriffin over his head when something called the Ancient Enemy attacks. His guide on this journey is Peter O’Toole’s Timothy Flyte, a man who knows everything about the terror threatening to engulf the community. At first, the monster appears similar to a winged beast. However, it’s quickly revealed that the monster is no overgrown fly, but the same type of parasitic beast that consumes the bodies and knowledge of its victims while taking on their appearance.
Both a critical and box office bomb,Phantomsis widely forgotten for good reason.
InPhantom, the Enemy can make copies of itself that appear as phantoms to collect information. This is an effective way to split up the core group and ensure there are multiple points of action happening simultaneously throughout the plot. Both a critical and box office bomb,Phantomsis widely forgotten for good reason.Even including an iconic actor like O’Toole couldn’t save the scriptfrom its inadequacies. Of all the movies that came about in the wake ofThe Thing’s legacy,Phantomsis one of the worst for how unoriginal it is.
1Harbinger Down (2015)
Directed by Alec Gillis
Following in the footsteps ofThe ThingandAlien,Harbinger Downhas a lot to owe to the horror movies that came before it. The director, Alec Gillis, used these movies as inspiration for the plot and the central monster. One of the most impressive aspects ofHarbinger Downis the practical effects used throughout the film and how effectivelyGillis uses what the audience can’t see in the frame to build suspense.Unfortunately, Gillis drew too heavily from his sources and created a film that, while intriguing, doesn’t capture the elements that make movies likeThe Thingso enduring.
For a movie that came out in 2015,it has irrevocably strong connections to the genre films of the 1980s.It even begins with the crash landing of a Soviet ship in the sea where the characters will later discover the monster.Harbinger Downattempts to root itself in the contemporary era by using climate change as another framing device. However, the references contradict each other as one is vastly outdated and the other current. The characters fend off the creature using a supply of liquid nitrogen, which sets the tone for the spotty scienceHarbinger Downrelies on.
WatchHarbinger Downon Prime Video or Tubi.
The Thing
A team of researchers set out to study an alien spacecraft found in Antarctica, where they also discover an alien body on the site. The alien buried in ice is actually alive and has the ability to imitate human form. The group must find a way to distinguish who the real person is from The Thing and stay alive. John Carpenter’s 1982 film is a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World and stars Kurt Russel as the hero RJ MacReady.
