The Thing

Director John Carpenter and special makeup effects master Rob Bottin teamed up for this 1982 remake of the 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World. The result is a mixed blessing: The Thing boasts moments of highly effective terror and spine-tingling suspense, but it's mostly a showcase for some of the era's goriest and most horrifically grotesque makeup effects (including a dog that splits open and blossoms into something indescribably gruesome). A wild and wacky freak show, the film begins when scientists at an arctic research station discover a spacecraft harboring an alien being under the thick ice. Unbeknownst to the scientists, the newly-thawed alien can assume the form of any person. Kurt Russell leads the battle against the terrifying intruder, aided by a supporting cast that includes Richard Masur, Richard Dysart, Donald Moffat, and Wilford Brimley, all playing standard characters who are basically neglected by the mechanistic screenplay (based on the classic sci-fi story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell), which keeps the emphasis on the gross-out effects and escalating tension. Featuring an excellent Blu-ray transfer, extras include audio commentary by Carpenter and Russell, as well as an exclusive picture-in-picture track with cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. Optional. (J. Shannon)