History YMMV / TheThing1982

* BrokenBase: As evidenced by many of the sticky posts on the [[http://thethingfan.11.forumer.com/viewforum.php?f=2 Outpost 31 forums]] dedicated to the movie. The lack of solid information on the Things and other unanswered questions have led to some rifts amongst the fandom. Some have 2 main points of contention. Others have hardly anyone at all agreeing with anyone else's ideas.

** [[spoiler:Windows's]] death [[HilariousInHindsight has prompted many jokes regarding]] [[IncrediblyLamePun Mac]] Vs. PC.

** [[spoiler:Windows's]] death has prompted many jokes regarding [[IncrediblyLamePun Mac]] Vs. PC.

* EvenBetterSequel: More like "Even Better Second Adaptation". This film is often pointed to as one of the few horror remakes that managed to not only live up to but exceed the original in quality, and given that the original already enjoyed a good reputation, that's tall praise.

** Inevitably, some of the human transformations fall into this (which was likely intentional), with [[spoiler:Palmer-Thing's face swelling up]] and the infamous Spider Head being the most unsettling.

* UnintentionalUncannyValley:
** A unique example. In the kennel scene and some of its scenes in the camp before-hand, the Dog-Thing, before it transforms, it just... sits there. That doesn't ''sound'' bad at first, but it's '''''literally motionless.''''' No tail-wagging, no nothing. It just sits there and perplexes, making it really, ''really'' off-putting. The sound it makes before it transforms only adds to it. On a production level, the dog caused this for the cast and crew in an unintentional case of this, as the dog was part wolf and really just nervous.

* {{Narm}}:
** When trying to figure out why some dudes from a Norwegian camp flew a helicopter to their base and started shooting and throwing grenades, Nauls comes up with one laughably implausible hypothesis: "Maybe we at war with Norway."
** The scene where the Thing bites off [[spoiler: Copper's]] arms held up the worst over time, looking extremely cartoony by modern standards.

* RetroactiveRecognition: This film was among the first major acting roles for Creator/WilfordBrimley and Creator/KeithDavid.

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* TooBleakStoppedCaring: Between the {{Gorn}}, the heavy-handed gloomy atmosphere, and the fact that the story follows a bunch of starving, freezing Antarctic researchers being stalked by a murderous EldritchAbomination, it's a pretty depressing experience. The fact that it ends with [[spoiler:[[KillEmAll all the protagonists dead]] and the base destroyed]] could thus be considered almost merciful. John Carpenter himself even felt the film was just too bleak for the audiences, considering another [[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial movie with an alien]] was still in cinemas and had a considerably nicer "first contact" scenario.

* VindicatedByHistory: A ''huge'' flop when it was released, it was savaged by critics, and nearly sank John Carpenter's career. So negative were the reviews in fact that a film magazine even had an article that asked the question, "Is This the Most Hated Film of All Time?". Then TheNineties rolled along, and people started picking it up on VHS and DVD. It's now considered to be one of the greatest horror films in history. Kurt Russell is notably proud of the film, and doesn't mind at all that it took ten to fifteen years to "find its audience."

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film features very '80s hair (most notably on Kurt Russell), loads of UsefulNotes/ColdWar paranoia, a remote research station that ''isn't'' automated out the wazoo, and a plot that mirrors the AIDS crisis. Also, dogs were banned from Antarctica in 1994 to prevent the possible spread of zoonotic diseases to the endemic fauna.

** Two of the main characters are [[UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh Mac]] and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]], with the former even being introduced destroying a computer. The way that the latter [[spoiler:dies (being frozen in fear before having his head devoured by the Palmer-Thing)]] is often compared to him experiencing a literal HeroicBSOD.

* SignatureScene:
** The defibrillator scene is noteworthy for [[spoiler:its surprise [[TheReveal reveal]] of Norris as one of the Things and its following sequence of the Norris-Thing splintering into multiple individual Things who have lots of pictures out there on the internet. It has gotten to the point that the Norris-Thing is considered to be the signature version of the Thing despite getting killed off in the same scene.]]
** The final scene is rather infamous in the science fiction and horror fandoms due to its AmbiguousEnding [[spoiler:as it is unclear if the Thing is imitating at least one of the survivors.]]

* EnsembleDarkhorse
** Fuchs is very talked about for his moments of being TheSmartGuy, despite his [[spoiler:relatively early death]].
** Nauls the roller skating cook is one of the least-plot relevant characters, but is still well-liked for his quirkiness and for getting some CharacterDevelopment as things get more tense.
** The HeroOfAnotherStory Norwegians chasing the Thing at the beginning are more memorable than many characters with far more screen-time.

** Closely preceeded by Palmer's reaction to the spider-head Thing:

* NightmareRetardant: While most incarnations of the Thing are frightening, the infected [[spoiler: Norris]] has such a disproportional face that it looks downright comical.

** Two of the main characters are [[UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh Mac]] and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]], with the former even being introduced destroying a computer.
*** The way that the latter [[spoiler:dies (being frozen in fear before having his head devoured by the Palmer-Thing)]] is often compared to him experiencing a literal HeroicBSOD.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsMH-sdznh8 original score]] by Music/EnnioMorricone. It may be shocking to learn that it actually got nominated for a ''[[UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward RAZZIE]]'', though like the rest of the film, it was originally slated by critics (who accused Morricone of being lazy and just copying Creator/JohnCarpenter's score for ''Film/{{Halloween|1978}}''), and has been VindicatedByHistory. Equal credit goes to Carpenter as well, for he himself performed the electronic part of the score uncredited, including the famous "heartbeat" cue.

* EnsembleDarkhorse:
* Fuchs is very talked about for his moments of being TheSmartGuy, despite his [[spoiler:relatively early death]].

* SignatureScene:
** The attack in the dog kennel is a good [[EstablishingCharacterMoment introduction]] to the Thing's BodyHorror abilities.
** The defibrillator scene is noteworthy for [[spoiler:its surprise [[TheReveal reveal]] of Norris as one of the Things and its following sequence of the Norris-Thing splintering into multiple individual Things. It has gotten to the point that the Norris-Thing is considered to be the signature version of the Thing despite getting killed off in the same scene.]]
** The blood test scene has [[spoiler:an effective JumpScare moment and a tense sequence of [=MacReady=] fighting off multiple Things. It also has Garry's most memorable line as noted above.]]
** The final scene is also rather notorious due to its AmbiguousEnding [[spoiler:as it is unclear if the Thing is imitating at least one of the survivors.]]

* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The [[spoiler:Norris spider-head creature]], which is often regarded as the most memorable and horrifying transformation in the film.
** Fuchs, TheSmartGuy, despite his [[spoiler:relatively early death]].
** Nauls, the roller skating cook who gets some CharacterDevelopment as things get more tense.
** The HeroOfAnotherStory Norwegians chasing the Thing at the beginning.
** Garry is decently regarded, aside from his NiceJobBreakingItHero moment, mainly due to being a gun wielding ReasonableAuthorityFigure and his SuddenlyShouting moment.
** Blair is memorable for his expository role following the autopsies, for his [[LargeHam over the top]] rampage scene, and for saying "I'm all better now" in the shed with a noose in the background.

* EvenBetterSequel: A remake example. This film is often pointed to as one of the few horror remakes that managed to not only live up to but exceed the original in quality, and given that the original already enjoyed a good reputation, that's tall praise.
** Despite this, it's not actually a remake, it's a separate adaptation of the short story.