As horror fans revisit some of their favorite scary movies in time for Halloween, one classic that is sure to get a lot of attention is John Carpenter's The Thing. This sci-fi horror film starred Kurt Russell and a fantastic ensemble in the story of a research group in Antarctica who are hunted by an alien that takes the form of its victims.
Though it was a flop when released in 1982, The Thing has gone on to be hailed by many as the greatest horror film of all time. It is the perfect Halloween film, filled with gore, a memorable monster, and plenty of paranoid suspense. If you're a fan of this cult classic and are looking for something similar, here are some other great choices.
The Thing (2011)
Many fans thought 2011's The Thing was a remake of John Carpenter's classic (and the title doesn't help much with the confusion). However, this is actually a prequel, which shows what happened to the other facility explored in the first film.
This prequel is a huge step down from the original and might as well be a remake for how closely it follows Carpenter's film. But those who love the 1982 film will likely find some interest in seeing all the nods to it as well as the missing puzzle pieces the prequel fills in.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Though not a horror film, Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight pays homage to The Thing in some obvious ways. The Western centers around a group of travelers who find themselves stuck in a cabin together during a snowstorm and wondering whom they can trust.
Along with the secluded snow-covered setting and the high paranoia, the film also features a score from Ennio Morricone. It even has Kurt Russell as part of its stellar cast. While not Tarantino's most exciting effort, The Hateful Eight is a gripping thriller.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
The Cloverfield universe grew with this unexpected pseudo-sequel, 10 Cloverfield Lane. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays a woman who wakes up from a car accident to find that she is in an underground bunker. The bunker's owner (John Goodman) claims the world is under attack and they need to stay there.
Like The Thing, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a claustrophobic thriller that presents a sci-fi idea but builds a lot of the tension from the human characters not knowing whom they can trust. It's an edge-of-your-seat experience with a fantastic performance from Goodman.
Green Room (2015)
The brutal and gripping thriller Green Room centers around a punk rock band who reluctantly agree to play a show at a neo-Nazi compound. Once the show is over, the band accidentally witnesses something they were not meant to see and become trapped in a small room, fending off their murderous hosts, led by Patrick Stewart.
Director Jeremy Saulnier clearly draws inspiration from Carpenter's work. The claustrophobic and seemingly hopeless predicament of the heroes feels very similar to The Thing, only trading a shape-shifting alien for Nazis.
Alien (1979)
When it comes to horror films about killer creatures from outer space, it's hard not to think of Ridley Scott's masterpiece Alien. The film follows the crew of an industrial spaceship who respond to a distress signal and end up taking an unwanted guest aboard their ship.
The film's tension comes from the claustrophobic setting, almost feeling like a submarine movie with a deadly alien. Also, similarly to The Thing, the creature work is astonishing, resulting in one of the most memorable movie monsters.
The Void (2016)
The confined setting of this 2016 horror film is a hospital as it follows a police officer who takes an injured victim in to be treated at the emergency room by the small night shift crew. They are then trapped inside the hospital by a group of masked strangers outside. As the terrified captives try to survive, they find themselves at the center of a dark, supernatural threat.
The Void is an '80s throwback horror film that clearly pays homage to Carpenter's work. It is a gruesome and creepy film that is certainly not for the squeamish, but still provides a lot of chilling fun.
The Faculty (1998)
Director Robert Rodriguez has explored horror subjects like vampires and zombies, but he also took on aliens in one of his most underrated films. The Faculty is a high school sci-fi horror film about a group of students who begin to suspect that their teachers are from another planet.
The somewhat cheesy premise provides a good backdrop for this '90s horror gem with a wicked sense of humor. The cast is also filled with likable actors like Elijah Wood and Salma Hayek, who play the wild tone wonderfully.
The Descent (2005)
While The Thing is an all-male cast, The Descent is a confined horror film with an all-female cast. It follows a group of women who go on a cave-exploring trip. While deep in the cave system, they discover they are trapped in there with mutated beings living in the darkness.
You can't really get a tighter, more anxiety-inducing setting than cave tunnels. It makes for a nail-biting thriller from start to finish with some excellent scares and a good bit of tension among the human characters as well.
The Mist (2007)
While the creature attacks are the most memorable aspects of The Thing, it is elevated by the paranoia fueled by the human characters who do not know who to trust. This is a similar approach taken by Frank Darabont's adaptation of the Stephen King story, The Mist.
In the film, a mysterious mist overtakes a small town and deadly, otherworldly creatures lurk within the dense cloud. A group of survivors take shelter in a grocery store only for their fear to give way to murderous actions.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
If there is one movie that rivals The Thing in its ability to gradually increase the paranoia, it is the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Set in a small town, a quiet alien invasion takes place that switches out citizens for alien doppelgangers.
The film is a brilliantly made thriller with a stellar cast including Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy. The tension builds and builds right up until the jaw-dropping final moments.