The 1950's version was great but I think the 1982 one was better.  It is definitely one of John Carpenter's best movies ever (along with Escape From New York).  I agree with everything you wrote about it Rob, even the part about the movie critics.  I remember when Star Wars first came out in 1977.  All the movie critics' reviews I read in New York gave it 1½ to 2 stars, all saying avoid it, a "waste of money".  I'm glad that didn't stop me from walking 5 miles each way with rolls of pennies to pay for my tickets and my snacks.  Four months after the movie was released when it became very popular, the same critics were giving it 3½ to 4 stars and saying it was the "best movie of the year".   I just wish that Lucas would release that version that I saw back in 1977.

Wow! Another trek back to 1982.....and with a film that is JC's masterpiece as well!

I have always said that, IMO, Alien is the greatest Sci-Fi/Horror film ever done. Well, there is this little film from JC that gives Alien a run for its money! The Thing is one exceptional, brutal, and just plain AWESOME Sci-Fi/Horror film that could be considered the best Sci-Fi/Horror film of all-time. But, my PERSONAL "preference" is still Alien, though I truly love The Thing as well! I also love the orignal, too!. Both have their place, and JC's The Thing is one of those few examples where a remake got it right! So many of Hollywoods "remakes" and "re-imaginings" of films today could take lessons from both JC's The Thing as well as 1978's Invasion of the Body Snatchers on how a remake SHOULD be done!

That crapfest of a "prequel" to The Thing was terrible! All the CGI in the world could NEVER compare to the in-camera, mechanical FX by Rob Bottin and Stan Winston, and the acting was nowhere near as tense or believable as JC's version!

some say it cost more to make shots  in  animatronics instead of CGI, not saying it's why the prequel sucked. though the CGI on the new film did not help it much. it is what it is.. i was 12 y old, when the John Carpenter The Thing , came out. i was originaly watching the movie TRON with the fam at the multiplex and i  had to go use the bathroom, and on my way i decided to sneek a peek at the movie T.T, and i walked in just as the dudes chest bursted open and the other part inside came out ,then the one extra head that mutated into a spyder like ,, yup i walked in on that and just that part had me Shiting my pants. so i ran out and i got back with my fam. and while TRON is on the big screen i kept watching that part of the movie when the dudes head and shit was all over the place., evedentualy my dad wants to watch THE THING, so  we came back  the following weekend? still i have to say besides the Exorcist movie T.T gave me nightmares for a long time.. what a good movie it still is...oh and TRON well it was cool.. feew months later i watched MEGA FORCE on video, though as a kid i remember it to be fun. now it's like WTF? ohh the 80's Rocked..

The Thing is one of John Carpenter's best films. It is probably the second best sci-fi/horror movie ever made, right behind Alien. What movie studios don't get today is that even though these movies had horrifying creatures...it was the psychological aspect of the story that raised them to a higher level.

I love John Carpenter's movies. Of course there are some that weren't very good, or just plain bad, his style of filming is one of my favorites. Leaving the endings so that you're just not quite sure what happened next was just great. Imagine if there had never been a sequel to Halloween...wow, that scared the piss out of me when I was young. I still watch Halloween keeping in my mind that there were no more movies and I think its terrific. I want to know what happened when the guy touched the mirror at the end of Prince of Darkness. Snake destroying the tape at the end of EfNY was so awesome. Big Trouble in Little China was SOOOOO much fun! And I even love In the Mouth of Madness and thought the ending was great!

The point is, I havent seen a movie like any of these in a long time, and I dont think its the directors or writers that have changed, but the studios that have killed this kind of creativity. Riddley Scott made the best "monster" flick ever in Alien, he made the best sci-fi movie ever in Blade Runner, and though he has disappointed from time to time, is still an amazing film maker. Which is why Prometheus was a let down for I'm sure. I expected more and got less.

Sorry I went off topic a bit, but talking about films like The Thing and Blade Runner gets the juices flowing for many of us and makes us long for those days yet again.

"What once lay dying as a piece of cinematic filth now stands as – yes, I'll say it – the single greatest horror movie ever made" - truer words you never did speak, Mr Vaux.

I remember when it came out , the critics said it had revolting effects and most ppl would get turned-off . NOT ! I loved it ! Carpenter was on a roll back then  first with , ESCAPE FROM N.Y.  , then THE THING . Many special effect guys got a crack in helping make that movie including Stan Winston , on the " dog scene " . It was way ahead of its time in effects  for 82 ", and I would say its a " cult classic " and a hell of a good film .The prequel was ok , nothing new , too bad they waited 30 yrs to make it .

Awesome movie, needs a sequel, lol!!!

 I saw this much later in the year.  It was playing at a small town theater in a random small town were my dad had been sent to work.  I went to visit him and I know it was around Christmas...there was snow...and the theater was cold.  It just added to the effect of the film.  It freaked me out so much that I literally picked my feet up off the floor and held them up to me throughout the entire film.  I don't think, as a kid, a film had such a profound fear effect for me outside of Jaws.  It left you a bit tramatized.  Still a classic.  Hits all the right beats and I never feel as if it is dated.  

 Oh, I definitely say this ranks equally with E.T.  Different films, but one doesn't overshadow the other.  Truth be told, I could watch The Thing at any time of the day or night.  E.T....not so much.  

 Very high rewatchability factor!  I like to curl up in bed late at night and rewatch The Thing during the long, cold midwestern winters.