The Thing is a 1982 American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter (pictured) and written by Bill Lancaster. Based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There?, it tells the story of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter a parasitic extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates and imitates other organisms. The group is overcome by paranoia and conflict as they learn that they can no longer trust each other. The film stars Kurt Russell and also features A. Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, and Keith David. Of the film's $15 million budget, $1.5 million was spent on Rob Bottin's creature effects, a mixture of chemicals, food products, rubber, and mechanical parts used to represent an alien capable of taking on any form. The Thing was released on June 25, 1982, to very negative reviews and earned $19.6 million during its theatrical run, but has been favorably reappraised. It found an audience when released on home video and television. (Full article...)