Narrowly beating out The Departed, John Carpenter’s The Thing nabs the top slot as the Greatest Remake Of All Time. Deemed a box office flop upon release, it went on to become a cult favourite that still stands up to scrutiny some 32 years later. For his Antarctic tale about a group of scientists at the mercy of a shape-shifting invader, Carpenter drew audiences into their paranoid mindsets as a way of getting under the skin. An updated take on the 1951 pic, The Thing From Another World, it betters that sci-fi classic by taking more risks in every arena.
But, where can its success as a remake, and as a successful genre film be pinpointed? The bulk of its effectiveness lies in its setting and effects; it’s hard to imagine anything worse than the isolation Kurt Russell’s MacReady and co. face up in the wintry climes surrounding their research outpost. Until the giant alien beastie makes its way to their camp, that is.
As it works its way through the group, the film’s special effects maestros showcase their skills in a manner that’s rarely seen in cinema today. It’s their work, the creation of many different versions of the alien captured mid-way through its mutation, that quickens pulses and sends shivers down spines. The very fact that this hideous monster never reveals its true face, hiding inside the disguise of man, is just downright sinister. Outclassing the original in every sense, the spot-on reactionary acting, sharp direction and superb special effects make The Thing absolutely the greatest film remake of all time.
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