The Thing from Another World/YMMV


 * Alternate Character Interpretation: Is the Thing the vanguard of an Alien Invasion as the soldiers speculate? Or is it a frightened being stranded alone on an alien world, viciously attacked immediately upon regaining consciousness, and justifiably working to defend itself?
 * One might believe that at first, but the alien had many opportunities to ether leave or make it's peaceful intentions clear, it didn't. Of course one could also argue that while he wasn't very pleseant, he most likely had no intrest in Invading Earth just a guy who crashed on the wrong planet at the wrong time.
 * Hell Is That Noise - The ominous click-click-click of the Geiger counter as the Thing approaches.
 * Nightmare Retardant - The buildup for the Thing is incredibly skillful - the scene where they find the flying saucer, for example, is still one of the more chilling images in any movie. That said, the Thing itself is basically a clumsy albeit strong dude made of plants who slowly stumbles in the heroes' direction. At the time, Lumbering monsters were the thing as opposed to today's speed demons.
 * Save one scene, in which The Thing is
 * There's also the scene where The Thing gets doused with gasoline and set ablaze, and continues to rampage around a cramped, darkened room, setting everything else on fire in the process.
 * Part of the problem is time. A lot of the Horror techniques we see every day were invented in this movie. In the early 50s, they were absolutely shocking. The fact that it still can give chills so many years later is a testament to how well it was done.
 * Narm Charm - "An intellectual carrot! The mind boggles..."
 * Seinfeld Is Unfunny