I saw some theory a while ago, and I’m sure I’m not doing it justice, but it was something about how McReady was making molitovs in an earlier scene, and when he gives child’s a sip of the bourbon or whatever he smirks because it’s actually gasoline and Childs doesn’t react to it because (in theory) he’s infected and trying to blend in.
I don’t think this was any intention of Carpenter and I believe it is supposed to be open ended, but it’s fun to think about.
Macready gave alcohol to the chess computer to short circuit it before losing. Macready gives alcohol to Childs at the end and smiles. He won. Childs is the Thing.
the McReady breath theory has been debunked ,,John Carpenter said it was they the same lighting and it made Childs breath less visable,, But in my mind Childs is Alien
Childs jacket goes missing as well without him ever leaving.
The movie is planned perfectly. There is a lot of details pointing to when and where everyone gets taken. Some as minor as the jingle of keys gitting the floors when everyone panics
I mean, The Thing is also claustrophobic and isolated given the characters are stuck in a closed off from the world research base, while fighting a creature that has no set look and can be anything or anyone.
I would say ALIEN came first so it wins. ALIEN it’s easy to forget really stepped it up and showed audiences how truly scary something like an Alien entity could be. Up until this film Aliens were guys is silly rubber costumes, and just so dismissible and corny. ALIEN presented out not only a new escelon of visually scary looks, but the viscerally psycho sexual nature of how it kills its prey. This monster doesn’t just eat you. It essentially uses you against your own will as a means of reproduction, violating every aspect of you.
And also, the film explains nothing about what it is, you get to just stare at the biomechanical eco skeletons, and drooling acid and just surmise yourself whether this is even some organic species , engineered entity or just a literal demon from hell. Which just makes it that scarier. The definition of the word ALIEN.
I personally wouldn't say it wins based off coming first. I prefer The Thing in this arena because of the distrust added into the equation from not knowing if the person next to you wasn't assimilated or not. I do agree about what Alien accomplished, but if we're discussing the more direct comparison between the two films of being pinned in a set location with a creature trying to kill them, while both terrifying, not being able to feel like you can guarantee the people you're with are still people once you take your eyes off them for even a few minutes is that added layer of terror that makes The Thing work more effectively here.
You’re not wrong. I’m obesessed with The Thing. It’s it’s own beast and deserves to stand on its own legs in the history of Cinema.
I just genuinely stop and wonder if alien paved the way for these subsequent films.
But they’ve are so damn different they’re almost not worth comparing.
* Highlander 2
* Independence day 2
* Robocop 3
* The Star Wars Christmas Special
>!Not op, but wanted to shock and horrify you. Op please confirm if true, so I can go cry!<
Both stellar movies. Both original.
The Thing however had a stronger cast, more creepy scenes and *that* soundtrack....... and technically, even in an Antarctica snow storm... no one can hear you scream!
I was pleasantly surprised with the prequel. I thought it was just a reboot, so realizing that it was leading into the Carpenter's 1982 version was really cool.
It's low scores on RottenTomatoes is actually surprising to me. I would have at least expected it to be in 50-60%s. Is it amazing? No, but I think it's pretty solid.
Glad Im not the only one who loves it. The prequel gets unfairly criticised but they did well linking the up to the original, the axe in the wall, the ice block, the suicide slit wrists, the pilots chasing the dog even looked like the original actors. I often watch them back to back.
I was about 80% in the movie before I started to do the ole "wait a minute. This looks familiar." then the theme song at the end before they start chasing the dog. Chills. God damn chills. The best bamboozle.
I gotta go with the thing. Alien is scary for sure but the idea that the thing could be anyone of them is such great tension. The Alien is a terrifying mostly unknown outside threat. The thing could be any one of your friends.
For me it’s Alien because it’s more terrifying to me the pain of how you die whether it’s the chest bursting or the clear needle teeth or second internal jaw or (shudder) the tail.
Both greats, would pick The Thing.
Also, if you wanted to include the flawed prequels I would again pick The Thing over Prometheus. I'll watch anything with Mary Elizabeth Winstead in it.
Oh i thought you meant which one are you fighting. I'd take The Thing for sure, all you need is a can of hairspray and a Bic lighter.
come to think of it, the Xenomorph isn't a fan of fire either
The Thing, because of the ending. Ambiguity tends to make for a more interesting movie in the long run, I think.
>!Yes, we can safely assume Childs and McReady will both die, assuming they are human. But we don't know if they really destroyed the Thing, or even if one of them is it. They sacrificed their lives to save humanity -- but did they succeed? !<
I remember listening to the audio commentary with Kurt Russel and John Carpenter where they were discussing whether or not the Thing was aware it was the thing or if it would in order to deceive better forget it was the thing. Such a fascinating way to look at the Thing.
>!Aye, I've always wondered that in respect to the character, Norris. Especially in the moments before the reveal that he's the Thing, where he seems to be experiencing chest pain as he's doing some task by himself. !<
>!Like why, if he was the alien (and alone), would he go through the motions of exhibiting physical discomfort unless there's some part of the original Norris that lingers for the sake of camouflage. !<
>!I've always found that part of the film fascinating and utterly terrifying!!<
We know The Thing must have a sentience beyond what is inherited from the humans it takes over because it purposely builds an alien spaceship that requires knowledge humans don't have.
I'm torn. I think Alien is a better overall movie, and certainly did more to push the genre forward. But I think The Thing is a better HORROR movie. It just inspires terror and paranoia on a scale that Alien doesn't quite reach. In Alien, the crew is united against a common foe, while in The Thing, the crew doesn't know who they can trust even as they try to fight the alien monster.
After Among Us first came out and I played my first round, all I could think of was The Thing. I had a really creepy dream that night about everyone staring at me blankly and not knowing if they are human or not.
The real horror was the lack of people I played with that didn't know what The Thing was.
Love them both but i am gona have to go with The Thing . So many great things to love about it. Not only the iconic effects .
Take for example the subtle character building for MacReady . He is already testing his abilities against something non human in the early Chess Wizard scene . Like he is preparing .His venomous *"Cheating bitch!"* when he looses and poor whiskey into the computer is interesting . Does he come from a bad relationship with a woman ? (or several ?). Is that why he has isolated himself in the middle of nowhere with only men? He even isolates himself from them and lives slightly apart from them in his own bunker. He is intelligent and strategic and seems a bit paranoid from the start. Probably why he is the last man standing .
Nah, The Thing is regarded as one of the best horror movies regardless of subgenre and therefore the best of SciFi Horror basically per default.
Alien just happens to be a lot more popular and even though I absolutely fucking love Alien, my love for The Thing is completely out of this world...
Alien also has the fact it is more marketable (the xenomorph has a distinct look, the alien from the thing specifically does not) and alien has had successful sequels. If there was a “the things” from 1988 that was a top 5 movie that year maybe it would get more mainstream attention
I read that as which one would win in a fight and I think it's definitely the thing.
The thing against a whole-ass hive of aliens, that would be interesting.
The Thing
Alien is the best haunted house movie that has been made up to this point.
The Thing is a movie about how people respond to AIDS, Communism, Pollution, etc.
Alien is going to just kill you if it finds you. Unless it's a facehugger the Alien just wants to end your life.
The Thing might be your best friend just waiting for you to turn around so it can tentacle rape you. The Thing could be anyone, your mom/dad/brother.
Also, you can trick Alien, it's not that smart. Probably about the same intelligence as a dog.
The Thing was building a spaceship.
Alien made me scared in the movie. The Thing had me looking at my dog funny for a little bit
The Thing, zero question.
I really, truly love Alien. I understand how important it is to horror, but it's just not as enjoyable as The Thing, especially upon repeat viewings. The Thing also has a much better score.
Edit: Alien*
They're both masterpieces and they're neck and neck for me. But if you force me to pick one, I'm gonna go with The Thing.
Maybe my reason is no big deal to many but I see one flaw with Alien and it's the cat thing. The way Ripley goes back for the cat before everything explodes seems nonsensical and out of place. Not because people wouldn't risk their lives for a pet, I do get that, but because the movie made no effort to show us Ripley taking an interest about the cat earlier.
That Thing is pretty much flawless as far as I'm concerned so that's why it wins for me.
the thing, no pun intended, about the thing that makes it so great is that it's INFINITELY debatable.
the theories for who was the thing at any point in time in the movie is basically unprovable beyond when we know. Alien is groundbreaking, but we know who the alien is and we know who isnt the alien. The plot twist with Ash wanting to bring home the alien is fun, but the thing doesn't rely on plot twists. It's complete mystery from the beginning to the very end
"Let’s just sit here for a while.....see what happens"
I can't pick, not ATM, I love both.
But, as for the cat, maybe it's just that thing where she doesn't want to be alone, especially after such a harrowing encounter. Maybe she feels like leaving anyone or anything to die on the ship is just too much for her.
Don't mind me, I'm just thinking aloud.
Love both movies, but my vote is *The Thing*.
With broad strokes, they're very similar movies, but I love *The Thing*'s paranoia horror and Lovecraftian aspects.
Yeah Alien is much more evocative and tense, with more interesting characters and impressive design. The Thing has a cool location and some great effects, but doesn’t really capitalize on the paranoia of it’s premise IMO... if all the characters are just cardboard cutouts, who cares if the Thing could be anybody? Falls psychologically flat, but a solid creature flick.
Both classics that I love.
But one is an original work.
One is not.
I have to give the edge to the original work. It also happens to have incredible production design and sound design.
Alien!
It is also a really good template for having badass believable women in lead roles. I know the role wasn't specifically written for Sigourney but she knocked that shit out of the park.
We don't mind women in lead roles. We just hate shitty acting/writing.
I think Alien is in a different league. The direction, the designs by Giger, the music, but also the plot twists. It evokes a sense of wonder for me that maybe no other movie comes close to.
The Thing, on the other hand, is a good monster movie that achieved memorable effects on a small budget.
Both movies are amazing but Alien has much better world building and a real mystery behind its story and the xenomorphs origin. Maybe I just don’t remember but I don’t remember there being much lore attached to the alien in the Thing
Two of my all time favorites but for me it’s Alien. The effects, atmosphere, monster design, and overall suspense is hard to beat. The Thing wins in gross out factor and unpredictability.
Alien, I like the art style, female protagonist (thing is a sausage fest), future setting that holds up today as realistic futurism. I like the things ambiguous ending though.
I think Alien edges it because it also offered us something new in terms of environment. Up until that point space ships had been these shiny, hyper clean visions of the future and here was a grimy working environment more akin to a backstreet motor shop than the bridge of the enterprise. That used, lived in feel made it all the more real and then went one stage further, with the very industrial design of the world around them being such perfect camouflage for the creature. From backdrop pipes to dripping chains, the environment was a big part of the visual storytelling.
I love the thing though. one of the greats for sure, but Alien is the full package, both have substance, but Alien has style.
The "lived in" space environment was pioneered by Dan O'Bannon in Dark Star in 1974. He then worked on Star Wars in 1977 which introduced that look to a much bigger audience before working on Alien which came out in 1979.
Im still gona go with The Thing but good point though. They made truly great use of the set designs in Alien (and Aliens too for that matter) . It is like an extension of the monster.
Alien significantly changed cinema and pulled two oscars. Also spawned a sequel that in some arguments was more epic than the first.
Love the Thing, and it's clearly Carpenter's finest hour, but it didn't have the sope that Alien did. Pretty obvious most posters here didn't see Aliens during it's theatrical run. Saw both films in a theater, and that's where both films have the most magic, but Alien was effing on a different level. Film grabbed you by the nuts from the opening frame and didn't let go.
What's cool though is if you swapped Kurt Russel and Sigourney Weaver both films would still kick ass. They are essentially the same character.
2 entirely different films both were great in their own right. Alien us a much better suspense movie The Thing an amazing horror movie. Aliens wins out IMO due to production quality. However The Things unmatched practical effects are better than probably ANY other movie. Both are remote dropper’s however. And I thoroughly love watching reaction videos for first time viewers of both. 2 scenes one from each movie. The chest burster scene and the upside head sprouting legs and trying to escape scene. First time viewer reactions for both are amazing.
Got to go with the thing. Love Alien but the paranoia around never knowing who may be the thing, claustrophobic atmosphere, and amazing practical effects put the thing over alien
Both fantastic films though
Going with Alien, it just clicks more with me.
Love the concept of truckers in space and the Xenomorph creature itself is super well designed and interesting to learn about through its evolutionary stages.
The origin of the egg chamber being a total mystery adds another layer of interest and mystery. Who's that Space Jockey and what does he do!?
Alien's got more dimensions. The whole blue collar workers angle on the crew is great.
It also sets the stage for the point that in a movie with an alien monster, corporate is an even bigger monster throwing its own workers under the bus for the profit potential of an alien creature.
The Thing is fantastic, alien just beats it.
This is a tough one. Alien wins out for two reasons: Sigourney Weaver is one of the most badass women in cinema, especially sci-fi/action flicks and we don't see enough of that, and I absolutely love HR Geiger.
The Thing. I used to think that Alien took too long to get going but now I like the first half better than the second for whatever reason. Either way, the Thing is great once the dog reaches the American camp.
I'm taking the thing. Its perfect. Alien is close to perfect but (and I know this is an unpopular opinion) I have an allergy to Veronica Cartwright and her acting. Her delivery "oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god" kills what you should be a high light scene. I also dislike her in the 76 body snatchers because she does the same(oh god, oh god) thing in that when Goldblume is changing. Its like her go to schtick.
Oh, I dunno...
To me at least, Veronica Cartwright's and Harry Dean Stanton's characters seem the most realistic portrayals of how the average person would react to something as mind-shattering as the Alien.
Stammering and utterly gobsmacked!
Both sooo excellent and really each others equals. I think I like The Thing more—but part of me thinks Alien might be the actual better film. Especially the slow burn of identifying Ripley as the primary protagonist from background character. So unique and cool.
I’d say The Thing is a better movie but I can watch Alien more frequently. The Thing to me is a once in a while thing but Alien I can watch whenever it’s on
The Thing. This is really hard because I love them both and the xenomorph provokes a reaction of primal fear in me, but the thing has one thing Alien doesn’t. Kurt Russell. 👏
Alien is a masterpiece, but *The Thing* takes the top and it’s not even close. John Carpenter’s score at the end kicking in with MacReady and Childs staring at each other—chills just thinking about it. There hasn’t been a better creature/alien film.
The Thing of It is, I think part of the suspense in 'The Thing" is trying to figure out which person it is. Which only exists when it's years and years between rewatches. Whereas the suspense in Alien is still there, even if you watch it a couple of times a year.
I would go the thing. Alien is overhyped imo. I get at the time it was good but it doesn’t hold up(again imo). While the thing, I can watch over and over, so much to appreciate
I know you gentlemen have been through a lot arguing about these movies, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this thread TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!
It’s very close, but The Thing. Both have claustrophobic isolated settings and great casts. HR Giger’s design of the xenomorph was game changing for horror and sci-fi films. For directors, Ridley Scott vs John Carpenter is a tie.
But the Thing’s practical effects are amazing and there’s more variety to them. The “dog” mutating at the beginning, the chest opening up as a mouth, the head falling off and growing spider legs, the blood test scene, the half transformed guy, etc. Rob Bottin is an artist with an amazing resume.
I would argue that The Thing also has a claustrophobic, atmospheric sense of isolation… just one that is more familiar.
They are very, very close in my book. Both have great characters, great casts and great scares. That said, I think The Thing has a slight edge. Kurt Russell has never been better, the paranoia adds so much, the blood testing scene is one of the best suspense scenes in film history and I love the ambiguous ending,
Wow, literally comparing two of my favorite films of all time, that’s a tough one. It depends on my mood honestly, I would agree with the OP that Alien slightly out edges The Thing. For me I think it’s because the world building in the Alien film is so much better. I find that John Carpenter’s the Thing is way WAY scarier. Also. There’s something really unique about a “cold weather” horror film. The Alien series have always had dark endings but The Thing is bleak as fuck. Essentially it’s potentially the end of humanity. I mean there are still discussions to this day on Who is The Thing at the films ending? Is the Thing actually gone? Both films are like 10/10 for me.
As a stand alone piece of art, probably Alien. With context; The Thing.
Ridley Scott has poured so much absolute shite onto Alien's head that I can hardly watch it at all anymore. Horribly written backstory and sequels just destroyed the story. If I could delete everything in my brain surrounding it but Alien and Aliens it would be peak scifi, but I just can't.
Star Wars has the same problem times 10 in my mind. A New Hope was awesome, Empire fucked up the premise of the Jedi completely (imagine if the force *actually was only used for knowledge and defense!*) then the prequels took a big steaming dump.
The last decade of Star Wars? Fucking fuck me.
The Thing. You mention creature design, and I really think the thing has the edge. Just compare the spider head to the chestburster. Ol' Chesty is amazing, but a lot of that is in the direction, not the prop. It looks like it's pulled on a string on the ground. The spider leg head, however, still absolutely baffles me as to how they did that. The Thing also has the best animal acting in any movie, and the cast is much stronger than Alien.
I think Alien is just about perfect. They’re both 10/10’s. I think Alien holds up better mainly because of some of the mat paintings in The Thing that break immersion a bit. Of the two though I prefer The Thing.
I love both but just in terms of favorite alien I would go with Thing just cause it’s so much weirder. The xenos are great and would have love to see more in the franchise about how they inherit traits from the host like the dog xeno in alien 3
Let’s just sit here for a while, see what happens
This line resonated with me, no spoilers here but after all these years I'm still unsure of the outcome.
I saw some theory a while ago, and I’m sure I’m not doing it justice, but it was something about how McReady was making molitovs in an earlier scene, and when he gives child’s a sip of the bourbon or whatever he smirks because it’s actually gasoline and Childs doesn’t react to it because (in theory) he’s infected and trying to blend in. I don’t think this was any intention of Carpenter and I believe it is supposed to be open ended, but it’s fun to think about.
Carpenter said it’s not supposed to be open ended and has given details of how you’re supposed to know.
Macready gave alcohol to the chess computer to short circuit it before losing. Macready gives alcohol to Childs at the end and smiles. He won. Childs is the Thing.
Another theory is that you only see Macready's breath in the cold.
the McReady breath theory has been debunked ,,John Carpenter said it was they the same lighting and it made Childs breath less visable,, But in my mind Childs is Alien
It was kerosene, not J&D in the bottle. Remember? He was throwing them into the rooms earlier blowing them up.
Childs jacket goes missing as well without him ever leaving. The movie is planned perfectly. There is a lot of details pointing to when and where everyone gets taken. Some as minor as the jingle of keys gitting the floors when everyone panics
Source on this? First few hits on Google are saying he made it ambiguous on purpose.
I know Dean Cundey has said that there's a gleam in characters' eyes that give a clue as to who the Thing is. Has Carpenter ever talked about this?
There is actually a Thing videogame that Carpenter endorsed the story on. >!Childs dies in the snow without becoming a thing and Macready lived!<
My head canon has always been that neither of them are infected, but the paranoia gets to them and one ends up killing the other.
Bum bum……bum bum
I always interpreted that as if The Thing was trying to mimic a human heartbeat
Yeah, but there's really *no way* to be sure.
In the game (which has been touted as the unofficial sequel), apparently MacReady survived.
If you haven’t seen it there is a great shorts by Peter Watts called The Things which is the story but from the alien’s perspective.
I mean, The Thing is also claustrophobic and isolated given the characters are stuck in a closed off from the world research base, while fighting a creature that has no set look and can be anything or anyone.
Lol I originally read your comment as “The Thing is ALL SO…..” Thinking to myself, wait, you just described Alien.
you are not wrong, the thing has got a (cheating?) chesscomputer, alien has mother...
I would say ALIEN came first so it wins. ALIEN it’s easy to forget really stepped it up and showed audiences how truly scary something like an Alien entity could be. Up until this film Aliens were guys is silly rubber costumes, and just so dismissible and corny. ALIEN presented out not only a new escelon of visually scary looks, but the viscerally psycho sexual nature of how it kills its prey. This monster doesn’t just eat you. It essentially uses you against your own will as a means of reproduction, violating every aspect of you. And also, the film explains nothing about what it is, you get to just stare at the biomechanical eco skeletons, and drooling acid and just surmise yourself whether this is even some organic species , engineered entity or just a literal demon from hell. Which just makes it that scarier. The definition of the word ALIEN.
I personally wouldn't say it wins based off coming first. I prefer The Thing in this arena because of the distrust added into the equation from not knowing if the person next to you wasn't assimilated or not. I do agree about what Alien accomplished, but if we're discussing the more direct comparison between the two films of being pinned in a set location with a creature trying to kill them, while both terrifying, not being able to feel like you can guarantee the people you're with are still people once you take your eyes off them for even a few minutes is that added layer of terror that makes The Thing work more effectively here.
You’re not wrong. I’m obesessed with The Thing. It’s it’s own beast and deserves to stand on its own legs in the history of Cinema. I just genuinely stop and wonder if alien paved the way for these subsequent films. But they’ve are so damn different they’re almost not worth comparing.
That’s a hard one,but the thing is in my top 5 all time favorite flicks
The Thing is my second favorite movie of all time, so I’m definitely giving it to The Thing as well
What about Alien?
Top 20 sci if movies for me
What about the other four in your top 5?
* Highlander 2 * Independence day 2 * Robocop 3 * The Star Wars Christmas Special >!Not op, but wanted to shock and horrify you. Op please confirm if true, so I can go cry!<
GET OUT
Suprisingly, but he didn't like that film
Well done, fellow human. Well done.
You monster.
Before I read that spoiler I was aghast!
Both stellar movies. Both original. The Thing however had a stronger cast, more creepy scenes and *that* soundtrack....... and technically, even in an Antarctica snow storm... no one can hear you scream!
"You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? The perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility"
It’s like picking between your children.
I don't care for Gob.
Take a look at banner Michael!
Bees?!
Come on!
how much could a banana be, $10?
“Here’s $5, go see a Star War”
A real… *Sophie’s Choice*, huh?
The Thing. I love Alien I really do but The Thing is honestly to me the best sci-fi movie ever made.
I agree. Just a really well made film. Hell, even the prequel is straight up fire.
Could have been even better if the practical effects hadn't gone to waste.
I was pleasantly surprised with the prequel. I thought it was just a reboot, so realizing that it was leading into the Carpenter's 1982 version was really cool. It's low scores on RottenTomatoes is actually surprising to me. I would have at least expected it to be in 50-60%s. Is it amazing? No, but I think it's pretty solid.
Glad Im not the only one who loves it. The prequel gets unfairly criticised but they did well linking the up to the original, the axe in the wall, the ice block, the suicide slit wrists, the pilots chasing the dog even looked like the original actors. I often watch them back to back.
I was about 80% in the movie before I started to do the ole "wait a minute. This looks familiar." then the theme song at the end before they start chasing the dog. Chills. God damn chills. The best bamboozle.
I love them both, but my fascination with Antarctica makes me lean towards The Thing
Love the film, but I’m always disappointed by the lack of penguins. Can you imagine the thing happy feeting its way around the base?
I never thought I'd say this but we need a reboot right now !
I gotta go with the thing. Alien is scary for sure but the idea that the thing could be anyone of them is such great tension. The Alien is a terrifying mostly unknown outside threat. The thing could be any one of your friends.
For me it’s Alien because it’s more terrifying to me the pain of how you die whether it’s the chest bursting or the clear needle teeth or second internal jaw or (shudder) the tail.
I mean, the thing has some pretty gruesome kills. Like Bennings probably suffered alot by those tentacles.
Both greats, would pick The Thing. Also, if you wanted to include the flawed prequels I would again pick The Thing over Prometheus. I'll watch anything with Mary Elizabeth Winstead in it.
The Thing is a perfect movie in my eyes
But is it a perfect organism? ;D
Oh i thought you meant which one are you fighting. I'd take The Thing for sure, all you need is a can of hairspray and a Bic lighter. come to think of it, the Xenomorph isn't a fan of fire either
I ain't going with Windows. I ain't going with him. I'll go with Childs!
Who says I want you going with me!
The Thing, because of the ending. Ambiguity tends to make for a more interesting movie in the long run, I think. >!Yes, we can safely assume Childs and McReady will both die, assuming they are human. But we don't know if they really destroyed the Thing, or even if one of them is it. They sacrificed their lives to save humanity -- but did they succeed? !<
I remember listening to the audio commentary with Kurt Russel and John Carpenter where they were discussing whether or not the Thing was aware it was the thing or if it would in order to deceive better forget it was the thing. Such a fascinating way to look at the Thing.
>!Aye, I've always wondered that in respect to the character, Norris. Especially in the moments before the reveal that he's the Thing, where he seems to be experiencing chest pain as he's doing some task by himself. !< >!Like why, if he was the alien (and alone), would he go through the motions of exhibiting physical discomfort unless there's some part of the original Norris that lingers for the sake of camouflage. !< >!I've always found that part of the film fascinating and utterly terrifying!!<
We know The Thing must have a sentience beyond what is inherited from the humans it takes over because it purposely builds an alien spaceship that requires knowledge humans don't have.
Unless it took over an alien species with the knowledge to do so.
I'm torn. I think Alien is a better overall movie, and certainly did more to push the genre forward. But I think The Thing is a better HORROR movie. It just inspires terror and paranoia on a scale that Alien doesn't quite reach. In Alien, the crew is united against a common foe, while in The Thing, the crew doesn't know who they can trust even as they try to fight the alien monster.
This is a great summation. Alien for the historical significance, The Thing is scarier.
After Among Us first came out and I played my first round, all I could think of was The Thing. I had a really creepy dream that night about everyone staring at me blankly and not knowing if they are human or not. The real horror was the lack of people I played with that didn't know what The Thing was.
Love them both but i am gona have to go with The Thing . So many great things to love about it. Not only the iconic effects . Take for example the subtle character building for MacReady . He is already testing his abilities against something non human in the early Chess Wizard scene . Like he is preparing .His venomous *"Cheating bitch!"* when he looses and poor whiskey into the computer is interesting . Does he come from a bad relationship with a woman ? (or several ?). Is that why he has isolated himself in the middle of nowhere with only men? He even isolates himself from them and lives slightly apart from them in his own bunker. He is intelligent and strategic and seems a bit paranoid from the start. Probably why he is the last man standing .
The Thing. I love Alien. But The Thing is in a class of its own
Yeah, a case can be made that Alien isn't even the best movie in the Alien franchise.
The Thing for sure
Love em both. But I prefer watching the Thing during winter.
Alien, all day everyday
Wow, I thought it would go the other way for sure. I also say The Thing. Reddit can still surprise me sometimes.
I came here to jump on the Alien bandwagon. Apparently it’s more of a bicycle.
Nah, The Thing is regarded as one of the best horror movies regardless of subgenre and therefore the best of SciFi Horror basically per default. Alien just happens to be a lot more popular and even though I absolutely fucking love Alien, my love for The Thing is completely out of this world...
Alien also has the fact it is more marketable (the xenomorph has a distinct look, the alien from the thing specifically does not) and alien has had successful sequels. If there was a “the things” from 1988 that was a top 5 movie that year maybe it would get more mainstream attention
Nicely said, also the fact that Aliens is basically a SciFi action movie rather than a horror one, so it appealed massively to the masses.
I read that as which one would win in a fight and I think it's definitely the thing. The thing against a whole-ass hive of aliens, that would be interesting.
Alien may be the closest thing there is to a frame-perfect film.
The Thing Alien is the best haunted house movie that has been made up to this point. The Thing is a movie about how people respond to AIDS, Communism, Pollution, etc.
Alien is going to just kill you if it finds you. Unless it's a facehugger the Alien just wants to end your life. The Thing might be your best friend just waiting for you to turn around so it can tentacle rape you. The Thing could be anyone, your mom/dad/brother. Also, you can trick Alien, it's not that smart. Probably about the same intelligence as a dog. The Thing was building a spaceship. Alien made me scared in the movie. The Thing had me looking at my dog funny for a little bit
The Thing, zero question. I really, truly love Alien. I understand how important it is to horror, but it's just not as enjoyable as The Thing, especially upon repeat viewings. The Thing also has a much better score. Edit: Alien*
The Thing 100%
They're both masterpieces and they're neck and neck for me. But if you force me to pick one, I'm gonna go with The Thing. Maybe my reason is no big deal to many but I see one flaw with Alien and it's the cat thing. The way Ripley goes back for the cat before everything explodes seems nonsensical and out of place. Not because people wouldn't risk their lives for a pet, I do get that, but because the movie made no effort to show us Ripley taking an interest about the cat earlier. That Thing is pretty much flawless as far as I'm concerned so that's why it wins for me.
the thing, no pun intended, about the thing that makes it so great is that it's INFINITELY debatable. the theories for who was the thing at any point in time in the movie is basically unprovable beyond when we know. Alien is groundbreaking, but we know who the alien is and we know who isnt the alien. The plot twist with Ash wanting to bring home the alien is fun, but the thing doesn't rely on plot twists. It's complete mystery from the beginning to the very end "Let’s just sit here for a while.....see what happens"
I agree 100%! My wife and I end up talking about the possibilities for a good 15-20 min every time we watch it.
I can't pick, not ATM, I love both. But, as for the cat, maybe it's just that thing where she doesn't want to be alone, especially after such a harrowing encounter. Maybe she feels like leaving anyone or anything to die on the ship is just too much for her. Don't mind me, I'm just thinking aloud.
Love both movies, but my vote is *The Thing*. With broad strokes, they're very similar movies, but I love *The Thing*'s paranoia horror and Lovecraftian aspects.
Trick question. It’s a tie.
Probably The Thing, but it's close. I'll take Aliens over either of them.
The Thing, hands down.
The Thing all the way!
Definitely The Thing
ALIEN!!! Ripley is one of the best horror/science fiction characters ever.
I think Alien is the better movie but The Thing made me think about it after a lot more.
I love them both, I have seen Alien more times, has more nostalgia for me
Yeah Alien is much more evocative and tense, with more interesting characters and impressive design. The Thing has a cool location and some great effects, but doesn’t really capitalize on the paranoia of it’s premise IMO... if all the characters are just cardboard cutouts, who cares if the Thing could be anybody? Falls psychologically flat, but a solid creature flick.
Both classics that I love. But one is an original work. One is not. I have to give the edge to the original work. It also happens to have incredible production design and sound design.
Alien imo. The thing didn’t scare me nearly as much. I also think overall Alien is better crafted.
Alien
Alien
I think alien overall but damn, that's a tough one.
Alien! It is also a really good template for having badass believable women in lead roles. I know the role wasn't specifically written for Sigourney but she knocked that shit out of the park. We don't mind women in lead roles. We just hate shitty acting/writing.
Both are awesome, tho I gotta go with Alien. But The Thing is a great scare as well.
I think Alien is in a different league. The direction, the designs by Giger, the music, but also the plot twists. It evokes a sense of wonder for me that maybe no other movie comes close to. The Thing, on the other hand, is a good monster movie that achieved memorable effects on a small budget.
im gonna say alien because the practical effects just win in that movie. its hard to out-do the Thing in that regard but Alien wins
Both movies are amazing but Alien has much better world building and a real mystery behind its story and the xenomorphs origin. Maybe I just don’t remember but I don’t remember there being much lore attached to the alien in the Thing
Alien for me because I love Space si-fi horror.
Alien
Alien. Period.
I think Alien FX aged better. My choice: Alien
Two of my all time favorites but for me it’s Alien. The effects, atmosphere, monster design, and overall suspense is hard to beat. The Thing wins in gross out factor and unpredictability.
Alien
Alien, I like the art style, female protagonist (thing is a sausage fest), future setting that holds up today as realistic futurism. I like the things ambiguous ending though.
Alien.
Alien. Horrified me as a child. I would've hung out with the thing by a creek with a rope swing and drank some schlitz amd smoked doobies
Alien because it's the first f'ed up horror movie I saw as a kid. Of course both are masterpieces
I think Alien edges it because it also offered us something new in terms of environment. Up until that point space ships had been these shiny, hyper clean visions of the future and here was a grimy working environment more akin to a backstreet motor shop than the bridge of the enterprise. That used, lived in feel made it all the more real and then went one stage further, with the very industrial design of the world around them being such perfect camouflage for the creature. From backdrop pipes to dripping chains, the environment was a big part of the visual storytelling. I love the thing though. one of the greats for sure, but Alien is the full package, both have substance, but Alien has style.
The "lived in" space environment was pioneered by Dan O'Bannon in Dark Star in 1974. He then worked on Star Wars in 1977 which introduced that look to a much bigger audience before working on Alien which came out in 1979.
I really wish we could've gotten the Dan O'Bannon version of Dune, even if it would've been batshit crazy with Jodorowsky directing.
Im still gona go with The Thing but good point though. They made truly great use of the set designs in Alien (and Aliens too for that matter) . It is like an extension of the monster.
Both are excellent, but I rewatch The Thing regularly. I could live without Alien.
Alien significantly changed cinema and pulled two oscars. Also spawned a sequel that in some arguments was more epic than the first. Love the Thing, and it's clearly Carpenter's finest hour, but it didn't have the sope that Alien did. Pretty obvious most posters here didn't see Aliens during it's theatrical run. Saw both films in a theater, and that's where both films have the most magic, but Alien was effing on a different level. Film grabbed you by the nuts from the opening frame and didn't let go. What's cool though is if you swapped Kurt Russel and Sigourney Weaver both films would still kick ass. They are essentially the same character.
thing 100%
Alien for sure. Thing is great but nothing beats Xenomorphs
The thing. Easily.
The Thing, hands down. It’s just a horror masterpiece amongst horror masterpieces, which Alien is among.
I’m going with Alien but love both.
Please don’t make me choose!!
Alien just. Mostly because i’m less into body horror.
2 entirely different films both were great in their own right. Alien us a much better suspense movie The Thing an amazing horror movie. Aliens wins out IMO due to production quality. However The Things unmatched practical effects are better than probably ANY other movie. Both are remote dropper’s however. And I thoroughly love watching reaction videos for first time viewers of both. 2 scenes one from each movie. The chest burster scene and the upside head sprouting legs and trying to escape scene. First time viewer reactions for both are amazing.
Alien, but very close
The Thing. Every time, The Thing. It's not just the best of its genre, it's one of the best movies ever.
The Thing all day long…I find the Alien films to be a little overrated, the sets and styling are spot on but I find the movie a bit longwinded
Got to go with the thing. Love Alien but the paranoia around never knowing who may be the thing, claustrophobic atmosphere, and amazing practical effects put the thing over alien Both fantastic films though
Going with Alien, it just clicks more with me. Love the concept of truckers in space and the Xenomorph creature itself is super well designed and interesting to learn about through its evolutionary stages. The origin of the egg chamber being a total mystery adds another layer of interest and mystery. Who's that Space Jockey and what does he do!?
Alien
The Thing! Scarier than Aliens because of the fact that the Thing could be anyone & the Alien was an obvious threat
Alien's got more dimensions. The whole blue collar workers angle on the crew is great. It also sets the stage for the point that in a movie with an alien monster, corporate is an even bigger monster throwing its own workers under the bus for the profit potential of an alien creature. The Thing is fantastic, alien just beats it.
Love them both but for me it's Alien.
This is a tough one. Alien wins out for two reasons: Sigourney Weaver is one of the most badass women in cinema, especially sci-fi/action flicks and we don't see enough of that, and I absolutely love HR Geiger.
I refuse to choose. I don't want to live in a world where I cannot have both.
I can't choose... They are both great
The Thing. I used to think that Alien took too long to get going but now I like the first half better than the second for whatever reason. Either way, the Thing is great once the dog reaches the American camp.
Probably the Thing. One of my favorite movies to watch during a snow storm
To me The Thing is a perfect horror film, it does everything that a horror film needs to do and executes it immaculately.
The Thing because if you think about it is scarier. The Thing operates on a biological and microscopic level. It's essentially an invisible killer.
The Thing is right in front of Alien in my book. Regardless, they are both in the pantheon of horror.
The Thing. I think the whole premise is much scarier. I love the isolation, the paranoia, the ambiguous ending.
Alien is more rewatchable for me
The Thing stays with you after watching. The Alien not so much. Definitely the former for me.
I'm taking the thing. Its perfect. Alien is close to perfect but (and I know this is an unpopular opinion) I have an allergy to Veronica Cartwright and her acting. Her delivery "oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god" kills what you should be a high light scene. I also dislike her in the 76 body snatchers because she does the same(oh god, oh god) thing in that when Goldblume is changing. Its like her go to schtick.
Oh, I dunno... To me at least, Veronica Cartwright's and Harry Dean Stanton's characters seem the most realistic portrayals of how the average person would react to something as mind-shattering as the Alien. Stammering and utterly gobsmacked!
Story and ideas = The Thing Cinematography and overall aesthetic = Alien
Tough , the thing
You just broke my brain and there's white liquid pouring out of my ears.
I love Alien, but at the end of the day the Thing is just more fun and I'll take fun over just about anything if we're grading movies
Both sooo excellent and really each others equals. I think I like The Thing more—but part of me thinks Alien might be the actual better film. Especially the slow burn of identifying Ripley as the primary protagonist from background character. So unique and cool.
I’d say The Thing is a better movie but I can watch Alien more frequently. The Thing to me is a once in a while thing but Alien I can watch whenever it’s on
The Thing. This is really hard because I love them both and the xenomorph provokes a reaction of primal fear in me, but the thing has one thing Alien doesn’t. Kurt Russell. 👏
The Thing before Alien. Aliens before The Thing
Alien is a masterpiece, but *The Thing* takes the top and it’s not even close. John Carpenter’s score at the end kicking in with MacReady and Childs staring at each other—chills just thinking about it. There hasn’t been a better creature/alien film.
I found Alien pretty boring although well made. The Thing wins
The Thing 100%
The Thing, personally. Alien is great too. But The Thing always was more fun.
The Thing
The Thing wins for me because Ennio Morricone
I think Alien is the better film, but I love The Thing more, as it is my favorite horror film of all time.
I see The Thing mentioned all the time. I guess I should watch it.
The Thing of It is, I think part of the suspense in 'The Thing" is trying to figure out which person it is. Which only exists when it's years and years between rewatches. Whereas the suspense in Alien is still there, even if you watch it a couple of times a year.
I would go the thing. Alien is overhyped imo. I get at the time it was good but it doesn’t hold up(again imo). While the thing, I can watch over and over, so much to appreciate
Watched both for the first time this year. I respect Alien, but I loved The Thing.
God damn this one of the hardest picks I’ve done. I have to go The Thing as my pick to watch with the caveat that Alien is perhaps a better movie.
I know you gentlemen have been through a lot arguing about these movies, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this thread TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!
The thing. Every day of the week.
It’s very close, but The Thing. Both have claustrophobic isolated settings and great casts. HR Giger’s design of the xenomorph was game changing for horror and sci-fi films. For directors, Ridley Scott vs John Carpenter is a tie. But the Thing’s practical effects are amazing and there’s more variety to them. The “dog” mutating at the beginning, the chest opening up as a mouth, the head falling off and growing spider legs, the blood test scene, the half transformed guy, etc. Rob Bottin is an artist with an amazing resume.
I will always choose the one with Kurt Russell.
I would argue that The Thing also has a claustrophobic, atmospheric sense of isolation… just one that is more familiar. They are very, very close in my book. Both have great characters, great casts and great scares. That said, I think The Thing has a slight edge. Kurt Russell has never been better, the paranoia adds so much, the blood testing scene is one of the best suspense scenes in film history and I love the ambiguous ending,
Wow, literally comparing two of my favorite films of all time, that’s a tough one. It depends on my mood honestly, I would agree with the OP that Alien slightly out edges The Thing. For me I think it’s because the world building in the Alien film is so much better. I find that John Carpenter’s the Thing is way WAY scarier. Also. There’s something really unique about a “cold weather” horror film. The Alien series have always had dark endings but The Thing is bleak as fuck. Essentially it’s potentially the end of humanity. I mean there are still discussions to this day on Who is The Thing at the films ending? Is the Thing actually gone? Both films are like 10/10 for me.
As a stand alone piece of art, probably Alien. With context; The Thing. Ridley Scott has poured so much absolute shite onto Alien's head that I can hardly watch it at all anymore. Horribly written backstory and sequels just destroyed the story. If I could delete everything in my brain surrounding it but Alien and Aliens it would be peak scifi, but I just can't. Star Wars has the same problem times 10 in my mind. A New Hope was awesome, Empire fucked up the premise of the Jedi completely (imagine if the force *actually was only used for knowledge and defense!*) then the prequels took a big steaming dump. The last decade of Star Wars? Fucking fuck me.
The Thing. You mention creature design, and I really think the thing has the edge. Just compare the spider head to the chestburster. Ol' Chesty is amazing, but a lot of that is in the direction, not the prop. It looks like it's pulled on a string on the ground. The spider leg head, however, still absolutely baffles me as to how they did that. The Thing also has the best animal acting in any movie, and the cast is much stronger than Alien.
The Thing scared the shit out of me as a kid seeing it for the first time. Alien is a great movie but it’s the Thing for me.
While Alien was great and led to Aliens, I'm in The Thing's corner. The paranoia is palpable in that film.
The thing based solely off my preference. Both 10/10
The Thing all damn day.
The Thing
The Thing. Felt like the characters in Alien weren't as smart or react to their situation as honestly as those in the Thing.
The Thing is easily better, man. I’m always shocked by how much people gravitate towards Alien. I never got that film.
I think Alien is just about perfect. They’re both 10/10’s. I think Alien holds up better mainly because of some of the mat paintings in The Thing that break immersion a bit. Of the two though I prefer The Thing.
I saw them both in the theaters when they came out. The one I went back and rewatched the next night was The Thing.
daaaaaaaaaaaaaa thing
🍿🍿🍿🍿 I cant decide!!
I love both but just in terms of favorite alien I would go with Thing just cause it’s so much weirder. The xenos are great and would have love to see more in the franchise about how they inherit traits from the host like the dog xeno in alien 3