Indulging in art is without a doubt one of the most pleasurable necessities of the human experience, and the feeling is only exacerbated when you come across a film, television series, or video game that leaves you gratified beyond comprehension. And with that comes a curious strand of jealousy for those who haven’t experienced it yet, and are therefore subject to the high that you may never grasp again.
Many films have been this for many individuals, but a hefty handful of them, such as 1982’s The Thing, can lay claim to being a treasured first-time experience for a whole legion of horror veterans and newcomers alike, both groups of which found themselves pining on r/horror for a much-needed memory wipe in hopes that John Carpenter’s most famous reappraisal can wow them with blind purity once again.
After the original poster divulged their own recent experience of watching The Thing for the first time, many responders aired their wishes to be in their position.
Others began sharing their own stories of their experience with the film, ranging from being the one to introduce it to unsuspecting peers to preparing to dive into it for the first time themselves.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Reddit thread involving The Thing without plenty of responders breaking down its many nuances and strengths.
Even the 2011 prequel managed to get a shoutout among all the starry-eyed hubbub.
Indeed, it seems The Thing is something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, if you haven’t watched it, then you haven’t had what appears to be an apex of the sci-fi horror experience. On the other hand, if you have watched it, you’ll never get to experience that same apex ever again. Tread carefully, filmgoers — there’s no going back once you queue it up.