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The Thing from Another World (1951)

tomatometer

86

Average Rating: 7.6/10
Reviews Counted: 29
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 4

As flying saucer movies go, The Thing From Another World is better than most, thanks to well-drawn characters and concise, tense plotting.

No Score Yet...

Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

As flying saucer movies go, The Thing From Another World is better than most, thanks to well-drawn characters and concise, tense plotting.

audience

71

liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 6,849

My Rating

Movie Info

The scene is a distant Arctic research station, where a UFO has crashed. The investigating scientists discover that the circular craft has melted its way into the ice, which has frozen up again. While attempting to recover the ship, Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) accidentally explodes the vessel, but the pilot -- at least, what seems to be the pilot -- remains frozen in a block of ice. The body is taken to base headquarters, where it is inadvertently thawed out by an electric blanket.

Aug 5, 2003

Cast

All Critics (30) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (5) | DVD (19)

The resourcefulness shown in building the plot groundwork is lacking as the yarn gets into full swing. Cast members, headed by Margaret Sheridan and Kenneth Tobey, fail to communicate any real terror.

June 6, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety | Comments (2)
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The film has more frissons than most of today's mega-budget productions, simply because it has the grace to construct a meaningful situation and coherent characters.

June 6, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Perhaps the most famous shot of the movie is also one of head-slapping irrelevance.

October 14, 2011 Full Review Source: Suite101.com | Comment (1)
Suite101.com

Lively science fiction film, with dubious politics.

August 10, 2011 Full Review Source: Classic Film and Television | Comment
Classic Film and Television

A solid, workmanlike film that holds up better than one would expect.

March 13, 2011 Full Review Source: Film and Felt | Comment
Film and Felt

classic, though it didn't impress me really that much

May 2, 2008 Comment (1)

A perfect popcorn movie.

April 9, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment
eFilmCritic.com

Rather than Nyby, producer Howard Hawks is often credited for the direction of this sci-fi landmark, which features Hollywood's first space-age monster in a decade invaded by Cold War-era aliens.

March 5, 2007 Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | Comment

Howard Hawks only produced this classic scary sci-fi feature, but it has his signature touches all over it: overlapping dialogue, smooth storytelling, compressed time and space.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment
Combustible Celluloid

All-time classic sci-fi still packs creepy wallop.

April 28, 2006 Comment
Video-Reviewmaster.com

This taut and entertaining thriller is to The Day the Earth Stood Still what Alien is to Star Trek, or the Rolling Stones to the Beatles.

April 7, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com | Comment (1)
DVDJournal.com

Warner's DVD ... brings us a very good unrestored print of the uncut 87-minute version in its original full-screen aspect ratio. The transfer is sharp with fine definition and black-and-white contrast. Some dirt, scratches ... but it's nothing serious.

April 7, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com | Comment
DVDJournal.com

The overall message of The Thing emerges as distinctly hawkish. Reactionary or not, though, it's still a masterpiece.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Thing from Another World

As a group of scientists travel into the arctic regions on a normal investigation, which turns into one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind. They find that a UFO has crash landed on their planet and as they find another life form, they intend to bring it back for testing, unaware of what this "thing"

October 15, 2011
KJ Proulx

Super Reviewer

An alien monster is thawed and attacks a group of military officers and scientists in the arctic. What I like about this classic horror film is the logical process through which the main character solves the problem. There are few "why is she going down the stairs" moments (although the lights are turned out

July 27, 2011
hunterjt13
Jim Hunter

Super Reviewer

    1. Nikki Nicholson: Anybody want some coffee?
    2. Capt. Patrick Hendry: No, but you can come in.
    – Submitted by THGhost . (6 months ago)
    1. Ned "Scotty" Scott: Watch the skies, everywhere, keep looking! Keep watching the skies!
    – Submitted by Chris P (9 months ago)

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Foreign Titles

  • The Thing from Another World (1951) (DE)
  • The Thing from Another World (1951) (UK)
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