17. The Thing (1982)

Across an arctic tundra, a lone sled dog runs, pursued by 2 men in a helicopter. One of them brandishes a rifle and begins shooting. Workers at a remote arctic research station watch as the helicopter crashes and explodes. They befriend the dog, welcoming him..and something else... into their kennel. Thus begins John Carpenter's classic icy masterpiece 'The Thing'. Featuring spot-on casting, spooky, wind-rattled interiors, dark humor, KURT RUSSELL, and a unique shape-shifting "Thing"...it seems insane now that this film almost ruined Carpenter's career upon release and damaged his relationship with the horror audience and the film community for years...all because of a movie he didn't really want to do in the first place.