In today’s episode, we put two titan entry points of 1980s body horror into the arena: John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) and David Cronenberg’s The Fly (1986). Only one can make our Essential Cut Watchlist.
We break down why The Thing is a masterclass in tension—a perfectly constructed pressure cooker of paranoia where there is no escape, and where characters are forced to perform inhuman acts just to prove their humanity.
Plus, Ian makes the case against The Fly, arguing that Cronenberg built two separate films: a classic sci-fi creature feature and an allegory for disease, aging, and mortality, with a tenuous bridge between them.
Which movie takes the crown? Tune in to find out!
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