JOHN CARPENTER

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB.5. 

 USA, 1982.  Universal Pictures, Turman-Foster Company.  Story by John W. Campbell Jr., Screenplay by Bill Lancaster.  Cinematography by Dean Cundey.  Produced by David Foster, Lawrence Turman.  Music by Ennio Morricone.  Production Design by John L. Lloyd.  Costume Design by Ronald I. Caplan, Gilbert Loe, Trish Keating.  Film Editing by Todd C. Ramsay. 

A stray dog runs into a research station in Antarctica followed by a crazed man who is trying to kill it. The scientists working at the station have no idea why this man, followed by a helicopter that crashes, would be so determined to shoot a dog until they realize that it is actually an alien which can take over the form of any living creature that it kills. Now there’s a mad killer loose in the compound and these boys have to stop it before it kills them all. Kurt Russell once again teams up with director John Carpenter after their success with Escape From New York for this fun little affair, an enjoyable caper that indulges too much in gross excess but is spooky nonetheless. Not as chilly as the original (from which it liberally changes the plot), but it does have its moments and it will make you quite tense.