As if it weren’t already considered one of the greatest horror films of all time, The Thing just added another major accolade to its list. John Carpenter's 1982 horror film starring Kurt Russell is being added to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress, preserving it for its impact on American cinema and storytelling.
Notably the only horror film to be added this year, the Library of Congress describes the film as “moody, stark, often funny and always chilling” and cites its revolutionary special effects as one of several reasons for its induction, calling it a “tense, thrilling and profoundly unsettling work of cinema.” We agree!
“When we preserve films, we preserve American culture for generations to come. These selections for the National Film Registry show us that films are instrumental in capturing important parts of our nation’s story,” said Acting Librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen. “We are proud to continue this important work, adding a broad range of 25 films to the National Film Registry as a collective effort in the film community to protect our cinematic heritage.”
The Thing joins a diverse range of twenty-five films being added to the registry, a group that includes stories from across the history of cinema. Also being added this year are lesser known titles like The Tramp and the Dog from 1896 and Ten Nights in a Barroom from 1926, as well as more familiar classics like White Christmas, High Society, The Big Chill, The Karate Kid, Philadelphia, Clueless, The Truman Show, The Incredibles, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Also selected are four documentaries: The Loving Story, Say Amen, Somebody, The Wrecking Crew, and Brooklyn Bridge, from acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns.
To celebrate this year’s inductees into the registry, Turner Classic Movies is hosting a television special on March 19, where they’ll be screening a selection of the films from the list, introduced by TCM host and film historian Jacqueline Stewart, who also leads the board of recommendations for the Library of Congress when it comes to the National Film Registry.
“It is very meaningful that the National Film Registry is adding six silent film titles, showing the range of topics and styles in the earliest years of American filmmaking,” Stewart said. “And it is especially exciting to see that the top title nominated by the public for this year, ‘The Thing,’ has been added to the National Film Registry, along with ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘The Incredibles’ which also had very strong public support.”
If you’re tempted to give The Thing a rewatch (or first watch!) to celebrate its addition to the registry, it’s available to stream now on AMC+ and Shudder.
