一群美国科学探险队征到南极地，途中遇到挪威人正在追捕一只爱斯基摩犬，他们对这怪异的围捕行动感到好奇；当天晚上，几个队员和狗儿们遭受那爱斯基摩犬的突击，其他的队员才警觉有不明物体附身在同行的伙伴身上，只是没有人分辨的出谁是正常的…… Those familiar with John Carpenter's own minimal soundtracks for his films Halloween and Assault on Precinct 13 probably would have credited the soundtrack of The Thing to the director as well. After all, the recurring theme — a dark, heartbeat-like pulse that circles in on itself without release — gives the film its particular tension and foreboding. But it's credited to Ennio Morricone, as is the rest of the album. The soundtrack is notable for being one of Morricone's earliest electronic scores and for acknowledging the influence of Carpenter's seminal work in music (and those who influenced him, such as Goblin). It also opts for an atmosphere of dread without punctuating the darkness with obvious scary orchestral bursts. Not a soundtrack for a casual listen, but an important release nonetheless.