The Real Monster Is Not Knowing

That's what makes The Thing and Screamers so effective.

The monsters are horrifying, but the uncertainty is worse.

You don't know who to trust.

You don't know where the enemy is.

You don't know whether your defenses will work.

And most importantly, you don't know whether the person standing beside you is actually human.

That's the secret ingredient of paranoid horror.

The monster doesn't have to hide in the shadows.

It can stand right in front of you.

It can talk to you.

It can smile at you.

It can tell you everything is going to be okay.

And you have absolutely no way of knowing whether you should believe it.

Now that's horror.

Which One Is More Paranoid?

Here's the question for the horror fans:

Which movie do you think handles paranoia better—The Thing or Screamers?

The Thing has the advantage of Carpenter's incredible atmosphere, practical effects and claustrophobic Antarctic setting.

Screamers brings technological paranoia, artificial intelligence and the fear that humanity's own creations could eventually become indistinguishable from us.

Both movies understand that sometimes the scariest monster isn't the creature itself.

It's the thought that you might already be sitting in the room with it.

Tell us what you think in the comments: Which movie made you more suspicious of the people around you?