Weekly ‘Flix Fix takes the legwork out of wading through thousands of film choices on Netflix, bringing you the most truly bizarre, quirky and outright amazing gems instant streaming has to offer.

What’s the best movie for a Halloween scare? Obviously, “The Thing,” directed by John Carpenter. As most people know, ‘80s movies have a hit or miss nostalgia about them, especially horror movies. Making a movie believable, downright scary, and timeless with the technological limitations of the ‘80s is a feat “The Thing” can boast.

“The Thing” falls under the category of a science fiction horror film. Its title refers to the creature the characters in the film encounter. The movie starts in bleak Antarctica as an Alaskan Malamute is being chased by Norwegian helicopters bent on shooting it down. Confusion ensues after the helicopter lands and a bullet meant for the dog grazes  American researchers. Soon enough, all the Norwegians are dead, and the Americans are left scratching their heads about why the Norwegians were so focused on ending the seemingly friendly dog’s life.

Little do they know, the dog isn’t a dog at all. It’s an alien that can transform into an exact copy of whatever it touches. It then takes the identity of the victim before exploding and munching on whatever other victims happen to be in its way.

Eventually, the thing has shown its true colors and taken over the identity of one of the researchers. The Americans must then find a way to distinguish themselves from the alien and find a way to kill the thing.

Although the film was unable to find its niche in the box office when it was first released, it found its place in the hearts and minds of cult movie culture. In fact, Carpenter’s “The Thing” was so iconic and awesome, Hollywood saw fit to give it the prequel die-hard horror movie enthusiasts have been pleading for since 1982. This prequel, released Oct. 14, follows the untold story of the Norwegians. The 2011 version will follow what havoc this alien wrecked on the Norwegians before fleeing to another group of victims.

See the new 2011 film, then see the ’82 film and marvel in the glory of a greatness that defies time. Bring along your friends to scream your heads off at this truly terrifying and genuine film.