I recommend this flick to everyone within earshot. Carpenter had a way of establishing mood with his early efforts, and this one sinks its teeth into your spine and settles in. Just enough casting acumen to keep you involved with the characters without harboring attachments to them when they bit the dust (which you knew was going to happen). Slightly sloppy in the special effects department, but when certain scenes hit, they packed a wallop (the head-bug in the doorway continues to chill). Pacing was exceptional, and the ending is not to be missed. A classic that's not mentioned nearly enough.