Trivia on all movies in The Thing film series from 1951 to 2011
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From the Christian Nyby / Howard Hawks 1951 original based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr novel 'Who Goes There?', the early eighties reimagining by horror legand John Carpenter starring Kurt Russell, and its 2011 CGI-heavy prequel, The Thing film series has been terrifying audiences for over 70 years. While technically only the latter two movies are part of a series, we'd feel remiss if the first cinematic outing for the source material wasn't included. Also, it deserves pride of place for being the only movie of the three to actually make a profit at the box office.
Below we discover some fascinating cinematic landmarks all three in the series have been responsible for.
Below we discover some fascinating cinematic landmarks all three in the series have been responsible for.
The Thing Film Series 1:
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951)
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951)
Directed by Christian Nyby.
Tensions rise as things hot up at a remote arctic base when a monstrous alien creature starts killing crew members. |
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5. While Christian Nyby receives credit for directing, it has long been disputed if he really was the man responsible. Some cast members have given conflicting reports that although it may have been Nyby, it equally could have been producer Howard Hawks who directed the movie, simply giving the other the acknowledgement in order to get his Director’s Guild membership.
4. Although hardly the highest grossing film of the year, its amassing of almost $2 million in 1951 made it the biggest science fiction movie of the time, even beating that year’s The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951).
3. This is believed to be possibly the first film ever to feature a full body burn stunt. Stunt man Tom Steele took the place of the monster’s regular actor James Arness for the scene where the US military set fire to him. Although he was not injured, he used an oxygen supply which was highly combustible and could have resulted in tragic consequences.
2. The film is based on the 1938 novel ‘Who Goes There?’ by Don A. Stuart. Although this is the pen name of writer John W. Campbell Jr., the film credits him by his real name instead.
1. In 1982 the film was remade by John Carpenter, who used many more specifics about the creature from the novel. It was remade again in 2011, but that version also acted as a prequel to the 1982 version. While the John Carpenter film is widely regarded as the best, the 1951 version is the only one to have made a profit at the box office.
5. While Christian Nyby receives credit for directing, it has long been disputed if he really was the man responsible. Some cast members have given conflicting reports that although it may have been Nyby, it equally could have been producer Howard Hawks who directed the movie, simply giving the other the acknowledgement in order to get his Director’s Guild membership.
4. Although hardly the highest grossing film of the year, its amassing of almost $2 million in 1951 made it the biggest science fiction movie of the time, even beating that year’s The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951).
3. This is believed to be possibly the first film ever to feature a full body burn stunt. Stunt man Tom Steele took the place of the monster’s regular actor James Arness for the scene where the US military set fire to him. Although he was not injured, he used an oxygen supply which was highly combustible and could have resulted in tragic consequences.
2. The film is based on the 1938 novel ‘Who Goes There?’ by Don A. Stuart. Although this is the pen name of writer John W. Campbell Jr., the film credits him by his real name instead.
1. In 1982 the film was remade by John Carpenter, who used many more specifics about the creature from the novel. It was remade again in 2011, but that version also acted as a prequel to the 1982 version. While the John Carpenter film is widely regarded as the best, the 1951 version is the only one to have made a profit at the box office.
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The Thing Film Series 2:
JOHN CARPENTER'S THE THING (1982)
JOHN CARPENTER'S THE THING (1982)
Directed by John Carpenter.
A group of research scientists at an Antarctic base find a sled dog being chased by a helicopter. When the dog bites one of them, things start to get really tense, and really gory. |
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5. The film was scripted by screen legend Burt Lancaster’s son Bill, who had previously only written the ‘Bad News Bears’ movies. Although he lived until 1997, it was to be his final writing credit.
4. Working 7 days a week, special effects whiz Rob Bottin, only 22 at the time, had to check himself into hospital due to exhaustion once filming had wrapped. Movie effects legend Stan Winston also did some work on the film, but declined a credit so as not to overshadow Bottin’s landmark work.
3. In the 1980s Universal re-edited the film for television. It featured less violence and bad language and included an opening voice-over plus additional footage introducing each character. Carpenter disagreed with the edit and it has never been released on any home-viewing format.
2. This is the first film Carpenter directed without composing the music for. That duty went to legendary composer Ennio Morricone.
1. John Carpenter’s The Thing is somewhat of a spiritual sibling with Blade Runner (1982). Both films were released on the same day, were panned by critics and the audience, failed to make much of a profit and yet have since slowly developed into what are considered much-loved and acclaimed classics.
5. The film was scripted by screen legend Burt Lancaster’s son Bill, who had previously only written the ‘Bad News Bears’ movies. Although he lived until 1997, it was to be his final writing credit.
4. Working 7 days a week, special effects whiz Rob Bottin, only 22 at the time, had to check himself into hospital due to exhaustion once filming had wrapped. Movie effects legend Stan Winston also did some work on the film, but declined a credit so as not to overshadow Bottin’s landmark work.
3. In the 1980s Universal re-edited the film for television. It featured less violence and bad language and included an opening voice-over plus additional footage introducing each character. Carpenter disagreed with the edit and it has never been released on any home-viewing format.
2. This is the first film Carpenter directed without composing the music for. That duty went to legendary composer Ennio Morricone.
1. John Carpenter’s The Thing is somewhat of a spiritual sibling with Blade Runner (1982). Both films were released on the same day, were panned by critics and the audience, failed to make much of a profit and yet have since slowly developed into what are considered much-loved and acclaimed classics.
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The Thing Film Series 3:
THE THING (2011)
THE THING (2011)
Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
A paleontologist joins a group of scientists in Antarctica just as people start dying. Everyone has a bad time except for the alien killing them. |
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5. Although the studio wanted a remake, the producers managed to convince them to make a prequel instead as they believed that remaking a version of John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) would be akin to ‘painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa’.
4. Just like John Carpenter’s 1982 version, this film failed to make a profit at the box office. It dragged in just $27.5 million on a budget of $38 million.
3. The film takes place in the Norwegian Arctic camp, a setting in the original film where everyone has died under mysterious circumstances. Since no blueprints exist for these sets the makers of the prequel had to use still shots and Kurt Russell’s height as a guide to recreating them.
2. The Universal film logo at the beginning of the movie is not the current one in use but the version that was in use between 1990 and 1997.
1. A scene played out during the credits sequence ties the film up with the moment the 1982 movie starts, with a dog being chased by a helicopter.
5. Although the studio wanted a remake, the producers managed to convince them to make a prequel instead as they believed that remaking a version of John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) would be akin to ‘painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa’.
4. Just like John Carpenter’s 1982 version, this film failed to make a profit at the box office. It dragged in just $27.5 million on a budget of $38 million.
3. The film takes place in the Norwegian Arctic camp, a setting in the original film where everyone has died under mysterious circumstances. Since no blueprints exist for these sets the makers of the prequel had to use still shots and Kurt Russell’s height as a guide to recreating them.
2. The Universal film logo at the beginning of the movie is not the current one in use but the version that was in use between 1990 and 1997.
1. A scene played out during the credits sequence ties the film up with the moment the 1982 movie starts, with a dog being chased by a helicopter.
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