Threatthriver/General_Text_Data · Datasets at Hugging Face

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J&B; Scotch ". [44] Tobey singled out the visual effects, saying they "were so
explicit that they actually destroyed how you were supposed to feel about the
characters ... They became almost a movie in themselves, and were a little too
horrifying." [80] In Phil Hardy 's 1984 book Science Fiction , a reviewer
described the film as a "surprising failure" and called it "Carpenter's most
unsatisfying film to date". [95] The review noted that the narrative "seems
little more than an excuse for the various set-pieces of special effects and
Russell's hero is no more than a cypher compared to Tobey's rounded character
in Howard Hawks' The Thing ". [95] Clennon said that introductory scenes for
the characters, omitted from the film, made it hard for audiences to connect
with them, robbing it of some of the broader appeal of Alien . [40] Accolades
[ edit ] The Thing received nominations from the Academy of Science Fiction,
Fantasy and Horror Films for Best Horror Film and Best Special Effects , [96]
but lost to Poltergeist and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , respectively. [97]
The film was nominated at the Razzie Awards for Worst Musical Score . [98]
Post-release [ edit ] Performance analysis and aftermath [ edit ] In a 1999
interview, Carpenter said audiences rejected The Thing for its nihilistic,
depressing viewpoint at a time when the United States was in the midst of a
recession . [23] When it opened, it was competing against the critically and
commercially successful E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ($619 million), a family-
friendly film released two weeks earlier that offered a more optimistic take
on alien visitation. [14] [99] [100] Carpenter described it as the complete
opposite of his film. [44] The Thing opened on the same day as the science
fiction film Blade Runner , which debuted as the number two film that weekend
with a take of $6.1 million and went on to earn $33.8 million. [77] [101] It
was also regarded as a critical and commercial failure at the time. [80]
Others blamed an oversaturation of science fiction and fantasy films released
that year, including Conan the Barbarian ($130 million), Poltergeist ($121.7
million), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ($97 million), Mad Max 2 ($34.5
million), and Tron ($33 million). Some analysts blamed Universal's poor
marketing, which did not compete with the deluge of promotion for prominent
films released that summer. [80] [100] [102] Another factor was the R rating
it was given, restricting the audience to those over the age of 17 unless
accompanied by an adult. In contrast, Poltergeist , another horror film,
received a PG rating, allowing families and younger children to view it. [80]
The impact on Carpenter was immediate – he lost the job of directing the 1984
science fiction horror film Firestarter because of The Thing ' s poor
performance. [103] His previous success had gained him a multiple-film
contract at Universal, but the studio opted to buy him out of it instead.
[104] He continued making films afterward but lost confidence, and did not
openly talk about The Thing ' s failure until a 1985 interview with Starlog ,
where he said, "I was called 'a pornographer of violence' ... I had no idea it
would be received that way ... The Thing was just too strong for that time. I
knew it was going to be strong, but I didn't think it would be too strong ...
I didn't take the public's taste into consideration." [80] Shortly after its
release, Wilbur Stark sued Universal for $43 million for "slander, breach of
contract, fraud and deceit", alleging he incurred a financial loss by
Universal failing to credit him properly in its marketing and by showing his
name during the end credits, a less prestigious position. [19] Stark also said
that he "contributed greatly to the [screenplay]". [105] David Foster
responded that Stark was not involved with the film's production in any way,
and received proper credit in all materials. [106] Stark later sued for a
further $15 million over Foster's comments. The outcome of the lawsuits is
unknown. [107] Home media [ edit ] While The Thing was not initially
successful, it was able to find new audiences and appreciation on home video ,
and later on television. [108] Sidney Sheinberg edited a version of the film
for network television broadcast, which added narration and a different
ending, where the Thing imitates a dog and escapes the ruined camp. Carpenter
disowned this version, and theorized that Sheinberg had been mad at him for
not taking his creative ideas on board for the theatrical cut. [109] [110]
[111] The Thing was released on DVD in 1998 and featured additional content,
such as The Thing: Terror Takes Shape – a detailed documentary on the
production, deleted and alternate scenes, and commentary by Carpenter and
Russell. [112] [113] An HD DVD version followed in 2006 containing the same
features, [114] [115] and a Blu-ray version in 2008 featuring just the
Carpenter and Russell commentary, and some behind-the-scenes videos available
via picture-in-picture during the film. [116] [117] A 2016 Blu-ray release
featured a 2K resolution restoration of the film, overseen by Dean Cundey. As
well as including previous features such as the commentary and Terror Takes
Shape , it added interviews with the cast and crew, and segments that focus on
the music, writing, editing, Ploog's artwork, an interview with Alan Dean
Foster , who wrote the film's novelization , and the television broadcast
version of The Thing that runs fifteen minutes shorter than the theatrical
cut. [118] A 4K resolution restoration was released in 2017 on Blu-ray,
initially as a United Kingdom exclusive with a limited run of eight thousand
units. The restoration was created using the original film negative , and was
overseen by Carpenter and Cundey. [119] A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray was released in
September 2021. [120] MCA released the soundtrack for The Thing in 1982. [121]
Varèse Sarabande re-released it in 1991 on compact disc and Compact Cassette .
[122] These versions eventually ceased being manufactured. In 2011, Howarth
and Larry Hopkins restored Morricone's score using updated digital techniques
and arranged each track in the order it appears in the film. The album also
includes tracks composed by Carpenter and Howarth for the film. [123] A
remastered version of the score was released on vinyl on February 23, 2017; a
deluxe edition included an exclusive interview with Carpenter. [124] In May
2020, an extended play (EP), Lost Cues: The Thing , was released. The EP
contains Carpenter's contributions to The Thing ' s score; he re-recorded the
music because the original masterings were lost. [125] Other media [ edit ] A
novelization of the film was published by Alan Dean Foster in 1982. [118] It
is based on an earlier draft of the script and features some differences from
the finished film. [126] A scene in which MacReady, Bennings, and Childs chase
infected dogs out into the snow is included, [127] and Nauls's disappearance
is explained: Cornered by the Blair-Thing, he chooses suicide over
assimilation. [128] In 2000, McFarlane Toys released two "Movie Maniacs"
figures: the Blair-Thing [129] and the Norris-Thing, including its spider-
legged, disembodied head. [130] SOTA Toys released a set featuring a MacReady
figure and the Dog-Thing based on the film's kennel scene, [131] as well as a
bust of the Norris-Thing's spider-head. [132] In 2017, Mondo and the Project
Raygun division of USAopoly released The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 , a
board game. Players take on the role of characters from the film or the Thing,

J&B; Scotch ". [44] Tobey singled out the visual effects, saying they "were so

explicit that they actually destroyed how you were supposed to feel about the

characters ... They became almost a movie in themselves, and were a little too

horrifying." [80] In Phil Hardy 's 1984 book Science Fiction , a reviewer

described the film as a "surprising failure" and called it "Carpenter's most

unsatisfying film to date". [95] The review noted that the narrative "seems

little more than an excuse for the various set-pieces of special effects and

Russell's hero is no more than a cypher compared to Tobey's rounded character

in Howard Hawks' The Thing ". [95] Clennon said that introductory scenes for

the characters, omitted from the film, made it hard for audiences to connect

with them, robbing it of some of the broader appeal of Alien . [40] Accolades

[ edit ] The Thing received nominations from the Academy of Science Fiction,

Fantasy and Horror Films for Best Horror Film and Best Special Effects , [96]

but lost to Poltergeist and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , respectively. [97]

The film was nominated at the Razzie Awards for Worst Musical Score . [98]

Post-release [ edit ] Performance analysis and aftermath [ edit ] In a 1999

interview, Carpenter said audiences rejected The Thing for its nihilistic,

depressing viewpoint at a time when the United States was in the midst of a

recession . [23] When it opened, it was competing against the critically and

commercially successful E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ($619 million), a family-

friendly film released two weeks earlier that offered a more optimistic take

on alien visitation. [14] [99] [100] Carpenter described it as the complete

opposite of his film. [44] The Thing opened on the same day as the science

fiction film Blade Runner , which debuted as the number two film that weekend

with a take of $6.1 million and went on to earn $33.8 million. [77] [101] It

was also regarded as a critical and commercial failure at the time. [80]

Others blamed an oversaturation of science fiction and fantasy films released

that year, including Conan the Barbarian ($130 million), Poltergeist ($121.7

million), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ($97 million), Mad Max 2 ($34.5

million), and Tron ($33 million). Some analysts blamed Universal's poor

marketing, which did not compete with the deluge of promotion for prominent

films released that summer. [80] [100] [102] Another factor was the R rating

it was given, restricting the audience to those over the age of 17 unless

accompanied by an adult. In contrast, Poltergeist , another horror film,

received a PG rating, allowing families and younger children to view it. [80]

The impact on Carpenter was immediate – he lost the job of directing the 1984

science fiction horror film Firestarter because of The Thing ' s poor

performance. [103] His previous success had gained him a multiple-film

contract at Universal, but the studio opted to buy him out of it instead.

[104] He continued making films afterward but lost confidence, and did not

openly talk about The Thing ' s failure until a 1985 interview with Starlog ,

where he said, "I was called 'a pornographer of violence' ... I had no idea it

would be received that way ... The Thing was just too strong for that time. I

knew it was going to be strong, but I didn't think it would be too strong ...

I didn't take the public's taste into consideration." [80] Shortly after its

release, Wilbur Stark sued Universal for $43 million for "slander, breach of

contract, fraud and deceit", alleging he incurred a financial loss by

Universal failing to credit him properly in its marketing and by showing his

name during the end credits, a less prestigious position. [19] Stark also said

that he "contributed greatly to the [screenplay]". [105] David Foster

responded that Stark was not involved with the film's production in any way,

and received proper credit in all materials. [106] Stark later sued for a

further $15 million over Foster's comments. The outcome of the lawsuits is

unknown. [107] Home media [ edit ] While The Thing was not initially

successful, it was able to find new audiences and appreciation on home video ,

and later on television. [108] Sidney Sheinberg edited a version of the film

for network television broadcast, which added narration and a different

ending, where the Thing imitates a dog and escapes the ruined camp. Carpenter

disowned this version, and theorized that Sheinberg had been mad at him for

not taking his creative ideas on board for the theatrical cut. [109] [110]

[111] The Thing was released on DVD in 1998 and featured additional content,

such as The Thing: Terror Takes Shape – a detailed documentary on the

production, deleted and alternate scenes, and commentary by Carpenter and

Russell. [112] [113] An HD DVD version followed in 2006 containing the same

features, [114] [115] and a Blu-ray version in 2008 featuring just the

Carpenter and Russell commentary, and some behind-the-scenes videos available

via picture-in-picture during the film. [116] [117] A 2016 Blu-ray release

featured a 2K resolution restoration of the film, overseen by Dean Cundey. As

well as including previous features such as the commentary and Terror Takes

Shape , it added interviews with the cast and crew, and segments that focus on

the music, writing, editing, Ploog's artwork, an interview with Alan Dean

Foster , who wrote the film's novelization , and the television broadcast

version of The Thing that runs fifteen minutes shorter than the theatrical

cut. [118] A 4K resolution restoration was released in 2017 on Blu-ray,

initially as a United Kingdom exclusive with a limited run of eight thousand

units. The restoration was created using the original film negative , and was

overseen by Carpenter and Cundey. [119] A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray was released in

September 2021. [120] MCA released the soundtrack for The Thing in 1982. [121]

Varèse Sarabande re-released it in 1991 on compact disc and Compact Cassette .

[122] These versions eventually ceased being manufactured. In 2011, Howarth

and Larry Hopkins restored Morricone's score using updated digital techniques

and arranged each track in the order it appears in the film. The album also

includes tracks composed by Carpenter and Howarth for the film. [123] A

remastered version of the score was released on vinyl on February 23, 2017; a

deluxe edition included an exclusive interview with Carpenter. [124] In May

2020, an extended play (EP), Lost Cues: The Thing , was released. The EP

contains Carpenter's contributions to The Thing ' s score; he re-recorded the

music because the original masterings were lost. [125] Other media [ edit ] A

novelization of the film was published by Alan Dean Foster in 1982. [118] It

is based on an earlier draft of the script and features some differences from

the finished film. [126] A scene in which MacReady, Bennings, and Childs chase

infected dogs out into the snow is included, [127] and Nauls's disappearance

is explained: Cornered by the Blair-Thing, he chooses suicide over

assimilation. [128] In 2000, McFarlane Toys released two "Movie Maniacs"

figures: the Blair-Thing [129] and the Norris-Thing, including its spider-

legged, disembodied head. [130] SOTA Toys released a set featuring a MacReady

figure and the Dog-Thing based on the film's kennel scene, [131] as well as a

bust of the Norris-Thing's spider-head. [132] In 2017, Mondo and the Project

Raygun division of USAopoly released The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 , a

board game. Players take on the role of characters from the film or the Thing,