The Thing

Trivia: Poor Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr.'s practical creature effects were nearly all replaced or so digitally-composited that, in frustration, they started a Kickstarter campaign that led to the film Harbinger Down.

Erik M.

Trivia: Much of the ending was reshot, including a scene where the alien pilots within the spaceship were witnessed by Kate Lloyd dangling from some sort of tubes; the body of one was replaced post-production by an odd Tetris-like display.

Erik M.

Trivia: The director actually cast as many actual Norwegian actors as he could for authenticity, commenting that he assembled some of the best and most recognizable stars from there.

Erik M.

Trivia: The showdown with the Dr. Sander Halvorson-thing was done as a disappointing rush job when the ending was hastily replaced - Kate Lloyd was meant to encounter the spaceship's pilots and a whole other confrontation was devised, along with Dr. Halvorson being dead.

Erik M.

Trivia: Early script ideas for the plot included having MacReady and Childs rescued but frostbitten and then the horrid truth about one (or both) revealed, or having MacReady's helicopter pilot brother come by the camp and discover the disaster there. Director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. wanted to remind the audience of MacReady with the character of helicopter pilot Sam Carter (played by Joel Edgerton).

Erik M.

Trivia: The fire effects throughout were done practically instead of digitally via clever in-camera effects and the use of special suits, gels and rigs allowing for precisely-controlled burns and for stuntmen to remain aflame longer.

Erik M.

Continuity mistake: In the 1982 movie, the alien ship is uncovered by the Norwegian scientists using thermite. (As seen on the films discovered by the Americans.) In the 2011 movie, it is uncovered when the Thing gets back into the ship and starts up the engines.

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Question: They find the thing trying to escape the initial crash but it froze. In the 1982 version, they find another thing in a similar manner. Does this mean Kate was infected but didn't know it but turned as she walked off into the night?

Answer: In the 1982 version they never find another thing in a similar manner. It's just the one creature. Whether Kate was or was not infected is irrelevant, she was not found in the 1982 plot.

lionhead

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