John Carpenter's 1982 horror film 'The Thing' was critically panned and commercially unsuccessful upon release, opening two weeks after 'E.T.' which portrayed a friendly alien, while 'The Thing' explored themes of paranoia and distrust among crew members; however, the film has since been recognized as one of the greatest horror films ever made, demonstrating how critical reception can change over time as audiences discover and appreciate films in new contexts.
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Why 'The Thing' Was Destroyed by 'E.T.' — And Why History Got It Completely BackwardsAdded:
This one still makes me angry. John Carpenter's $15 million science fiction horror film about a shape-shifting alien in an Antarctic research station opened 2 weeks after ET. Critics absolutely destroyed it. ET was in theaters at the same time showing audiences a friendly alien who just wanted to go home. And the horror of not being able to trust the people standing next to you.
America, they were wrong.
The Thing is one of the greatest horror films ever made. Now it regularly appears on lists of the greatest films ever made. In 1982 it was considered a failure. History was paying attention even when the box office was
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