The Thing From Another World

Horror is sometimes mislabeled and mismarketed. Publishers of fantasy feel they must target markets, and sometimes one “genre” leads others in the fantasy field. In the 1890′s, 1930′s, and 1960′s Westerns dominated the American market. From about 1935 to 1980, science fiction was king – until The (Stephen) King came along and made horror supreme – for a while.

John W. Campbell, Jr. (Don A Stuart) created a science fiction story that shook up the genre and his audience. It became a classic. Many feel that it fulfills a trilogy with Poe’s … Arthur Gordon Pym, Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness – but that was not the writer’s intent. It was just a compelling story with a strong scientific basis (it was science fiction) that made the horror even more compelling. It is now seen more as a horror genre, but that is the evolution of marketing.

Howard Hawks’ genius was put to play in his 1951 filmed version. Then came John Carpenter’s version with early CGI and advanced animation effects. Dark Horse comics felt that the Thing could be competitive with Predator and Alien and started a comic series. Now comes a new version. Will it hold up against it’s genius competition?

Below, 1951, 1982, and 2011 versions.