Before John Carpenter's The Thing, There Was Another Classic Sci-Fi Movie That Adapted The Same Story

While John Carpenter’s The Thing has become a classic, there was another sci-fi film that adapted the same story. 1982’s The Thing has often been regarded as one of Carpenter’s greatest films, if not his best. It’s a perfect blend of suspense and horror as a shapeshifting alien wreaks havoc on an Antarctic base.

However, before it became a film, the story originally began as a novella by John W. Campbell. This 1938 short story, written under the title “Who Goes There?”, has been regarded as one of the most unsettling sci-fi horror stories ever written. Just like Carpenter’s film, it’s filled with deceit and suspense as McReady tries to uncover the Thing hiding among them.

What may surprise fans is John Carpenter’s adaptation of the story wasn’t actually the first. 75 years ago, RKO Studios’ The Thing from Another World hit the big-screen with its own take on “Who Goes There?”

Just like the novella, the film takes place at an Antarctic base as a group of scientists uncovers a UFO with an alien frozen in the ice. Once it thaws, the crew must deal with it before it can escape to the outside world. It’s an adaptation that’s remarkably close in concept. However, one major change made this film into its own beast.

The Thing From Another World Gives The Creature A Single Form

The biggest difference between John W. Campbell’s story and the first big-screen adaptation is that the alien isn’t a true shapeshifter. Instead, it’s a hulking alien with body chemistry similar to plants. It’s certainly just as violent as the creature from the original story, but there’s no mystery surrounding its true nature. It’s just a monster storming around the base, attacking anything in its sight.

For the 1950s, this was certainly fitting for the current trends. Monster movies were in high demand following two decades of success with the Universal Monsters. Plus, the 50s would soon see the rise of creature features dominating the box office, so in a way, The Thing from Another World was a trend-setter.

However, while the film is entertaining and an enjoyable watch in its own right, it can still feel disappointing for fans of the original story, given how much it strays away from what made the original alien so scary.

John Carpenter Adores The Thing From Another World And Respects It In His Film

What’s remarkable about John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing from Another World is that it actually comes from a place of love. Carpenter has made it well-known that the 1951 film is one of his favorite movies, with him paying homage to it by featuring clips in 1978’s Halloween.

Thus, when he sought to make his take on the story in 1982, he wanted to keep the spirit of the original film alive while also being closer to Campbell’s novella. The result is a fascinating blend of the tension between Antarctic base residents found in the original film and the shapeshifting alien ripped directly from the original story.

In the end, John Carpenter’s The Thing is undeniably an improvement. It’s a far closer take on the story while doing a better job of bringing the shapeshifting being beyond the stars to life. Ultimately, The Thing from Another World served as a blueprint for one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. It may not feature what fans love about the 1982 film, but it’s still a great watch to find out where Carpenter’s classic comes from.