Show Notes
THE THING bombed at test screenings, got savaged by critics, and lost the summer box office war to E.T. — a failure so bad it nearly ended John Carpenter's career. This episode covers the fight over the film's bleak final scene, the reviews that tanked it on release, and how the home video boom rescued the film years later, turning a flop into a classic. Want the full story without the wait? CinemaShock+ members get extended, ad-free episodes that combine every part into one seamless listen — plus bonus content you won't hear anywhere else. Join at cinemashock.net/plus.
CINEMA SHOCK ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS:
Andy Lancaster | asotirov | Benjamin Turpin | Benjamin Yates | Capiapoa | courtland ashley | curtcake5k | Dick Jones | Elton Novara | Interzone78 | Jackson_Baker | JoeyP | John sweet bussy Greaney | KDurden | Lucy Lawson | MagicBloat | mcdudely | Nate Izod | Princess Krishna Kali | RockGokd | shadowcut | Tim G | triplr1478
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy. This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne & Justin Bishop. Image: "Portrait of John Carpenter.jpg" by Kyle Cassidy, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified from original. This derivative work is also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net
More from Cinema Shock
Part 3 of our deep dive into THE FRENCH CONNECTION classic covers the critical firestorm that accompanied the film's release, the Oscar sweep, and a real-world epilogue that reframes the entire story in ways nobody saw coming.
In Part 2 of our deep dive into its production, THE FRENCH CONNECTION hits the freezing streets of New York as William Friedkin wages war against sub-zero temperatures, city traffic, and his own cast. This episode covers the shoot itself, including the iconic chase sequence that changed action filmmaking forever.
In Part 1 of our look at the production history of THE FRENCH CONNECTION, we go back to the real-life case that inspired the story, where two NYPD detectives followed a hunch that cracked one of the largest narcotics cases in American history. Getting that story from real life to a Fox production deal took two years, an unproven screenwriter, and some of the most unexpected casting decisions in New Hollywood history.
In this bonus episode, Justin and Gary share their thoughts on the most divisive film of 2026: Alejandro G. Iñárritu's DIGGER, his uncompromising new film starring Tom Cruise.
After establishing himself as a documentarian, William Friedkin moved into the world of narrative filmmaking with the help of an unlikely duo: Sonny & Cher. What followed was a string of box office failures that had Friedkin convinced that his career was over... until two NYPD narcotics cops changed his life for good.