20 Things You Didn't Know About The Thing
19. Rob Bottin Was Just 22 Years Old When He Created The Creature Effects
Even those who don't much care for The Thing can't deny the brilliance of its creatively grotesque creature effects, which were produced by effects creator Rob Bottin when he was just 22 years of age.
Carpenter had previously sought out special effects legend Rick Baker for the gig, but Baker's schedule wouldn't allow it.
Not-so-coincidentally, the very same year Baker won the first of seven Oscars for his sublime makeup effects work on An American Werewolf in London.
And so Bottin got the job, commanding a team of over 40 technicians while also collaborating with effects legend Stan Winston, who helped create the Dog-Thing featured in the film.
Yet Winston declined a credit for his work as he didn't want to detract from Bottin's efforts, settling instead for a "thank you" in the credits.
Bottin ended up working seven days a week for over a year to get the effects completed, after which he was reportedly hospitalised with exhaustion and pneumonia.
That Bottin's stunningly gooey effects didn't net him an Oscar nomination - if not the win outright - remains one of the Academy's most criminal snubs to date.