Thread by @dcumoviepage

Promises made, promises delivered. ‘Swamp Thing’ made its 40th anniversary this February and now we gonna do a late celebration of this beloved cult movie. #SwampThingMovie

Begin where have to: in the 70’s, a young student called Michael Uslan started the first professional comic book art class in a College, what went the industry blaze. #SwampThingMovie

Is the first time when comic book are talked in a serious level as literature, and Uslan paved his way with talent and effort. #SwampThingMovie

But that opens an opportunity to him: he got a job on DC Comics, and pursuiting his dream of doing a dark, serious Batman movie, ends opening a partnership with veteran producer Benjamin Melniker's, [+] #SwampThingMovie

which both ended helming rights holder of Batman, and also have direct input to make a Swamp Thing movie happen. #SwampThingMovie

While Batman was slow-paced during the early 80’s, Swamp Thing was fast tracked, besides the character’s publication was dead in the water. #SwampThingMovie

The last comic book with the character was in 1976, but as Uslan as a defender of comic book as mythologies, he sees the value of Alec Holland as a tragic Universal monster, what should be explored. #SwampThingMovie

With the movie rights at hand, Uslan started the process of choosing a director, which Wes Craven was chosen, picked by Uslan himself. You have to understand this was before Freedy Krueger happen, and Craven have a major revamp on his career. #SwampThingMovie

The character barely had 10 years of life to use the excuse of “been a fan of him”, and Wes (honest as he aways were) find this a opportunity to go to the next level as a filmmaker, by dealing with something more mainstream than his current work did back then. #SwampThingMovie

He is proud to had deliver the film inside the 2.5 million budget. #SwampThingMovie

The movie itself suffered from budget restrains (and the script paid a price, with several cut scenes) but why the movie is still beloved to this day? #SwampThingMovie

First, after Superman in 1978, it was shocking that the next DC superhero on film could come from such a underground/niche placed. #SwampThingMovie

Second, even with the constrains, the movie is a good fun, embracing the pulp and sometimes B-side/50’s monster which liking or not, was infused in the character since his conception. #SwampThingMovie

And also, have the ramifications. Because of the movie, DC released a new Swamp Thing comic book, which later, to save it, hired a young british writer named Alan Moore, to work with the character with all the freedom he needed. And the rest is history. #SwampThingMovie

But as Fangoria pointed out, the cult status of the movie influenced other monsters in the 80’s, to Toxic Avenger to TMNT. #SwampThingMovie

And because the growing popularity of the character in the period, the movie got a genuine bad sequel, but the year of release brought ANOTHER Michael Uslan produced movie what its success make the look for hot comic book proprieties to exist everywhere. #SwampThingMovie

What movie? ‘Batman’, by Tim Burton. #SwampThingMovie

And that make a 3-season series of of ‘Swamp Thing’ exist in early 90’s, back to the dark roots of Craven movie (with a bit more of budget), opening the way for more DC content in television in an important time. #SwampThingMovie

Even the movie didn’t stand up to previous or posterior Craven movies, its cult(ural) importance can’t be denied, and help the character to stay relevant in many more ways than a midnight movie. #SwampThingMovie

Also, some curiosities: the international version of the film have more scenes of sex or sexual innuendos, finally released first in DVD in 2002 (which generate some issues in ‘Blockbuster’) and later in blu ray in 2019. #SwampThingMovie

Among the spicy scenes, for example, we have Adrienne Barbeau’s character goes swimming nude. For a long time #SwampThingMovie the only superhero movie with nudity scene for years, before Zack Snyder’s Watchmen arrives. #SwampThingMovie

#SwampThing movie also was heavily influenced by the first era of SW comics (for reasons already explained), written by his creator,Len Wein. You can read in the ‘Roots of the Swamp Thing’ paperback. #SwampThingMovie

Adrienne Barbeau’s character, Alice Cable, is actually a mix of 2 classic characters from the first 2 SW runs, Abbie Arcane and government agent Matt Cable (which later in DC chronology, became Matt the Raven from ‘The Sandman’). #SwampThingMovie

@Scream_Factory release a terrific special edition of the movie which include interviews with Len Wein and Wes Craven, and it’s a must buy (if you can find out). #SwampThingMovie

@Scream_Factory And also, have a cult classic, campy fun movie, great to watch with friends and beer. Hope you have enjoyed the recap of the movie, and see you later! #SwampThingMovie

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