Anecdotes

Alice Cooper used the bike impalement trick in his stage shows prior to this movie. The bike he uses was his own personal prop.

John Carpenter states he set out to make a film that was atmospheric and dreadful. At the time he was noticing a lot of derivative horror films and wanted to try something new involving quantum mechanics and religion.

The recurring dream was shot on video and filmed off of a television screen.

Carpenter's love of science led to the story idea involving quantum mechanics and the crossroads of science and religion. He became fascinated with quantum uncertainty after reading several books on the subject, but he ultimately felt it was impossible to explain. "It was all mumbo-jumbo anyway, it was just a horror movie," he said. Peter Jason suggested that the script touched on just enough of it to catch and hold viewers' interest.

John Carpenter's first film that he made independently since New York 1997 (1981). Not only because of the box office failure of his previous film Les aventures de Jack Burton dans les griffes du mandarin (1986), but also his frustration with working with the studios.

John Carpenter: The voice of the scientist sending signals from the future.