I'm with you 100% regarding Struzan's iconic artwork. I wouldn't want to be without it. I had always hoped that a Steelbook with this particular artwork would be released in other territories, but with its original English title. It may happen one day. This is, after all, Universal that we're talking about here.
As regards the German title, I'm okay with foreign releases of English language films having the title translated into the local language, provided it's a direct translation. So "Das Ding" doesn't pose a problem for me. Where I draw the line, is the original title being translated into something completely different. There have been many Steelbooks which I've passed on for that very reason.
Getting back to the Mondo. When I read your post, I found it quite amusing because I immediately saw the similarities. Unfortunately, since then, every time I look at the artwork, I only see Groot. I'm just hoping that the next time I view this Carpenter masterpiece, a film which I would place up there with the near contemporaneous "Alien" and "The Terminator" in the pantheon of great Science Fiction movies, that I'm able to put the Groot image out of my mind.
Good to chat with you again. It's been a while.
