Carpenter. Carpenter’s filmography would rank him farther down the list (around #125-130) but there’s authorship in his work that isn’t there with directors ahead of him on the filmography list like William Friedkin or Milos Forman. He’s also not as front-loaded with one big film like Curtiz (Casablanca), Carol Reed (The Third Man), Argento (Suspiria) or Peter Jackson (LOTR). It’s a small window, but from 1978 to 1982 Carpenter was one of the best filmmakers on the planet.
Best film: Halloween. He didn’t invent the slasher with this film (some credit Hitchcock, some Argento, some Powell) but there’s no denying the filmmaking talent on display with the POV tracking shot (through the mask) + awe-inspiring musical score (by Carpenter) and title card opening.
total archiveable films: 8
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 2 (Halloween, The Thing)
top 100 films of the decade: 3 (Halloween, The Thing, Escape From New York)
most overrated: Assault on Precinct 13– is #786 all-time on TSPDT which makes it good enough for Carpenter’s #3 ranked film. I wouldn’t have a spot for it in my top 1000 and I have it as Carpenter’s 6th best but I look forward to a revisit—unlike most of his work—I’ve only seen this film once.
most underrated: Escape From New York isn’t one of the 4 films from Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing, Assault on Prescient 13, They Live) in TSPDT top 1000 and it should be. I have it as his 3rd best film—there’s some great expressionistic world-building dystopia going on here and Kurt Russell (frequent Carpenter collaborator) doing a spot-on Clint Eastwood.
gem I want to spotlight: The Thing
- masterful thriller—a remake of course- superior to the 1951 Howard Hawks film of the same name
- #296 at this time on the all-time TSPDT list—the top-rated Carpenter film- above Halloween– I have them neck and neck
- The gorgeous title sequence duplicates the original Hawks film—the smoke coming through the lettering
- Morricone does the score- the first score not done by Carpenter himself on one of his films—the baseline is great but there’s not a lot too it- not on the Mount Rushmore of Morricone scores nor is it the Halloween score
- It’s no surprise the screengrabs here of are night shots with flames– clearly an ongoing visual motif
- What a day in 1982- this opened the same day as Blade Runner from Ridley Scott- both didn’t do well but now are widely considered sci-fi and cinema classics
- A meditation on masculinity—barricaded brotherhood and time of crisis—obviously this is big in Hawks’ oeuvre specifically Rio Bravo (also The Thing of course)—Carpenter also explored this in Assault on Precinct 13– does it again in Ghost of Mars
- Hawks and John Ford classicism— but you could also write about this being connected to Cronenberg’s body horror- Videodrome, The Fly is probably the closest (also a 50’s sci-fi remake) which comes out in 86’—there’s the HIV-reading of both films—can’t tell who has it, drawing blood—subtext layer adds to the film for sure
- 80’s paranoia—haha we have Steve Wonder’s “Superstitious” song
- It’s 108 minutes- tight- we hop right into it with the helicopter shooting the dog and the eerie shootout with the foreigners
- It could also be connected to Ridley Scott’s Alien– we’re investigating the unknown—both brilliant films
- The comradery of Hawks’ work- again, best displayed in Rio Bravo isn’t victorious here. This is that film turned on its head- a nightmare- maybe closer to Zinnemann’s High Noon (1952) in which it’s a nightmare with everyone turning on each other—Hawks’ film was really a retaliation to that western so it’s ironic that in tone Carpenter skews that
- Kurt Russell is awesome here- he steers the ship—courageous, anti-hero that exists in every decade of film history
- The support is just as good- Wilford Brimley—Keith David
- There’s a bit of trouble with how much of this film is built on special effects and not cinema aesthetics—
- The blood-drawing scene is magnificent- so intense
- There’s some choppy editing when Keith David asks to be cut loose
- The ending is glorious—the shot of the camp at night with Russell and David
- Must-See film
stylistic innovations/traits:
- Genre master, horror and sci-fi—many directors use the horror genre as a stepping stone to something else (some, not me, would say stepping stone to “greater things”) but Carpenter mostly stayed true to his roots and I think his legacy is stronger for it
- Carpenter’s original musical scores are often the highlights of his work—yes like Halloween borrows from Suspiria and Argento but the influences can be seen even today—say like in the score for the Safdie Brother’s Good time
- Carpenter is clearly influenced by Hawks (masculinity, brotherhood), Romero, 50’s sci-fi (he loves 50’s movies in general if you look at the influence of hawks’ rio bravo on assault on precinct 13. There’s a lot of invasion of body snatchers here
top 10
- Halloween
- The Thing
- Escape From New York
- Big Trouble in Little China
- The Fog
- Assault on Precinct 13
- They Live
- Starman
By year and grades
| 1976- Assault on Precinct 13 | R |
| 1978- Halloween | MS |
| 1980- The Fog | R |
| 1981- Escape From New York | HR |
| 1982- The Thing | MS |
| 1984- Starman | R |
| 1986- Big Trouble In Little China | R |
| 1988- They Live | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
Study Summary:
John Carpenter is one of the most famous and accomplished directors who specialize in horror. It is not coincidence that I did a Carpenter Study around Halloween time. I usually dedicate much of my film watching time in October to Horror films. Not all the films I covered in the Study are Horror but many of them are
Some of Carpenter’s films sound somewhat gimmicky; this is especially true with The Fog (1980) and even more so with Christine (1983), a film about a car that becomes the villain. They Live (1988) also has a campy set up with a plot revolving around the ruling class being aliens whose subliminal messaging and true appearance are seen when the film’s protagonist puts on a special pair of sunglasses. While several of Carpenter’s films sounding campy from a conceptual standpoint, I did not feel the campy element while actually watching. The exception to this is Big Trouble Little China (1986) which is so outlandish that the campiness cannot be overcome. I know Big Trouble…has a cult following but I had trouble with it although I can see why it has a devoted fan base. However, when actually watching these the gimmick element does not usually render all that much. Speaking of a devoted fan base, many of Carpenter’s films have reached cult status
As I stated in the review of Halloween:
“While I have 3 films ahead of it, I think Halloween may be the greatest pure slasher in a way that is similar to how I viewed Double Indemnity (1944) as the greatest pure film noir although I rank Touch of Evil (1958), and Chinatown (1974) above it. Double Indemnity is THE Film Noir just as Lawrence of Arabia is THE Epic and a case could be made that Halloween is THE Slasher Film”
Halloween (1978) may well be THE Slasher Film. In many ways The Slasher Genre is amongst the most simplistic, but it is also a genre that has few Masterpiece level films in my opinion. And Halloween is one of those few. Unlike many of the slashers made since, the original Halloween prioritizes suspense over surprise and is patient in building up the story. Halloween (1978) also limits the number of deaths and excessive gore which may have initial shock value but comes with diminishing returns. Carpenter uses creative framing with POV shots and a phenomenal score giving us an all-timer of a Horror Film
Carpenter paces his films perfectly. In Halloween, Christine, The Fog, and The Thing Carpenter sets up the story over the first half and the action picks up in the 2nd half. He gets the viewer invested into the story. Escape from New York (1981) is a bit different as that film gets into the main story much faster than the others and is closer to pure action
His scores are phenomenal although Ennio Morricone does the score for The Thing (1982). Carpenter excels in creating a particular atmosphere and the music is essential to this as is the pacing
Creating distinct characters and dialogue are not Carpenter’s strengths. Obviously, Michael Myers is an iconic character but overall, I do not feel like he creates memorable, fleshed out characters which is not a major problem given his afore mentioned use of creating distinct atmosphere. There is also the fact that he works in Genre Cinema with established characters archetypes
There are other Carpenter films that I considered watching but I think I captured his essential films. His top 2 films, Halloween and The Thing, are especially impressive but the next tier of Christine, Escape from New York, and The Fog are strong as well. I could see They Live going up to HR with future viewings
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 Halloween (1978) – MP
# 2 The Thing (1982) – MP/MS
# 3 Christine (1983) – HR
# 4 Escape from New York (1981) – HR
# 5 The Fog (1980) – HR
# 6 They Live (1988) – R
# 7 Big Trouble Little China (1986) – R
# 8 In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
@James Trapp-Do you think Christine(1983) is among top 5 best Stephen King adaptations?
@Malith – There are many Stephen King films I have not seen but of those I have I would say:
# 1 The Shining (1980)
# 2 Carrie (1976)
# 3 Shawshank Redemption (1994)
# 4 Christine (1983)
# 5 Misery (1990)
The top 3 are pretty clear cut for me and in that exact order. Some people love The Dead Zone (1983) which came out the same year as Christine but I actually ranked it as one of the weaker Cronenberg films albeit with strong acting. Dolores Claiborne (1995) also has strong performances and a few really impressive cinematic moments though overall is fairly quiet
@James Trapp-“I actually ranked it as one of the weaker Cronenberg films”
Me too. I don’t know much about Cronenberg but it was a disappointment. Especially compared to the book which is much better and great. There are admirers of Doctor Sleep too. I need to see it at some point.
@Malith – It is crazy how many films have been made from Stephen King. Here is one article I found that ranks all 48 of the adaptations, 48!
https://www.thewrap.com/every-stephen-king-movie-ranked-worst-best-shining-it-carrie-shawshank/
@James Trapp – he is his own empire- writes quickly, been at it a long time, in a popular cinema genre (at least most often)
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Notes:
Opens with establishing shot of a large
3:14 long corridor with very white walls
4:03 Sam Neill as John Trent, a man placed in an isolated room in psychiatric hospital
4:57 following soothing music played throughout the building accompanied by a smooth pan to the left
6:23 haunting montage of flashing images consisting of an isolated religious building with a saturated red skyline, an axe used to kill someone, and religious imagery
7:55 Dr. Wrenn (David Warner) visits John Trent visits Trent whose face is covered with tattoos or drawings of crosses
9:20 close up on Trent creating claustrophobic environment
9:33 Trent starts to tell his story to Dr. Wrenn in a flashback, Trent was a freelance insurance investigator covering phone insurance claims
19:34 Trent walking down dark alley at night “The Hobb’s and the Horror”
20:20 camera slowly moving around Trent’s face in dark apartment
23:55 group of zombie-like creatures circling Trent in an alley, shallow focus used at times in what turns out to be a nightmare
29:31 windshield used to frame shot of Trent and woman in his vehicle at night, the rest of the screen is completely black
33:08 zombie-like person shown in background as he rides off in bicycle
34:38 flashing blue lights during nightmarish sequence
41:29 beautiful shot of the religious building shown earlier during Trent’s nightmare along with several of the other shots from the nightmare shortly after
42:12 canted angle shot of Church followed by a low angle shot of it giving as mood starts changing
44:00 aggressive dogs chasing off group with guns, the sequence uses slow motion and low angle shots that create sinister atmosphere
52:52 over the shoulder shot from Linda to Sutter Cane who is shown in background in dim lit room
54:50 sequence similar to the one shortly after the 6 min mark as you have another haunting montage of similar but not identical images
58:47 cutaway to strange creature that could be straight out of The Thing (1982)
1:01:13 Linda sitting in the passenger seat of Trent’s car puts keys into her mouth as zombie-like creatures’ slow approach
1:04:38 another shot of yellow divider on the road as Trent drives along streets
1:06:42 Trent trapped in small room with patterned shadow over his face
1:08:00 canted angle close up on Sutter’s face in what looks like a confessional booth
1:12:23 impressive and creative use of frame of ripped book page
1:14:52 a stunned looking Trent is seemingly placed back into reality and placed at a literal crossroads
1:22:12 Trent no longer trusts his memory and ability to separate reality from his imagination
1:23:51 returns to Trent and the Doctor speaking
1:28:05 Trent finds the hospital abandoned and destroyed playing where he is the main character
1:30:20 Trent laughs while watching movie about himself in theater
Thoughts:
John Carpenter with a David Lynch-esque film with similarities to Lost Highway (1997) although not nearly as visually impressive; still this is 3 years before Lost Highway and you have shots of Sam Neill’s character driving on a road with the camera focusing on the yellow divider, the flash nightmare sequences, a character awaking into a jail/facility cell without understanding how he got there. Shutter Island (2010) is another film that comes to mind after watching this, especially the doctor/patient element and use of flashbacks
There are several haunting montages which consist of flashing imagery including religious iconography, violence, and zombie-like creatures
There is a scene when Trent is trying to get away in his car at 1:01:13 where Linda puts keys into her mouth as zombie-like creatures slowing approach. This scene reminded me a bit of Get Out (2017) where Rose turns on Chris and dangles the keys in front of him
There is a brilliant and creative use of framing at 1:12:23 which is a shot through a ripped book page, this links the film’s premise which blends reality and fiction
Verdict: R
They Live (1988)
Notes:
Opens in LA with Nada, a man played by Roddy Piper, wandering around looking for work
7 min Nada finds work at Construction
8:08 Frank Armitage, a fellow construction worker played by Keith David, offers him a place to stay
9:50 Frank confesses he has a kid and wife in Detroit but was laid off
15:28 TV program keep referring to “they” while warning about humanity becoming sheep and cattle
17:38 “they live we sleep” as Nada follows a man named Gilbert and the preacher into a Church
22:27 Nada continues spying on the Church
22:45 helicopter from earlier seen circling over the Church
24:24 red flare with police raiding Church
25:06 police raid of shantytown community using bulldozers, riot gear, and helicopter continuing to fly over the area
27:33 great suspense with Nada escaping the police raid
31:31 Nada finds cardboard box full of sunglasses following the raid
32:57 Nada notices subliminal messages when he walks the streets of LA wearing sunglasses
34:37 Nada sees man in black and white looking almost zombie like
35:00 not everyone appears zombie like
38:58 entire supermarket full of zombies
40:36 Napa kills a couple of police officers and takes their weapons
47:15 Nada kidnaps random woman named Holly who happens to be wealthy and goes to her house
50:04 overhead shot used for the first time, Holly hits Nada in the head with a glass cup and pushes him out a window where he falls
51:14 high angle shot of police cars approaching
53:20 Frank tells Nada to get lost
58 min extended fight between Frank and Nada
1:01:42 Frank has glasses put on him and starts seeing what Nada does
1:07:55 Nada and Frank enter secretive meeting
1:12:38 Holly, the woman Frank kidnapped early, happens to be in the group
1:15:00 police raid similar to the police raid from earlier with use of red flares similar to The Thing (1982)
1:16:16 blue lightning in watch
1:17:43 Nada and Frank walking through long tunnel
1:18:23 Nada and Frank enter dinner party in high end restaurant
1:22:28 Nada and Frank make it to TV station: Earth under Cable 54
1:23:56 Frank and Nada offered chance to get rich
1:24:56 shooting starts with black and white screen
1:28:45 Holly puts gun on Nada
1:30:23 the subliminal messages are now seen by everyone and not just those wearing the glasses
Thoughts:
Carpenter with another clever sci fi film. Unlike prior films covered in this Study, They Live has a social-political element to it. Some of the social and political messaging is heavy handed but the creativity is there. According to Carpenter the film is about Reaganomics, and Carpenter’s dislike of increasing commercialism he associates with the Ronald Reagan era. As I have said before I do not care about whether or not a film has “a message” or a “point to communication”. Many of the shots of the homeless camps early in the film have huge LA Skyscrapers in the backgrounds towering over the camps
Rodney Piper is not much of an actor, but playing the down on his luck character named Nada he handles himself well in scenes involving fighting or anything involving physical abilities. He struggles a bit with some of the dialogue when trying to demonstrate changes in emotions. The always reliable Keith David as Frank does solid work although it is not as impressive as his performance in The Thing (1982). There is an entertaining fight between Nada and Frank that goes on for a bit too long, about an hour into the film
The highlights of the film are the police raid sequences and the initial glasses sequences. The raids use a great deal of blue and red both from the flashing of police sirens but also the red flares similar to those used in The Thing (1982). The initial raid of the outdoor housing community which consists of bulldozers, police in riot gear, and helicopters is well done. There is another police raid later in the film which is also effective
The initial glasses sequence where Nada walks the streets of LA and starts to see zombie-like figures as well as subliminal messages in advertisements is the most memorable scene for me. The use of monochrome photography is haunting
Not that it is the most important element of Carpenter’s work, but the dialogue is a weakness, part of that is the limited acting abilities of Rodney Piper
John Carpenter does the film’s score along with Alan Howarth. It is simple but effective although not one of his standouts
Verdict: R
@James Trapp- Quite right- this one has quite the cult following
@Drake – I enjoyed it much more than Big Trouble Little China (1986), which also has a strong cult following, but that one was a bit of a letdown.
Have you seen Christine (1983)? It is a hidden gem in my opinion. Atmospheric film with a rare strong performance in a High School movie. It sounds campy on the surface but it did did not feel campy when I watched it. If anything the eponymous car is an effective use of motif
@James Trapp- I have- but it has been a long time – maybe 20 years. I’ll try to prioritize a rewatch
@Drake – It is currently on Criterion Channel but leaving at the end of October. It seems like almost all of Carpenter’s films are cult films, at least the ones I covered aside from Halloween (1978) which was mainstream and In the Mouth of Madness (1994) which had mixed reviews when it came out but unlike the other films of the Study it did not have a significant reassessment which is not surprising as I thought it was the weakest film of the Study, but still worthy of a viewing
Big Trouble Little China (1986)
Notes:
Opens with Egg Shen, a sorcerer, who is played by Victor Wong, who is being interviewed by an off-screen voice with patterned shadow over him, the film cuts to the man interviewing him who is an attorney and is skeptical of his claims about sorcery
2:19 Egg Shen conjures a blue lightning between his hands
3:03 Jack Burton, a truck driver, played by Kurt Russell is driving and speaking into microphone
7:52 Wang Chi, a restaurant owner who is friends with Jack and loses a bet to Jack
9:17 Wang and Jack in truck
10:01 Jack and Wang go to the airport to pick up Wang’s Chinese fiancée Miao Yin,
11:42 a Chinese American street gang, the Lords of Death, shown in low angle shot walking toward Chinese girl but they end up taking Wang’s fiancée Miao Yin
14:31 tourist bus going around Chinatown
16:59 Chinese gang appear in every direction with a battle between the Chang Sing and Wing Kong, two ancient Chinese warrior societies
20:38 close up shot of man with straw hat, who is soon shown to be capable of shooting blue lightning from his hands (apparently the creation of the Moral Combat Character Raiden was inspired by this film)
21:15 blue lightning coming out of the fingers similar to the opening scene
23:05 blue tinted frame with smoke substance in air
26:50 Gracie Law, played by Kim Cattrall, enters restaurant
30:16 Jack attempts to find Miao Yin
31:17 strange green substance in the sky causes stampede
39:25 swimming though water with green/blue tinted screen
39:45 low angle shot of Lo Pan
40:30 great mise en scene with a line of gold statues on both sides of the frame
41:57 a 2000 year old man in a wheel chair approaches Jack and Wang
44:49 Jack and Wang pushed in wheelchairs through a green/gray tunnel to another room, this one with skeletons surrounding the room
50:30 gliding across the screen to the unconscious body of Miao Yin
58:52 ancient masks on wall
1:03:13 levitation of Miao Yin shortly before Lo Pan walks into room
1:06:07 dissolve edit to low angle shot of Lo Pan
1:06:24 return to room filled with gold statues
1:08:50 nice editing with quick cuts used in levitation sequence
1:13:40 beautiful mise en scene with neon lighting and iconography
1:16:53 drinking out of gold cups
1:18:48 beautiful mise en scene with neon lighting and iconography
1:19:52 Jack shoots gun at ceiling and a part of the ceiling hits him in the head as the final battle starts with a montage of everyone enthusiastically yelling
1:22:52 light and pink lighting out of the hands of the opposing sides
1:27:44 knife throw kills Lo Pan
Thoughts:
Carpenter teams up with Kurt Russell again for a bizarre film that is much different in mood, atmosphere, and subject matter than any of the other Carpenter films in the Study so far
This film is part fantasy, in particular the mysticism element, crossed with a martial arts film. Apparently, the creation of the Moral Combat Character Raiden was inspired by this film, that is the character with the straw hat who can conjure blue lightning with his hands. This film actually plays out like a video game with the final battle akin to fighting the games “big boss”
It seems like many of Carpenter’s films have reached cult status and in particular the ones with Kurt Russell, Escape from New York (1981) and The Thing (1982). It seems you can add this one to the list as well from what I have read in several of the reviews
The street fight starting around the 17 min mark is like a comedic version of Gangs of New York (2002)
Some great mise-en scene at times such as the room with the golden statues or the location of the final battle with the neon lighting and iconography
Some dissolve edits seem appropriate for a film centered around mysticism
I had a little trouble following the story which moves at breakneck speed. The films’ campy elements may go a bit too far at times. Of course, I know this is part of the attraction for some people
Verdict: R
Christine (1983)
Notes:
Opens with shot inside car factory in Detroit 1957 with rows of cream-colored cars, before camera tracks a red car that stands out
3:08 low angle shot of hood of red Plymouth Fury just before slamming down on mechanic’s hand
5:25 John Stockwell as Dennis, the best friend of the protagonist, a more popular guy who plays football
6:12 Keith Gordon as Arnie, the nerdy protagonist
8:33 Roseanne is interested in Dennis as he plays football
11:10 Dennis comes to help Arnie who is being bullied by a Buddy and his goons
12:27 extreme low angle shot of Arnie looking up at Buddy holding a switchblade
16:20 Arnie and Dennis find the red Plymouth from opening sequence
16:45 Odometer reads 93,475
17:54 Arnie learns the car is named Christine
22:15 Arnie leaves vehicle at Darnell’s Garage after an argument with his parents who are heavily opposed to him owning a car
24:04 Robert Prosky as Darnell, the no nonsense owner of the lot Arnie keeps his car
35:21 Arnie blows off plans with Dennis
36:58 old man who sold Arnie the car tells Dennis that his brother became obsessed with “Christine” before committing suicide
40:57 Dennis seriously injured as camera shoots overhead, shortly after Dennis sees Arnie with the best-looking girl in school, Leigh (played by Alexandra Paul)
41:46 camera lingers on Christine accompanied by eerie music
46:14 Leigh confesses to Arnie that she hates his car “Christine”
48:12 Leigh starts to choke but when Arnie tries to get into Christine the door locks by itself
54:27 school bullies destroying Christine
58:30 Arnie increasingly hostile toward his parents
1:00:42 shot of Arnie with back to camera as he faces Christine, green and blue lighting across the frame followed by zoom in to back of Arnie’s head as he watches Christine repair herself
1:03:00 bully from before watches as Christine stalks him in a manner that is similar to Michael Myers
1:05:50 claustrophobic atmosphere as Christine corners the buddy against the wall with no way out
1:16:58 montage of explosions as gas stations are engulfed in flames
1:17:21 green and blue lighting observed earlier in film, here Christine is on fire as she chases down another of the bullies who ends up burning to death
1:20:43 camera placed near ground level making Christine more intimidating
1:23:55 Arnie learns Darnell killed himself with shotgun as he is interviewed by Harry Dean Stanton
1:29:23 Arnie and Dennis cruising around in Christine with silent tension building
1:31:10 camera holds on close up shot of Arnie’s face as he becomes increasingly erratic
1:37:01 Christine’s bright white lights catch Leigh off guard
1:37:50 thumping score becoming increasingly intense
1:39:54 Dennis, facing down Christine from opposite ends of warehouse resembles a western showdown
1:39:59 Arnie shot in close up with a haunting use of blue lighting over his face making him appear closer to a ghoul than flesh and blood human
1:44:12 Christine self-repairs again leading to Dennis flattening the vehicle with a bulldozer
1:45:25 camera moves in on the detective, Leigh, and Dennis at junk yard
1:46:21 ends with zoom in on Christine showing a barely perceptible movement implying she is not dead
Thoughts:
Carpenter with another Stephen King adaptation. The premise sounds gimmicky even more than the plot of The Fog as you have a story of a car that becomes the film’s villain, yet Carpenter pulls it off. In fact, this is an underrated gem
This is my second viewing with my first viewing occurring just a few weeks ago. After my first viewing I posted the following thoughts:
“Keith Gordon, who played a key role in De Palma’s Dressed to Kill (1980) does a great job as a nerdy High School kid who slowly transforms over the course of the film and becomes increasingly dark and sinister when he buys a bright red 1958 Plymouth Fury. It is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel so unsurprisingly it is supernatural in nature. The car becomes the films Villain, which sounds campy, but it actually manages to avoid this for the most part. There are some great stunts and special effects including the fire sequence near the end. There is a consistent use of red throughout the film. The film uses diegetic music via the car stereos with exclusively 1950s rock and roll and pop hits. The music is key not only for the purpose of atmosphere but also because it is a way for the film’s Villain, which is a car, to express itself. Carpenter even used the same Panaglide cameras that he used in Halloween (1978) when he filmed Michael Myers stalking his victims, or intended victims in the case of Jamie Lee Curtis character”
Just like with Halloween and The Fog, Carpenter knows how to pace a film by setting up the story over the first half while ramping up the supernatural and/or violence in the 2nd half. The pacing also serves to limit the campy element of the film’s premise. While there are scenes in the 2nd half where Christine actually kills people, the most emotional impact comes in the form of the slow transformation of Arnie who is initially shown to be a nerdy but likable High School kid who becomes increasingly cruel to his parents, best friend, and girlfriend. In this way Christine is a proxy Villain. The scenes where Christine does attack and in some cases kill people, amount to only a couple minutes of run time and are done in a way that does not actually feel campy to me.
Great shot of Arnie at the end of the film, he is shot in close up with a haunting use of blue lighting over his face making him appear closer to a ghoul than flesh and blood human
There are several great low angle shots with the camera placed on or near ground level, making Christine more intimidating and sinister
Great score capturing the increasingly dark atmosphere. The soundtrack is amazing, a great deal of the music I listen to comes from watching films. Christine plays 1950s rock and roll music
Verdict: HR
The Thing (1982)
Notes:
Opens with flying saucer in outer space exploding to shown title of film
Antarctica, Winter 1982
Snow filled landscape with a thumping score
3:00 helicopter flying over endless sea of snow
4:39 sign for “United States National Science Institution 4”
4:57 a close up shot on hands placing ice cubes into glass next to bottle of J&B Scotch
6:23 white and blue dominant color palette so far
6:58 group of 4 men watching helicopter flying while the dog continues to run in and out of the frame
8:19 helicopter explodes after man runs out of it, recklessly fire shots at the crew
9:46 orange from fire makes strong contrast with the white and blue
16:16 POV from inside helicopter
17:43 eerie score with MacReady (Kurt Russell) and Dr. Copper walking into abandoned building with little light source, showing Macready and Cooper in silhouette at times
22:55 silhouette imagery nearing sunset with camera placed in low position
23:18 slow pan to the left with a smoke substance in the air coming off the unidentified bodies
28:22 close up on demonic dog followed by all the other dogs nervously barking in a dim-lit kennel
29:42 otherworldly figure observed attacking the dogs
30:55 camera moves in and lingers on the otherworldly figure
32:53 pan over the characters looking on stunned by what they are looking at
33:07 cutaway shot of the landscape
33:58 gross imagery as they inspect “The Thing”
38:25 high angle shot of mysterious object in a crater
38:47 shot of men in the deep background of the frame from the POV of the object
40:06 painterly image of blue/purple sky at night
46:57 brutal image of Bennings body destroyed but not present
52:20 POV with MacReady running through narrow hallways
1:00:15 the trust between the men is breaking down
1:02:30 pan to the right as group stands near fire producing orange lighting with blue tint giving the orange and blue palette
1:05:46 mix of red from flare and blue lighting in the frame
1:11:04 group of characters in close quarters in highly emotional situation
1:13:15 Macready in medium close up holding red flare near explosives as a way to control the other characters by threatening to kill everyone including himself
1:17:04 another ultra disturbing image as Norris’s head separates from body
1:18:09 another use of flamethrower from Macready
1:19:58 camera pans over faces on each one by one after Macready puts forth the idea of drawing blood from each of them one by one in order to determine who is “The Thing”
1:24:04 The Thing strikes as a force of nature
1:25:50 orange and blue lighting
1:28:01 low angle shot of three of the characters looking down into tunnel
1:29:08 red/ink flare used for lighting as characters find small flying saucer
1:31:26 the first in a series of explosions used to destroy station
1:38:20 disturbing imagery of The Thing just before series of explosions
1:39:19 great frame in frame with orange flames in background and use of silhouette
1:40:55 Macready and Childs converse and share bottle of whiskey seemingly at peace despite the dire circumstances
Thoughts:
Carpenter constantly reminds the viewer of the isolation with shots of helicopters flying over the terrain which is filled with snow in every direction. There is a heavy use of blue, especially the night scenes with dark blue. The color palette reinforces the isolation
Carpenter is known for having an affinity for Howard Hawks. I mean this is a reworking of Hawks 1951 film of the same name. As much as I love Hawks, I found his version somewhat underwhelming, to be fair I have only seen once but I found this version to be far superior. There are definitely similarities with Aliens (1979) as you have a group of characters in an isolated location. This film is set in Antarctica, which may as well be outer space as far as the film’s characters are concerned. And of course, both films deal with a lifeform that is not human and is highly dangerous
This is a great study on several aspects of human nature, in particular the way people react to high pressure/dangerous situations and the human survival instinct. As the film progresses there are breakdowns in trust and a substantial rise in paranoia. However, unlike films that show paranoia through the perspective of a single character, such as Rosemary’s Baby (1968), this film examines a group of characters who become paranoid. Additionally, the film does not make any of the characters substantially more sympathetic than others and therefore does not give viewer any one character to root for over others
There is a claustrophobic impact during sequences with characters inside facilities, buildings, or any area that is not outdoors; this is achieved with dim lighting and characters positioned close to walls or barriers which impede movements
There is disturbing and frankly gross out imagery, this is not for the faint of heart. There are definitely similarities with David Cronenberg’s work, in particular the body horror element.
The tension during the blood drawing scene is palpable. Carpenter puts the viewer in the room with the characters in that sequence. The pacing of the film is excellent overall, building up tension early on although I would not call this a slow burn
The early scenes use blue/white/gray palette but once the interactions with the film’s eponymous Villain the palette features a combination of red/pinks/orange with much of this coming from fires and flares, but the shades of red also goes back to the film’s opening shot depicting “The Thing” in outer space moving toward earth, there is a brief flash of red and orange during this. The end of the film contains orange from fire providing dim lighting usually from background of the frame
Anytime a film can manage to work a character using a flamethrower into the story is a win for the audience. Even though he has a small role, I could not help but think of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) with DiCaprio’s character using a flamethrower, albeit in a much more comedic manner
Kurt Russell is excellent as is Keith David and really everyone but those two are the standouts. Keith David is in so many movies, I don’t think I have ever seen him as the lead, but he is one of those actors that always gives reliably solid performances
Verdict: MP/MS
Escape from New York (1981)
Notes:
Opens with voice over narrator talking about how Manhattan Island Prison serves as a single prison location for the entire country including a 50-foot containment wall
3:28 Carpenter using blue and orange graphics
5:15 dark blue desaturated color establishes grim world of the film
5:31 white light of helicopter flying over blue tinted frame
6:29 low angle shot of Statue of Liberty and helicopter passing by it, smooth camera movements with continuous pan to the right
7:53 first shot of Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken, later revealed to be a former special forces solider
9:30 Lee Van Cleef as Hauk
11:14 red lighting inside helicopter as terrorists are shown on their way to kidnap the President
16:04 government soldiers leave meeting
18:52 wide angle shot with Hauk and Snake sitting across long table form each other
19:20 Hauk gives Snake chance for freedom if he can save the president. Again, Snake was a former special forces soldier so he is considered highly competent
21:37 bright lights and white walls are a contrast with the blue/silver tint of the exterior shots
23:06 Snake informed he’s been injected with a substance that will kill him in 24 hours as he is promised that if he completes the mission successfully, he will be given an x-ray that can neutralize the substance, so his life is literally on the line
25:02 close up on Snakes face with green lighting and red lighting in back surrounded by black screen
31:07 tracking shot of Snake through apocalyptic landscape
33:33 theatrical production with a few dozen in the audience
34:18 man recognizes Snake showing off his widely known reputation
35:04 nice camera movement, silhouette shots, and POV shots as Snake moves through dilapidated building
34:43 camera held as Snake walks deeper into background frame in green lit street alley
40:52 there is a woman who appears in the room after initially being covered by black screen, Carpenter does this several times in Halloween
46:32 score resembling Carpenter’s own score from Halloween (1978)
49:40 zoom on Harry Dean Stanton’s character named Brain
56:31 cutting back and forth between shots from inside vehicle and exterior shots of people throwing objects at car Snake is in
58:21 abandoned train track adds to grim atmosphere
59:45 president played by Donald Pleasence is shown as he leaves with Snake
1:06:06 president’s arms tied to wall after being recaptured
1:17:46 Gladiator like moment with the chanting crowd
1:21:33 camera pans to the right revealing Duke and his crew
1:30:10 president taunting “The Duke” while killing him with machine gun
1:31:14 Snake completes mission and Taut keeps his end of the bargain
1:32:23 president gives empty answer when Snake asks president about how he feels about the deaths of people who helped bring him home
Thoughts:
Part sci fi, part action, and part apocalyptic thriller
This is highly atmospheric reflecting New York in the later 70s/early 80s with rampant crime including homicide rates 5 to 6 times higher than today
The most impressive element of the film is the way Carpenter creates a distinct fictionalized version of a future New York City; many of the scenes were not shot in New York but other cities including St. Louis and Los Angeles. In East St. Louis there was a major fire in 1976 that burned down several blocks and was essentially still in ruins. It is nowhere near as visually stunning but there are certainly similarities with Blade Runner (1982). And similar to the original Blade Runner the entire film is set at night
Snake Plissken is one of the great movie character names. I have always enjoyed Kurt Russell’s performances. I don’t think he is necessarily an amazing actor, but he has movie star charisma and is still a very solid actor. The eye patch is a nice touch, making his character more distinct. Lee Van Cleef as Hauk is a great casting choice, he plays antagonists as well as anyone. They hate each other on the surface but there is a mutual respect between Hauk and Snake
There is a shot I love at 25:02 as it is a close up on Snakes face with green lighting over it and red lighting in background surrounded by black screen, it is repeated a couple of times, but it is a great shot both for aesthetics but also shows off the isolated nature of Snake who is on what is essentially a one-man mission
The film puts a limit on Snake’s time early on as it is revealed that Van Cleef’s Hauk deceives him into getting an injection of a substance that will kill him within 24 hours if he is unable to complete the mission giving a strong incentive to Snake and by proxy the viewer to complete the mission in time
The film is quite economical and does not bother with pointless subplots or give Snake a romantic interest
The bleak ending is appropriate as the President is unable to even pretend to be grateful for the people who died in the process of Snake saving the President
Verdict: HR
@James Trapp – I may have written these somewhere on the site- but I love that Kurt Russell can do both a John Wayne impression (clearly Hateful Eight) and a Clint Eastwood impression – and a damn good one here as Snake Plissken
The Fog (1980)
Notes:
Opens with man in his 70s named Mr. Machen speaking over a campfire telling stories to a group of kids
2:50 orange glow from fire as lighting source
4:16 camera panning up revealing a body of water with a dark blue tint
7:27 Montage of town at night as coastal town Antonio Bay in Northern California
9:23 bottles of supermarket inexplicitly start shaking and several break
10:39 camera placed low as gas leaks in foreground
11:23 lights of cars at dealership all come on at once
13:41 Jamie Lee Curtis as hitchhiker enters vehicle
14:18 glass windows break
14:42 dark blue skyline around the lighthouse
14:55 Stevie Wayne (Adrienne Barbeau) is local radio DJ
16:55 circular frame through the window on boat as a thick layer of fog is approaching
19:10 silhouette figures in gray/blue mist revealed as ghosts
19:58 split frame with pitch black negative space
29:06 frame in frame with wood poles
30:17 overhead shot of car driving through scenic road along the water
33:05 religious iconography
40:18 an initial fake out scare is used to set up actual scare as dead body falls out
41:21 picturesque shot of coastal road
42:20 camera position held in high angle shot of Point Reyes Lighthouse
45:55 weather as foreshadowing with wind audible
52:38 montage of coast and various locations in the town with fog and lighthouse sounds increasing
55:43 blue/purple sky filling out frame aside from
56:10 fog moving slowly across the frame
57:10 fog filling out frame more rapidly
1:00:38 red light signifying danger, Dan is killed shortly after by the fog which is force of nature
1:01:46 Stevie on phone is shot in medium close up on phone in dimly lit room
1:02:06 blue and orange dominant frame of the encroaching fog
1:04:57 Carpenter uses blues and reds for painterly shot from POV looking out of lighthouse
1:06:16 camera holds shot of fog moving over screen
1:08:21 high angle shot of fog moving over frame
1:09:27 series of quick cuts as dangers become more immediate
1:09:57 nice frame in frame using car window in shot of a ghostlike figure in background of the frame
1:15:31 fast cuts between encroaching fog and shots of Stevie inside lighthouse
1:16:17 Fog is shown here as a blue/white light swallowing up its surroundings
1:18:49 the cross is used to fend off the fog in darkened Church
1:19:39 a shot of approximately 10 ghosts inside Church with fog growing and brief flashes of light as quick cuts are used in prolonging the terror
1:20:36 one of the ghosts is in the foreground and approaching with glowing red eyes as Father Malone holds onto the cross
1:21:26 camera closing in on Stevie who is backed up to a wall creating claustrophobic atmosphere
1:22:14 cross turns into fire as orange and blue light clashes as fog and ghosts disappear
1:25:30 Stevie narrating into radio
Film ends with everyone leaves the church except for Father Malone who is killed by a ghost
Thoughts:
Carpenter with a supernatural horror film. As I noted in my Halloween review, that film is more debatable regarding its supernatural elements as Michael Myers does not seem quite human by the end of the film even though the world of the film is firmly grounded in reality. But with The Fog, Carpenter goes all in on supernatural
There are some beautiful and picturesque shots including several that were shot on location; this includes several shots of the Point Reyes Lighthouse. Many of the film’s interiors were shot on set but many of the exterior shots were on location. The shots of the landscape are particularly impressive, especially those near the coast
Some great silhouette shots of shadowy figures who are later revealed to be ghosts who start to appear along with the fog. The fog itself is a sort of manifestation of past horrors. There is an element of collective guilt as the towns’ people are being punished for the actions of some of their ancestors
Between this and Halloween (1978) Carpenter seems to have an affinity for blue and orange. Near the end of the film, when Father Malone grabs onto the cross while the ghosts move in on him, there is a clash of orange and blue light, and this results in the disappearance of the fog and the ghosts
I liked the way Carpenter holds the camera static at times while the fog fills up the frame. Some of the shots of the fog dispersing across the frame remind me of a shot in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) near the beginning of the film as the sabotage is depicted with a static shot of a dark cloud of smoke which slowly fills up the frame
While the imagery is strong and the story overall intriguing, there are some flaws. Generally speaking, the story does not feel cohesive as it focuses on several characters but would have worked better if it had focused around a single character. The cast is strong, and the performances are solid, but the lack of structure prevented me from getting more invested in the characters. It is minor but the film opens with an older man telling the story over a fire to a group of children, and thus it would have been preferable to end the film with the storyteller
Carpenter uses cuts in a way that creates a particular rhythm. He cuts more frequently as dangers become more immediate, elongating the fear. Carpenter does this perfectly in Halloween (1978) as well, especially in the scene leading up to the confrontation between Laurie and Michael
Verdict: HR
@James Trapp – Good share here- this is one I go to over this time of year
@Drake – thank you, yeah it is not a coincidence I chose to start Carpenter Study in mid October. Is Carpenter the greatest horror director? And for the purpose of this question, let’s only consider directors with a minimum of 3 Horror Films. I think there is a case for several directors
In no particular order:
John Carpenter
Dario Argento
Roman Polanski
David Cronenberg
Ari Aster
I am sure several other worthy candidates
@James Trapp-I think many cinephiles would include Jordan Peele in this list.
@Malith – Yeah, I need to revisit Nope (2022) I watched in theatre when it first came out. I thought Us (2019) had a brilliant opening with the fun house. That voice from Red, is brutal. It just does not work for me. I also felt like the twist ending existed simply for the purpose of having a twist ending. But I am willing to watch again at some point as I did enjoy certain elements of the film.
Wes Craven deserves a mention creating two significant Horror Franchises with Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Scream (1996). I don’t think much of The Hill Have Eyes (1977), I saw it once as a teenager but Craven directed that along with The Last House on the Left (1972) and Red Eye (2005) although Red Eye is more of a Hitchcock style psychological thriller. The first Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street I rank as HR. Wes Craven does not have a MP to his name but probably is deserving of at least a mention
@James Trapp- these feel like the big ones- James Whale is an important figure and there are others- but you’ve done a great job here collecting the names here
@Drake – thank you, I have not gotten around to James Whale yet. Will need to add him to my list. I can’t believe I forgot to mention Murnau given that I just did a Study on him a few weeks ago. 3 of the 7 films I covered for him would qualify as Horror including a MP and borderline MP
Nosferatu (1922) – MP
Faust (1926) – MP/MS
The Haunted Castle (1921) – R
@James Trapp- that’s ok- we’re getting into the genre discussion- many would cite Hitchcock and others as well in horror. It gets hazy.
Halloween (1978)
Notes:
Opens with iconic score and opening credits featuring the Jack-o’-lanterns
2:34 Haddonfield, Illinois Halloween Night 1963
2:52 POV shot of the suburban two-story white house with Halloween decorations
3:27 Judith Myers and boyfriend making out
4:30 Micheal’s arm is shown as he grabs knife
5:52 POV frame changes after Michael places mask over face
6:17 Michael stabs his naked sister to death
7:00 slow zoom out after Michael’s parents return and take his mask off
7:33 Smith’s Grove, Illinois
8:40 Donald Pleasence as Doctor Sam Loomis
11:44 Haddonfield, Illinois Halloween Night 1978
12:30 Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie
14:50 camera holds over Michael Myers left shoulder as he watches Laurie walking down sidewalk
16:11 Michael Myers in ski mask outside school in shot from Laurie POV through window
16:34 Laurie asked question in class about fate by her teacher
24:04 Laurie keeps seeing Michael Myers while her friends do not
31:46 back window used to frame shot of car following Laurie and Annie who are smoking weed
32:05 Don’t Fear the Reaper could not be a better song choice for this film
36:18 over the shoulder shot of Michael Myers outside Laurie’s house
38:00 Loomis and the Sherriff walking up the stairs of the abandoned Myers house
42:30 POV of kid Laurie is babysitting as he sees Michael Myers outside
47:47 Michael Myers slowly moves into background of frame and sneaks up on Annie in foreground
54:03 Michael Myers appears from background of the frame which was the dark negative space
54:09 a two shot with driver window used to frame shot of Michael Myers strangling Annie to death
1:03:03 sex scene with Lynda and her boyfriend, with Jack-o’-lantern next to bed
1:05:43 jump scare is well earned after being built up with suspense
1:06:10 medium close up on boyfriend pinned to wall creating claustrophobic atmosphere
1:07:25 Michael Myers with white sheet over body, Lynda assumes is boyfriend
1:11:30 intermittent wide-angle shots with narrower framed shots as Laurie approaches house
1:14:21 low angle shot with Laurie in center of frame in dark house with minimal light source
1:15:07 intermittent shots of Laurie ascending stairs from her POV and high angle shot showing her face great shadow work as patterned shadows in mise en scene
1:16:11 Judith Myers gravestone above Lynda’s dead body on the bed followed by the reveal of bodies of Lynda’s boyfriend and Annie
1:17:05 Michael Myers’s face slowly enters the screen from the dark negative space
1:17:23 low angle shot of Michael Myers at top of staircase from Laurie’s POV, he is shadowy figure here with the patterned shadows adding to the mise en scene
1:19:33 Elongating the suspense alternating between shots of Laurie and approaching Michael Myers
1:23:13 low angle shot of Michael Myers accentuates imposing figure
1:23:53 claustrophobic atmosphere as Laurie is literally backed up against a wall inside closet
1:27:09 Michael Myers mask reveals his face for a second
1:27:14 Loomis shoots Michael Myers multiple times out window, shown with overhead shot
Ends with Michael Myers no longer in lawn that he fell onto, indicating he is still alive
Thoughts:
Halloween remains one of the most iconic Horror films of all time, it is also one of the very best
The opening credits with the Jack-o’-lanterns and iconic score set the films’ eerie tone. After we get a phenomenal sequence with POV shots from the perspective of a 6-year-old Michael Myers who stabs his sister to death after her boyfriend leaves the house. The framing of this sequence is unnerving as the Carpenter is essentially making the viewer a participant or at least accomplice to the brutal murder via stabbing to death with a knife. The slow zoom out of Michael in the front yard holding a knife while his parents return home is utterly chilling as he does not say a single word. Carpenter uses numerous over the shoulder shots, usually from Michael Myers POV
This greatly exceeded my expectations. Somehow, I don’t think I have seen this since I was a kid so certain films like the Friday the 13th series and Nightmare on Elm Street get blended together, but make no mistake about it, this is way more impressive. Unfortunately, this appears to be the only great in the Halloween Franchise based on reviews and reputation. The original is the only one John Carpenter directed so that would probably account for a significant part of the reason why it is the only great one in the franchise. There is also the issue of diminishing returns that usually happen when one great film spawn countless remakes which are lacking in the creativity of the original
Psycho (1960) is in its own separate category when discussing the greatest slasher films of all time. Halloween (1978) is in the tier below with Suspiria (1978), Dressed to Kill (1980), Deep Red (1975), Peeping Tom (1960). Some may question calling Suspiria a slasher and there is a legit argument that it is in a slightly different genre, but I think it qualifies. Here is my list of the 10 greatest slasher films:
# 1 Psycho (1960)
# 2 Suspiria (1977)
# 3 Dressed to Kill (1980)
# 4 Halloween (1978)
# 5 Deep Red (1975)
# 6 Peeping Tom (1960)
# 7 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
# 8 Black Christmas (1972)
# 9 Tenebrae (1982)
# 10 Scream (1996)
While I have 3 films ahead of it, I think Halloween may be the greatest pure slasher in a way that is similar to how I viewed Double Indemnity (1944) as the greatest pure film noir although I rank Touch of Evil (1958), and Chinatown (1974) above it. Double Indemnity is THE Film Noir just as Lawrence of Arabia is THE Epic and a case could be made that Halloween is THE Slasher Film
After the first murder of the film, Carpenter builds suspense with Myers and in particular he uses framing to effectively shoot Michael Myers, as his face or entire front of his body is only revealed in a few long shots. Otherwise, there are numerous shots over the shoulder where camera is placed with his shoulders in the foreground. Over the course of the film the distance between Myers and the camera gets progressively closer. There are frames in frames used to capture Myers in shots where his presence is revealed to the viewer but not the character
The lighting is excellent, I love the way the Myers house is lit in the opening sequence with a mix or orange and blue in the exterior lighting but also the interior of the residence when Judith Myers boyfriend is leaving the house
Unlike many lesser slasher films, Carpenter borrows from the Master of Suspense in prioritizing suspense over surprise and the jump scares the film does have are well earned from the patient build up
Similar to Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt (1943) the town is supposed to be a stand in for all suburbs. However, unlike Shadow of a Doubt, there is a deliberate connection between sex and violence
One element of Michael Myers that I was always curious about is whether or not he is supposed to be real or supernatural. To a certain degree he reminds me of Anton Chigurh; a force of evil that seems almost supernatural, this is definitely more the case with Chigurh who at least talks, and we see his face. None the less, they both seem to be able to stealthily wander through areas unseen or at least unnoticed by most people unless he is killing them. There is a scene with Laurie at school as she is asked a question about the concept of fate right after being distracted by Michael Myers
At 1:17:23 is a great low angle shot of Michael Myers at top of staircase from Laurie’s POV, he is shadowy figure here with the patterned shadows adding to the mise en scene
Donald Pleasence plays Doctor Sam Loomis; he functions as a source of exposition, which is smart as it gives the film the ability to provide the viewers with information about Michael Myers in a way that does not come off as clumsy
Halloween reputation as an all-time great Horror is well earned
Verdict: MP
@James Trapp-Where is Argento’s Bird with the Crystal Plummage in your top 10?
@Malith – good call I can’t believe I forgot that one. I’ll expand the list to 15
# 1 Psycho (1960) – MP
# 2 Suspiria (1977) – MP
# 3 Dressed to Kill (1980) – MP
# 4 Halloween (1978) – MP
# 5 Deep Red (1975) – MP/MS
# 6 Peeping Tom (1960) – MP/MS
# 7 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – MS
# 8 The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) – MS
# 9 Tenebrae (1982) – MS
# 10 Black Christmas (1972) – MS/HR
# 11 Scream (1996) – HR
# 12 Nightmare of Elm Street (1984) – HR
# 13 Friday the 13th (1980) – R
# 14 Opera (1987) – R
# 15 Hostel (2005) – R
I still have not seen any of Mario Bava’s films. Criterion Channel currently has a Giallo Collection so I will check some of those out
I watched Christine (1983) for the first time. Keith Gordon, who played a key role in De Palma’s Dressed to Kill (1980) does a great job as a nerdy High School kid who slowly transforms over the course of the film and becomes increasingly dark and sinister when he buys a bright red 1958 Plymouth Fury. It is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel so unsurprisingly it is supernatural in nature. The car becomes the films Villain which sounds campy but it actually manages to avoid this for the most part. There are some great stunts and special effects including the fire sequence near the end. There is a consistent use of red throughout the film. The film uses diegetic music via the car stereos with exclusively 1950s rock and roll and pop hits. The music is key not only for the purpose of atmosphere but also because it is a way for the film’s Villain, which is a car, to express itself. Carpenter even used the same Panaglide cameras that he used in Halloween (1978) when he filmed Michael Myers stalking his victims, or intended victims in the case of Jamie Lee Curtis character
I look forward to checking out some more of Carpenter’s films
@James Trapp-Looks interesting. I didn’t know about this film until you mentioned it. It has OK reviews even though the premise is a bit silly. The same year as The Dead Zone which I didn’t really like.
@Lionel – The Dead Zone is easily the stronger of the two King adaptations of the year. (Even then it’s not really as good as the book which is enjoyable and slightly deeper).
I was disappointed by it. It felt cheap(like a TV Movie), relied on jump scares and was such a letdown and followed the book very closely which was far superior.
@Malith@Harry – the premise is silly but I think Carpenter actually pulls it off, the pace is key to this. I am not sure I would label this a “slow burn” but the film documents the slow transformation of Keith Gordon’s character who is named Arnie as he goes from High School nerd to this:
https://www.moriareviews.com/rongulator/wp-content/uploads/Christine-1983-6.jpg
The visuals in Christine (1983) are far superior to The Dead Zone (1983) in my opinion
@James Trapp-Yeah. The clips from Christine looks good visually. I hope it doesn’t lean far too much into camp territory.
My ranking of Carpenter`s films that I`ve seen:
1. The Thing MS/MP
2. Halloween MS
3. Escape from New York HR
4. They Live R
5. In the Mouth of Madness R
5 Best Performances
1. Russell- The Thing
2. Pleasence- Halloween
3. Russell- Escape from New York
4. Brimley- The Thing
5. David- The Thing
Aren’t the careers of Carpenter and Dario Argento very similar?
Is Prince of Darkness not archivable or have you not seen it?
@Matthew – Yes, I have seen Prince of Darkness. Have you seen it? What did you think?
I have not unfortunately
Drake, do you think if you replace the Halloween score with a merely adequate score that this is still a MS?
@Matthew- Hmmm. What do you think? I am glad I don’t have to answer this in real life. That score is phenomenal. I did notice the Carpenter score has a lot in common with a theme (not used often at all) from The Exorcist. Caught the Exorcist again recently and noticed that- not saying that it detracts from Halloween or Carpenter’s score- just sort of interesting.
Honestly… probably not. Maybe a HR/MS, but I don’t think (can’t know for certain, this is just speculative) it’s a full blown MS. Obviously visuals are a separate entity than music, but this is a film, and there are dozens of components in films that are all intrinsically tied together, build off of each other, enhance each other, etc, and Halloween’s visuals are, on its own two feet, great, but I think it being paired with the score accentuates it to another level. It’s importance to the atmosphere can’t be understated, and I don’t think those first person-pov shaky cam tracking shots (which is a major, reoccurring aesthetic that makes the film what it is) pack the same punch without the score going along with it.
Hi James. I’m no Drake and I don’t know nearly as much about cinema as he does, but I can recommend you some horror watches for Halloween: (these are not necessarily slasher films)
Night of the Demon (1957)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Day of the Dead (1985)
Dead of Night (1945)
I love Halloween (the Holiday) and Halloween (the Carpenter film). What are some of the best slasher films of all time? I am looking for some to watch on Halloween.
Psycho is certainly my favorite and a top 10 all time film for me personally. Peeping Tom, which strangely enough came out he same year as Psycho is an underrated one. Any other slasher films that are MP or MS?
Hi James. I’m no Drake and I don’t know nearly as much about cinema as he does, but I can recommend you some horror watches for Halloween: (these are not necessarily slasher films)
Night of the Demon (1957)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Day of the Dead (1985)
Dead of Night (1945)
@Gabriel Paes – No, worries I appreciate input from everyone and anytime I ask a question I am looking for feedback from anyone who wants to chime in.
I have not seen or heard of any of these. Night of the Demon (1957) looks interesting might check that one out.
@James Trapp- I don’t know if these are the best- but Dressed to Kill and Deep Red are the first that came to mind after the ones you mention- and they’re here- so it would seem we have the makings of a decent list at least from indiewire https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-slasher-movies/
@Drake – thanks for the article, funny enough I just recently started watching some of Dario Argento’s films. Started with Suspiria and am planning to watch Deep Red soon. I love Dressed to Kill, I actually think it’s one of De Palma’s 3 or 4 best films.
Very late to the party, but I just discovered your website and… it is great! Congratulations! Your opionions are very well-written also, and I’m so glad you’re not one of those people that just says “the cinematography is gorgeous”, “it keeps me in the edge of my seat” and so on… you give your own opinions and that’s amazing.
On Carpenter, I know very little about cinema but he’s my absolute favorite. Halloween is in my top 5 movies of all time, by the way.
In my opinion, what really diverses your, mine and everyone else’s opinion on his movies is related to the world he creates. Honestly, he has a set of “tools” that he tends to use in almost every film he makes. The music, of course, but also combining this with atmosphere, long takes, characters often are stuck in one place (literal ones – as it’s in Halloween, The Thing, Prince of Darkness, Assault on Precinct 13, The Fog – or not, as it happens in Starman (a woman “stuck” in the past and in her grief) or In the Mouth of Madness (a man “stuck” in his own mind and craziness).
However, the characters, scenarios and in general the world he creates in his movies are always very different from one another. I guess that’s what makes Prince of Darkness one of his best films for me (Father Loomis is probably my favorite performance in a movie of his, I love the music, the ridiculous green liquid, the messages from a creature – “Not even Plutonium can save you!” and even the humour in it “Anybody seen Susan? Scientist? Glasses?”) and Escape from New York yours, for the reasons you’ve said.
I don’t think I could ever make a top 5 as my taste is kind of different every day, but I think it would go like this:
1- Halloween
2- Prince of Darkness
3- The Thing
4- The Fog
5- Assault on Precinct 13
But I love everything that I’ve seen, even Vampires.
@Gabriel Paes- Welcome to the site and thank you for the comment and the kind words. The “the cinematography is gorgeous” comment made me laugh– I used to feel the same way so although I’m sure I fail from time to time- I try to be more specific than that most of the time.
The rest of this is just an amazing addition to the John Carpenter page. Thank you for sharing. I’ll keep all of this here in mind when I revisit his work.
It is a funny comment, because you see it everywhere! And most people that say this don’t even know exactly what cinematography is (myself included, although I have a bigger notion of it than “beautiful colors and gorgeous shots”). And, sure, there is no pity if you’ve ever felt (or still feels) this way, because we’ve all been there. For example, I used to say that Blade Runner 2049 was one of my favorite movies of all time – and when I thought of a reason, the first thing that always came to mind was always: “Man, that cinematography really hits the spot, huh?”
But thanks for the response and congratulations on this website, it is truly epic!
Read my lips:
This is nonsense
Carpenter is most underated director in the history of cinema-visionar,multi-artist,genius.
His movies has been copied 100 times..his ideas
Should I continue?
@ Lino– thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I admire your passion, and I appreciate Carpenter and his films, but i don’t see a strong argument here from you. What’s your case? “His movies have been copied 100 times”? Ok. So it’s because he’s influential? I’m sure you can see that’s a tough argument since so much of Carpenter is taken from Howard Hawks. So i guess- yeah- you should continue.
I just read your comment – and I’m with you, friend. Ironically, an interview book I’ve been working on with John for sixteen years comes out this spring. When revising my introduction, I had to halve the list of both films and filmmakers that have been directly influenced by John’s work as it was TOO LONG. Even then, it could have been much, much longer (and, believe it or not, that’s without listing the slasher films that followed in HALLOWEEN’s wake between 1979 and 1984). Also, when you read the tributes to John that I’ve received from directors like Guillermo Del Toro, John Landis, Edgar Wright, and many others, a lot more people will begin to appreciate just how significant John Carpenter is in film history. Of course, I’m perfectly biased!
@AP– appreciate you checking out the site again and the comment. I could probably do a explaining the case for Sofia, Nolan, Zemeckis and Friedkin (and will as i plan to keep this going to at least 150 directors or maybe 200 so please check back). I’ll try to keep it brief here. I agree with you regarding Nolan and Friedkin having masterpieces and being comparable to Sofia. However, I think there’s much more connective (authorship) tissue with Sofia’s work. Remember, for Nolan, my list really doesn’t include any work done from 2009-current so i’m really talking about “Memento” and “TDK” and i just don’t see the connection like i do with “Lost in Translation”, “Marie Antoinette” and “Virgin Suicides”. This will change when I include masterpieces like “Inception” and “Dunkirk”. In a few years Nolan will skyrocket up this list. With Friedkin– i adore both “The French Connection” and “The Exorcist” but they could almost be made by different directors couldn’t they? That is what separates them.
200 ?! Great !
@KidCharlemagne — haha yeah i know. I’ve got a list of about 300 that i think are worthy of it. I’m really enjoying the project so i may keep going. 200 or 250 seems like a good #
Keep going,appreciate your work.
Friedkin, Nolan and Zemeckis don’t make the Top 100, then. I think both Nolan and Friedkin are close to Sofia (81 on the list), with 2 giant Masterpieces at least. TDK and Dunkirk for Nolan, The Exorcist and The French Connection for Friedkin. How and Why do they miss out?
Yes. Friedkin deserves a spot.
@KidCharlemagne— Friedkin will be showing up shortly on my list so i won’t fight you too hard– but out of curiosity– who are you moving off to make room for him?
Good question haha,maybe Carpenter.
I agree Friedkin should be way higher. I would be willing to swap out Pakula, Linklater, Sofia Coppola, or Oliver Stone for Friedkin.