The Films of John Carpenter

Description

The films of John Carpenter cover a tremendous range and yet all bear his clear personal stamp. From the horrifying (Halloween) to the touching (Starman) to the controversial (The Thing) to the comic (Big Trouble in Little China), his films reflect a unique approach to filmmaking and singular views of humanity and American culture. This analysis of Carpenter's films includes a historical overview of his career, and in-depth entries on each of his films, from 1975's Dark Star to 1998's Vampires. Complete cast and production information is provided for each. The book also covers those films written and produced by Carpenter, such as Halloween II and Black Moon Rising, as well as Carpenter's work for television. Appendices are included on films Carpenter was offered but turned down, the slasher films that followed in the wake of the highly-successful Halloween, the actors and characters who make repeated appearances in Carpenter's films, and ratings for Carpenter's work. Notes, bibliography, and index are included. Dedication Acknowledgments Contents Introduction I: A History and Overview of John Carpenter’s Career II: The Films of John Carpenter Dark Star (1975) Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) Halloween (1978) The Fog (1980) Escape from New York (1981) The Thing (1982) Christine (1983) Starman (1984) Big Trouble in Little China (1986) Prince of Darkness (1987) They Live (1988) Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) In the Mouth of Madness (1995) Village of the Damned (1995) Escape from L.A. (1996) Vampires (1998) III: Films Written and Produced by John Carpenter Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) Halloween II (1981) Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) Black Moon Rising (1985) IV: John Carpenter on Television Someone’s Watching Me! (1978) John Carpenter Presents Body Bags (1993) V: Epilogue: We Are Transmitting from the Year 1999… Appendix A: Some Directing Opportunities John Carpenter Has Turned Down Appendix B: Slasher Films That Followed John Carpenter’s Halloween Appendix C: The John Carpenter Repertory Company Appendix D: Recurring Characters in the Films of John Carpenter Appendix E: Rating John Carpenter Notes Bibliography Index