John Carpenter
Directing
Born: January 16, 1948 (age 78) · Carthage, New York, USA
Highest Rated
Biography
An American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction. Most films in Carpenter's career were initially commercial and critical failures, with the notable exceptions of Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and Starman (1984). However, many of Carpenter's films from the 1970s and the 1980s have come to be viewed as cult classics, and he has been acknowledged as an influential filmmaker. Cult classics that Carpenter directed include: Dark Star (1974), Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), The Thing (1982), Christine (1983), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Prince of Darkness (1987), They Live (1988) and In the Mouth of Madness (1995). His films are characterized by minimalist lighting and photography, static cameras, use of steadicam, and distinctive synthesized scores. Carpenter is also notable for having composed or co-composed most of the music of his films; some of them are now considered cult as well, with the main theme of Halloween being considered a part of popular culture. His music is generally synthesized with accompaniment from piano and atmospherics. He released his first studio album Lost Themes in 2015, and also won a Saturn Award for Best Music for Vampires (1998). Carpenter is an outspoken proponent of widescreen filming, and all of his theatrical movies (with the exception of Dark Star and The Ward) were filmed anamorphic with a 2.35:1 or greater aspect ratio. The Ward was shot in Super 35, the first time Carpenter has ever used that system. Carpenter has stated he feels that the 35mm Panavision anamorphic format is "the best movie system there is", preferring it over both digital and 3D film. Many of Carpenter's films have been re-released on DVD as special editions with numerous bonus features. Carpenter has been the subject of the documentary film John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies, and American Cinematheque's 2002 retrospective of his films. Moreover, in 2006, the United States Library of Congress deemed Halloween to be "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss interviewed Carpenter about his career and films for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror. Carpenter appears in all three episodes of the series. He was also interviewed by Robert Rodriguez for his The Director's Chair series on El Rey Network. Many filmmakers have been influenced by Carpenter, including James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight was heavily influenced by The Thing), Guillermo del Toro, Robert Rodriguez, Edgar Wright, Danny Boyle, Nicolas Winding Refn, Bong Joon-ho, among others. The video game Dead Space 3 is said to be influenced by Carpenter's The Thing, The Fog and Halloween, and Carpenter has stated that he would be enthusiastic to adapt that series into a feature film.
Known for
The Thing
1982
Halloween
1978
Halloween
2018
Escape from New York
1981
They Live
1988
Big Trouble in Little China
1986
Halloween Kills
2021
Halloween
2007
Christine
1983
Halloween II
1981
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
1988
Halloween Ends
2022
Photos (15)
Movies (20)
The Thing
Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
Halloween
Paul (voice) / Michael Myers (uncredited)
The Boy Who Could Fly
The Coupe de Villes
Big Trouble in Little China
Worker in Chinatown (uncredited)
They Live
Voice That Says 'Sleep' (voice) (uncredited)
Escape from New York
Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player
Village of the Damned
Man at Gas Station Phone
The Fog
Bennett
Starman
Man in Helicopter (uncredited)
Assault on Precinct 13
Gang Member (uncredited)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Helicopter Pilot
Studio 666
Engineer
Dark Star
Talby Voice
Body Bags
Coroner
The Silence of the Hams
Trenchcoat Man / Gimp
Scary Girl
2011
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
(archive footage)
The Rise of the Synths
Narrator (voice)
Unmasking the Horror
1998
The Puppet Man
The Taxi Driver
TV Shows (3)
Self / Appearances (94)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest · 1 eps
The Movies That Made Us
Self (Archival Footage) · 1 eps
Through the Night with...
Self · 1 eps
John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in L.A.
Self · 1 eps
The Real History of Science Fiction
Self · 2 eps
100 Scariest Movie Moments
Self · 5 eps
The Director's Chair
Self · 1 eps
100 Years of Horror
Self - Interview · 26 eps
I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not
Self (archive footage)
Amityville: An Origin Story
Self · 4 eps
A History of Horror
Self · 3 eps
Nightmare Factory
Self
In Search of Tomorrow
Self - Interviewee
Partners in Crime: Hitchcock's Collaborators
Self
Carpenter
Self (archive footage)
Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film
Self
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Self
Halloween in Hollywood
Self
The Thing Expanded
Self
Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters
Self
Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven'
Self
First Works
Self
Scream and Scream Again: A History of the Slasher Film
Self
Red Desert Nights: Making Ghosts of Mars
Self
The Perfect Scary Movie
Self
Horror Cafe
Self
The American Nightmare
Self
Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX
Self
Why Horror?
Self
In Search of Darkness: Part II
Self
Fear in the Dark
Self
Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions
Self - Filmmaker
Halloween: 25 Years of Terror
Self
Take One: Fear on Film
Self
Hollywood's Greatest Villains
Self
John Carpenter: Live From Los Angeles - Halloween Night
Self
Tales from the Script
Self
In Search of Darkness: Part III
Self
Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
Self
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
Self
In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994
Self
The Thing: Terror Takes Shape
Self
In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy
Self
The History of Metal and Horror
Self
Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown
Self
In Search of Darkness
Self
John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies
Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Self
Monsterland
Self
The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style
Self
Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock
Self
Full Moon Rising: The Charles Band Story
Self
Tales from the Mist: Inside 'The Fog'
Self
Let There Be Light: The Odyssey of Dark Star
Himself (voice)
Fear on Film: Inside 'The Fog'
Self
After Sunset: The Life & Times of the Drive-In Theater
Self
Henchman: The Al Leong Story
Self
An Opera of Violence
Self - Filmmaker
Scoring "Resident Evil"
Self (archive footage)
Stephen King's World of Horror
Self
It Takes a Village: The Making of Village of the Damned
Self
Commemoration: Howard Hawks' 'Rio Bravo'
Self
Working with a Master: John Carpenter
Self (archive footage)
Stephen King's World of Horror
Self
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Self
Masters of Horror
Self
Halloween: Unmasked
Self
Christine: Finish Line
Self
Hidden Values: The Movies of the Fifties
Self
In Search of Darkness: 1995-1999
Self
Scoring 'Ghosts of Mars'
Self
Halloween: The Inside Story
Self
The Wages of Sin
Self - Filmmaker
John Carpenter: Live At Primavera Sound 2016
Self - Keyboards
John Carpenter: Live Retrospective
Self
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
Self
1982: Hollywood Summer
Self
Something to Do with Death
Self - Filmmaker
Do You Remember Laurie Zimmer?
Self (voice)
Jean-Michel Jarre: A Journey into Sound
Self
Big John
Self
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #4: Follow Your Own Star
Self
Christine: Ignition
Self
The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie
Self
Hollywood's Creepiest Creatures
Self
Charlie Brown: Blockhead's Revenge
Self/Host
Christine: Fast and Furious
Self
The Making of 'The Thing'
Self
Bloodsucking Cinema
Self
Snake Plissken: Man of Honor
Self
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
Self
Bernard Herrmann: Hitchcock's Maestro
Self
Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror
Self
Monstres, l'ennemi de l'intérieur
Self
Directing (26)
The Thing
Director
Masters of Horror
Director
Halloween
Director
Big Trouble in Little China
Director
They Live
Director
Escape from New York
Director
Christine
Director
Village of the Damned
Director
In the Mouth of Madness
Director
Escape from L.A.
Director
The Fog
Director
Ghosts of Mars
Director
Vampires
Director
Starman
Director
Prince of Darkness
Director
Assault on Precinct 13
Director
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Director
Dark Star
Director
Body Bags
Director
The Ward
Director
Elvis
Director
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams
Director
Someone's Watching Me!
Director
Cigarette Burns
Director
Captain Voyeur
Director
Pro-Life
Director
Writing (41)
Halloween
Screenplay
Halloween
Characters
They Live
Screenplay
Escape from New York
Screenplay
Halloween
Original Film Writer
Halloween
Characters
Halloween II
Screenplay
Halloween Ends
Characters
Halloween Kills
Characters
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Characters
Halloween: Resurrection
Characters
Escape from L.A.
Characters
Escape from L.A.
Screenplay
The Fog
Screenplay
Ghosts of Mars
Writer
Assault on Precinct 13
Original Film Writer
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Characters
The Fog
Original Film Writer
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Characters
Halloween II
Characters
Prince of Darkness
Screenplay
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
Characters
Assault on Precinct 13
Writer
Dark Star
Screenplay
Dark Star
Original Story
Black Moon Rising
Screenplay
Black Moon Rising
Story
Eyes of Laura Mars
Screenplay
Eyes of Laura Mars
Story
Zuma Beach
Writer
Someone's Watching Me!
Writer
El Diablo
Writer
Carpenter
Original Film Writer
Captain Voyeur
Writer
Better Late Than Never
Writer
Silent Predators
Teleplay
Halloween: Existence
Characters
Blood River
Writer
Prince of Darkness
Original Film Writer
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy
Writer
Halloween: Harvest of Souls, 1985
Characters
Producing (14)
Halloween
Executive Producer
Halloween II
Producer
Halloween Ends
Executive Producer
Halloween Kills
Executive Producer
The Fog
Producer
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Producer
The Philadelphia Experiment
Executive Producer
Dark Star
Producer
Black Moon Rising
Executive Producer
Body Bags
Executive Producer
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams
Executive Producer
Vampires: Los Muertos
Executive Producer
Captain Voyeur
Producer
John Carpenter Live: Behind the Scenes
Executive Producer
Other Crew (46)
The Thing
Original Music Composer
Halloween
Original Music Composer
Halloween
Original Music Composer
Big Trouble in Little China
Original Music Composer
They Live
Original Music Composer
Escape from New York
Original Music Composer
Christine
Original Music Composer
Halloween II
Original Music Composer
Halloween Ends
Original Music Composer
Village of the Damned
Original Music Composer
Halloween Kills
Original Music Composer
In the Mouth of Madness
Original Music Composer
Escape from L.A.
Original Music Composer
The Fog
Original Music Composer
Ghosts of Mars
Original Music Composer
Firestarter
Original Music Composer
Vampires
Original Music Composer
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Main Title Theme Composer
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Main Title Theme Composer
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Original Music Composer
Prince of Darkness
Original Music Composer
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
Main Title Theme Composer
Assault on Precinct 13
Editor
Assault on Precinct 13
Original Music Composer
Studio 666
Music
Dark Star
Original Music Composer
Body Bags
Original Music Composer
The Spot
Thanks
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams
Main Title Theme Composer
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams
Creator
Vampires: Los Muertos
Music
Valley of the Dead
Additional Music
Caged In
Thanks
The Stationmaster
Music
The Stationmaster
Musician
Plaga zombie: zona mutante: revolución tóxica
Thanks
Good Morning, Dan
Camera Operator
He Came Home
Music
The Puppet Man
Music
Nunca más asistas a este tipo de fiestas
Thanks
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy
Music
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy
Editor
The Last Foxtrot in Burbank
Editor
The Little Cotton Girl
Thanks
John Carpenter Live: Behind the Scenes
Original Music Composer
Nunca asistas a este tipo de fiestas
Thanks