It’s January the 16th, 2010, and it’s John Carpenter’s Birthday. If you’re a regular here on the blog, John and his films are mentioned often, and today we all want to wish Mr. Carpenter the very best and a very Happy Birthday. J.C.’s films were so influential to me as a youngster, and they were the cornerstone of my wanting to get into the movie business. This summer will mark my 25th year in Hollywood, and I owe John a great deal of thanks for inspiring the path to my future!!!!
It took a while, but in 2000 I got to work on John’s “Ghosts of Mars”, and it was one cool ride. The crew was awesome and working for JC was a great experience…a very no nonsense kind a guy and knows exactly what he wants, always complimentary and very keen & imaginative with how he sees things. It was very easy to put his ideas down on paper and more fun to see how he would film everything once it was built. Carpenter’s work is very unique, and his gritty & hard edged style accompanied by his dark witted humor makes him one wicked cinematic storyteller. I love all of his films, Horror, Comedy, Drama, Sci Fi, Action, John has done them all; he’s a writer, director, editor, composer, producer, etc., and on top of it all, he and his wife Sandy are two of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. Below are some cool links and a credit list of John’s awesome body of work !!! Happy Birthday John and hope you have a good one.
(ed. note – list is from uk.imdb.com)
L.A. Gothic (2010) (announced)
- The Ward (2010) (post-production)
- (2 episodes, 2005-2006)
– Pro-Life (2006) TV episode
– John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns (2005) TV episode - Ghosts of Mars (2001)
… aka John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars (USA: complete title) - (1998)
… aka John Carpenter’s Vampires (USA: complete title)
… aka Vampire$ (USA) - Escape from L.A. (1996)
… aka John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A. (USA: complete title) - Village of the Damned (1995)
… aka John Carpenter’s Village of the Damned (USA: complete title) - In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
… aka John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness (USA: complete title) - Body Bags (1993) (TV) (segments “Gas Station, The” and “Hair”)
… aka John Carpenter Presents ‘Body Bags’
… aka John Carpenter Presents ‘Mind Games’ (USA: cable TV title) - Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
… aka Les aventures d’un homme invisible (France) - (1988)
… aka John Carpenter’s They Live (USA: complete title)
… aka They Live! (USA: poster title) - Prince of Darkness (1987)
… aka John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness (USA: complete title) - Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
… aka John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China (USA: complete title) - Starman (1984)
… aka John Carpenter’s Starman (USA: complete title) - Christine (1983)
… aka John Carpenter’s Christine (USA: complete title) - The Thing (1982)
… aka John Carpenter’s The Thing (USA: complete title) - Escape from New York (1981)
… aka John Carpenter’s Escape from New York (USA: complete title) - The Fog (1980)
… aka John Carpenter’s The Fog (USA: complete title) - (1979/I) (TV)
… aka Elvis the Movie (USA: informal title) - Someone’s Watching Me! (1978) (TV)
… aka High Rise - Halloween (1978)
… aka John Carpenter’s Halloween (USA: complete title) - Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
… aka John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 - Dark Star (1974)
… aka John Carpenter’s Dark Star (Australia) - (1969)
- Warrior and the Demon (1969) (as Johnny Carpenter)
- Gorgon, the Space Monster (1969)
- Gorgo Versus Godzilla (1969)
- Terror from Space (1963)
- Revenge of the Colossal Beasts (1962)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carpenter
http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies.html
GOM compilation art
the discovery
martian street way
Eavesdropping with Johnny 
Happy Birthday John Carpenter!!!
So looking forward to “The Ward”
YEAH!!! it’s sound like a wicked movie and It has been so long since the silver screen has graced a fine John Carpenter film.
Yeah and LA Gothic sounds cool too.
John Carpenter is one of my all-time favourite independant movie makers. His movies prove that you don’t need a $100 million budget to make a good movie and that being forced to improvise can actually be a bit better.
Anyone who’s heard the Director’s commentary on Escape from New York will know what I’m on about.
those commentaries are great I love the one for the Thing as well!
Indeed, a happy b’day to John Carpenter! I of course love his films as well. And what a cool tale of yourself there as well, Johnny! Congrats on a 1/4 century of fun and awesomeness in the pictures! 🙂
peace | deg
25 years I can’t believe that myself!!
Indeed, a Happy Birthday to Mr. Carpenter! He was involved in two of my favorite movies: Dark Star and Big Trouble in Little China, not to mention all the other wonderful stuff he’s done.
Mr. Eaves: is it just me, or do I see a big Ron Cobb influence on your Ghosts of Mars work? It looks great in any case!
those two are great!!! big trouble is one of my fav Carpenter film scores too!
Oh and yes about Ron Cob
I don’t know if he does or not but he should consider being a teacher. He knows so much about film. His DVD commentaries are like a “little how to make a movie” class. Unless it’s with Kurt Russell, they spend most of the time talking about their families and telling jokes. 😀
those commentaries are great!! I love the sound of that lighter firing up and that first big drag on his Cigarette!! funny to hear it going on in the background.
One thing I love about Carpenter is he can give us truly creepy and original horror “The Fog” and “Halloween” and then give us something beautiful like “Starman” and when he combines horror and sci fi its just plain stunning.
Adding to the love for “John Carpenter’s The Fog”! A great and truly creepy flick in the best possible sense, not to be confused with that de-testicled remake starring all those dubiously talented Abercrombie & Fitch clones.
the Fog turns thirty this February!! Stay tuned for a big special entry for that one! Yeah the remake was just about the worst ever!!!
he is very diverse and I love that!!!I was trying to think of one of his movies I didn’t like and there aren’t any!! Like em all for a variety of reasons!! I would love to see him do a real western!!!
look down your reply went down one!! HAAA
I did not realise he has not made a film since 2001. I was going to say that a long time, but then I remeber there was a wait of 15 years for Camrons film. lets hope we don’t have to wait as long for another film from both directors.
I always loved big trouble in little China. Great film.
The thing is another great film, I just can’t get enough of that one.
He did two of the installments for Masters of Horror and his Cigerette Burns still haunts me!!! I only saw it once and haven’t worked up the nerve to watch it again,, An extremely disturbing show and really shows John’s mastery of scaring the crud out of you!! What is really cool about it is his son composed the music and he has the same awesome talent that his dad has!!!
John Carpenter shares his birthday with my Dad! This is awesome!
Carpenter is among the few filmmakers to influence me early on. I watched Escape From New York when I was in middle school. Picked it up on VHS on a random trip to Wal Mart with my parents. Got it on the cover alone. Watched it that night and was transported! The world he created was like the wild west in the future, although it was already 1997 or so when I watched the movie it didn’t take away from it. It even added to it in a “alternate universe” sort of way. And the score sucks you in. It is without a doubt my favorite Carpenter movie!
I saw The Thing not long after that. Late at night with my cousin. And we were mesmerized by the story and amazed by the creature effects. A classic!
I can’t wait to meet him when he comes to Texas Frightmare Weekend this year in Dallas. Getting some posters signed!!
Hope all is well John (Eaves)
-Clint from Texas
CLINT!!!!! hey call me I just finished the Nostromo and it has claimed my life for the last 6 weeks!!! Yeah Carpenter’s the best!! I love Escape from NY, I watched They Live the other night!! another fav!!!
Happy Belated Birthday Mr. Carpenter! I’ll add my voice to those who expressed a desire to see another movie by one of the greats!
25 years in the industry, eh John? Very nice! We have been so blessed to have you there! 😀
yeah Im old!! still 23 from the inside looking out though!!! HAAA!
A belated happy birthday to my man, John Carpenter! I know he was born in New York but I happily claim him as a son of Kentucky, as he spent his formative years in beautiful Bowling Green, so GO JOHN! More power to ya!
wooowee thanks Jay!!!
What a cool post. I like amny people here are a fan of John Carpenters work.
I remember seeing Dark Star at a convention in the 1980’s and I’m a big fan of Escape From New York and the Thing.
Donald Pleasance, Kurt Russell, Ernie Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau( what 15 year old kid in 1981 didn’t have a crush on her?), Harry Dean Stanton and Isaac Hayes…it doesn’t get better than that.
In 1997 oddly enough the year that Escape takes place (ha) I was in St Louis and went to a few of the locations where Escape was filmed.
I’m in agreement with the folks here, John Carpenter can scare the daylights out of you, and then make a touching film like Starman. I don’t normally cry at a film, but Karen Allen singin Drea had me a little verklempt.