JC
John Carpenter
Composer, Director, Actor, Writer, Producer, Editor, Additional CreditsBorn January 16, 1948 (77 years)
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.
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.
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John Carpenter Filmography
| 2027 | |
| 2023 | John Carpenter's Suburban Screams (TV Series) · as Main Title Theme Composer |
| 2022 | Halloween Ends · as Original Music Composer |
| 2022 | Firestarter · as Original Music Composer |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | Halloween Kills · as Original Music Composer |
| 2018 | Halloween · as Original Music Composer |
| 2012 | The Nightmare Isn't Over: The Making of Halloween II · as Composer |
| 2002 | |
| 2001 | Ghosts of Mars · as Original Music Composer |
| 1998 | Vampires · as Original Music Composer |
| 1996 | Escape from L.A. · as Original Music Composer |
| 1995 | Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers · as Main Title Theme Composer |
| 1995 | Village of the Damned · as Original Music Composer |
| 1994 | In the Mouth of Madness · as Original Music Composer |
| 1993 | |
| 1989 | Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers · as Main Title Theme Composer |
| 1989 | Watch the Sparrow Bleed · as Composer |
| 1988 | They Live · as Original Music Composer |
| 1988 | Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers · as Main Title Theme Composer |
| 1987 | Prince of Darkness · as Original Music Composer |
| 1986 | Big Trouble in Little China · as Original Music Composer |
| 1983 | Christine · as Original Music Composer |
| 1982 | Halloween III: Season of the Witch · as Original Music Composer |
| 1982 | The Thing · as Original Music Composer |
| 1981 | Halloween II · as Original Music Composer |
| 1981 | Escape from New York · as Original Music Composer |
| 1980 | The Fog · as Original Music Composer |
| 1978 | |
| 1976 | Assault on Precinct 13 · as Original Music Composer |
| 1974 | |
| 1970 |
| 2023 | John Carpenter's Suburban Screams (TV Series) |
| 2010 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | Masters of Horror (TV Series) |
| 2001 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1996 | |
| 1995 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1993 | |
| 1992 | |
| 1988 | |
| 1987 | |
| 1986 | |
| 1984 | |
| 1983 | |
| 1982 | |
| 1981 | |
| 1980 | |
| 1979 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1969 |
| 2022 | Charles Band's Full Moon Freakshow (TV Series) |
| 2022 | Studio 666 · as Engineer |
| 2019 | The Rise of the Synths · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2010 | A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss (TV Series) · as self |
| 1995 | Village of the Damned · as Man At Gas Station Phone |
| 1994 | The Silence of the Hams · as Trenchcoat Man / Gimp |
| 1993 | |
| 1992 | Memoirs of an Invisible Man · as Helicopter Pilot |
| 1988 | They Live · as Voice That Says 'sleep' (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1986 | The Boy Who Could Fly · as The Coupe De Villes |
| 1986 | Big Trouble in Little China · as Worker In Chinatown (uncredited) |
| 1984 | Starman · as Man In Helicopter (uncredited) |
| 1982 | The Thing · as Norwegian (video Footage) (uncredited) |
| 1981 | Escape from New York · as Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player |
| 1980 | The Fog · as Bennett |
| 1978 | |
| 1976 | Assault on Precinct 13 · as Gang Member (uncredited) |
| 1974 | |
| 1958 | The Rifleman (TV Series) |
| 2007 | Halloween · as Original Film Writer |
| 2005 | The Fog · as Original Film Writer |
| 2005 | Assault on Precinct 13 · as Original Film Writer |
| 2001 | |
| 1991 | |
| 1990 | |
| 1988 | They Live · as Screenplay |
| 1987 | Prince of Darkness · as Screenplay |
| 1986 | Black Moon Rising · as Screenplay |
| 1982 | |
| 1981 | Halloween II · as Screenplay |
| 1981 | Escape from New York · as Screenplay |
| 1980 | The Fog · as Screenplay |
| 1979 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1978 | Eyes of Laura Mars · as Screenplay |
| 1976 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1970 | |
| 1969 |
| 2023 | John Carpenter's Suburban Screams (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | Halloween Ends · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | Halloween Kills · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Halloween · as Executive Producer |
| 2005 | |
| 2002 | Vampires: Los Muertos · as Executive Producer |
| 1993 | |
| 1990 | El Diablo · as Executive Producer |
| 1986 | Black Moon Rising · as Executive Producer |
| 1984 | The Philadelphia Experiment · as Executive Producer |
| 1982 | |
| 1981 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1969 |
| 2024 | The Last Nightmare Part One · as Based On Characters Created By |
| 2022 | Halloween Ends · as Characters |
| 2021 | The Haddonfield Nightmare · as Based On The Characters Created By |
| 2021 | Halloween Kills · as Characters |
| 2018 | Halloween · as Characters |
| 2012 | Halloween: Awakening · as Character |
| 2012 | Halloween: Resurgence · as Based Upon Characters Created By |
| 2012 | Lockout · as Based On "escape From New York" Written By |
| 2009 | Halloween II · as Characters |
| 2002 | Halloween: Resurrection · as Characters |
| 1999 | Silent Predators · as Teleplay |
| 1998 | Halloween H20: 20 Years Later · as Characters |
| 1996 | Escape from L.A. · as Characters |
| 1995 | Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers · as Characters |
| 1989 | Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers · as Characters |
| 1988 | Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers · as Characters |