Written by: Matt Molgaard

Over the years I’ve probably assembled a good seven or eight “Best of John Carpenter” lists. I suppose I really can’t help myself, as I’m a tremendous fan of the man’s work, and discussing one of the finest filmmakers of our time never seems to lose sheen. What’s interesting is, I’d bet that if you tracked down some of my past articles, every single list would differ slightly; I consider that a sign of brilliance (not on my part), because it’s obviously a difficult feat for me to choose my genuine favorites when I hold so many of John’s features in such high regard.

It’s been some time since I debated the great one, and I figured, since my work is relatively new to the BHM audience, now would serve as a fine time to revisit friendly territory. As is the case with any critical scribe, this piece is completely subjective, and representative of my personal opinion. I doubt my fellow BHM staffers would argue with too many of my selections, but it’s important to note where this list stems from exclusively: I’d hate to have my tail chewed by The Horror Czar because he received an onslaught of hate mail for my list. So, take this all with a grain of salt, and, if you somehow have missed a single film to be featured in this piece, do yourself a favor and seek it out!




10. The Ward: This tale of tangled personalities and haunted hallways didn’t necessarily win over the majority of genre followers; it’s one of those films people seem to love, or loathe. I personally found thorough enjoyment in the picture. Technically, John is at his finest for this effort, utilizing some trademark shots and plenty of low lighting to pronounce the danger lingering in the halls of the North Bend psych ward. There are a few jump scares to take in, but John really leans on atmosphere to create terror here, a maneuver that brought him to prominence in 1978. While many have disparaged the twist ending served up by scribes Shawn and Michael Rasmussen (keep your eyes peeled by the way, we’ll be speaking with the two exclusively in the next few days!), I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Is it fairly predictable? Yes, it is; however, the predictability of it is what threw me for a loop, as I expected a complex shift in the final frame, which in effect, transformed a predictable conclusion into a surprise finale.




09. Big Trouble in Little China: Certainly more fantasy than horror, Big Trouble in Little China is grand entertainment regardless of categorization. Kurt Russell and John Carpenter have come together to create some great works in the past, and this one is no exception. Written by David Z. Weinstein and Gary Goldman, there are so many preposterous ideas put to work in this story that it’s impossible to take the flick too serious, and therein lays the beauty of Big Trouble: it’s never supposed to be taken seriously. This is the ultimate popcorn flick, packed with wild wizardry, awkward creatures and enough one liner’s to keep the laughs cranked up to ten.




08. Prince of Darkness: Like Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness is one extremely far out movie. The two differ however, for numerous reasons: the primary being the fact that Prince of Darkness isn’t shot for laughs, this film is meant to creep the hell out of you, and Carpenter makes that a pretty successful reality. For a Carpenter script, this one is relatively bold, as John drops Satan, liquefied, right smack in the basement of an old weathered church; the freaks subsequently come out at night, and a research team is all that stands between the safety of mankind and the release of hell on earth, quite literally. There are some shocking moments to take in here, and while this may not be Carpenter’s strongest work on a purely technical level, it’s damn fun.




07. Cigarette Burns: Often overlooked simply due to the fact that this feature was a piece of Showtime’s Masters of Horror run, Cigarette Burns is a wicked hour long feature that marked a return to directorial duties for Carpenter, who stepped away from the cameras for four years after the release of Ghosts of Mars in 2001. The idea of the quest for the most horrific, infamous, taboo film of all time isn’t territory uncharted, but scribes Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan bring some unconventional sequences to the table, and it all works extremely well. Norman Reedus is terrific as the picture’s lead, and Udo Kier is in pique form. Arguably the strongest MOH installment to see release, this film is a must watch for anyone who fancy’s the highly refined narrative.




06. Escape from New York: Throughout the history of film, there have been very few anti-heroes that resonate with viewers in the fashion of Snake Plissken. The man just redefines bad ass, and manages to overcome everything thrown in his direction; and for the record, I’m not certain who, other than Kurt Russell could have pulled off this role with such conviction. Sent into a quarantined Manhattan to rescue the president, who’s crashed on the isle turned prison, the rogue Plissken is given 24 hours to extract the country’s leading lad before he himself will be terminated by the very same government who have pressured Snake into the rescue mission. There’s some great action on display here, some eerie sequences, and a cool twist on the post-apocalyptic approach: by locking down Manhattan and utilizing the entire island as a prison, Carpenter creates a world that is, in effect, only partially post-apocalyptic, which is damn unique, if you ask me. If you like action, vile villains, wily anti-heroics and Adrienne Barbeau, this one is for you!




05. In the Mouth of Madness: What happens when fiction proves powerful enough to manifest fact you ask? In the Mouth of Madness is what happens! Michael De Luca’s script seems perfectly suited for Carpenter, as it manages to balance the insanity of Prince of Darkness, and the eerie atmosphere of Halloween all the while carrying a thick reminiscence of H.P. Lovecraft’s (who Carpenter is an admitted fan of)  trademark style. Unfortunately for insurance investigator John Trent (Sam Neill), he’s been assigned the task of locating famed (and missing) author Sutter Cane, whose literary works are not only driving people insane, they seem to be creating a very tangible shift in reality. Filled with haunting visuals and clever plot points, this film shines on a slew of levels. From on screen performances, to on screen creatures, to daring symbolism, In the Mouth of Madness is a genuine treasure to behold.




04. The Fog: The Fog may not have won critics over unanimously upon release in February of 1980, but it sure hit the mark with viewers. At the heart of this story is a simple ghost narration, on the surface however, there’s tons of terror to contemplate, including some legitimately ghastly visuals. Shot in anamorphic widescreen Panavision, The Fog looks like a grand picture, despite being a financially strapped production and that’s really enabled the film to not only age in marvelous fashion, but further endear the picture to contemporary audiences. To this day, diehard fans still visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse on the 21st of April in celebration of “The Fog Day”: if that’s not testament to the power behind this classic, I certainly don’t know what is!




03. Christine: I won’t acknowledge Christine as Carpenter’s most enjoyable film, but I do firmly believe it is, on a purely technical level, John’s greatest achievement. The cinematography on display here is absolutely amazing, the script is as close to air tight as one could ask for (there really are very, very few holes in this one), Keith Gordon (Arnie Cunningham), John Stockwell (Dennis Guilder), and Alexandra Paul (Leigh Cabot) are perfect as the teenage trio tied up in terror, while coming of age, and that 1958 Plymouth Fury is absolutely gorgeous! This one earns a yearly spin from me, as I consider it one of the most successful Stephen King adaptations ever shot, and it also reminds me that no matter how much I may love classic cars, sometimes it’s best to outsource for repairs and avoid becoming too emotionally attached!




02. Halloween: I suppose there isn’t a wealth of exposition required when the topic is the legendary Halloween. Commonly recognized as the official launch of the slasher sub-genre (I personally credit Bob Clark’s Black Christmas for that accomplishment, but hey, that’s just me), Halloween is absolutely petrifying. The idea of a comfortable suburban neighborhood being turned on its head by a faceless serial killer is deeply disturbing; it’s a terrifying concept by today’s standards, and it was even more paralyzing 34 years ago, before society had deteriorated so dramatically. The film introduced viewers to one of the most recognizable villains to be captured on screen, Michael Myers, and also served as a springboard for a tremendously successful career for the lovely Jamie Lee Curtis. Just too really hammer home the impact of this film I should note that an eleventh Halloween feature looms on the horizon, and may see release within this calendar year.  




01. The Thing: The Thing may be the greatest horror film in existence. That of course is a topic that warrants lengthy debate, and for every genre fan to agree with that sentiment, I’m certain there are a few to argue the case. Either way, this story, which pits man versus shape shifting alien, is nothing shy of mesmerizing. The tension is staggering; the pacing is perfect, Kurt Russell turns in a career best performance, and the special effects work, handled by living legend and former Carpenter collaborator, Rob Bottin are still to this day the best practical work I’ve ever seen on film. Everything about The Thing is incredible, and without a doubt, the picture boasts more replay value than any other picture on John’s résumé; furthermore, this is one of those extremely rare occasions in which a remake completely outshines its predecessor (The Thing from Another World, which is a damn fine film itself). If you’ve missed Carpenter’s telling of John W. Campbell Jr.’s original story, “Who Goes There?”, do yourself an immediate justice: haul your rear end from your computer chair and go find it!