- “The Thing” (1982)
Plot: A group of researchers on a remote base in Antarctica are terrorized by a shapeshifting life-form, and as the crew is killed one by one, nobody can be trusted.
Production: Carpenter’s vision for a truly menacing monster was made possible by groundbreaking effects artist Rob Bottin. “The Thing”’s various forms exhibit gore and violence to the highest degree and were remarkable for the time.
Music: While not composed by Carpenter himself, Ennio Morricone’s European style adds a layer of unfamiliarity and tension to the work that matches the atmosphere well.
Entertainment: “The Thing” leaves you questioning everything throughout its runtime — visually explosive and viscerally transformative.
Scare Factor: Carpenter flawlessly blends alien invasion and body horror to create an unsettling and shocking experience bursting with tension.
Final Verdict: “The Thing” is a unique and chilling operation that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end.
- “Halloween” (1978)
Plot: A young Michael Myers murders his sister and is committed to a mental institution. 15 years later, he escapes and returns to his hometown to stalk a babysitter and her friends on Halloween night.
Production: “Halloween” earned over 200 times its production budget of $325,000 at the worldwide box office. Carpenter and his team were resourceful with their set, and their limitations only made the film more grounded and timeless.
Music: Those piano notes are simply iconic.
Entertainment: With just enough suspense to keep you on your toes, as well as a timely setting, “Halloween” is a great choice for a spooky movie night with friends.
Scare Factor: “Halloween” forces us to face our most primal fears through masterful cinematic technique and a terrifying villain. While the circumstances themselves are straightforward, the underlying atmosphere dominates.
Final Verdict: “Halloween” is a classic for a reason.
- “Christine” (1983)
Plot: Bullied high school senior Arnie Cunningham purchases his first car – a 1958 Plymouth Fury named “Christine.” Based on the titular novel by Stephen King, the car has a mind of its own, and stops at nothing to win over Arnie’s heart.
Production: From a filmmaking perspective, “Christine” is a masterclass. Carpenter’s skilled directorship is on full display, and each production department puts in its all. The film is littered with seamless editing, stellar acting and top-notch lighting and effects.
Music: Rather than receiving a complete score, the film is supported by an all-star soundtrack of 50s tunes and 80s anthems. But, when the radio turns on, don’t stick around to listen.
Entertainment: “Christine” embodies every aspect of cinema for a wholly enjoyable adventure.
Scare Factor: You may be skeptical about the premise of a haunted car, but its personification as a jealous, erratic character brings a welcome sense of danger.
Final Verdict: “Christine” is a sleeper hit that will make you think twice about riding shotgun.
- “In The Mouth of Madness” (1994)
Plot: John Trent, a cynical insurance investigator, is hired to locate missing horror author Sutter Cane’s latest manuscript. In his journey, he finds himself overwhelmed by visions of Cane’s descriptive stories.
Production: The film was shot on location in Ontario, Canada to mimic the fictional New England setting. It boasts remarkable set work and practical effects, most notably including a mass of Lovecraftian monsters.
Music: The main theme has a heavy, chugging riff that hypes you up for a big display.
Entertainment: Out of all of Carpenter’s horror films, “In The Mouth of Madness” is one of the most entertaining. Its convoluted, metafictional narrative is one that you have to see to believe.
Scare Factor: Rather than seek cheap thrills, “In The Mouth of Madness” harkens back to the eldritch horrors of H. P. Lovecraft at a nearly incomprehensible scale. It won’t make you jump, but it will keep you up at night.
Final Verdict: If you love movies, you’ll love “In The Mouth of Madness.” It’s surprisingly twisted, elaborate and self-referential.
- “The Fog” (1980)
Plot: As Antonio Bay celebrates its centenary, a thick fog drifts ashore, and with it, the vengeful ghost pirate Blake and his crew. The townsfolk must save themselves from the fog or risk death as one of Blake’s six victims.
Production: Approximately one-third of the film had to be reshot following the production phase due to Carpenter’s dissatisfaction with the footage. While this allowed for more significant scenes with additional backstory, it hiked up the total budget.
Music: This ominous score combines organ, piano and synth sounds for an unmatched phantomic aura.
Entertainment: As the fog creeps in, this film keeps you on the edge of your seat but would benefit from more on-screen pirate action.
Scare Factor: “The Fog” focuses on building a suspenseful atmosphere, but, it does so in sacrifice of the kill count or gore that you might expect.
Final Verdict: “The Fog” is quintessential Carpenter. It has an outstanding vibe with an intriguing lore but places unnecessary limits on itself.
- “Prince of Darkness” (1987)
Plot: A Catholic priest enlists the help of a quantum physicist and his team of graduate students to analyze a large vial of green liquid which is discovered to be the vital essence of Satan.
Production: “Prince of Darkness” is one of the handful of films that Carpenter wrote, directed and scored. Alongside “Halloween” and “The Fog,” “Prince of Darkness” acts as a sort of benchmark for the distinctive Carpenter stamp. As expected, there are a plethora of fantastic practical effects throughout the film, though most of them are confined to the latter half.
Music: The mild ambiance laced throughout the film leaves nothing to note. Funnily enough, hard rock icon Alice Cooper was cast as someone with schizophrenia rather than being called for the soundtrack.
Entertainment: With too much of the runtime spent setting up the experiments, “Prince of Darkness” presents a riveting climax only to end abruptly.
Scare Factor: Carpenter uses the unusual power of possession to demonstrate evil forces in this film. Once it picks up, however, the evil essence begins to take full force.
Final Verdict: If there were more time to fully develop the themes it presents, perhaps “Prince of Darkness” would have had a more lasting impact on the horror genre.
- “Vampires” (1998)
Plot: Jack Crow, the Catholic Church’s leading vampire hunter, must wrangle a team to prevent master vampire Jan Valek from obtaining the Black Cross which, if secured, would allow Valek and his army to walk freely in the New Mexico sunlight.
Production: The costumes, props and dialogue are very much products of the time and are brazen enough to make “Vampires” stand out among Carpenter’s filmography, for better or for worse.
Music: The score sets up an individualized Western aesthetic but becomes tiring fairly quickly.
Entertainment: Everybody has dreamed of being a heavy-metal vampire-hunting cowboy at some point in their lives, right? Either way, get ready to cheer as Crow burns the blood-sucking bastards.
Scare Factor: The hunt for Valek presents as more intense than scary. There are some startling images, but expect a more action-oriented viewing.
Final Verdict: “Vampires” offers a distinctly energizing style with a subpar narrative.
- “They Live” (1988)
Plot: Based on a short story by Ray Nelson, “They Live” follows a wandering man who locates a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world for what it is – a mass-media wasteland controlled by aliens.
Production: I was fascinated by the “truthful” world they built for this film, which involved creating alternate props for every sign, magazine and food label. While there were a few interesting techniques, casting Roddy Piper as a leading man cannot be excused.
Music: Uncharacteristically for Carpenter, the score is bland, repetitive and drones on during the film’s extensive action sequences.
Entertainment: If you enjoy cheesy quips and pulpy fight scenes, this film’s for you. Great for a laugh, but not inspiring in any way.
Scare Factor: The premise for this film is an eerie blend of sci-fi and horror that implies compelling conflict. Unfortunately, it falls through on its haunting potential and — at points — fully ignores it.
Final Verdict: Conceptually, it’s pretty incredible, but in practice, “They Live” falls apart as an unfaithful adaptation that feels shallower than the scope it establishes.
- “Village of the Damned” (1995)
Plot: Based on John Wyndham’s 1957 novel “The Midwich Cuckoos,” “Village of the Damned” follows a small California town hit with a mass blackout, after which 10 women awaken pregnant and give birth to a set of cursed alien children.
Production: Known for being the last film to Christopher Reeve before his life-changing accident, “Village of the Damned” is undeserving of its charismatic all-star cast. It was shot in the coastal town of Inverness, Calif. where portions of “The Fog” were filmed. Ultimately, the children’s special effects and costumes are unconvincing and sloppy.
Music: Composed alongside Dave Davies, Carpenter’s score showcases natural talent with a lack of memorability.
Entertainment: The story addresses post-war social panic through the lens of a crumbling town. It is thought-provoking but inconsistent, lacking the tools to keep the audience focused.
Scare Factor: Unless you are terrified by small, white-haired children, there isn’t much that jumps out in this film. Many of the on-screen deaths are induced suicide, and the visual effects eliminate any possibility of a suspension of disbelief.
Final Verdict: Don’t let the casting fool you – “Village of the Damned” tanks pretty soon after the children appear.
- “The Ward” (2010)
Plot: After burning down a farmhouse, a young girl is locked away at North Bend Psychiatric Hospital, where she plots to escape the ghost of a former inmate.
Production: “The Ward” proves that even a great director can fail. While there is certainly some dexterity in the camera work, the editing, writing, visual effects and acting all devalue the strengths of the film.
Music: Movies have two ways of conveying information to the audience — sound and visuals — that must work together. Carpenter’s best work only occurs when he has the reins over both.
Entertainment: There are bad movies, and then there is “The Ward.” If you’re on the lookout for something to watch this Halloween, look further up the list.
Scare Factor: If there is one thing going for this film, it would be its jump scare value. But as Carpenter’s classic style is more dynamic, there are many critical scares that just don’t work.
Final Verdict: “The Ward”‘s poor attempts at twists and complex characters ruin the possibility of a solid psychological thriller.
Daniel Estrin can be reached at [email protected].