The Films of John Carpenter

I'll give him They Live (although not Prince of Darkness). I found Memoirs underrated if not underwhelming; make sense ?
 
Blaine said:
As far as I'm concerned, the last good movie he made was Big Trouble in Little China in 1986.
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Although I really like the 1960 original, I thought his version of Village of the Damned was more than enjoyable. In fact, I find my self re-watching it whenever it comes on Sci-Fi or wherever the poo poo it continually is aired.

Also Vampires wasn't bad (especially when compared to his other films from the last 20 some odd years.) The fact that I am a fan of James Woods' work probably comes into play here though.
 
CallaghanFilms said:
Also Vampires wasn't bad (especially when compared to his other films from the last 20 some odd years.) The fact that I am a fan of James Woods' work probably comes into play here though.
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For me, Vampires was okay. I want to do THE VAMPIRE movie someday, since I haven't really seen it yet. I agree with you on Woods, though. A much underappreciated actor. :thumbsup:
 
I just watched an 87 minute behind the scenes documentary about Halloween.

I loved John Carpenter's The Thing, Halloween, and Big Trouble in Little China. I thought his score for Halloween was incredible. It was so simple yet so potent and recognizable.

John Carpenter is definitely a big influence on me both in film and music.

Does anybody see a relation between Donnie Darko and Halloween? Something about it has a similar vibe. It's something very subtle, but I think intentional. Perhaps the southern california backdrop trying to emulate the midwest, and eerie piano based score?
 
Donnie Darko would swallow Butterfly Effect like a snake.

Donnie darko was a good movie, I thought that director was good, except for hellraiser which I thought sucked.
 
What does donnie darko have to do with Hellraiser?

Hellraiser is a awesome. A flat out classic.

Probably, the last Great horror film of the 80's.
 
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I liked Donnie Darko (although see ZERO parallel with Halloween)

Hellraiser I always found lame. Just never got it.
 
Hellraiser (not to threadjack) is based off the short story by Clive Barker (one of my favorite writers) called Hellbound Heart. It is a story of love and manipulation and murder. Hellraiser the film, while it does deal with the love and betrayl, it delves more heavily into the daughter and her issues relating to her father and the other key players.

While Hellraiser is a great example of low budget filmmaking and a great example of 80's horror, Clive Barker has said in many interviews that the film never full realized the vision he had in mind. He talked about the studio limiting what he wanted to do, and that the aspects of bondade, sadism, and massochism were never able to be realized out of fear from the studio.

Hellraiser has developed a cult following, but at the same time, from a simple horror stand point, stands as one of the few great and never fully realized projects. What this film could have been has always made me curious.

Now on an interesting side note:
Clive Barker was offered either $125,000 to direct and write the project but lose all rights or $50,000 to direct, write, and keep all the rights. He took the paycheck, figuring who would want to see his horror bondage film. Hellraiser has spawned 7 films and is amongst the Friday the 13th & Nightmare on Elm Streets among horror franchises. Everytime I hear Barker speak he always mentions that, just a cool little note.

-Jeremy
 
The Hellbound Heart is one of my favorite stories. That and his Imajica series.

I've got a copy of the hellbound heart that's pages are yellow and earmarked and the damn little paperback won't shut properly anymore.


Someone else mentioned James Woods. Videodrome made me learn to appreciate him as an actor in ways i never imagined. Movies i hated previously became endearing to me because of Woods. That man is fantastic. I even enjoyed that cable tv Rudy Giuliani biopic solely because of him.


YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE IN SARAJEVO!
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FilmMakerr said:
Donnie Darko would swallow Butterfly Effect like a snake.

Donnie darko was a good movie, I thought that director was good, except for hellraiser which I thought sucked.
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I thought Donnie Darko sucked. It was boring. Weird for the sake of being werid and "different". I call it "b.s. quirky".
 
John_Hudson said:
I liked Donnie Darko (although see ZERO parallel with Halloween)

Hellraiser I always found lame. Just never got it.
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The sequels get lamer and lamer. The stories just keep trying to stretch the box and bring Pin Head in. There's little consistency in its own mythology. I watched all 8 on the Sci-Fi channel one Sunday with nothing to do. Most of them, I wouldn't watch again. A few had interesting ideas, but overall were just boring. They look/feel less and less like Barker's as they go on.
 
I haven't seen any of the Hellraiser movies past Bloodlines. They seem to be made for the sole purpose of giving Doug Bradley work.
 
Filmjunkie677 said:
What does donnie darko have to do with Hellraiser?

Hellraiser is a awesome. A flat out classic.

Probably, the last Great horror film of the 80's.
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Same director, writer :)
 
Right, I was mistaking, no wonder Donnie Dark is better.

I thought what I had in mind was Candyman.

Hellraiser sucks anyway.
 
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