Favorite John Carpenter Film

[koolmike]

Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Vampires (1998)
Escape From L.A. (1996)
Village of The Damned (1995)
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
Body Bags 1993
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
They Live (1988)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Starman (1984)
Christine (1983)
The Thing (1982)
Escape from New York (1981)
The Fog (1980)
Elvis (1979)
Someone's Watching Me (1978)
Halloween (1978)
Assault On Precinct 13 (1976)
Dark Star (1974)
....................................................... .................
I love many of his movies but I gotta go with Halloween.

[Knight]

The Thing followed by In the Mouth of Madness

[koolmike]

The Thing is right up there with Halloween for me too.

[Get Some]

The Thing followed by Halloween then BTILC and of course i havent seen even half of them so thats based on the ones i saw

[dead breed]

The Thing

[BooBerry]

Halloween, The Fog, Christine, and The Thing are the only ones I've ever really liked. Halloween would be my number one pick though.

[Misfit]

hard one........i guess the thing

[KING]

Escape From L.A. (1996) & Escape from New York (1981)

[skybrick]

5. In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
4. Prince of Darkness (1987)
3. The Thing (1982)
2. The Fog (1980)
1. Halloween (1978)

[Joker]

I like so many of em.
I guess I would have to go with Big Trouble followed by The Thing.

[Detective John Kimble]

Notice the filmography ends at 2001 with one project supposibly on the horizon.

Carpenters whole career is a wheel of fortunes. I cant emphasize fortunes enough because I believe he is a hack. Lets his 'best' films get remade probably as long as he gets a percentage of profit from the films. His only good film for me is They Live more or less because Roddy Piper was badass and probably the best actor Carpenter has worked with.

Maybe he will come out with something worthwhile in the future. But until then, he will be known as the guy who was helped, more than likely carried by Debra Hill in creating Micheal Myers but after that. Its a whole lot of wtf happened to his career. If he had worked with Arnie, Jackie or some bigtime action star. It would've helped solidify him outside of the horror genre. But instead he became a one trick pony in a genre that is full of one trick pony's and afew rare geniouses.

[Suffering Bastard]

Halloween
The Thing
The Fog
Escape From New York
Vampires

[BooBerry]

If he had worked with Arnie, Jackie or some bigtime action star. It would've helped solidify him outside of the horror genre. But instead he became a one trick pony in a genre that is full of one trick pony's and afew rare geniouses.

When you said that, your opinion lost any validity with me. :nod:

[Lucio Argento]

Halloween followed CLOSELY by The Thing.

[Gilly?]

The Thing, Assault of Precinct 13.

[Mr.PiCo]

They Live
Big Trouble in Little China
Escape from New York
The Thing
The Fog
Christine
Halloween

[Mr.PiCo]

His only good film for me is They Live more or less because Roddy Piper was badass and probably the best actor Carpenter has worked with.

I agree that they live is the best of his films. nothing to do with piper though. the social commentary that he portrays in each of his films is amazing. They live was about how capitalism ruins the world. eventually to an alien take over, and that we would rather look the other way than confront it.

a hack he is not. big trouble in little china, was an amazing take, on making fun of those big name action stars you mentioned.

Escape from new york was excellent, and other than its matte paintings still stands up today.

I wont say anything about ghosts of mars, or vampires as I personally did not like them. but by no means would i say he is a hack.

Halloween is not one of my favorite films by any means but look at the shit job zombie did with that classic. the way he chose to direct the characters made the whole film, same with the fog, and eventually the remake of the thing. He has skills

/rant

[Detective John Kimble]

His only good film for me is They Live more or less because Roddy Piper was badass and probably the best actor Carpenter has worked with.

I agree that they live is the best of his films. nothing to do with piper though. the social commentary that he portrays in each of his films is amazing. They live was about how capitalism ruins the world. eventually to an alien take over, and that we would rather look the other way than confront it.

a hack he is not. big trouble in little china, was an amazing take, on making fun of those big name action stars you mentioned.

Escape from new york was excellent, and other than its matte paintings still stands up today.

I wont say anything about ghosts of mars, or vampires as I personally did not like them. but by no means would i say he is a hack.

Halloween is not one of my favorite films by any means but look at the shit job zombie did with that classic. the way he chose to direct the characters made the whole film, same with the fog, and eventually the remake of the thing. He has skills

/rant

Debra Hill had a great hand in launching his career. You cant undestimate his partnership with her early in their careers. The only film in which Carpenter had a good chance to get out of the shadow of Debra Hill was Halloween 3 and that was a sequel which they worked on as well. But a sequel that was 10 times better than the first two films in that series.

[RIP]

THE THING is his masterpiece.

Followed by:
HALLOWEEN
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA

Honorable mention to THE FOG.

[DeathBanana]

Halloween. That was easy.