When it comes to leaving a mark on cinematic history and scaring the bejesus out of people while doing it, John Carpenter would be on the Mount Rushmore of Horror. Known for directing some of the most iconic and influential films in horror history, Carpenter is responsible for helming Halloween, The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing, Christine, Starman, Big Trouble in Little China, and Prince of Darkness, to name a few. Each of the films mentioned above has left an indelible mark on film history, with many filmmakers crediting Carpenter as a source of inspiration for their chosen careers.
In addition to helming a handful of cinematic gems, Carpenter is also an award-winning composer, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He’s a Swiss Army knife of talent, but not every career isn’t without a few scars. In 2001, Carpenter released Ghost of Mars, a sci-fi horror film that received raised eyebrows and a few thumbs pointing downward. Don’t you haters ever come for In the Mouth of Madness, though. We’ll mess you up!
Still an integral part of the filmmaking industry, Carpenter has contributed to several Halloween projects, including short films and David Gordon Green’s recent trilogy. There is seemingly no end to Carpenter’s creativity, and we’re about to explore much of it in today’s WTF Happened to John Carpenter presentation.
WTF Happened to John Carpenter is written, narrated, and edited by Taylor James Johnson with additional writing and research by Brad Hammerly.