THE WARD FINALLY OPENS

I wish someone would finally pony up the cash and let Carpenter do a Western. At this point, doing one of those might be the only thing to excite him.

I'd be all for that. I just want the guy to put some passion into at least one more movie before he croaks.

I care and I hope a theater near me plays it. I've found something to like in all his movies. Ghost Of Mars wasn't unwatchable, just not very good. I read an interview recently where he seemed to be getting a little spark back. http://www.avclub.com/articles/john-carpenter,54361/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebastian OB 

I'd be all for that. I just want the guy to put some passion into at least one more movie before he croaks.

If I was a billionaire interested in putting $ in movies, that would be my hesitancy with Carpenter. I'd be worried he's just in it for the cash at this point and is creatively disengaged. The dude is old. Not everyone keeps that youthful spark alive into their twilight years.

Ya know I can stand a midle of the road ghost story and I can even stand one where it's pretty bad with a couple redeeming properties. However reading up on this flick I spoiled myself with the ending. Yeah I cna't sit thorugh another one of those endings, no fucking way. Talk about not giving a fuck anymore as a director.

This is one of those threads where you absolutely know that the topic of discussion will be totally redundant. As a lifelong fan of Carpenter's, I will eventually get around to The Ward, but it will almost certainly be by happenstance. Also, isn't he supposed to be doing an adaptation of Darkchylde as his next project? Having flipped through an issue or two, being fully aware of that comic's reputation, and knowing where Carpenter is creatively at this point in his career, if it gets made, it has disaster written all over it.

Don't worry. I doubt Carpenter will ever do it.

I am actually okay with Carpenter slacking off now. After such a long career and giving us a bunch of great films, I think he's entitled to a break if he wants.

Carpenter is about the same age as Spielberg, so he's not that old.  Spielberg seems to have undying enthusiasm for movies, and Eastwood is still churning out good flicks, so I dont buy the whole "burned out bag-o-dust" nonsense...he simply doesn't give a fuck anymore, which is fine, I just wish he'd stop making shitty films and just call it a day.

It's age compounded with repeated failure. That interview someone posted above contains a moment that alludes to the ultimate irony (or tragedy) of his career. It doesn't really matter if people have a high opinion of The Thing or Big Trouble In Little China or In The Mouth of Madness now, it's that they didn't give a fuck when his career was depending on it. Yeah, a lot of what what he's done for the past 15 years is all on him pissing away the goodwill his CV generated, but he can't be compared to someone like Spielberg because he doesn't have the track record, and thusly the power to do whatever the hell he wants.

Films were never Carpenter's first love like they were with Spielberg, so the comparison doesn't really work anyway.

I think Benenson over in the Horror Reco thread did have some positive things to say about this movie, and he's trustworthy. So I have some hope. But even if I didn't, I'd still be throwing the old bastard a VOD bone.

I have loved so many of this man's movies, I find even Vampires rewatchable (wont go that far with ghosts of mars, but it too was amusing). Among my favorite movies from my childhood was Prince of Darkness, a bubbling jar of liquid satan? Alice Cooper impaling a man with a bicycle? Carpenter could express real horror, real ideas and do so with a shoe string budget and haphazard cast. I will watch this movie when it hits cable and likely enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by JacknifeJohnny 

It's age compounded with repeated failure. That interview someone posted above contains a moment that alludes to the ultimate irony (or tragedy) of his career. It doesn't really matter if people have a high opinion of The Thing or Big Trouble In Little China or In The Mouth of Madness now, it's that they didn't give a fuck when his career was depending on it. Yeah, a lot of what what he's done for the past 15 years is all on him pissing away the goodwill his CV generated, but he can't be compared to someone like Spielberg because he doesn't have the track record, and thusly the power to do whatever the hell he wants.

Love of filmmaking is not in direct proportion to your power to get films made or your financial success IMO.   Look at Gilliam...the guy probably has the worst luck in the world with getting projects off the ground, but his enthusiasm bleeds through every frame.  What I mean is, even if Spielberg wasn't popular and had to struggle to get every film made, do you really think he'd be sitting around smoking pot, playing video games and directing movies from his trailer when he was lucky enough to get a greenlight?  He just loves making movies, and his success is a byproduct of that, but it is not dependant on that.  I don't think Carpenter is using his career blues and lack of popular success as an excuse to not give a fuck...he just doesn't give a fuck period and it's sad to see him just phoning shit in.  My opinion of course.

I know that he actually walked out for a smoke during the Pro-Life commentary. It felt like he didn't give a shit then but it was Pro-Life.

Gilliam at least had critical success to keep him going. Carpenter never even had that. Most of the movies that are beloved and held in high esteem now certainly weren't received that way when they hit theaters. I mean, the guy still regards The Thing as a failure. Bringing Spielberg into this thread is odd to me. The guy has carte blanche. And the reason he has a blank check is because he's interested in netting the widest audience possible for his flicks. Which, obviously, impacts some of the decision-making that goes into his stories. I think Carpenter is more certainly more fearless when it comes to story, or at least telling the story like he wants to tell it.  

Anyway, like some in here, I'm just excited to see the guy working. I don't know the story. I don't know what movies he's tried to make over the years but couldn't get funding for. I know he tried to make The Stars My Destination, which certainly speaks to his taste and ambition. I'll be looking for The Ward in theaters. Certainly watching the PPV.

Carpenter says right in that article that he got burnt out on the movie business. As someone who has operated on the periphery of the movie business for some years, I can tell you, this is totally understandable. It can be a shitty, shitty place for an artist and if you're not the kind of person who wants to get up every day and fight creative battles, I can see how it would wear you down. Spielberg has always shared Hollywood's crowd-pleasing value system; he's good at it and he wears it well. But anyone a little more subversive has a real tough row to hoe in Hollywood. I don't know how Gilliam perseveres honestly. I suspect he's a little crazy.

I read an interview with Speilberg where he stated that he feels that every film he makes is like his first, i.e. that his history doesn't matter to the Suits; if he makes a real out and out bomb he's done. How real is that? Don't know, but I suspect it informs which projects he chooses.

Carpenter has his own vision and is not willing to compromise, maybe is unable to compromise it. Also, what Sebastian OB said

Gilliam's a contrarian. He needs something to kick against.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon 

I wish someone would finally pony up the cash and let Carpenter do a Western. At this point, doing one of those might be the only thing to excite him.

My question: When they fired Kevin Jarre off Tombstone, why wouldn't Kurt Russell lobby for his pal Carpenter then and there?  The film's big problems were it was going off the rails and over schedule. I could be wrong, but Carpenter's reputation (at least in 1993) was getting shot done on time and on budget.

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Originally Posted by Disciple_72 

Films were never Carpenter's first love like they were with Spielberg, so the comparison doesn't really work anyway.

They weren't? He's said he wanted to make movies since he was 5. Do you mean his music hobby?
 

Carpenter came out swinging in his younger years, and was (suicidally?) frank about the climate of cinema in which he rose to prominence. This is a little long, but it's rare and interesting and holy shit, he ain't even 30 when he's running his mouth like this, from the set of his low-budget slasher movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYjhYVug4Ag#t=12m42s

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Originally Posted by Cylon Baby 

I read an interview with Speilberg where he stated that he feels that every film he makes is like his first, i.e. that his history doesn't matter to the Suits; if he makes a real out and out bomb he's done. How real is that? Don't know, but I suspect it informs which projects he chooses.

 

Carpenter has his own vision and is not willing to compromise, maybe is unable to compromise it. Also, what Sebastian OB said

I think it was true early on but the man is practically Royalty now. He'd have to really blow it several times in a row. I'd rather watch Ghosts Of Mars than see The Terminal again personally.