Get a grip, Carpenter

What's wrong with that? To me it sounds like typical candid Carpenter.

a) I'd rather see him do Thing 2 than Marcus Nispel or anyone else
b) If there has to be another Halloween sequel, I'd rather see him direct it than anyone else.

My biggest criticism of the movies these days is not enough Carpenter movies. And yeah, I loved Ghosts of Mars and Vampires.

Always refreshing to hear Carpenter weigh in. If he can't get a project off the ground, no wonder he comes across as frustrated. Us Carpenter fans are frustrated as well.

Carpenter's last few movies have sucked balls but I'd love to see him come back with a vengeance - especially if that meant we'd get a GOOD Halloween sequel.

Wasn't he the one who wanted to send Michael Myers to space right around the time that Halloween 6 came out? I thought it was a joke but I may be mistaken. I thought it was funny how I read this and then a few years later here comes Jason X.

Re: The Thing 2, I'd hate to see a sequel pick up w/ the two characters at the end of pt. 1. I thought that was a perfect, depressing ending to the film. Do a spinoff like the PS2 game did (which is a kickass sequel anyway).

Re: Get a grip, Carpenter

This doesn't sound like the Carpenter I've heard before. He's usually a lot more laid back. I've never heard him get too enthused about a Halloween or Thing sequel.
I smell shenanigans.

John Carpenter owns me, has since I was 3 years old, and I've not one negative word to say against him.
As others have said, I want him back on top, I don't want to see a sequel to anything, just something new.
And for BobClark, I think it's difficult to tell what Carpenter's exact tone is in print, just as with anyone else.

Re: Get a grip, Carpenter

See in the end thats just YOUR opinion. The man can speak his mind all he wants. Get pissed Carpenter, kick some ass and come back and shut everyone else the fuck up. Show all the new boys and girls how it's really done.

Also putting smart and Hollywood in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

I'm no die hard Carpenter fan,but I like his early work.But when people just don't "have it"anymore,you gots to call them on it.

At the same time,regardless of his ability,he's dead on IMO,about the "hotshot commercial"directors.That's the way it is,they can make movies look great(and...they all start to look the same)but there is no heart,no individual style or "mark" to their films,like some people did back in the day.Stuff is too glitzy these days.They hit the marks but there's no real drive behind it.

IMO..........

FUCKING TELL IT.

I've never seen YT post anything that wasn't dead on the mark.

Part of me wants to see this, another part likes THE THING as it is. But, as the lady said, much better him than someone like Nispel. Hell, he's already directed one average remake of a classic. Better not make it two.

w00t! Thanks, Charles and Disciple_72. If only there were some way to get the money types to give Carpenter a shot before it's too late!

universal needs to let carpenter do the thing sequel so he can redeem himself. i'm convinced he'd pull it off big time. please, for the love of everything, let the thing 2 happen with carpenter directing.

Apparently you haven't seen the Halloween sequels...

You, sir, are the man of the week.

Carpenter has lost his passion plain and simple. He is a bitter old man that never wanted to be the king of horror. He wanted to make westerns not horror flicks. But no one will give him money to make anything other than horror because at least with his name attached to a horror title it will make money. Someone was willing to take a chance on him one with a comedy and it flopped. The so called "Carpenter look" is even gone. That look left with Dean Cundy because it really was the "Cundy look". Sad to say it but he is done. Don't count on him to ever make another classic. And believe me that makes me sad because he has made some of the best films of all time. -Clark

Bow your heads filthy maggots to the greatness that is John Carpenter creator of “The Thing”.

YT = chick.

No.

Reality does suck and denial doesn't help. Don't agree just pop in his last 4 flicks and have a Crap-o-Carpenter marathon. Watch Superman walk again and battle albino mormans in "Village of the Damned". Then surf some waves in downtown Los Angeles in "Escape From L.A." Hang ten Snake! See the "other" Baldwin brother actually get and acting job in "Vampires". And what can I say about "Ghost of Mars". When the best thing in the movie IS Ice Cube then you have a problem. That is sarcasim by the way. John Carpenter R.I.P. we all miss you. -Clark

So is Carpenter's "Michael Myers" an unkillable monster like Jason? or an otherwordly dream demon like Freddy? 'cause I don't see how Myers would stand a chance against either of those two. Nothing against Michael Myers or the originial Halloween ... I just don't think Mikey is up to battling Jason or Freddy.

Although ... both Freddy and Jason were beaten by a bunch of teenagers. Ah well.

Your Truly thrash chick and traffic surfer?

Michael Myers Vs The Thing from Outerspace the movie

Id like to see what Carpenter could do as a cranky old man.

For the record I really liked Vampires. I thought it kicked ass. A badass man's movie perfect for sluggin down some brews and crushing the can on your forhead while watching it.

Plus you can never go wrong letting Woods ham it up, IMHO.

The only thing I never liked about Carpenter's old stuff was his near refusal to actually END any of his movies. They just sorta stopped at a point you would expect a commercial or something...

Loved vampires and Ghosts of Mars. Escape from LA isn't even watchable. White Zombie was the best thing going for that movie during the end credits. Let Michael Myers die slowly and in pain. That franchise is an embaressment to the genre and The Thing 2 would be sweet.

Shit. Sorry about that yt.

If it's any consolation you just shot up my list of coolest chicks of all time

Yeah I'm afraid I would walk out of seeing "The Thing II" with the same feeling I had walking out of "Escape From L.A." Going in to seeing a highly anticipated sequel of one of my all time favorite films and walking out sick to my stomach. The truth is he really isn't into horror any more. I have a close friend who has worked with John on his last 5 films and after every one he says that he will never make another film. I even heard him say that in person at the San Diego Comic Con a few years back when he was there promoting "Vampires". If you don't have a desire and a passion for the material then sadly you are going to produce the kind of films he has been lately. -Clark

Why shouldn't he make another Halloween movie? Its not any of the last couple have been remotly good. He couldn't make a worse movie then Ressurection. And who knows? Maybe another chance at a Halloween movie would be just what he needs to get his real creative juices flowing, bringing back the Carpenter of old.

And HOW!

I for one, don't think either Carpenter or Romero are completely washed up. For it's (in my opinion, minor) faults, DEAD RECKONING is a smart script, and knowing Romero's ability to place obvious social commentary in the context of horror, I'd really love to see it done. Hell, If I had a few million on hand, I'd pay to have it done (with the obligatory cameo role of a zombie who gets brutally done in). I think Monkeyshines was a really good film up until the very final shot. Bruiser, well, that was kind of bad.

On the other hand, I really hated Ghosts of Mars. It's the same frickin' story as ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13. All we needed was Ice-Cube walking around saying "Got a smoke?"
I don't, however, agree with the detractors who believe that Carpenter's success was all Cundey. I just think they worked very well together. I thought ESCAPE FROM L.A. was pretty rediculous, but not terrible. I've always thought that Carpenter has suffered a bit too much from "MY GOD, I WANT TO BE HOWARD HAWKS syndrome", but I pity da fool that doesn't recognize the fact that this man helmed a sturdy number of exceptional horror films complete with style and originality, and dare I say it, INTELLIGENCE.

That's the common thread here, smart horror, and when we, the horror fan ticket buyer, rush out in droves to see the next JASON VS FREDDY bullshit, it's another job given to a Marcus whatshisname rather than a George Romero or a John Carpenter, because let's face it folks, these guys aren't pitching that mindless crap.

Believe what you want, I'll sit through 10 Bruisers to see Romero hit one out of the park again. Same with Carpenter.

What once was can be again.


EOD

I must admit, Carpenter was the grumpiest person I ever encountered at a book signing though. Romero, on the other hand was gracious and went out of his way for people.


EOD

Actually, Romero's final DEAD film will be about the state of Carpenter's career ...




shoot it man ... shoot it in the head ...

Carpenter has an ego. That's not a slur. He has to. He's a director. A successful, hard nosed director who knows his shit. Therefore he's going to feel he has an edge and in modern filmmaking terms I expect he feels he has to keep up with the new kids on the block. Ever noticed his picture are getting bigger in scope and scale. But the budgets are still the same, and at its heart, the stories he wants to tell are still those of an isolated band of survivors being taunted and invaded by something "other" be it man/beast/alien/ghost i.e. yes,Rio Bravo relocated in many a genre.

The Thing, Halloween, The Fog, In The Mouth Of Madness hell, even Escape From New York was a paltry SFX feast compared to other sci fi of the time. Honed, precise, lean pictures, not over-reaching, not tying to one-up anything, just tell their story.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Nothing.

Carpenter needs to just have the faith in his abilities that he doesn't need to go up against the Bryan Singers of this world, Michael Bays of this world, the Final Destinations of this world.

I'm serious.

Who are the directors who've really survived since the 70's "relatively" unscathed: John Sayles ? Clint Eastwood ? Sure, they're wildly diverse genres, but at their heart, they're what Carpenter is: old school, straight shooting independent talents (Malpaso is Eastwood's independent refuge from the studios that merely uses the studios - witness the struggle he had to get Mystic River made on his terms). Directors not bucking or embracing trends. Just doing the picture they want to do, are able to do, and should be doing. They're not competing - which I feel, much as I Iove Carpenter, he might be doing sometimes with a project like Ghosts Of Mars. Solid, but uninspired. Dare I say: passionless?

I think Carpenter needs to take it right back down to where his passion is. Do another small ghost picture. He loves Asian cinema. Do something like Nakata or K Kurosawa's doing. Small, intimate, impeccably paced and photographed - like all of Carpenter's best are. Pant shittingly scary.

That's what I'd like to see.

Now hes scripting SciFi originals **sigh**

SCI FI PREMIERE: SILENT PREDATORS
Years after the escape of a deadly Diamondback rattlesnake during its transport to a big-city zoo, thousands of its monstrous offspring set out to terrorize the inhabitants of an unsuspecting California community. Acclaimed filmmaker John Carpenter (Halloween) co-scripted this slithering thriller starring Harry Hamlin (Clash of the Titans) and Jack Scalia (The Last Leprechaun).

Saturday, March 20, at 9PM ET/PT

Guilty on both counts. But can I still be "man of the week"?

I would love that too. Whether he can get it bankrolled is the question.

And agree on all the Romero love!

I think Carpenters biggest problem is not noticing Hollywood is full of assholes. Carpenter has been lucky to the point that none of his films have had to go direct to video. He's always had a movie in the theaters. To me he just doesnt wanna play in another area. Instead of going out to film a movie with Filmax (fantastic factory) or some other independent company (not that he's pitched anything to them).

He seems to be stuck with the ideal of Hollywood and playing their game. When they don't want him around anymore. I bet you a variety of other independent companies in the U.K., Spain or Europe would love to do a J.C. film.

Or at least I hope they would.

Re: Now hes scripting SciFi originals **sigh**

Fuck that. Beats working the counter at MacDonalds if you can't get anyone to fund your legitimate projects. I think the lows working directors and actors have to sink to to survive until they can do the projects they care about shouldn't even bear mentioning.

Haha, I suppose you can still be the "man of the week"

I don't care how bad his movies end up getting, as long as his name is attached to it I'll be going to see it.

I agree with EOD, if they crank out ten shitty movies before we get another classic then so be it. It's worth it.

I too loved Ghosts of Mars and Vampires. I found escape from LA enjoyable, but the extreme sports sections of the movie were pretty crappy admittedly.

I am not going to go on about why Carpenter "lost it" (a view I dont share at all), after a few good movies people go LOOKING for flaws in a director's films. If someone gets too good at something, we the public feel like we have to smack them down again.

I consider Vampires a classic, and GOM is no where near vintage Carpenter, it's still more enjoyable than crap like Freddy Vs Jason. Hell I still mourn that the studios didn't go for a Carpenter helmed sequel to Vampires where Crow goes after Montoya. Instead we got the piece of shit with Bon Jovi in.

And Mal, if he said he wasn't gonna make another film during Vampires, who the heck did GOM?

If you re-read what I said, my friend that worked with John on his last 5 films said after each one of those rapped he said that he would never make another film. But yet he still does. Which to me only solidifys my feelings that he has lost his passion. You have to want to make films and love doing it to produce something of quality in my opinion. -Clark

works for me, A halloween sequal could be done for dirt cheap, and still be good

and Thing sequal could work, though i think they waited to long to call it Thing 2 though, and used make up and animatronics, no CGI'd stuff for evrything, only when needed

I'd just like to declare my affection for ESCAPE FROM LA. It's EFNY, but then, what is?

Also, if he does decide on THE THING 2, I have one piece of advice:

GET ROB BOTTIN BACK.

i just want another carpenter movie, but I think the Thing should be left alone

I love Vampires. Cheesy, stupid, but still fun as hell. Can't defend Ghosts of Mars though. That said, Carpenter movies will always get a shot from me, especially with overrated directors like Eli Roth being crowned one of the new Kings of horror. Give me John Carpenter over Roth or Zombie any day.

The only Carp flick I outright hate is Villiage of the Damned. Waste of talent on every single level. I own nearly everything else on Laser and DVD.

I adore Escape From LA and In the Mouth of Madness is one of the best horror experiences in the last ten years.


I just think Carp is tired. He doesn't have a story that is driving him nuts to get made. I never saw him as one of those directors who gets obsessed and slaves over a story for years like a Scorcese would.

He just needs to just make a western. A real legit western with vampires, gatlin guns and dynamite.


If he must make a sequel to any of his 80's output make a Jack Burton sequel instead.

That or he could make the Creature from the Black Lagoon remake that he tried to get going about 15 years ago.

A sequal to the thing is a bad idea, good idea for a game maybe, but for a film its a bad, bad idea.

The original is so self contained, the ending is amazing. Also where do you go with the story? It would have to be isolated or the thing would spread to quickly to be dealt with. An island i guess could work but whats to stop is going into the water?

There's a manga called parasite where Thing-esque (!?) creatures come to earth, taking over a being and then being able to manipulate the form in thing like ways. The one that invades the protagonist goes wrong giving him the abilites of the creatures but also to remain in control. Now a film with that pitch could be cool.

If all we get is Thing 2 - the remake then i can't see it being much cop.

Im talking out of the top of my head of course because if he did make it i would be first in line slobbering like a Norwegian Huskey.

Now you're talking.