Weird and Pissed Off
April 10, 2018 4:37 AM Subscribe
Field Notes on John Carpenter’s First Fifteen Years (Jeff Firmin, Bright Lights Film Journal).
I believe that the author of the article is focusing on films that Carpenter wrote and directed (thus the omission of "Christine").
posted by Kinski's Ghost at 6:49 AM on April 10, 2018
posted by Kinski's Ghost at 6:49 AM on April 10, 2018
He does a nice look at "Escape From New York" and "Big Trouble in Little China" though. I always preferred Carpenter further away from scary (though I obvs adored "Christine". )
posted by chavenet at 7:36 AM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by chavenet at 7:36 AM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
Firmin in the comments.
J. Firmin > Doubting Thomas • 19 days ago
Hey Thomas - glad you enjoyed the piece! The question about Starman (and Christine, too) is an interesting one. You're exactly right about the color palette and other Carpenter touches, of course, but for some reason the film has always kind of felt like an outlier to me, an exception rather than part of the rules. I don't think there's any real argument or reason here other than my own predilictions (in some sense, I think all pieces like this are as much or more about the author's viewing as they are about the auteur's work), but Starman gives me the faint impression of Carpenter doing work for someone else, not himself. There's something in its vision that feels less central to his major preoccupations, at least to me. Christine feels to me a bit the same - Carpenter working on someone else's myth, not his own - although in truth I probably left that one out because I just don't like it all that much.
posted by Splunge at 8:28 AM on April 10, 2018
J. Firmin > Doubting Thomas • 19 days ago
Hey Thomas - glad you enjoyed the piece! The question about Starman (and Christine, too) is an interesting one. You're exactly right about the color palette and other Carpenter touches, of course, but for some reason the film has always kind of felt like an outlier to me, an exception rather than part of the rules. I don't think there's any real argument or reason here other than my own predilictions (in some sense, I think all pieces like this are as much or more about the author's viewing as they are about the auteur's work), but Starman gives me the faint impression of Carpenter doing work for someone else, not himself. There's something in its vision that feels less central to his major preoccupations, at least to me. Christine feels to me a bit the same - Carpenter working on someone else's myth, not his own - although in truth I probably left that one out because I just don't like it all that much.
posted by Splunge at 8:28 AM on April 10, 2018
There's barely a mention with no description of Dark Star, his first movie, and a cult classic.
posted by eye of newt at 10:31 AM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by eye of newt at 10:31 AM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's pretty easy to come up with a thesis if you give yourself license to exclude a contrary example because you "just don't like it all that much." As it happens, even though I liked The Thing, Escape from New York, and BTILC very much, my favorite Carpenter movies are Starman and Christine, the latter being IMO the Stephen King adaptation that's the largest improvement over the source material.
posted by Halloween Jack at 11:05 AM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 11:05 AM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
Carpenter, Jeff Bridges, and Karen Allen should have all received Academy nominations for Star Man, but especially Bridges. That's all I've got.
posted by Beholder at 12:19 PM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Beholder at 12:19 PM on April 10, 2018 [1 favorite]
"The Thing" is a masterwork, but my favorite Carpenter flick has always been "Prince of Darkness." In some respects, it hasn't aged well, but it still delivers the creepy against all odds.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 2:12 PM on April 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by DrAstroZoom at 2:12 PM on April 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
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Fail.
posted by chavenet at 6:13 AM on April 10, 2018