John Carpenter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Carpenter
Carpenter in 2023
Born	John Howard Carpenter (1948-01-16) January 16, 1948 (age 77) Carthage, New York, U.S.
Other names	John T. Chance Martin Quatermass
Occupation	Filmmaker composer actor
Years active	1969–present
Spouse(s)	Adrienne Barbeau ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1984)​ Sandy King ​ ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	Cody Carpenter
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John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, composer, and actor. He is famous for his horror, action, and science fiction movies. Most of his well-known films came out in the 1970s and 1980s. Many people see him as a master of the horror movie world.

In 2019, he received a special award at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. The French Directors' Guild called him "a creative genius." They praised his ability to create exciting and amazing emotions in his films.

Some of Carpenter's early movies were very successful. These include Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and Starman (1984). He has influenced many other filmmakers.

Other films he made in the 1970s and 1980s became cult classics later on. These include Dark Star (1974) and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). Also, The Thing (1982), Christine (1983), and Big Trouble in Little China (1986) are cult favorites.

He also worked on the recent Halloween movies. He was a composer and executive producer for Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021), and Halloween Ends (2022).

John Carpenter often creates the music for his own films. He won an award for the music in Vampires (1998). He has also released several music albums. Since 2012, he has owned a comic book company with his wife, Sandy King.

John Carpenter's Early Life and Film Dreams

John Carpenter was born on January 16, 1948, in Carthage, New York. His father, Howard Ralph Carpenter, was a college music professor. In 1953, his family moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky. His father got a job as a music professor at Western Kentucky University. John and his family lived in a log cabin on the university campus for many years.

John was interested in movies from a very young age. He especially loved Westerns by directors like Howard Hawks and John Ford. He also enjoyed low-budget horror films from the 1950s. Movies like The Thing from Another World and Forbidden Planet (1956) caught his eye.

He started making his own horror short films with an 8 mm film camera. He did this even before he started high school. When he was almost 14, he made some important short films. These included Godzilla vs. Gorgo, which used claymation monsters. He also made the science fiction Western Terror from Space.

Carpenter finished College High School. Then he went to Western Kentucky University for two years. He studied English and history there. He wanted to study filmmaking, but no university in Kentucky offered it. So, in 1968, he moved to the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. John left college in his last year to make his first full-length movie.

John Carpenter's Filmmaking Journey

Starting with Student Films and an Award

In 1969, John Carpenter wrote and directed an 8-minute short film. This was for a film course at USC Cinema. This film was found again in 2011. It was interesting because it showed ideas that would appear in his later hit movie, Halloween (1978).

The next year, he worked with producer John Longenecker. Carpenter helped write, edit, and compose music for The Resurrection of Broncho Billy (1970). This short film won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. It was shown in theaters across the United States and Canada.

From Student Films to Theaters

Carpenter's first big movie as a director was Dark Star (1974). It was a science-fiction comedy. He wrote it with Dan O'Bannon, who later wrote Alien. Dark Star reportedly cost only $60,000 to make. Carpenter did the music, writing, producing, and directing. O'Bannon acted and did the special effects. People praised Carpenter for making good movies with small budgets.

His next film was Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). This was a low-budget thriller. It was inspired by films from Howard Hawks. Carpenter wrote, directed, scored, and even edited this movie. He used the fake name "John T. Chance" for editing. Carpenter said this was his first "real" film. It was also his first time working with Debra Hill, who helped him on many famous movies.

The film featured experienced but not very famous actors. Austin Stoker and Darwin Joston were the two main actors. Assault on Precinct 13 is now seen as one of the best exploitation films of the 1970s.

Carpenter also wrote and directed the TV movie Someone's Watching Me!. This thriller was about a woman who gets stalked after moving to Los Angeles.

Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) was a thriller starring Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones. Carpenter wrote the original story for this film. It became his first major movie made with a big studio.

Halloween (1978) was a huge success. It helped create the slasher movie style. The idea came from producer Irwin Yablans. He thought of a movie about babysitters being scared by a stalker. Carpenter added the idea of it happening on Halloween night. He said he wanted to make an "old haunted house film."

Carpenter and Debra Hill wrote the movie. Carpenter said the music was inspired by other horror films like Suspiria and The Exorcist. The movie was made with a small budget of $300,000. It earned over $65 million, making it one of the most successful independent films ever. Carpenter's "Halloween Theme" music also became very famous.

In 1979, Carpenter started working with actor Kurt Russell. Their first project together was the TV movie Elvis.

Continued Success in the 1980s

After Halloween, Carpenter made The Fog (1980). This was a ghost story he wrote with Debra Hill. It was inspired by horror comics and old monster movies. Making The Fog was hard for Carpenter. He wasn't happy with the first version. He filmed extra scenes to make the movie better and scarier.

Even with problems, The Fog was a success. It cost $1 million to make but earned over $21 million in the U.S. Carpenter says it's not his favorite, but he calls it a "minor horror classic."

Next, Carpenter directed the science-fiction adventure Escape from New York (1981). Many actors he worked with before, like Kurt Russell and Donald Pleasence, were in it. It earned over $25 million and was praised by critics.

His film The Thing (1982) had amazing special effects. Rob Bottin created the effects, and Ennio Morricone composed the music. Kurt Russell also starred in this movie. The Thing was based on the same story as an older film from 1951. Carpenter called The Thing part of his "Apocalypse Trilogy." These films have sad or dark endings for the characters.

When The Thing came out, audiences didn't like its dark ending. It was also competing with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a happy family movie. Because The Thing didn't do well, Carpenter lost a job directing another film. He also lost a movie contract with Universal Pictures.

However, The Thing later became very popular on home video and TV. Many critics and fans now see it as a classic horror film. It's often called one of Carpenter's best movies.

Carpenter's next film was Christine (1983). This movie was based on a Stephen King novel. It's about a high school student who buys a haunted car. The car has supernatural powers and makes him obsessed. Christine did well and got good reviews. Carpenter said he directed it because it was the only movie offered to him at the time.

Starman (1984) was produced by Michael Douglas. The script was so good that Columbia Pictures chose it over the script for E.T.. Douglas picked Carpenter to direct because he was known for action films that also showed strong feelings. Starman got good reviews and was nominated for an Oscar for Jeff Bridges. Carpenter described it as a romantic comedy with an alien.

After the movie Big Trouble in Little China (1986) didn't earn much money, Carpenter found it hard to get funding for films. He started making lower-budget movies again. These included Prince of Darkness (1987) and They Live (1988). Some of these films, like They Live, gained a cult following.

Focus on Music and Return to Halloween

Carpenter in September 2001

In 2001, his film Ghosts of Mars was released but was not successful. In 2005, there were remakes of his films Assault on Precinct 13 and The Fog. Carpenter helped produce The Fog remake, but he said his involvement was minimal.

Carpenter directed an episode for the TV series Masters of Horror in 2005. His episode, "Cigarette Burns", was well-received by critics and fans. He directed another episode for the show in 2006.

The Ward (2010) was Carpenter's first film since Ghosts of Mars. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie received mostly negative reviews and didn't earn much money. As of 2023, it is his most recent film as a director.

Carpenter also narrated the video game F.E.A.R. 3 and helped with its story. In 2010, he received a Lifetime Award from the Freak Show Horror Film Festival.

On February 3, 2015, he released his music album Lost Themes. He then performed his music live in London and Manchester. In 2016, he released a sequel album, Lost Themes II. His third album, Anthology: Movie Themes 1974–1998, came out in 2017.

Carpenter returned to the Halloween film series in 2018. He was an executive producer, co-composer, and creative consultant for Halloween. This film was a direct sequel to his original 1978 movie. He also worked on the sequels Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022).

In June 2023, it was announced that Carpenter was working on a zombie video game. It's called John Carpenter's Toxic Commando and is set to be released in 2024.

John Carpenter's Unique Style and Influences

Carpenter's films have a special look and sound. He uses simple lighting and wide shots. He often uses a steadicam for smooth camera movements. He usually composes the music for his films himself. The themes from Halloween and Assault on Precinct 13 are very famous. His music often uses synthesizers with piano sounds.

Carpenter likes to film in a wide screen format called Panavision anamorphic. He believes this is "the best movie system there is." He prefers film cameras over digital ones. He thinks digital filmmaking is "the death of the art of filmmaking." He has said that the shift to digital cameras made him step back from directing.

In 2019, Carpenter shared some of his favorite films. These included The Exterminating Angel, Bringing Up Baby, and Chinatown. He also loves classic horror films from the 1950s. He mentioned The Thing From Another World, The Fly, and Them! as some of his all-time favorites. He has also said that Hong Kong action films have greatly influenced his work.

Carpenter often says Howard Hawks is his favorite director. He has learned a lot from Hawks's style. Other directors who influenced him include John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston. Later in his career, he was influenced by Quentin Tarantino and David Cronenberg.

Carpenter has been critical of the film industry. He has said that most recent horror films bore him. However, he has praised movies like It Follows and Let The Right One In. He also likes the work of director Jordan Peele.

John Carpenter's Music Career

Carpenter performing live in October 2016

John Carpenter's father was a music teacher. This sparked John's interest in music early on. Music became a big part of his career. He composed the music for most of his films. Many of these soundtracks became popular with music collectors.

A company called Death Waltz Records helped bring his music back into the spotlight. They re-released several of his soundtracks. These included music from Escape from New York and Halloween II.

Carpenter was one of the first to use synthesizers in his films. He used an EMS VCS3 synth for his first film, Dark Star. His soundtracks influenced many electronic music artists. Carpenter said he used synthesizers because they helped him create a "big sound with just a keyboard." For many years, he worked with musician Alan Howarth. Howarth helped with the technical side of recording.

The new interest in his music led Carpenter to tour as a musician for the first time. As of 2016, he was more focused on music than filmmaking. However, he still worked on the Halloween movies.

Carpenter narrated a documentary called The Rise of the Synths. This film explores the history of the synthwave music style. Many synthwave artists say Carpenter's music influenced them.

His third solo album, Lost Themes 3: Alive after Death, came out in 2021. He worked with his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies on this album. A fourth Lost Themes album, called "Noir," was announced for 2024.

John Carpenter's Personal Life

Carpenter with his son Cody Carpenter (middle) and musician Bruce Robb (right) in November 2005

Carpenter met actress Adrienne Barbeau while making his TV film Someone's Watching Me! (1978). They married in 1979 and divorced in 1984. Adrienne appeared in his films The Fog and Escape from New York. They have one son, Cody Carpenter, born in 1984. Cody is now a musician and composer.

Since 1990, Carpenter has been married to film producer Sandy King. She produced several of his films, including In the Mouth of Madness and Vampires. She also worked as a script supervisor on other movies. They also co-created a comic book series called Asylum.

Carpenter is a big fan of the original Godzilla film. He also enjoys video games. He especially likes the Sonic the Hedgehog games and the F.E.A.R. series. He even helped narrate and consult on the story for F.E.A.R. 3. He has also praised games like Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and Fallout 76. He has said he would like to make a movie based on the Dead Space video game series.

Carpenter has a commercial pilot's license and flies helicopters. He often includes helicopters in his movies. Sometimes, he even appears in his films as a pilot.

John Carpenter's Lasting Impact

Carpenter at a signing in Chicago, 2014

Carpenter – Signs steel artwork for a fan in Philadelphia 2018.

Many of John Carpenter's films have been re-released as special editions. These DVDs often include extra features. Examples are Halloween, Escape from New York, and The Thing.

There's a documentary film about him called John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies. In 2006, the U.S. Library of Congress chose Halloween for preservation. This means it's considered "culturally significant."

Many filmmakers have been influenced by Carpenter. These include James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, and Guillermo del Toro. Video games have also been inspired by his work. For example, Dead Space 3 was influenced by The Thing, The Fog, and Halloween. Carpenter has said he would be excited to make a movie based on the Dead Space game series.

Specific films influenced by Carpenter's include Friday the 13th, which was inspired by Halloween. Tarantino's The Hateful Eight was heavily influenced by The Thing. The 2016 film The Void is also seen as being greatly influenced by several of Carpenter's movies.

John Carpenter's Directed Films

Images for kids

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  Carpenter performing live in October 2016