John Carpenter

Overview

Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
Jan 16, 1948 (77 years old)

John Carpenter

Known For

The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
8h 25m
Movie 2025

The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault

THE AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE VAULT is a 2-disc, 500-minute odyssey that collects eight feature-length VHS mixtapes from the crackpots at AGFA—including two that have only ever been available theatrically.

In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994
6h 23m
Movie 2024

In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994

Film icons and genre experts share observations, experiences, and analysis to help reframe, deconstruct, and re-contextualize the "lost" decade of horror: the '90s.

Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters
1h 30m
Movie 2024

Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters

A look at Hammer’s progression from a back office in London’s Regent Street to its iconic status within the horror film genre. The company, started by comedian and businessman William Hinds in 1934, made films such as The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Quatermass Xperiment during the period for which it is best known, making stars out of the likes of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

Amityville: An Origin Story
TV Show 2023

Amityville: An Origin Story

The story behind the world's most infamous haunted house tale: the Amityville murders. This is the first elevated look at every aspect of this wildly layered story about the heinous murder of a family of six that became eclipsed by paranormal controversy.

In Search of Darkness: Part III
5h 42m
Movie 2022

In Search of Darkness: Part III

The conclusion to the ‘In Search of Darkness’ '80s trilogy. In this epic final chapter, our focus turns to the straight-to-video horror classics that populated the bottom shelves at the video rental store. Imaginative, gory, experimental—but always entertaining—these hidden gems are ripe for rediscovery.

Halloween in Hollywood
0h 43m
Movie 2022

Halloween in Hollywood

Chris Hardwick hosts this epic night celebrating all things Halloween, including interviews with Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Blum and David Gordon about the film Halloween Ends, and special celebrity appearances from Blake Shelton, Terry Crews and more.

Studio 666
1h 46m
Movie 2022

Studio 666

Legendary rock band Foo Fighters move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much anticipated 10th album. Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band.

In Search of Tomorrow
5h 1m
Movie 2022

In Search of Tomorrow

A nostalgic journey through ’80s Sci-Fi-films, exploring their impact and relevance today, told by the artists who made them and by those who were inspired to turn their visions into reality.

The History of Metal and Horror
1h 41m
Movie 2021

The History of Metal and Horror

A documentary that explores the history of heavy metal music, horror films, and how the two genres have merged together over time.

Biography: 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper
1h 25m
Movie 2021

Biography: 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper

Focuses on 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, who is universally considered one of WWE's greatest villains. During his Hall of Fame career, he played the role of the antagonist against a who's who of WWE greats, while amassing more than 30 championships.

Biography

An American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction. Most films in Carpenter's career were initially commercial and critical failures, with the notable exceptions of Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and Starman (1984). However, many of Carpenter's films from the 1970s and the 1980s have come to be viewed as cult classics, and he has been acknowledged as an influential filmmaker. Cult classics that Carpenter directed include: Dark Star (1974), Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), The Thing (1982), Christine (1983), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Prince of Darkness (1987), They Live (1988) and In the Mouth of Madness (1995). His films are characterized by minimalist lighting and photography, static cameras, use of steadicam, and distinctive synthesized scores. Carpenter is also notable for having composed or co-composed most of the music of his films; some of them are now considered cult as well, with the main theme of Halloween being considered a part of popular culture. His music is generally synthesized with accompaniment from piano and atmospherics. He released his first studio album Lost Themes in 2015, and also won a Saturn Award for Best Music for Vampires (1998). Carpenter is an outspoken proponent of widescreen filming, and all of his theatrical movies (with the exception of Dark Star and The Ward) were filmed anamorphic with a 2.35:1 or greater aspect ratio. The Ward was shot in Super 35, the first time Carpenter has ever used that system. Carpenter has stated he feels that the 35mm Panavision anamorphic format is "the best movie system there is", preferring it over both digital and 3D film. Many of Carpenter's films have been re-released on DVD as special editions with numerous bonus features. Carpenter has been the subject of the documentary film John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies, and American Cinematheque's 2002 retrospective of his films. Moreover, in 2006, the United States Library of Congress deemed Halloween to be "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss interviewed Carpenter about his career and films for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror. Carpenter appears in all three episodes of the series. He was also interviewed by Robert Rodriguez for his The Director's Chair series on El Rey Network. Many filmmakers have been influenced by Carpenter, including James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight was heavily influenced by The Thing), Guillermo del Toro, Robert Rodriguez, Edgar Wright, Danny Boyle, Nicolas Winding Refn, Bong Joon-ho, among others. The video game Dead Space 3 is said to be influenced by Carpenter's The Thing, The Fog and Halloween, and Carpenter has stated that he would be enthusiastic to adapt that series into a feature film.