John Carpenter
Personal Info
Known for
Directing
Gender
Male
Birthday
1948-01-16 (77 years old)
Place of Birth
Carthage, New York, USA
John Carpenter
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.
Acting
Carpenter on Quatermass
as Self
The Reality Trip
as self
The Thing Expanded
as Self
(2025)
(2025)
(2024)
(2024)
In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994
as Self - Interviewee
(2022)
(2022)
Studio 666
as Engineer
(2022)
Halloween in Hollywood
as Self
(2022)
In Search of Tomorrow
as Self - Interviewee
(2021)
(2021)
(2020)
(2020)
(2019)
In Search of Darkness
as Self
(2019)
1982: Hollywood Summer
as Self
(2019)
The Rise of the Synths
as Narrator (voice)
(2018)
Henchman: The Al Leong Story
as Self
(2018)
(2017)
(2017)
Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions
as Self - Filmmaker
(2016)
(2016)
The Puppet Man
as The Taxi Driver
(2016)
John Carpenter: Live At Primavera Sound 2016
as Self - Keyboards
(2015)
(2014)
Why Horror?
as Self
(2012)
(2011)
The Original Monster Mash
as Self
(2011)
Charlie Brown: Blockhead's Revenge
as Self/Host
(2011)
Nightmare Factory
as Self
(2011)
The Future of Fear
as Self
(2011)
(2010)
Let There Be Light: The Odyssey of Dark Star
as Himself (voice)
(2010)
Halloween: The Inside Story
as Self
(2009)
(2009)
Tales from the Script
as Self
(2009)
Monsterland
as Self
(2009)
(2009)
(2008)
(2008)
(2008)
(2008)
(2008)
(2008)
(2007)
Bloodsucking Cinema
as Self
(2007)
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
Working with a Master: John Carpenter
as Self (archive footage)
(2006)
Big John
as Self
(2006)
(2006)
(2006)
(2005)
The Perfect Scary Movie
as Self
(2005)
(2005)
Snake Plissken: Man of Honor
as Self
(2004)
(2004)
Christine: Ignition
as Self
(2004)
Christine: Fast and Furious
as Self
(2004)
Christine: Finish Line
as Self
(2004)
(2003)
An Opera of Violence
as Self - Filmmaker
(2003)
(2003)
Do You Remember Laurie Zimmer?
as Self (voice)
(2003)
The Wages of Sin
as Self - Filmmaker
(2003)
Something to Do with Death
as Self - Filmmaker
(2002)
Scoring Resident Evil
as Self (archive footage)
(2002)
Masters of Horror
as Self
(2002)
(2001)
(2001)
(2001)
(2000)
The American Nightmare
as Self
(2000)
(2000)
(2000)
(1999)
Halloween: Unmasked
as Self
(1998)
(1995)
(1995)
Village of the Damned
as Man at Gas Station Phone
(1994)
The Silence of the Hams
as Trenchcoat Man / Gimp
(1994)
(1993)
Body Bags
as Coroner
(1992)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
as Helicopter Pilot
(1991)
Fear in the Dark
as Self
(1990)
Horror Cafe
as Self
(1989)
(1989)
First Works
as Self
(1988)
The Making of 'They Live'
as Self
(1988)
They Live
as Voice That Says 'Sleep'
(1986)
(1986)
The Boy Who Could Fly
as The Coupe de Villes
(1986)
Big Trouble in Little China
as Worker in Chinatown (uncredited)
(1984)
Starman
as Man in Helicopter (uncredited)
(1982)
Take One: Fear on Film
as Self
(1982)
The Thing
as Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
(1982)
The Making of 'The Thing'
as Self
(1981)
Escape from New York
as Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player
(1980)
The Fog
as Bennett
(1980)
(1978)
Halloween
as Paul (voice) / Michael Myers (uncredited)
(1976)
Assault on Precinct 13
as Gang Member (uncredited)
(1974)
Dark Star
as Talby Voice
Crew
Untitled Bong Joon Ho Horror Action Film
Original Music Composer
(2024)
High Impact
Music
(2024)
Looking for Michael
Music
(2022)
Studio 666
Music
(2022)
Halloween Ends
Original Music Composer, Characters, Executive Producer
(2022)
Firestarter
Original Music Composer
(2021)
Prince of Darkness
Original Film Writer
(2021)
Halloween Kills
Original Music Composer, Characters, Executive Producer
(2018)
Halloween
Executive Producer, Original Music Composer, Characters, Producer
(2016)
The Puppet Man
Music
(2013)
Halloween: Harvest of Souls, 1985
Characters
(2012)
(2010)
The Ward
Director
(2010)
(2007)
Halloween
Original Film Writer
(2006)
Pro-Life
Director
(2005)
Cigarette Burns
Director
(2005)
The Fog
Producer, Original Film Writer
(2005)
Assault on Precinct 13
Original Film Writer
(2004)
(2002)
Vampires: Los Muertos
Music, Executive Producer
(2002)
Halloween: Resurrection
Characters
(2001)
Ghosts of Mars
Director, Original Music Composer, Writer
(2000)
(1999)
Silent Predators
Teleplay
(1998)
Vampires
Director, Original Music Composer
(1998)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Characters
(1996)
Escape from L.A.
Director, Screenplay, Characters, Original Music Composer
(1995)
In the Mouth of Madness
Director, Original Music Composer
(1995)
Village of the Damned
Director, Original Music Composer
(1995)
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Characters, Main Title Theme Composer
(1993)
Body Bags
Director, Executive Producer, Original Music Composer
(1992)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Director
(1991)
Blood River
Writer
(1990)
El Diablo
Writer
(1989)
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
Characters, Main Title Theme Composer
(1988)
They Live
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
(1988)
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Main Title Theme Composer
(1987)
Prince of Darkness
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
(1986)
Big Trouble in Little China
Director, Original Music Composer
(1986)
Black Moon Rising
Screenplay, Story, Executive Producer
(1984)
The Philadelphia Experiment
Executive Producer
(1984)
Starman
Director
(1983)
Christine
Director, Original Music Composer
(1982)
The Thing
Director, Original Music Composer
(1982)
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Producer, Original Music Composer
(1981)
Escape from New York
Director, Original Music Composer, Screenplay
(1981)
Halloween II
Screenplay, Producer, Original Music Composer
(1980)
The Fog
Director, Original Music Composer, Screenplay
(1979)
Elvis
Director
(1979)
Better Late Than Never
Writer
(1978)
Halloween
Director, Original Music Composer, Screenplay
(1978)
Someone's Watching Me!
Director, Writer
(1978)
Zuma Beach
Writer
(1978)
Eyes of Laura Mars
Screenplay, Story
(1976)
Assault on Precinct 13
Director, Original Music Composer, Writer, Editor
(1974)
Dark Star
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Original Music Composer, Original Story
(1973)
Last Foxtrot in Burbank
Editor
(1970)
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy
Writer, Music, Editor
(1969)
Captain Voyeur
Writer, Director, Producer
(1968)
Good Morning, Dan
Camera Operator