One of cinema's most celebrated and respected directors, John Carpenter, has a great legacy in film. His creations have remained as classic and fantastic as the years they were made, and many have spawned ongoing franchises across mediums, from film to TV to comics. The legendary creator is responsible for some of the most remarkable feats of cinema, screenwriting, and even soundtracks.
As Hollywood's master of suspense, Carpenter has turned in many great movies across genres, leaving his mark on horror, action, and science fiction. He has one of the most robust careers in the industry, with films that are almost universally well-regarded among his fan base. Indeed, some of the greatest movies of all time are the work of John Carpenter.
10 Ghosts of Mars Was A Great Martian Horror Movie
2004's Ghosts of Mars saw a team of special police officers dispatched to a Martian mining colony to retrieve an imprisoned fugitive (Ice Cube). However, when they arrive in the town, they find it all but abandoned, unable to find a single colonist.
As they explore, they find a small group of survivors in the town's jail, including their fugitive. When they talk to them, they discover a horrifying event involving the possession of the town's population by an unleashed and ancient Martian terror, leaving the populace as horrific zombies.
9 They Live Works As Sci-Fi As Well As Social Commentary
One of Carpenter's earliest feature films, They Live, follows a drifter who arrives in Los Angeles and begins work on a construction site. When he stumbles upon a group of people wanted by the police, he comes into possession of a pair of mysterious sunglasses.
After a round-up of the people by police, he walks around the city wearing the glasses, only to find they reveal hidden truths and aliens disguised as people. The movie carries many anti-consumerist messages, with the ongoing plot that society is secretly at the mercy of imperialist aliens.
8 Prince Of Darkness Was A Masterclass In Building Suspense
Prince of Darkness tells the story of a group of college students and scientists working to uncover the secrets of a mysterious container found in an abandoned church. However, when they open it, the liquid from within spills out and begins to possess people around them.
With the group trapped inside, surrounded by the possessed as they make their way towards them, the creature's awakening in the canister draws closer. The horrific mystery is deeply entwined with biblical history and Satan himself.
7 Halloween Birthed An Iconic Horror Franchise
Halloween is likely Carpenter's most well-known film, and the movie that introduced the world to the horror icon Michael Myers. Set in 1978 in Haddonfield, it sees the escape and return of Michael, institutionalized at a young age for killing his sister, to his hometown, where he wreaks havoc.
Preying upon a group of high school kids, Myers slowly picks them off one by one, working his way to Laurie Strode. Meanwhile, Doctor Sam Loomis makes his way through the town, intent on finding and, if necessary, killing Michael to prevent him from hurting others.
6 In The Mouth Of Madness Delved Into Lovecraftian Horror
One of Carpenter's more underrated films, In the Mouth of Madness, follows an insurance investigator who drives out to a small town to investigate the disappearance of a horror novelist. While there, however, he is overwhelmed by mysterious occurrences that leave him questioning reality.
The film was an excellent psychological horror film that pushed the boundaries of existence itself. The film is incredibly reminiscent of some classic Lovecraftian psychological horror stories, focusing on ideas of alternate dimensions and the power of the mind.
5 Big Trouble In Little China Gave Fans A Fun Action Adventure
The iconic 80s action-adventure Big Trouble in Little China stars Kurt Russell as Jack Burton, a trucker who finds himself in Chinatown in what seems to be a gang war. However, when he becomes involved in helping one of his friends, he discovers it runs much deeper than crime.
With a mystical cult working under the control of nefarious sorcerer Lo Pan, Jack sets out to rescue his friends before the villain achieves his goals. The all-out action-adventure is one of Carpenter's most fun movies, and has stood as one of his most iconic too.
4 Starman Is Carpenter's Most Beautiful Film
Starring Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges, Starman tells the tale of a young widow who is visited by an alien being fallen to Earth. Upon entering her home, the alien assumes the form of the widow's dead husband, and attempts to make contact with her.
When the government shows up to investigate the crashed ship the alien fell in, he makes Jenny Hayden (Allen) take him on a road trip to find his species for rescue. The trip turns into a wonderfully unique sci-fi romance, with Jenny and Starman slowly forming an unlikely relationship as he begins to understand her.
3 Assault On Precinct 13 Is A Great Siege Thriller Movie
While John Carpenter is well known for horror, what makes his movies great is his mastery of suspense. The director has a famous penchant for building up towards something, and basing the appeal of his movies on the building tension as the characters' fate draws near.
In Assault on Precinct 13, viewers follow a group of police officers, station workers, and inmates as they find themselves surrounded by a gang looking to kill a witness to their crimes. As the gang closes in, the survivors plan a daring escape to get help.
2 The Thing Is Isolated Sci-Fi Horror At Its Best
In The Thing, based on the novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, the story begins with a Norwegian helicopter in Antarctica chasing a dog to a US outpost. Upon arrival, one of the men attempts to kill the dog, and gets himself shot in the process.
When the Americans take in the dog, they soon learn it's not what it seems, and it morphs into a horrifying creature, one with the ability to impersonate humans. The movie's strength is in its isolated paranoia, leaving the characters in doubt about who may be the Thing in disguise.
1 Escape From New York Is The Peak Of 80s Action
One of the greatest action movies of all time, Escape From New York remains the best John Carpenter movie. It brings together the great suspense tone that Carpenter does so well, along with an iconic hero, a great plot, and a classic Carpenter soundtrack.
When the president's plane is shot down over Manhattan – now turned into an island prison colony – retired special forces operative Snake Plissken is sent in. Racing against the clock, he must navigate the broken city, survive its roving street gangs, and save the president before it's too late.