At the end of part one John was flying high having made a streak of low-budget indie Genre movies based on original scripts while working with the talented producer Debra Hill. the films were brilliant, creative and profitable. I posed the question what could go wrong?...
Due to Carpenter’s previous successes, Universal Pictures signed Carpenter to a multi-picture contract. John was giving up his independent status and joining the Hollywood studio system.
The Thing (1982)
Directed by John Carpenter, Written by Bill Lancaster, based on the novella “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, Produced by David Foster & Lawrence Turman, Music by Ennio Morricone, cinematography by Dean Cundey and Special creature effects by Rob Bottin.
The American research scientists that are manning the remote Outpost 31 in Antarctica witness a helicopter chasing a husky dog that is heading towards their base through the tundra. When the scientists take the dog in, it viciously attacks crew members and the outpost’s sled dogs alike. They discover the dog is really an extraterrestrial who infects, kills then mimics its victims. The heavy-drinking renegade pilot MacReady and the outpost’s medic Dr. Copper take the lead to try and defeat the creature. The crew are slowly consumed by dread and paranoia not knowing if anyone is who or what they appear.
This film is viewed as a remake of Howard Hawks 1951 science fiction film “The Thing from Another World” which it kinda is. Carpenter is a massive fan of that film it was even featured in his movie Halloween (The kid Laurie is babysitting is watching it on TV) But technically it is an adaptation of the source material not a remake of the 1951 film.
Interesting fact the screenplay for "The Thing" (1982) was written by Bill Lancaster who was the actor Bert Lancaster’s son who only wrote two scripts “The Bad News Bears” (1976) and “The Thing” (1982) crazy!
This film is fantastic but when people think about it I think they focus on the incredibly gory and remarkable practical effects but the genius of The Thing is the ensemble cast trapped in this claustrophobic and terrifying situation. The film is scary because of the dread, paranoia and tension the gore just raises the steaks. I personally loathe films that rely on gore it is not what true horror is.
In my opinion, The Thing (1982) is one of the top two Sci-fi/Horror films ever made along with Alien (1979) both are genuinely frightening and visually brilliant and were made with wonderful practical effects. I think they always will be due to the state of the movie industry.
Now the nitty gritty. The Thing (1982) was not received well by critics. Quotes from some of the reviews at the time, "quintessential moron movie of the 80's", "instant junk", "wretched excess" and "cold and sterile". It seems just impossible to think they are talking about the same film I know and love.
Also up until this point in his career, Carpenter had been making indie movies for $6m and under and making a profit for his backers. He made The Thing with an established production company for Universal Pictures and they spent $15m ($72m in 2024 money) which is not a lot of money in modern Hollywood but in the early 1980’s that was a big deal.
The critical response did not set this up for success also audiences were seeing sci-fi movies like E.T. (which came out two weeks before The Thing), Tron, Blade Runner and Star Trek 2.
This film was just so obviously way ahead of its time it flopped hard.
We all know flopping at the box office is a badge of honour for a real cult classic but it's a pain in the arse for a movie director trying to get projects made.
Carpenter was instantly “let go” from directing his next project for Universal, The film “Firestarter” based on the 1980 Stephen King novel of the same name. Then with further reflection, Universal opted to “buy out” Carpenter's contract (they paid him to go away).
So John Carpenter delivered one of the best horror/sci-fi movies ever made that will go on to make Universal a truckload of money in the home video market. They sack him from a Stephen King project and buy out his contract to get rid of him.
Carpenter’s very next project was over at Columbia Pictures and it’s an adaptation of a Stephen King novel.
Christine (1983)
Directed by John Carpenter, Written by Bill Phillips, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, Produced by Richard Kobritz & Larry J. Franco, Music by John Carpenter & Alan Howarth, cinematography by Donald M. Morgan.
Arnie Cunningham buys a classic red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine, a car that seems to have a mind of its own and a jealous, possessive personality and seems to go to great lengths to protect its owner and becomes a bad influence on young Arnie.
This film is charming and the main musical theme by Carpenter & Howarth is a banger. In my opinion, this is not top-tier Carpenter but I do need to rewatch it because it has been a while…
But to cut to the chase using rudimentary maths this film lost $2.4m at the American box office
I am sure when you add international box office and global VHS rental and sales it made plenty of money for Colombia.
Meanwhile, over at Universal the people who paid Carpenter to go away. Replacing him on “Firestarter” with Mark L. Lester… exactly I don’t know him either.
“Firestarter” when it eventually came out in 1984 lost Universal $7.2m at the American box office with a much longer road to profit… I wonder if they got there?
Starman (1984)
Directed by John Carpenter, Written by Bruce A. Evans & Raynold Gideon, Produced by Larry J. Franco, Music by Jack Nitzsche and cinematography by Donald M. Morgan.
In 1977, The Voyager 2 space probe was launched by NASA it has onboard a gold phonographic disk with a message inviting alien civilizations to visit Earth. The probe is intercepted by an alien planet, which sends a small spacecraft to establish contact with the inhabitants of Earth. On its arrival, the U.S. government obviously shoots it down and crashes in Wisconsin, the lone alien occupant, is a non-corporeal entity that looks like a floating ball of glowing energy.
The Alien happens upon the home of Jenny Hayden who has been recently widowed. Using a lock of her deceased partner's hair the alien visitor clones a human body for himself.
This is quite a divisive film amongst Carpenter fans due to the heavy romantic element of the story. The concept of a science fiction/romance/drama is quite a tough sell in general.
Jeff Bridges who plays the titular Starman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal.
This being his second outing for Colombia Pictures it again made a loss with its initial theatrical run in the US to the tune of $18.8m but again I don't have international box office or home video figures to get a true financial picture and studios do love an Oscar nomination! But not enough!
Carpenter's Next project was with 20th Century Fox.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Directed by John Carpenter, Written by Gary Goldman & David Z. Weinstein, Produced by Larry J. Franco, Music by John Carpenter & Alan Howarth and cinematography by Dean Cundey.
Truck driver Jack Burton helps his friend Wang Chi rescue Wang's green-eyed fiancée from bandits in San Francisco's Chinatown. They go into the mysterious underworld beneath Chinatown, where they face an ancient sorcerer named David Lo Pan, who requires a woman with green eyes to marry him to be released from a centuries-old curse.
We all know this is a stone-cold cult classic blending fantasy/adventure with creature features and martial arts. It is also funny.
It was well received by the critics and enjoyed by anyone who bothered to go and see it. Unfortunately, it came out at a similar time to “The Golden Child” the Eddie Murphy action/comedy which may have skewed public opinion making it look like “more of the same” which it is not. As you probably guessed it was a commercial failure at the US box office losing $27m but the usual caveat is that I don’t know global box office or home video figures.
Now! If you are following this story get ready for a “M. Night” style twist !!
John Carpenter is about to make two movies that will ultimately be released/distributed by none other than Universal Pictures!!
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Directed by John Carpenter, Written by Martin Quatermass (John Carpenter), Produced by Larry J. Franco, Music by John Carpenter & Alan Howarth and cinematography by Gary B. Kibbe.
When an elderly catholic priest who was the sole resident of an old monastery in Los Angeles passes away his closest kept secret is soon discovered. The monastery is built on top of a 16th-century Spanish church and nestled in the foundations is a chamber that contains an ancient cylinder that may contain the life essence of the Anti-Christ himself.
A priest assembles a team of scientists each specialising in different disciplines to investigate the mysterious cylinder its contents and any written material held in the subterranean chamber. Their investigation seems to coincide with a rare astrological phenomenon and the local homeless population seems very interested in the scientific team's activities.
This is a massively overlooked and underappreciated movie. The plot is fully loaded with biblical and scientific doctrines clashings, space stuff and a “thought beam” being sent back through time to alter the crew's dreams! It is solid B-movie goodness! Not sure why Carpenter chose to use a pen name on the script because this is nothing to be ashamed of but the name “Martin Quatermass” is obviously a nod to the great English screenwriter Nigel Kneale who is one of Carpenter’s idols and created the wonderful character Professor Bernard Quatermass who has appeared in multiple films and TV shows.
Prince of Darkness sees Carpenter return to his indie/low-budget roots film was made by Alive Films and Larry Franco Productions for $3m Universal distributed it so they probably spent $1.5m promoting it and it took $14.2m gross at the us box office so it was over $4m in profit before International box office, VHS rental and TV rights. That’s my boy !!
So in the movie business, you get the chance to do that again!
They Live (1988)
Directed by John Carpenter, Written John Carpenter, based on the short story Eight O’Clock in the Morning by Ray Nelson, Produced by Larry J. Franco, Music by John Carpenter & Alan Howarth and cinematography by Gary B. Kibbe.
A homeless drifter comes to Los Angeles in search of a job. While in the city he discovers sunglasses that when you look through them you see the world as it really is. Earth has been taken over by an interdimensional alien race who have all humans enslaved and hypnotised. The drifter and his new friends need to work together to try and free the human race.
Again this is a solid gold cult classic! The word that springs to mind is Iconic. The design of the Aliens the production design of “the real world” and Roddy Piper as the drifter all iconic!!
I mean the line
“I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum”
Totally Iconic.
At the time it was generally well received by critics but some didn't grasp the B movie aspect and criticised the script and plot issues. The movie is about interdimensional capitalist beings being bested by a homeless construction worker… I say cut it some slack.
Again the film was made by Alive Films and Larry Franco Productions for $3m Universal distributed it so they probably dropped $1.5m on promotion and it took $13.4m at the US box office so… $3.5m profit before international box office, VHS rental/sales & TV rights.
As I say Box Office figures is never a metric to gauge film quality because pretty much every cult movie we love did not do well at the box office and it is dross like Avatar that tends to make money.
By the end of the 80's John Carpenter has made 11 feature films in his career 9 of which are now viewed in 2024 as total cult classics and any financial performance at the time means next to nothing now.
After his last two films making a profit Warner Brothers came knocking because that is what the big studios do.
