he’s got a gifted eye for the dark and
the twisted it’s weird and pissed off
whatever it is welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’re counting down our picks
for the top 10 John Carpenter movies for
this list we’re looking at those films
made by this prolific director that left
an indelible mark on our young
impressionable minds while Carpenter has
been in the moviemaking business longer
than most of us have been alive his cult
classics can stand up to some of the
most CGI Layton flicks that graced the
big screens today his filmography has
given us some of the best chills and cam
piest fun film moments do you want some
too buddy
number 10 vampires much obliged sure
there have been a ton of vampire movies
throughout the years including vampires
of the sparkly lovelorn variety but our
favorites have always been the
bloodthirsty ruthless breed you want to
kill one you drive a wooden stake right
to it party in this film Carpenter gives
us James Woods as an antihero vampire
hunter who must stop a centuries-old
master vampire before he can get his
hands on an ancient cross what will
silence you there’s lots of blood and
bytes and even a Baldwin I’m sorry
it’s gonna be alright and all the
signature gore and nasty humor you’d
expect from a John Carpenter joint
number nine Dark Star commander Paul
this is do do something serious has come
up I have to ask you a question as
carpenters earliest major directorial
effort this film wasn’t a smash success
but it did put him on the map in the
industry proper target practice
that’s emergencies only the film centers
on a skeleton crew of planet destroyers
who’ve been in space for longer than
they’d like i mean think of it this way
we’ve been in space for twenty years
alright along with that story come
elements of dark comedy as well as
science fiction but what was probably
most impressive was its quality in spite
of its shoestring budget which is
another of carpenters trademark skills
glow glow with all the colors of the
rainbow nobody knows why they just glows
they drift around the universe phoenix
asteroid number eight the fog well my
gauges must be wrong
i’ve got a wind blowing due east and
what kind of a fog goes against the wind
while fog may usually only be a major
concern for motorists and sailors
carpenter through some murderous ghosts
into the mist to up the ante at the same
time that fog was moving in this whole
town went
unglued set in a fishing town on the
coast of california this movie deals
with a menacing glowing fog packed to
the gills with the ghosts of vengeful
sailors looking to kill anyone caught in
the haze ahoy mateys
it’s a stevie way in your night light
with scream queens adrienne barbeau
stay away from the fog Jamie Lee Curtis
and her mother Janet Lee acting in the
film thank you
the fog became a minor horror classic
number seven assault on precinct 13
preceded precinct 9 division 13 and take
over from captain Gordon carpenters
second major film was a deviation from
the science fiction and fantasy classics
we associate him with apparently assault
on precinct 13 follows a police
lieutenant a convicted felon and a small
group as they struggle to stay alive and
a police precinct undergoing a full-on
gang attack why would anybody shoot at a
police station while the film wasn’t
initially a success in the United States
I think we’ve just been marked for
something it blew up overseas prompting
a critical reassessment in later years
what does that mean it’s seen as one of
the finest action flicks of its time and
one of carpenter’s best number six star
men take it easy
up yours this film is a softer take on
the sci-fi genre starring Jeff Bridges
as an alien who falls in love with a
human woman as he tries to make it home
if I’m low after the alien spacecraft is
shot out of the air he takes on the
appearance of a Widow’s deceased husband
and the two journey to reconnect him
with his alien recon crew what do you
want with me where are you taking me why
do you look so much like Scott it’s kind
of like et but with grownups and
baby-making it’s the only John Carpenter
film to ever receive an Oscar nomination
thanks to bridges unique performance I
watched you very carefully
red light stop green light go yellow
light go very fast
number five Big Trouble in Little China
it’s getting hot in here is just the
film may not have been a great
commercial success wait a minute ow and
may have been the flick that turned
carpenter back towards Indy fair more
exotic the better but it’s one of the
filmmakers most celebrated cult classics
yes sir the check is in the mail
the film follows Kurt Russell as Jack
Burton and his friend Wang Chi as they
set out to rescue Chi’s girlfriend from
the clutches of an evil sorcerer the
darkest magic as an action-adventure
film it’s like Mortal Kombat meets
Indiana Jones but with a needlessly
self-assured hero feel pretty good no
not not scared at all I just feel kind
of feel kind of invisible number four
they live I have come here to chew
bubblegum and kick ass
and I’m all out of bubble it’s a
conspiracy theorists fantasy complete
with the alien overlords what’s your
problem
I said what’s your problem the film
stars rowdy roddy piper as a
construction worker who uncovers an
alien scheme to keep humans in a
perpetual state of obedience and
conformity using mass media which you
know probably isn’t that far-fetched
everybody’s got their own hard times
these days after getting into an
unnecessarily long fight with Keith
David’s character man I told you I
didn’t want to be in a – head out to
unravel the scheme and reveal the truth
to the masses what’s wrong and the
result is another carpenter cult classic
that meshes politics and horror we are
off crisis alert the situation is normal
again with sci-fi and comedy you’re okay
this one real lovely oh you see I take
these glasses off she looks like a
regular person doesn’t she huh put them
back on from maldehyde face number three
escape from New York in a not so distant
future or past really Manhattan has
transformed into a maximum-security
prison for life long prisoners why are
we talking when the president’s plane
crash lands smack dab in the middle of
the island
renegade inmate Snake Plissken with me
is commissioned to save the president’s
life before a lawless gang leader can
execute him looking for somebody who the
president not only was the film a
critical and commercial success it also
established Kurt Russell as a carpenter
favorite
I’ve got his pulse as he would go on to
star in several of carpenters features
including a return for this film sequel
escape from LA
number two Halloween so what is this big
big news
while Dark Star may have put carpenter
on the map this film launched him into
the stratosphere although critics were
still slow to get onboard quash TV the
film follows the story of a babysitter
played by Jamie Lee Curtis who Scott by
the murderous masked madman Michael
Myers on Halloween night what the cookie
myth not only did the film go on to
become incredibly successful
commercially I’ll kill you if this is a
joke it also set the standard for future
slasher films that followed with its use
of unique camera angles minimal gore and
it’s primitive thrills before we unveil
our top pick here are a few honorable
mentions
do you like my ending
any suggestions some kind of power
directed outward controlled force what’s
it doing
reaching out influencing changing things
moving objects by thought
it really works Oh Nick you have a face
again right eyes and teeth be a whole
head number one the thing was
then a man in there
however it is they burn it up in a hurry
Kurt Russell takes the lead again this
time playing McCready a helicopter pilot
stuck on a remote Antarctic outpost with
a shape-shifting alien I think it rips
through your clothes when it takes you
over and a crew that’s trying to stay
alive I just cannot believe any of this
voodoo bullshit the film was released to
moderate financial success but was
overshadowed by another alien themed
movie released a few weeks prior that
had a much more positive outlook on
extraterrestrials t-phone decidedly dark
and wonderfully creepy the thing is
nevertheless now considered one of the
best of its genre thanks to its
groundbreaking special effects and
makeup and carpenter’s characteristic
creepiness
do you agree with our list there are so
many questions I’d like to ask you I
don’t even know where to begin what are
your favorite John Carpenter films well
kiddo
thought you outgrew superstitions for
more entertaining top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com they’re running the whole
show
the twisted it’s weird and pissed off
whatever it is welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’re counting down our picks
for the top 10 John Carpenter movies for
this list we’re looking at those films
made by this prolific director that left
an indelible mark on our young
impressionable minds while Carpenter has
been in the moviemaking business longer
than most of us have been alive his cult
classics can stand up to some of the
most CGI Layton flicks that graced the
big screens today his filmography has
given us some of the best chills and cam
piest fun film moments do you want some
too buddy
number 10 vampires much obliged sure
there have been a ton of vampire movies
throughout the years including vampires
of the sparkly lovelorn variety but our
favorites have always been the
bloodthirsty ruthless breed you want to
kill one you drive a wooden stake right
to it party in this film Carpenter gives
us James Woods as an antihero vampire
hunter who must stop a centuries-old
master vampire before he can get his
hands on an ancient cross what will
silence you there’s lots of blood and
bytes and even a Baldwin I’m sorry
it’s gonna be alright and all the
signature gore and nasty humor you’d
expect from a John Carpenter joint
number nine Dark Star commander Paul
this is do do something serious has come
up I have to ask you a question as
carpenters earliest major directorial
effort this film wasn’t a smash success
but it did put him on the map in the
industry proper target practice
that’s emergencies only the film centers
on a skeleton crew of planet destroyers
who’ve been in space for longer than
they’d like i mean think of it this way
we’ve been in space for twenty years
alright along with that story come
elements of dark comedy as well as
science fiction but what was probably
most impressive was its quality in spite
of its shoestring budget which is
another of carpenters trademark skills
glow glow with all the colors of the
rainbow nobody knows why they just glows
they drift around the universe phoenix
asteroid number eight the fog well my
gauges must be wrong
i’ve got a wind blowing due east and
what kind of a fog goes against the wind
while fog may usually only be a major
concern for motorists and sailors
carpenter through some murderous ghosts
into the mist to up the ante at the same
time that fog was moving in this whole
town went
unglued set in a fishing town on the
coast of california this movie deals
with a menacing glowing fog packed to
the gills with the ghosts of vengeful
sailors looking to kill anyone caught in
the haze ahoy mateys
it’s a stevie way in your night light
with scream queens adrienne barbeau
stay away from the fog Jamie Lee Curtis
and her mother Janet Lee acting in the
film thank you
the fog became a minor horror classic
number seven assault on precinct 13
preceded precinct 9 division 13 and take
over from captain Gordon carpenters
second major film was a deviation from
the science fiction and fantasy classics
we associate him with apparently assault
on precinct 13 follows a police
lieutenant a convicted felon and a small
group as they struggle to stay alive and
a police precinct undergoing a full-on
gang attack why would anybody shoot at a
police station while the film wasn’t
initially a success in the United States
I think we’ve just been marked for
something it blew up overseas prompting
a critical reassessment in later years
what does that mean it’s seen as one of
the finest action flicks of its time and
one of carpenter’s best number six star
men take it easy
up yours this film is a softer take on
the sci-fi genre starring Jeff Bridges
as an alien who falls in love with a
human woman as he tries to make it home
if I’m low after the alien spacecraft is
shot out of the air he takes on the
appearance of a Widow’s deceased husband
and the two journey to reconnect him
with his alien recon crew what do you
want with me where are you taking me why
do you look so much like Scott it’s kind
of like et but with grownups and
baby-making it’s the only John Carpenter
film to ever receive an Oscar nomination
thanks to bridges unique performance I
watched you very carefully
red light stop green light go yellow
light go very fast
number five Big Trouble in Little China
it’s getting hot in here is just the
film may not have been a great
commercial success wait a minute ow and
may have been the flick that turned
carpenter back towards Indy fair more
exotic the better but it’s one of the
filmmakers most celebrated cult classics
yes sir the check is in the mail
the film follows Kurt Russell as Jack
Burton and his friend Wang Chi as they
set out to rescue Chi’s girlfriend from
the clutches of an evil sorcerer the
darkest magic as an action-adventure
film it’s like Mortal Kombat meets
Indiana Jones but with a needlessly
self-assured hero feel pretty good no
not not scared at all I just feel kind
of feel kind of invisible number four
they live I have come here to chew
bubblegum and kick ass
and I’m all out of bubble it’s a
conspiracy theorists fantasy complete
with the alien overlords what’s your
problem
I said what’s your problem the film
stars rowdy roddy piper as a
construction worker who uncovers an
alien scheme to keep humans in a
perpetual state of obedience and
conformity using mass media which you
know probably isn’t that far-fetched
everybody’s got their own hard times
these days after getting into an
unnecessarily long fight with Keith
David’s character man I told you I
didn’t want to be in a – head out to
unravel the scheme and reveal the truth
to the masses what’s wrong and the
result is another carpenter cult classic
that meshes politics and horror we are
off crisis alert the situation is normal
again with sci-fi and comedy you’re okay
this one real lovely oh you see I take
these glasses off she looks like a
regular person doesn’t she huh put them
back on from maldehyde face number three
escape from New York in a not so distant
future or past really Manhattan has
transformed into a maximum-security
prison for life long prisoners why are
we talking when the president’s plane
crash lands smack dab in the middle of
the island
renegade inmate Snake Plissken with me
is commissioned to save the president’s
life before a lawless gang leader can
execute him looking for somebody who the
president not only was the film a
critical and commercial success it also
established Kurt Russell as a carpenter
favorite
I’ve got his pulse as he would go on to
star in several of carpenters features
including a return for this film sequel
escape from LA
number two Halloween so what is this big
big news
while Dark Star may have put carpenter
on the map this film launched him into
the stratosphere although critics were
still slow to get onboard quash TV the
film follows the story of a babysitter
played by Jamie Lee Curtis who Scott by
the murderous masked madman Michael
Myers on Halloween night what the cookie
myth not only did the film go on to
become incredibly successful
commercially I’ll kill you if this is a
joke it also set the standard for future
slasher films that followed with its use
of unique camera angles minimal gore and
it’s primitive thrills before we unveil
our top pick here are a few honorable
mentions
do you like my ending
any suggestions some kind of power
directed outward controlled force what’s
it doing
reaching out influencing changing things
moving objects by thought
it really works Oh Nick you have a face
again right eyes and teeth be a whole
head number one the thing was
then a man in there
however it is they burn it up in a hurry
Kurt Russell takes the lead again this
time playing McCready a helicopter pilot
stuck on a remote Antarctic outpost with
a shape-shifting alien I think it rips
through your clothes when it takes you
over and a crew that’s trying to stay
alive I just cannot believe any of this
voodoo bullshit the film was released to
moderate financial success but was
overshadowed by another alien themed
movie released a few weeks prior that
had a much more positive outlook on
extraterrestrials t-phone decidedly dark
and wonderfully creepy the thing is
nevertheless now considered one of the
best of its genre thanks to its
groundbreaking special effects and
makeup and carpenter’s characteristic
creepiness
do you agree with our list there are so
many questions I’d like to ask you I
don’t even know where to begin what are
your favorite John Carpenter films well
kiddo
thought you outgrew superstitions for
more entertaining top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com they’re running the whole
show
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