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John Carpenter

John Carpenter headshot

IMDb:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000118/

Height:5' 11" (1.8 m)

Trademarks:[Horror] Although Carpenter has directed films in numerous other genres (dark comedy, sci-fi, romance), he is known primarily for making horror films (Halloween (1978) and the subsequent sequels not directed by him, The Fog (1980), The Thing (1982), etc.). He is also known as the "Master of Horror" or the "Prince of Darkness" (after one of his films). [Attribution] The words "John Carpenter's" appear before almost all of his film and TV titles (e.g., John Carpenter's Halloween (1978)). Uses synthesizer-based soundtracks that he composes himself (Most famous for the theme song to Halloween (1978), obviously). [Cheap Scare] Many of Carpenter's films include what he calls a "cheap scare", where something comes into view very fast and leaves just as quickly, intensified by musical cues. Carpenter makes open compositions that allow the villain/monster (or sometimes just an object) to pop into frame from the background, the immediate foreground or from either side of the frame. It has since become a horror cliché after using "cheap scares" so effectively in Halloween (1978). [Apocalypse] Apocalyptic overtones run throughout Carpenter's films, most prominently in his unofficial but aptly titled Apocalypse Trilogy (The Thing (1982), Prince of Darkness (1987), In the Mouth of Madness (1994)) and more subtly in films like Halloween (1978), They Live (1988) and Escape from New York (1981). His lead male characters are anti-heroes (e.g., Snake Plissken in the "Escape" films and Napoleon Wilson in Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)) whereas the bad guys in his films are usually depicted as zombie-like, mindless, and lacking a personality or emotion. Though many people die in his films, with few exceptions, he usually avoids showing gore. [Cinematography] Uses minimalist cinematography and lighting. Tries to make empty spaces look full, and full spaces look empty. Shoots all of his movies in Panavision (2.35:1 ratio with anamorphic lenses). The exceptions are Dark Star (1974) and all of his TV work. Is known for an unofficial "Carpenter's Repertory Group" of actors who he enjoys working with, including Kurt Russell, Sam Neill, Peter Jason, George 'Buck' Flower, and various crew members. Also frequently casts musicians (Ice Cube, Isaac Hayes, Alice Cooper, Jon Bon Jovi). [Names] Likes to name characters after real life people: directors, etc. Also reuses character names from classic movies. For example, John T. Chance, Carpenter's pseudonym in for editing Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), is John Wayne's character in Rio Bravo (1959); Donald Pleasence's character name in Halloween (1978), Sam Loomis, is also the name of Janet Leigh's boyfriend in Psycho (1960). Frequently uses the character names "Tramer" and "Baxter" in different films as well. [Video Screen] His films often feature important visuals shown from a video screen (The end-of-the-world transmission from the future in Prince of Darkness (1987), the Norwegian recordings of the expedition to uncover the aliens in The Thing (1982), various TV sets and the general anti-TV motif in They Live (1988), etc.). Frequently makes references to classic Westerns Includes at least one scene inside an automobile in nearly all his films. Likes to include helicopters in his films, many times doing a cameo as a pilot. Underlying sense of paranoia in horror stories Graphic visual effects and body transformations Often references the works of Alfred Hitchcock Films often take place in single confined locations

Source:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000118/

Doc'n Roll Film Festival Release Date

Saturday 28th March 2020
The Rise of the Synths poster
Age rating / classification to be confirmed.
Current Status:complete

Next Showing:

None. Use our reminder system to get a e-mail when The Rise of the Synths is next showing in a UK cinema near you.

Directed by:

Written by:

Language:

Unknown

Runtime:

Unknown

Reviews

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Halloween

8.1 / 926 votes

UK Cinema Release Date

Friday 19th October 2018
Halloween poster
Contains strong bloody violence and gore. Suitable only for adults.
Current Status:released

Next Showing:

None. Last shown in UK cinemas on 31st October 2023.
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Directed by:

Genre:

Horror

Language:

English

Runtime:

1 hour 45 minutes (approx.)

Movie Synopsis:

Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

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Reviews

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Prince of Darkness

6.7 / 30082 votes

UK Cinema Release Date

Friday 26th October 2018
Prince of Darkness poster
Contains strong language and violence. Suitable for 15 years and over.
Current Status:released

Next Showing:

None. Last shown in UK cinemas on 23rd June 2022.
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Directed by:

Written by:

Genre:

Horror

Language:

English

Runtime:

1 hour 41 minutes (approx.)

Movie Synopsis:

A sinister secret has been kept in the basement of an abandoned Los Angeles church for many years. With the death of a priest belonging to a mysterious sect, another priest opens the door to the basement and discovers a vat containing a green liquid. The priest contacts a group of physics graduate students to investigate it. Unfortunately, they discover that the liquid contains the essence of Satan himself, and they also discover that he will release HIS father - an all-powerful Anti-God! The liquid later comes to life itself, turning some of the students into zombies as the Devil comes forward to release his father. Will these students be able to stop him?

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Reviews

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They Live

7.3 / 90042 votes

UK Cinema Release Date

Friday 26th October 2018
They Live poster
Contains strong violence and language. Suitable for 15 years and over.
Current Status:re-release

Next Showing:

None. Last shown in UK cinemas on 2nd January 2024.
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Directed by:

Written by:

Produced by:

Genres:

Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Language:

English

Runtime:

1 hour 34 minutes (approx.)

Movie Synopsis:

Nada, a down-on-his-luck construction worker, discovers a pair of special sunglasses. Wearing them, he is able to see the world as it really is: people being bombarded by media and government with messages like "Stay Asleep", "No Imagination", "Submit to Authority". Even scarier is that he is able to see that some usually normal-looking people are in fact ugly aliens in charge of the massive campaign to keep humans subdued.

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Reviews

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The Fog

6.8 / 54728 votes

UK Cinema Release Date

Tuesday 30th October 2018
The Fog poster
Contains strong horror. Suitable for 15 years and over.
Current Status:re-release

Next Showing:

None. Last shown in UK cinemas on 11th May 2022.
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Directed by:

Written by:

Produced by:

Genres:

Horror, Thriller

Language:

English

Runtime:

1 hour 29 minutes (approx.)

Movie Synopsis:

As the centennial of the small town of Antonio Bay, California approaches, paranormal activity begins to occur at midnight. 100 years ago, the wealthy leper Blake bought the clipper ship Elizabeth Dane and sailed with his people to form a leper colony. However, while sailing through a thick fog, they were deliberately misguided by a campfire onshore, steering the course of the ship toward the light and crashing it against the rocks. While the town's residents prepare to celebrate, the victims of this heinous crime that the town's founders committed rise from the sea to claim retribution. Under cover of the ominous glowing fog, they carry out their vicious attacks, searching for what is rightly theirs.

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Reviews

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Last update was at 15:21 17th March 2024