Notes from the sketch book — john carpenter

How do you make a movie about the total collapse of the American character without the audience running out of the theatre in a panic? In the summer of 1982, John Carpenter released The Thing, and the audience did just that—they ran, they recoiled, and they rejected it. It was the summer of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a movie that offered a suburban fairy tale of intergalactic friendship, assuring us that the universe was benign and that our own government, though clumsy, could ultimately be outsmarted by a boy on a bicycle. Spielberg gave the Reagan era exactly what...

Starman 1984   In the catalogue of John Carpenter's cinematic creations, "Starman" emerges as an upbeat and emotionally evocative gem, standing as a testament to the director's versatility. Departing from the shadowy corridors of horror that Carpenter is renowned for, this film boldly transcends genre boundaries, weaving a tapestry that seamlessly melds science fiction with an intimately poignant love story. In the wake of horror tales like "The Thing" and "Christine," "Starman" takes an unexpected turn, adopting a Spielbergian optimism that represents Carpenter at his most positive. At the heart of the narrative is an alien entity, brilliantly portrayed by...