John Carpenter, the writer/director behind the classic martial arts comedy adventure "Big Trouble In Little China" (1986), starring Kurt Russell as 'Jack Burton', isn't too keen about the long-delayed sequel to his film, after being left out of the creative process. "They want a movie with Dwayne Johnson," said Carpenter. "that's what they want. So they just picked that title...":
"You can't remake a classic like that…
“…so what we're planning to do is we're going to continue the story," said sequel producer Hiram Garcia.
"We're going to continue the universe of 'Big Trouble in Little China'.
"Everything that happened in the original exists and is standalone…
“…and I think there's only one person that could ever play ‘Jack Burton’...
"...so Dwayne would never try and play that character..."
Click the images to enlarge...
>...
"You can't remake a classic like that…
“…so what we're planning to do is we're going to continue the story," said sequel producer Hiram Garcia.
"We're going to continue the universe of 'Big Trouble in Little China'.
"Everything that happened in the original exists and is standalone…
“…and I think there's only one person that could ever play ‘Jack Burton’...
"...so Dwayne would never try and play that character..."
Click the images to enlarge...
>...
- 10/28/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Half a century into his directorial career, John Carpenter will be honored by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
The legendary horror director has been selected to receive Lafca’s Career Achievement Award during the organization’s 50th annual awards show this year, which will take place January 11, 2025 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
“The LA Film Critics Association was one of the very first groups to present me an award, so I’m truly honored by this recognition,” said Carpenter in a statement. “For a horror guy like me, this really warms my heart, and it also shows just how important horror is as a genre, which the Los Angeles Film Critics Association has known for decades.”
Carpenter previously received the New Generation Award for his horror breakthrough Halloween (1978), starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
“John Carpenter is such an ideal choice not only for his ability to spin stylish,...
The legendary horror director has been selected to receive Lafca’s Career Achievement Award during the organization’s 50th annual awards show this year, which will take place January 11, 2025 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
“The LA Film Critics Association was one of the very first groups to present me an award, so I’m truly honored by this recognition,” said Carpenter in a statement. “For a horror guy like me, this really warms my heart, and it also shows just how important horror is as a genre, which the Los Angeles Film Critics Association has known for decades.”
Carpenter previously received the New Generation Award for his horror breakthrough Halloween (1978), starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
“John Carpenter is such an ideal choice not only for his ability to spin stylish,...
- 10/23/2024
- by Glenn Garner
- Deadline Film + TV
Hollywood, like the rest of the world, wasn't feeling so hot about the United States in the 1970s. Faced with the relentless cruelty of the Vietnam War and the overt racism of President Richard M. Nixon's "law and order" dictates (plus his wanton abuse of power via the cover-up of the Watergate scandal), the most excitingly talented filmmakers of that era offered up "The Godfather," "Serpico," and "Nashville." Even a rollicking mainstream comedy like "The Bad News Bears" carried an anti-establishment charge.
All of this was juxtaposed against the realization that John Wayne was dying. The quintessential American movie star who, alongside his frequent collaborator John Ford, transformed the Western into manifest-destiny mythmaking, was grasping for relevance in hoary oaters and toothless cop flicks while losing his second battle with cancer. Moviegoers were alternately hostile to and unsettled by this; the man they either dearly wanted or steadfastly did...
All of this was juxtaposed against the realization that John Wayne was dying. The quintessential American movie star who, alongside his frequent collaborator John Ford, transformed the Western into manifest-destiny mythmaking, was grasping for relevance in hoary oaters and toothless cop flicks while losing his second battle with cancer. Moviegoers were alternately hostile to and unsettled by this; the man they either dearly wanted or steadfastly did...
- 10/22/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.
Berserk by Dejan Delic
Big Trouble In Little China by John Dunn
Elektra by Grobi Grafik
Joker: Folie à Deux by ChunHann Ho
Kill Bill Vol. 1 by Alex G.
A Nightmare on Elm Street...
Berserk by Dejan Delic
Big Trouble In Little China by John Dunn
Elektra by Grobi Grafik
Joker: Folie à Deux by ChunHann Ho
Kill Bill Vol. 1 by Alex G.
A Nightmare on Elm Street...
- 9/28/2024
- by Theodore Bond
- JoBlo.com
Genre filmmaking legend John Carpenter has recently taken to Letterboxd to write some frank reviews of his own movies and others. The results are incredible.
Having made some of the greatest genre movies ever made, John Carpenter has quite deservedly shifted down a gear or two over the past decade or so. These days, he’s keeping himself busy with his music, playing videogames (he really loves Fallout 76), holding the occasional mercurial interview with the press – and, as it turns out, writing the odd review on Letterboxd.
Brilliantly, as spotted by Twitter’s Haunted Hippie (via our own John Moore), Carpenter has even cast his jaded eye over his own movies. Take Halloween II, for example, which he’s long admitted he wrote for the money. Here’s his Letterboxd review:
They paid me more money than I had ever seen to write a sequel to a film that did not need one.
Having made some of the greatest genre movies ever made, John Carpenter has quite deservedly shifted down a gear or two over the past decade or so. These days, he’s keeping himself busy with his music, playing videogames (he really loves Fallout 76), holding the occasional mercurial interview with the press – and, as it turns out, writing the odd review on Letterboxd.
Brilliantly, as spotted by Twitter’s Haunted Hippie (via our own John Moore), Carpenter has even cast his jaded eye over his own movies. Take Halloween II, for example, which he’s long admitted he wrote for the money. Here’s his Letterboxd review:
They paid me more money than I had ever seen to write a sequel to a film that did not need one.
- 9/26/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Writer and director Quentin Tarantino might not have any love lost for his film "Death Proof," which he has famously claimed is his worst, but we here at /Film believe that it's the Tarantino classic we don't talk about enough. There's a lot to love in this half of "Grindhouse," which follows a kind of slasher named Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) who hunts and kills beautiful women using his tricked-out stunt car. There are the wild car chases and incredibly dangerous stunts. There's the killer soundtrack. There are the amazing actors who play the victims and then the queens who get their revenge on Mike. And then, of course, there's Russell himself, who is arguably one of the coolest performers to ever grace the silver screen.
Tarantino is pretty well-known for his homages and references to the films that inspired his work, but he's not above throwing in a few straight-up Easter eggs either.
Tarantino is pretty well-known for his homages and references to the films that inspired his work, but he's not above throwing in a few straight-up Easter eggs either.
- 9/10/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
There is something universally lovable about Kurt Russell. The actor actually started his career as a way to meet famous baseball players before getting signed on with Walt Disney and becoming a bonafide child star. After a gnarly injury forced him to retire from baseball and pursue acting full-time, he became a prolific performer who manages to make nearly everything he's in better just by his mere presence. From fluffy rom-coms like "Overboard" with future long-term partner Goldie Hawn to intense genre fare like "The Thing" to big blockbuster franchise flicks like "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Russell is able to fit into the fabric of just about any kind of film. He's incredibly charismatic even when playing antiheroes and downright villains, which makes his movies extremely rewatchable. But which are the most rewatchable?
While some of Russell's movies didn't do well theatrically or critically at the time of release,...
While some of Russell's movies didn't do well theatrically or critically at the time of release,...
- 9/8/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
‘Grey’s Anatomy’s Kate Burton & ‘The Boys’ Colby Minifie To Topline Julia Max Horror ‘The Surrender’
Exclusive: Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy) and Colby Minifie (The Boys) will lead the cast of The Surrender, an indie horror film from first-time feature filmmaker Julia Max.
Others to appear in the film, currently shooting in Los Angeles, include Neil Sandilands (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Vaughn Armstrong (Star Trek: Enterprise), Mia Ellis (Lavender Men), Pete Ploszek (You), Chelsea Alden (13 Reasons Why), Riley Rose Critchlow, Lola Prince Kelly and Alaina Pollack.
A sales title with all rights available, The Surrender centers on a fraught mother-daughter relationship that is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and brutal resurrection ritual spirals out of control, both women must reconcile their differences as they fight for their lives, and for each other.
“The Surrender is an incredibly personal...
Others to appear in the film, currently shooting in Los Angeles, include Neil Sandilands (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Vaughn Armstrong (Star Trek: Enterprise), Mia Ellis (Lavender Men), Pete Ploszek (You), Chelsea Alden (13 Reasons Why), Riley Rose Critchlow, Lola Prince Kelly and Alaina Pollack.
A sales title with all rights available, The Surrender centers on a fraught mother-daughter relationship that is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and brutal resurrection ritual spirals out of control, both women must reconcile their differences as they fight for their lives, and for each other.
“The Surrender is an incredibly personal...
- 8/26/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
John Carpenter's 1986 action-comedy "Big Trouble in Little China" is an odd duck. The plot involves an ancient wizard named Lo Pan (James Hong) who aims to kidnap, marry, and then sacrifice a green-eyed woman to break a curse he is under. The woman in question is Miao Yin (Suzee Pai), the fiancée of Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), who, fortunately, knows a little bit about evil wizards and ancient Chinese warriors. It will be up to Wang to rescue Miao Yin from Lo Pan. Also kidnapped is the green-eyed Gracie (Kim Cattrall), beloved by the dumb-as-rocks blowhard Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), essentially Wang's sidekick.
The gag of the movie is that Jack doesn't really seem to understand that he's a sidekick, and behaves like the action hero. Indeed, the whole movie seems to be a martial arts movie told from the perspective of the American guest star. Russell was featured...
The gag of the movie is that Jack doesn't really seem to understand that he's a sidekick, and behaves like the action hero. Indeed, the whole movie seems to be a martial arts movie told from the perspective of the American guest star. Russell was featured...
- 8/26/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It can’t be denied that as far as martial arts movies go, the best ones come from Asia, particularly Hong Kong during their action heyday, which was arguably the 70s, 80s and first half of the ’90s. It’s tough to compete with the likes of the Shaw Brothers and the drunken master known as Jackie Chan. That said, martial arts movies were also making a foothold in the States decades ago, thanks mainly to Bruce Lee-mania following the release of Enter the Dragon. Before that movie, very few actors in Hollywood seemed like they were credible martial artists, except maybe James Coburn, a student of Lee’s, who pulled off some pretty good-looking moves in the otherwise silly Our Man Flint movies. Steve McQueen also had training but didn’t use martial arts on screen. Up to then, though, the most notable uses of martial arts in movies usually revolved around Judo,...
- 8/23/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
John Carpenter, the writer/director behind classic comedy adventure "Big Trouble In Little China" (1986), starring Kurt Russell as 'Jack Burton', isn't too keen about the long-delayed sequel to his film, after being left out of the creative process. "They want a movie with Dwayne Johnson," said Carpenter. "that's what they want. So they just picked that title...":
"You can't remake a classic like that, so what we're planning to do is we're going to continue the story," said sequel producer Hiram Garcia.
"We're going to continue the universe of 'Big Trouble in Little China'.
"Everything that happened in the original exists and is standalone and I think there's only one person that could ever play Jack Burton...
"...so Dwayne would never try and play that character..."
Although he has been sidelined from the upcoming production, Carpenter continues to script new adventures of his "Big Trouble" creations,...
"You can't remake a classic like that, so what we're planning to do is we're going to continue the story," said sequel producer Hiram Garcia.
"We're going to continue the universe of 'Big Trouble in Little China'.
"Everything that happened in the original exists and is standalone and I think there's only one person that could ever play Jack Burton...
"...so Dwayne would never try and play that character..."
Although he has been sidelined from the upcoming production, Carpenter continues to script new adventures of his "Big Trouble" creations,...
- 8/22/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
March 17, 1951 was a great day in history, because that’s the day Kurt Vogel Russell entered the world. And while he would go on to become one of the biggest icons of the eighties and nineties, many folks don’t know that Russell started as a child star for The Walt Disney Company, even acting opposite his future life partner Goldie Hawn in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968) – although they wouldn’t get together until Russell ended up in another movie starring Goldie Hawn, Swing Shift (1984). From the sixties into the seventies, he starred in Disney flicks like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), but as the studio’s movies started to flop and Russell got older, a change of pace was needed. Arguably, Russell’s career took off when he began working with director John Carpenter, with the first movie being 1979’s TV movie Elvis, but what...
- 8/20/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
The central joke of John Carpenter's 1986 martial arts comedy "Big Trouble in Little China" is that the himbo hero Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) thinks he's the main character of the story, when really he's the dorky, comedic sidekick to other people. One should acknowledge that Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) is the true hero of "Big Trouble," and it is ultimately his heroism that saves his fiancée Miao Yin (Suzee Pai) from the clutches of the evil warlock Lo Pan (James Hong). Wang Chi is the one with fighting skills, as well as the one with connections to other magic users. Jack Burton is a silly blowhard with the muscles to fight off bad guys and the know-how of a golden retriever.
Needless to say, "Little China" is quirky and charming. It remains the most whimsical of John Carpenter's output. Indeed, it may be the only comedy film Carpenter directed...
Needless to say, "Little China" is quirky and charming. It remains the most whimsical of John Carpenter's output. Indeed, it may be the only comedy film Carpenter directed...
- 8/12/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Wyatt Russell was born to Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn on July 10, 1986, eight days after "Big Trouble in Little China," his pop's third and lamentably final big-screen collaboration with John Carpenter, bombed at the box office. The martial arts action-fantasy movie didn't seriously damage Russell's career, but it did alter its trajectory a tad. Just about everything after "Big Trouble in Little China" was a two-hander or an ensemble piece. Though he could still mess around in nonsense like "Overboard" and "Captain Ron," he couldn't dominate a movie with a broad, endearingly dopey hero like Jack Burton anymore.
Kurt Russell has many different modes, but I grew up with a preference for his swaggering himbos, guys who were so supremely confident in their capabilities that, like Wile E. Coyote, they didn't realize how far off the edge of the cliff they'd run. Watching a lug like Burton scramble out of...
Kurt Russell has many different modes, but I grew up with a preference for his swaggering himbos, guys who were so supremely confident in their capabilities that, like Wile E. Coyote, they didn't realize how far off the edge of the cliff they'd run. Watching a lug like Burton scramble out of...
- 8/2/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When it was announced that the hit television series "Yellowstone" would be coming to an end following its fifth season, fans at least knew that they'd have the already-announced spin-offs to look forward to. Unfortunately, the end of "Yellowstone" also meant the end of star Kevin Costner's time on the Western show, who instead pivoted to his own "Horizon: An American Saga" series of Western films. Would the "Yellowstone" name and the goodwill generated after five successful seasons be enough to sustain these spin-offs without the star? Well, when one barn door closes, another opens, and in the wake of Costner's exit, Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, and "Suits" star Patrick J. Adams have answered the call. First reported by TVLine, the "Yellowstone" spin-off known as "2024" is set to be retitled "The Madison," and is allegedly going to follow matriarch Stacy Clyburn and her family after they relocate from New York to Montana.
- 8/1/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
When Kurt Russell shed his Disney child star image once and for all as the leathery, laconic renegade Snake Plissken in John Carpenter's dystopian action hit "Escape from New York," he seemed poised for a long career as a handsome, rough-and-tumble leading man, the John Wayne-Steve McQueen hybrid America needed now that both had hit the soil. Russell, however, had other plans.
For starters, Russell didn't dig the laconic shtick. After a tonally similar performance as the perpetually cheesed-off R.J. MacReady in Carpenter's "The Thing," the actor sought to send up his tough-guy persona in goofball action flicks like "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Tango & Cash." He also gleefully made a fool of himself in broad comedies (memorably/infamously in "Overboard" and "Captain Ron"), while playing in-over-their-heads everymen in thrillers like "The Mean Season" and "Unlawful Entry." He could still do the gruff act when...
For starters, Russell didn't dig the laconic shtick. After a tonally similar performance as the perpetually cheesed-off R.J. MacReady in Carpenter's "The Thing," the actor sought to send up his tough-guy persona in goofball action flicks like "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Tango & Cash." He also gleefully made a fool of himself in broad comedies (memorably/infamously in "Overboard" and "Captain Ron"), while playing in-over-their-heads everymen in thrillers like "The Mean Season" and "Unlawful Entry." He could still do the gruff act when...
- 7/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of August titles. The Tubi August 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.
As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.
You can watch the Tubi August 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.
You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.
Tubi Originals
Documentary
Defying Death:...
As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.
You can watch the Tubi August 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.
You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.
Tubi Originals
Documentary
Defying Death:...
- 7/19/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Bring up the films of John Carpenter to any movie buff worth their weight in celluloid, and once they finish praying in the direction of Bowling Green, Kentucky, they'll start in on the essentials –- i.e. every movie in his oeuvre stretching from 1974's "Dark Star" to 1988's "They Live." From here, they'll single out 1994's "In the Mouth of Madness" as a return to peak form after the disappointing "Memoirs of an Invisible Man," and maybe share kind words about "Escape from L.A." "Vampires," "Ghosts of Mars," and, heck, even "The Ward." But that '74 -- '88 run is considered sacrosanct. You don't dispute this, and if you're fortunate enough to be a working filmmaker, you think long and hard about the wisdom of remaking one of these classics should a studio ever offer you the opportunity.
This is because Carpenter's aesthetic is inimitable. The widescreen compositions, the long takes,...
This is because Carpenter's aesthetic is inimitable. The widescreen compositions, the long takes,...
- 7/14/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Ron Shelton's "Dark Blue" was a victim of impossible expectations. James Ellroy wrote the screenplay in 1993 (then titled "The Plague Season"), envisioning Kurt Russell in the role of racist LAPD Sergeant Eldon Perry. The story takes place in a jittery city awaiting the riot-inciting verdict of the Rodney King trial. We know what's coming in the macro, but the micro tale of Perry and his partner Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) being forced to frame a couple of ex-cons for murders committed by informants loyal to their corrupt superior Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson) could break either way. This being Ellroy, the master of corrosive neo-l.A. noir, we're expecting everything to go down twisted. But with the riots looming, Perry and Keough's errand feels destined to get extra messy.
Given its long road to a greenlight, "Dark Blue" acquired the aura of a passion project for Ellroy. And since he tended to spin sprawling,...
Given its long road to a greenlight, "Dark Blue" acquired the aura of a passion project for Ellroy. And since he tended to spin sprawling,...
- 7/12/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
"Death Proof" is usually ranked lowest among Quentin Tarantino's directorial efforts, which is a shame since newbies might take that to mean it's not worth seeking out. (It absolutely is.) A 1970s exploitation homage initially released as part of his and Robert Rodriguez's failed 2007 "Grindhouse" double-feature experiment, the movie lends Tarantino's distinctive banter to a slasher about an over-the-hill stunt double, dubbed "Stuntman" Mike (Kurt Russell), who slays his victims using a rigged stunt vehicle.
"Death Proof" abides by the expectations of its genre for its first half, following Mike as he hunts his prey, not by stalking them under the cover of night but by schmoozing them up at a bar and cunningly striking when their defenses are down (but their blood-alcohol levels are up). It's only in its second half that the film stealthily -- and swiftly -- evolves into a women's empowerment story by way of a revenge thriller,...
"Death Proof" abides by the expectations of its genre for its first half, following Mike as he hunts his prey, not by stalking them under the cover of night but by schmoozing them up at a bar and cunningly striking when their defenses are down (but their blood-alcohol levels are up). It's only in its second half that the film stealthily -- and swiftly -- evolves into a women's empowerment story by way of a revenge thriller,...
- 6/29/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
More than thirty new stars are going to be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2025 (and into 2026), with the new batch of honorees who will be receiving stars having been chosen by the Hollywood Chamber’s Board of Directors. Variety reports that that honorees include Jessica Chastain, Bill Duke, Emilio Estevez, Colin Farrell, Jane Fonda, Nia Long, Lisa Lu, Glynn Turman, Toni Vaz, Fran Drescher, Lauren Graham, Bill Nye, Molly Shannon, Sherri Shepherd, Courtney B. Vance, Chris Wallace, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Misty Copeland, Alan Cumming, Adam Carolla, Fantasia, Depeche Mode, Los Bukis, The B-52s, Green Day, The Isley Brothers, Busta Rhymes, George Strait, Keith Urban, War, Prince, David Beckham, and Orel Hershiser… but the two honorees that stand out more than any others on this list for us here in the Arrow in the Head horror section of JoBlo are character actor Robert Englund and legendary filmmaker John Carpenter!
- 6/24/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
For cinephiles who came of moviegoing age during the 1970s and/or '80s, there is a shortlist of movie stars that, if you were talented and fortunate enough to become a filmmaker of some renown, you'd give anything to direct. And if you grew up with a hankering for horror and science-fiction flicks, the name Kurt Russell was probably at or near the top of that list.
Russell wasn't always one of the cool kids. In fact, he was a literally uncool kid for Disney as the teenage star of family comedies like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." Indeed, no one viewed Russell as a grown-up actor until he impressed in the title role of Carpenter's 1979 TV movie "Elvis." This did the trick. Two years later, Russell slipped under the scaly skin of laconic scoundrel Snake Plissken in Carpenter's dystopian actioner "Escape from New York." Then he went the...
Russell wasn't always one of the cool kids. In fact, he was a literally uncool kid for Disney as the teenage star of family comedies like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." Indeed, no one viewed Russell as a grown-up actor until he impressed in the title role of Carpenter's 1979 TV movie "Elvis." This did the trick. Two years later, Russell slipped under the scaly skin of laconic scoundrel Snake Plissken in Carpenter's dystopian actioner "Escape from New York." Then he went the...
- 6/24/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Younger audiences might know him as the dude who played Ego in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," but for everyone else, Kurt Russell is a Hollywood legend. That reputation was cemented in the 1980s, during which time Russell landed starring roles in such classics as "Escape From New York" (1981), "The Thing" (1982), and "Big Trouble in Little China." (1986). But he managed just as illustrious a run in the '90s — even if you only count his role in George P. Cosmatos' seminal 1993 Western "Tombstone."
While "Tombstone" isn't quite Kurt Russell's best film — it is surely among the finest entries in the man's filmography. Telling the story of Wyatt Earp (Russell) and the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral, "Tombstone" became an instant classic of the modern Western when it debuted, with Val Kilmer stealing the entire show as Doc Holliday. But Russell certainly delivered as the legendary lawman, and in the process,...
While "Tombstone" isn't quite Kurt Russell's best film — it is surely among the finest entries in the man's filmography. Telling the story of Wyatt Earp (Russell) and the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral, "Tombstone" became an instant classic of the modern Western when it debuted, with Val Kilmer stealing the entire show as Doc Holliday. But Russell certainly delivered as the legendary lawman, and in the process,...
- 6/16/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Brian Levant's 1994 film version of "The Flintstones" is a classic example of how major studio blockbusters, no matter now successful, can vanish entirely from the public consciousness. "The Flintstones" is rarely regarded in 2024, often seen only as footnote in its actors' careers, or perhaps a whimsical blunder not worth remembering. Those of us alive in 1994 recall the massive advertising glut that came with "The Flintstones," as well as the toy tie-ins, the magazine covers, the Universal Studios attractions, the Williams pinball machine. "The Flintstones" was a studio tentpole writ large, boasting a beloved, decades-old IP and a dazzling cast of celebrities; John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell, and Elizabeth Taylor appeared, while the film boasted cameos from Laraine Newman, Jay Leno, and the B-52's.
Notably, "Jurassic Park" cinematographer Dean Cundey shot the film, while "Jurassic Park" Michael Lantieri similarly served as SFX supervisor. Everything was super-slick and polished nearly to death.
Notably, "Jurassic Park" cinematographer Dean Cundey shot the film, while "Jurassic Park" Michael Lantieri similarly served as SFX supervisor. Everything was super-slick and polished nearly to death.
- 6/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Word of a remake of John Carpenter's 1986 bonkers action flick "Big Trouble in Little China" came out as early as 2015. The remake was set to star Dwayne Johnson, presumably playing Jack Burton, the character previously played by Kurt Russell. Johnson reportedly wanted John Carpenter to be involved in the remake, but the director was never officially invited to anything. "I only know what I read in the papers," he said. Carpenter has been famously indifferent to other filmmakers remaking his movies, once saying that he loves it when it happens, as he gets paid for not having to do anything. Three years later, in 2018, it was announced that the new "Big Trouble" would be a sequel and not a remake, but such definitions have become hazy in a nostalgia-driven marketplace. The film's producer, Hiram Garcia, referred to the new film as a "continuation," rather than a sequel. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.
- 5/11/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The main gag of John Carpenter's 1986 fantasy flick "Big Trouble in Little China" is that the sidekick seems to think he's the main character. The main character of the story is Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), a restaurant owner who cannot wait to meet his fiancée Miao Yin (Suzee Pai). Miao Yin, however, is kidnapped by the Lords of Death, a San Francisco street gang. Wang follows them to Chinatown hoping to rescue his fiancée, only to discover that she was passed to David Lo Pan (James Hong), an ancient Chinese sorcerer who aims to sacrifice her on a magical alter and break a ghostly curse he suffers from. Wang gathers old friends, each of them possessing knowledge of magic and ancient Chinese sorcery, to trek into the magical underworld in order to defeat Lo Pan and rescue Miao Yin.
Oh yeah, and Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) is there. Jack is a none-too-wise,...
Oh yeah, and Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) is there. Jack is a none-too-wise,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Kurt Russell and John Carpenter make a great team. The two first worked together on the TV movie "Elvis," and then went on to make "Escape From New York," "Escape From L.A.," "The Thing," and of course, "Big Trouble in Little China." "Big Trouble" isn't a horror movie or even your typical John Carpenter flick. It's a pulpy action-comedy that sees Russell playing buffoonish truck driver Jack Burton, who gets roped into becoming a very clumsy hero to fight a trio of ancient gods and an evil sorcerer. The movie is an absolute blast from beginning to end, and Russell is clearly having a lot of fun playing Burton, a character who thinks he's the hero when he's really more like a glorified sidekick to his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun).
Russell and Carpenter worked together well over the years, with Russell seemingly bringing out the best in Carpenter and vice versa.
Russell and Carpenter worked together well over the years, with Russell seemingly bringing out the best in Carpenter and vice versa.
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
John Carpenter is a filmmaker who boasts several stone-cold classics to his resume. Not only did he more or less invent the modern slasher movie with "Halloween," but he's also responsible for titles such as "Escape From New York," "The Thing," "They Live," "Prince of Darkness," "Big Trouble in Little China," and many more. Carpenter is pretty much retired from feature filmmaking at this point, and his as-of-now final film, "The Ward," isn't so great. However, there's one later-period Carpenter movie that I consider to be one of his best works: "In the Mouth of Madness." It received mixed reviews when it opened in 1994, and it wasn't much of a box office hit, but in my humble opinion, it's pretty damn great — and scary, too.
The film tells the story of famous horror author Sutter Cane, who is like a mash-up of Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft. When Cane goes...
The film tells the story of famous horror author Sutter Cane, who is like a mash-up of Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft. When Cane goes...
- 4/28/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
John Carpenter is one of the best to ever do it. The legendary filmmaker is pretty much retired from making movies these days, instead preferring to release music, sit on his couch, play video games, and just chill. And while we'd all like to see Carpenter return to direct one more banger, he's earned the right to take it easy. Very few filmmakers can boast a career with as many classics as Carpenter — "Halloween," "The Fog," "Escape From New York," "They Live," "The Thing," "In The Mouth of Madness," — the list goes on and on and on. Carpenter has had his ups and downs over the years, occasionally clashing with anyone who didn't see eye to eye with his unique vision. As he told Variety, "The great thing about this stuff early on was I really did have final cut on all these movies and no one was judging me,...
- 4/27/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
In Norman Taurog's 1963 film "It Happened at the World's Fair," Elvis Presley plays a crop-duster pilot named Mike whose crop-dusting plane was just repossessed by the local sheriff. While hitchhiking home, wondering how he'll get the money to buy back his plane, Mike comes upon the Seattle World's Fair. There, he instantly becomes smitten with a local nurse named Diane Warren (not to be confused with songwriter Diane Warren) played by Joan O'Brien.
To manufacture a reason to see the Fair's nurse, Mike pulls an 11-year-old boy out of the crowd and offers to pay the kid a quarter in exchange for a really, really hard kick to the shin. The kid is thrilled to have the money and dutifully thwacks the stranger. As Mike limps away, the kid mutters to himself "Adults. They're all nuts." The unnamed character was played by an uncredited Kurt Russell making his feature film debut.
To manufacture a reason to see the Fair's nurse, Mike pulls an 11-year-old boy out of the crowd and offers to pay the kid a quarter in exchange for a really, really hard kick to the shin. The kid is thrilled to have the money and dutifully thwacks the stranger. As Mike limps away, the kid mutters to himself "Adults. They're all nuts." The unnamed character was played by an uncredited Kurt Russell making his feature film debut.
- 4/21/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
We all know that Kurt Russell is a true acting legend. The legendary actor made a name for himself as Dexter Riley in films such as The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972), and The Strongest Man in the World (1975), and later continued the success by starring in John Carpenter’s films as hero-turned-robber Snake Plissken in Escape from New York (1981), its sequel Escape from L.A. (1996), the horror film The Thing (1982), and the kung-fu comedy action film Big Trouble in Little China (1986). And while this is just a fraction of Russell’s amazing roles, it is a good indication of how big of a star he was in the 1970s and 1980s.
But, another member of his family, his son Wyatt Russell, is also becoming a popular acting name since his appearance as John Walker / U.S. Agent in the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) series.
But, another member of his family, his son Wyatt Russell, is also becoming a popular acting name since his appearance as John Walker / U.S. Agent in the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) series.
- 4/14/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
John Carpenter's 1992 film "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" was a departure for the director. Throughout the 1980s, Carpenter directed many notable genre films that affected a direct and guileless style that roped in many fans and critics. His 1980s "hot streak" included "Escape from New York," "The Thing," "Christine," "Starman," and "Big Trouble in Little China." Although his 1987 film "Prince of Darkness" was nonsensical, it has many defenders, and his 1988 film "They Live" is now considered a seminal anti-establishment punk-rock text of the Reagan era.
That streak seems to have ended with "Memoirs," however. Although the film is slick, entertaining, and boasts some excellent special effects, many Carpenter fans felt a little off-put by the director's attempts to helm a comedic Chevy Chase vehicle. In "Memoirs," Chase plays a stock market guy who is accidentally exposed to an invisibility experiment. The film follows his travails as he adjusts to his lack of opacity,...
That streak seems to have ended with "Memoirs," however. Although the film is slick, entertaining, and boasts some excellent special effects, many Carpenter fans felt a little off-put by the director's attempts to helm a comedic Chevy Chase vehicle. In "Memoirs," Chase plays a stock market guy who is accidentally exposed to an invisibility experiment. The film follows his travails as he adjusts to his lack of opacity,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
John Carpenter’s illustrious catalog of horror and non-horror classics has already seen three remakes, with at least one more kinda-sorta confirmed on the way (Escape from New York). If you consider 2011’s The Thing enough of a remake, notch another on the bedpost. It makes sense; Carpenter turned his no-bullshit attitude into a masterful filmmaking style, and those listed titles harbor nostalgic admiration. We’re probably closer than we think to seeing Bryan Fuller’s Christine remake for Blumhouse or a contemporary They Live, while Dwayne Johnson’s Big Trouble in Little China sequel project fades away. Imagine Julia Ducournau’s Christine should Fuller exit, or what about if James Gunn booked a brief horror vacation away from the Dceu for his take on They Live?
Carpenter’s brand of down-and-dirty storytelling mixed with societal commentaries make his works perfect for generational updates, but they can’t all be winners.
Carpenter’s brand of down-and-dirty storytelling mixed with societal commentaries make his works perfect for generational updates, but they can’t all be winners.
- 3/28/2024
- by Matt Donato
- bloody-disgusting.com
As Easter Sunday approaches this weekend, we thought we’d “die” your eggs a little a differently. That is, we’re on the great hidden treasure hunt for some of the most colorful and delicious horror movie Easter eggs found in some of our favorite titles. But here’s the thing. We aren’t talking about obscure cameos from people that are hard to miss, or even secretive foreshadowing within a single movie, a la the entire Final Destination franchise. Nor are we talking about mere verbal references to other horror movies. Rather, we’re interested in visual crossover clues found one horror movie that pay homage to another, found tucked away in the background or even hidden in plain sight. You see the distinction. Good. Hopefully you haven’t already seen what’s to follow. Happy holiday y’all, here’s our Top 10 Favorite Crossover Horror Movie Easter Eggs!
- 3/28/2024
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
John Carpenter's "Escape From New York" is a cult classic for a reason — it rules. Released in 1981, "Escape From New York" is a down-and-dirty sci-fi action pic in which New York City has become a giant maximum security prison. As bad luck would have it, an attempted hijacking of Air Force One forces the President (Donald Pleasence) to eject from the plane in an escape pod. Guess where he ends up? Yep — NYC, baby! The Big Apple! The militarized government wants to save the President and retrieve a top-secret briefcase he has cuffed to his wrist, but New York is too dangerous to simply enter for your average rescue mission. So the powers-that-be strike upon a simple plan: they force criminal Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) into doing the job.
Snake, a cool dude with an eyepatch and a whispery voice, has no real choice in the matter: a device...
Snake, a cool dude with an eyepatch and a whispery voice, has no real choice in the matter: a device...
- 3/7/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
April Ferry, the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning costume designer known for her work on Big Trouble in Little China, Maverick, Rome and Game of Thrones, died Thursday, the Costume Designers Guild announced. She was 91.
Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).
She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.
Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).
In 2014, she...
Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).
She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.
Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).
In 2014, she...
- 1/12/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Now that the sequel "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness" has come and gone, take another look at The GoodTheBadandTheUgly in Marvel Studios first film, "Doctor Strange", starring Benedict Cumberbatch:
Michael Stevens/SneakPeek.Ca For The Good
"'By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth', as an early fan of Marvel Comics' 'Strange Tales', I was willing to open my mind to the endless impossibilities' of the IMAX 3D world of 'Doctor Strange'...
"...immediately entranced by the M.C. Escher-like VFX, with loopy, angled landscapes and bending skylines...
"...amused by droll Benedict Cumberbatch as 'Stephen Strange'...
"...chilled by madman Mads Mikkelsen as 'Kaecilius'...
"...and enlightened by the radiant Tilda Swinton as 'The Ancient One'.
"'By The Shades Of The Seraphim', I also enjoyed the sentient 'Cloak Of Levitation'...
"...and all of the hand-waving, finger-gesturing flourishes...
"...reminding me of the mystical energy in John Carpenter's '...
Michael Stevens/SneakPeek.Ca For The Good
"'By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth', as an early fan of Marvel Comics' 'Strange Tales', I was willing to open my mind to the endless impossibilities' of the IMAX 3D world of 'Doctor Strange'...
"...immediately entranced by the M.C. Escher-like VFX, with loopy, angled landscapes and bending skylines...
"...amused by droll Benedict Cumberbatch as 'Stephen Strange'...
"...chilled by madman Mads Mikkelsen as 'Kaecilius'...
"...and enlightened by the radiant Tilda Swinton as 'The Ancient One'.
"'By The Shades Of The Seraphim', I also enjoyed the sentient 'Cloak Of Levitation'...
"...and all of the hand-waving, finger-gesturing flourishes...
"...reminding me of the mystical energy in John Carpenter's '...
- 1/6/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Damon Wayans Jr. and Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor have engaged David F. Walker to co-write and Ben Bishop to illustrate graphic novel “Shogun Run.”
Wayans Jr and Bachelor had revealed earlier this year that they would create and write the graphic novel. Set in 1990s South Central Los Angeles, “Shogun Run” is described as “Big Trouble in Little China” meets “Attack the Block.” David Uslan, Gary Glushon and Sean Oswolo will serve as creative advisors and producing partners on the project.
Walker is best known for graphic novel “Shaft: A Complicated Man” as well as the Will Eisner Award-winning comic book series “Bitter Root.” Bishop is known for his work on the New York Times bestseller “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin.”
“Shogun Run” will be published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, in 2025. A series or film adaptation of the graphic novel is on the cards down the line.
Wayans Jr and Bachelor had revealed earlier this year that they would create and write the graphic novel. Set in 1990s South Central Los Angeles, “Shogun Run” is described as “Big Trouble in Little China” meets “Attack the Block.” David Uslan, Gary Glushon and Sean Oswolo will serve as creative advisors and producing partners on the project.
Walker is best known for graphic novel “Shaft: A Complicated Man” as well as the Will Eisner Award-winning comic book series “Bitter Root.” Bishop is known for his work on the New York Times bestseller “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin.”
“Shogun Run” will be published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, in 2025. A series or film adaptation of the graphic novel is on the cards down the line.
- 12/19/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
After taking a look back at House II: The Second Story (a favorite of mine since childhood), House of 1000 Corpses (which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year), the awesomeness of Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight, and the leg smashing in the Stephen King adaptation Misery, JoBlo’s own Lance Vlcek shifts his focus over to the works of John Carpenter with the latest episode in his The Best Scene video series. The Carpenter classic Lance is looking at with this one is the 1986 action extravaganza Big Trouble in Little China (watch it Here) – a movie that’s so good, he couldn’t pick just one “best scene”. He narrowed it down to three options, and you can hear all about them in the video embedded above.
In the video, Lance covers the opening gambling scene with our heroes Jack Burton and Wang, the alley battle scene that...
In the video, Lance covers the opening gambling scene with our heroes Jack Burton and Wang, the alley battle scene that...
- 12/14/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" episode 4, "Parallels and Interiors."
The Monsterverse is coming up on a decade now, dating back to director Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" in 2014. But in all of those years, the human characters in the franchise have often left much to be desired. Fortunately, the Monsterverse has finally figured out this piece of the puzzle. The key? Kurt Russell. "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" is currently in the midst of its first season on Apple TV+ and Russell's character Lee Shaw is easily the best human character we've had against the backdrop of this world of monsters.
In nine years of the Monsterverse, we've had some extremely memorable monster action, including one heck of a showdown between Godzilla and King Kong in 2021's aptly named "Godzilla vs. Kong." The humans? That's a different story. Oftentimes, these characters feel like vehicles that are just driving us toward the next monster showdown.
The Monsterverse is coming up on a decade now, dating back to director Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" in 2014. But in all of those years, the human characters in the franchise have often left much to be desired. Fortunately, the Monsterverse has finally figured out this piece of the puzzle. The key? Kurt Russell. "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" is currently in the midst of its first season on Apple TV+ and Russell's character Lee Shaw is easily the best human character we've had against the backdrop of this world of monsters.
In nine years of the Monsterverse, we've had some extremely memorable monster action, including one heck of a showdown between Godzilla and King Kong in 2021's aptly named "Godzilla vs. Kong." The humans? That's a different story. Oftentimes, these characters feel like vehicles that are just driving us toward the next monster showdown.
- 12/1/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Close bonds with family are often difficult to maintain, especially if blood relatives rope you into their heinous crimes. In Violent Ends, an upcoming Southern revenge thriller from director John-Michael Powell, Billy Magnussen and Alexandra Shipp, reluctantly encounter a legacy of violence and broken bonds.
Violent Ends, hailing from Midnight Road Entertainment, recently wrapped production in Northwest Arkansas. According to Deadline‘s exclusive report, the story centers on two star-crossed lovers (Magnussen & Shipp) making a life for themselves in the Ozark Mountains. In Violent Ends, “Lucas Frost (Magnussen) is an honest man brought up in a crime family whose only legacy is violence. As Lucas tries to make his own life with his fiancée, Emma (Shipp), he is suddenly pulled back into the family business he so despises when his cousin, Eli, perpetrates an armed robbery on a local scrap yard and an innocent life is caught in the crossfire,...
Violent Ends, hailing from Midnight Road Entertainment, recently wrapped production in Northwest Arkansas. According to Deadline‘s exclusive report, the story centers on two star-crossed lovers (Magnussen & Shipp) making a life for themselves in the Ozark Mountains. In Violent Ends, “Lucas Frost (Magnussen) is an honest man brought up in a crime family whose only legacy is violence. As Lucas tries to make his own life with his fiancée, Emma (Shipp), he is suddenly pulled back into the family business he so despises when his cousin, Eli, perpetrates an armed robbery on a local scrap yard and an innocent life is caught in the crossfire,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
After eight live-action Spider-Man movies, the most recent of which made unbelievable profits, the webhead is well and truly established as an icon of the superhero genre. We all know how things started, with Sam Raimi's 2002 "Spider-Man" giving us our first proper live-action Spidey film. But things could have looked very different if James Cameron's Spider-Man movie ever got made.
There's been a lot written about the director's ill-fated "Spider-Man," which would have been a much more adult, R-rated experience than Raimi's effort. The script was peppered with profanity and featured a love scene between Peter Parker and Mary Jane, who were supposed to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Nikki Cox respectively. Cameron was working on the project after the now-shuttered Carolco, which produced multiple blockbusters including Cameron's own "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," acquired the rights to Spider-Man in 1990. Had the director followed through with the project,...
There's been a lot written about the director's ill-fated "Spider-Man," which would have been a much more adult, R-rated experience than Raimi's effort. The script was peppered with profanity and featured a love scene between Peter Parker and Mary Jane, who were supposed to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Nikki Cox respectively. Cameron was working on the project after the now-shuttered Carolco, which produced multiple blockbusters including Cameron's own "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," acquired the rights to Spider-Man in 1990. Had the director followed through with the project,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Stephen Colbert got a special treat from one of his heroes on the Halloween episode of “The Late Show”: Horror movie legend John Carpenter. Unfortunately, the CBS host kind of botched it when he revealed he doesn’t care for Carpenter’s most famous movie, accidentally hurting the film’s main character in the process. Whoopsie.
The sketch begins when Colbert walks down spookier-than-normal hallways of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where he bumps into the director of “Halloween,” “They Live,” “The Thing,” “Escape From New York,” “Big Trouble in Little China” and so many more just lurking there.
“Oh, sorry if I spooked you. I was just checking my email,” Carpenter said after Colbert jump-scared.
“Legendary filmmaker John Carpenter! What are you doing back here?” Colbert asked.
“Well, it is my big night, so I thought I’d come back and just drop in on you,” Carpenter replied.
“Well of course,...
The sketch begins when Colbert walks down spookier-than-normal hallways of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where he bumps into the director of “Halloween,” “They Live,” “The Thing,” “Escape From New York,” “Big Trouble in Little China” and so many more just lurking there.
“Oh, sorry if I spooked you. I was just checking my email,” Carpenter said after Colbert jump-scared.
“Legendary filmmaker John Carpenter! What are you doing back here?” Colbert asked.
“Well, it is my big night, so I thought I’d come back and just drop in on you,” Carpenter replied.
“Well of course,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
He may be the greatest horror director of all time (just ask Jordan Peele), but John Carpenter’s film taste skews farther away from the genre than you might expect.
Born in 1948 in Carthage, New York, Carpenter grew up with a love of cinema, watching Howard Hawks westerns an early age, and started making short films with an 8mm camera before he started high school. He studied at Western Kentucky University and University of Southern California, before dropping out of the latter after a short he made, “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy,” won an Oscar.
Now with a sudden amount of prestige, Carpenter made two little seen projects “Dark Star” and “Assault on Precinct 13,” both now critically acclaimed, before really breaking out with 1978’s “Halloween.” Starring a young Jamie Lee Curtis, the independent film became a massive hit, grossing $70 million, turning main villain Michael Myers into a horror icon,...
Born in 1948 in Carthage, New York, Carpenter grew up with a love of cinema, watching Howard Hawks westerns an early age, and started making short films with an 8mm camera before he started high school. He studied at Western Kentucky University and University of Southern California, before dropping out of the latter after a short he made, “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy,” won an Oscar.
Now with a sudden amount of prestige, Carpenter made two little seen projects “Dark Star” and “Assault on Precinct 13,” both now critically acclaimed, before really breaking out with 1978’s “Halloween.” Starring a young Jamie Lee Curtis, the independent film became a massive hit, grossing $70 million, turning main villain Michael Myers into a horror icon,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
The Thing (1982)A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Rating: 8.2/10Stars: Kurt Russell (MacReady), Wilford Brimley (Dr. Blair), Keith David (Childs), Richard Masur (Clark)Halloween (1978)Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a...
- 10/28/2023
- by The A.V. Club Bot
- avclub.com
Graphic: Images: IMDBThe Thing (1982)
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
Rating: 8.2/10
Stars: Kurt Russell (MacReady), Wilford Brimley (Dr. Blair), Keith David (Childs), Richard Masur (Clark)
Halloween (1978)
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes...
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
Rating: 8.2/10
Stars: Kurt Russell (MacReady), Wilford Brimley (Dr. Blair), Keith David (Childs), Richard Masur (Clark)
Halloween (1978)
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes...
- 10/28/2023
- avclub.com
Last year, legendary genre filmmaker John Carpenter teamed up with Shout! Factory TV, TokuSHOUTsu, Scream Factory TV, and Shout! Cult to host Masters of Monsters, a marathon of kaiju movies. The marathon played out on Shout! Factory TV over the course of three days in the first week of November last year. This year, the Masters of Monsters marathon is going to play out on one day, November 3rd – which also happens to be Godzilla Day, the anniversary of the release of the original Godzilla film.
Here’s the information on the marathon: John Carpenter, director of films released by Shout! Factory/Scream Factory such as Halloween, Escape from NY/Escape from LA, Body Bags, Big Trouble in Little China, The Fog, The Thing, and many more; is a huge Godzilla fan. He sits down to present his 4 favorite monster films directed by Ishiro Honda: Godzilla, The Uncut Japanese Original (Gojira), Rodan,...
Here’s the information on the marathon: John Carpenter, director of films released by Shout! Factory/Scream Factory such as Halloween, Escape from NY/Escape from LA, Body Bags, Big Trouble in Little China, The Fog, The Thing, and many more; is a huge Godzilla fan. He sits down to present his 4 favorite monster films directed by Ishiro Honda: Godzilla, The Uncut Japanese Original (Gojira), Rodan,...
- 10/27/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Amazon is running a massive sale on over 100 Scream Factory titles today, including some of the lowest-ever prices on their 4K UHDs and Blu-rays. Now is the time to stock up!
Here are some of the top horror highlights from the sale…
Halloween 4K UHDs:
Halloween – $22.99 Halloween II – $20.99 Halloween III – $20.99 Halloween 4 – $20.99 Halloween 5 – $19.99 Halloween 6 / Halloween H20 / Halloween: Resurrection – $59.99
John Carpenter 4K UHDs:
They Live – $18.99 They Live [Steelbook] – $23.99 The Fog – $19.99 The Fog [Steelbook] – $25.99 Prince of Darkness – $19.99 Escape From New York – $20.99 Halloween – $22.99
4K UHDs:
Child’s Play – $22.99 Child’s Play 2 – $20.99 Child’s Play 3 – $19.99 The Howling – $19.99 The Funhouse – $19.99 Slumber Party Massacre / Slumber Party Massacre II – $20.99 Carrie – $20.99 Carrie [Steelbook] – $22.17 Brotherhood of the Wolf – $20.99 Cat People – $20.99 Happy Death Day – $20.99 Happy Death Day 2U – $20.99 Army of Darkness – $21.99 Evil Dead (2013) – $21.99 Dog Soldiers – $21.99 The Haunting of Julia – $21.99 Lifeforce – $21.99 Krampus: The Naughty Cut – $21.99 Alligator – $21.99 The People Under the Stairs -$22.99 Bubba Ho-Tep – $22.99 The Exorcist III – $22.99 Dawn of the Dead (2004) – $22.99 Motel Hell – $22.99 Dead Silence – $22.99 The Return of the Living Dead...
Here are some of the top horror highlights from the sale…
Halloween 4K UHDs:
Halloween – $22.99 Halloween II – $20.99 Halloween III – $20.99 Halloween 4 – $20.99 Halloween 5 – $19.99 Halloween 6 / Halloween H20 / Halloween: Resurrection – $59.99
John Carpenter 4K UHDs:
They Live – $18.99 They Live [Steelbook] – $23.99 The Fog – $19.99 The Fog [Steelbook] – $25.99 Prince of Darkness – $19.99 Escape From New York – $20.99 Halloween – $22.99
4K UHDs:
Child’s Play – $22.99 Child’s Play 2 – $20.99 Child’s Play 3 – $19.99 The Howling – $19.99 The Funhouse – $19.99 Slumber Party Massacre / Slumber Party Massacre II – $20.99 Carrie – $20.99 Carrie [Steelbook] – $22.17 Brotherhood of the Wolf – $20.99 Cat People – $20.99 Happy Death Day – $20.99 Happy Death Day 2U – $20.99 Army of Darkness – $21.99 Evil Dead (2013) – $21.99 Dog Soldiers – $21.99 The Haunting of Julia – $21.99 Lifeforce – $21.99 Krampus: The Naughty Cut – $21.99 Alligator – $21.99 The People Under the Stairs -$22.99 Bubba Ho-Tep – $22.99 The Exorcist III – $22.99 Dawn of the Dead (2004) – $22.99 Motel Hell – $22.99 Dead Silence – $22.99 The Return of the Living Dead...
- 10/19/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Joanna Merlin, who created the role of the daughter Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway and served as a casting director for Stephen Sondheim, Harold Prince and Bernardo Bertolucci, has died. She was 92.
Merlin died Sunday in Los Angeles of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder, her daughters, documentary filmmaker Rachel Dretzin (Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey) and actress Julie Dretzin (The Handmaid’s Tale), announced.
Merlin also portrayed the dance teacher Miss Berg in Alan Parker’s Fame (1980) and recurred as Judge Lena Petrovsky for more than a decade on NBC’s Law and Order: Svu.
Her acting résumé included the films Hester Street (1975), All That Jazz (1979), Baby It’s You (1983), The Killing Fields (1984), Mystic Pizza (1988), Class Action (1991) and City of Angels (1998) and such TV shows as Naked City, The Defenders, East Side/West Side, Homeland and The Good Wife.
Merlin cast the original Broadway productions of Sondheim’s Company,...
Merlin died Sunday in Los Angeles of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder, her daughters, documentary filmmaker Rachel Dretzin (Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey) and actress Julie Dretzin (The Handmaid’s Tale), announced.
Merlin also portrayed the dance teacher Miss Berg in Alan Parker’s Fame (1980) and recurred as Judge Lena Petrovsky for more than a decade on NBC’s Law and Order: Svu.
Her acting résumé included the films Hester Street (1975), All That Jazz (1979), Baby It’s You (1983), The Killing Fields (1984), Mystic Pizza (1988), Class Action (1991) and City of Angels (1998) and such TV shows as Naked City, The Defenders, East Side/West Side, Homeland and The Good Wife.
Merlin cast the original Broadway productions of Sondheim’s Company,...
- 10/17/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After John Carpenter made "Halloween" in 1978, the director wasn't terribly interested in making a sequel. When it came time to write the screenplay for "Halloween II," however, a reluctant Carpenter sat in front of his typewriter, hammered on beers, kind of at a loss as to where this story was going to go. It was only by mere creative desperation that Carpenter conceived of the notion that Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) was secretly Michael Myers' sister.
In the first "Halloween," Michael Myers was played by various actors, although mostly by Nick Castle, an old friend of Carpenter's and a film director in his own right. In "Halloween II," Michael was played by a stuntman named Dick Warlock, an experienced performer who appeared in films like "The Love Bug" (he drove Herbie), "Blazing Saddles," and Carpenter's "Escape from New York."
For Warlock, it seems, playing Michael Myers was far more...
In the first "Halloween," Michael Myers was played by various actors, although mostly by Nick Castle, an old friend of Carpenter's and a film director in his own right. In "Halloween II," Michael was played by a stuntman named Dick Warlock, an experienced performer who appeared in films like "The Love Bug" (he drove Herbie), "Blazing Saddles," and Carpenter's "Escape from New York."
For Warlock, it seems, playing Michael Myers was far more...
- 10/17/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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