JSWalsh wrote:Dark Star seemed as much Dan O'Bannon's as Carpenter's. which could be why I like it and have no use for most of Carpenter's output. His stuff seems very boxed-in and airless to me, with cardboard characters and nothing interesting going on under the bland surfaces. He's one of those directors who, once he's dead and his fans have aged, I don't think he'll be remembered. There just isn't a lot there.
His body of work is erratic and mostly a miss, but I think he's definitely going to be remembered for two movies. THE THING is regarded by many now as one of the best sci-fi/horror films of its decade. I think that movie is definitely going to stand the test of time (it has already overcome its initially negative reviews and bad commercial performance to be embraced by a wide array of critics and fans), as HALLOWEEN will endure as a staple of its genre. Dean Cundey's cinematography in the latter will definitely be remembered.
Everything else -- yeah, probably, it'll only be seen by devotees of his work, and I pretty much dislike everything he made after 1985. But those two movies have already become classics, regardless of the other disappointments he had.
I actually enjoy Carpenter's scores for their utilitarian efficiency.
In particular, his scores for ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and PRINCE OF DARKNESS are loaded with interesting material, and the score for CHRISTINE has some nice motifs in it.
I would agree that his work has been uneven at best, and that most of his films have tended to be really bargain basement.
But I have a lot of affection for ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE THING, STARMAN and even THEY LIVE. IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS is good for about the first half, as is his remake of VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED. Even VAMPIRE$ had some interesting stuff in it. It goes without saying that he's had more than his share of clunkers in there. But while I don't really have a lot of interest in the film, the original HALLOWEEN is a classic example of low budget shock filmmaking, and I have to admit that it is quite well directed. And it MADE his career.
I really hope that THE WARD will be an interesting film and not just another cheap shot. He's proven that he can deliver either idea...
BTW Carpenter did have a hand in the score for THE THING, much more than one would normally think would be happening.
JSWalsh wrote:Dark Star seemed as much Dan O'Bannon's as Carpenter's. which could be why I like it and have no use for most of Carpenter's output. His stuff seems very boxed-in and airless to me, with cardboard characters and nothing interesting going on under the bland surfaces. He's one of those directors who, once he's dead and his fans have aged, I don't think he'll be remembered. There just isn't a lot there.
His body of work is erratic and mostly a miss, but I think he's definitely going to be remembered for two movies. THE THING is regarded by many now as one of the best sci-fi/horror films of its decade. I think that movie is definitely going to stand the test of time (it has already overcome its initially negative reviews and bad commercial performance to be embraced by a wide array of critics and fans), as HALLOWEEN will endure as a staple of its genre. Dean Cundey's cinematography in the latter will definitely be remembered.
Everything else -- yeah, probably, it'll only be seen by devotees of his work, and I pretty much dislike everything he made after 1985. But those two movies have already become classics, regardless of the other disappointments he had.
Agreed. With Halloween and The Thing alone, it's gonna be pretty hard to keep him from a HOF induction.
The other part to this is Carpenter's Halloween theme (although acknowledging he had help). For years Psycho was considered THE all-time horror theme until 1978. I just think those three accomplishments of Carpenter's alone are going to make it very difficult to exclude him from an induction.
The Pessimist wrote:The other part to this is Carpenter's Halloween theme (although acknowledging he had help). For years Psycho was considered THE all-time horror theme until 1978. I just think those three accomplishments of Carpenter's alone are going to make it very difficult to exclude him from an induction.
Can't really agree there. Halloween doesn't really even have a "theme" per se; merely an extended drone, with some simple chords beneath. And musically and dramatically, Halloween isn't even close to the same ball park as Psycho, or scores like The Omen, Williams' Dracula, Alien, Altered States, Poltergeist or even the schlock horror movie scores of Donoggio and Chris Young. Even "fringe" horror scores like Ghostbusters or Lifeforce had more chills and thrills than Carpenter's automated loops.
Halloween's title does stick in one's memory, but that doesn't make it dramatically effective. It merely gets ingrained in one's head due to repetition.
The Pessimist wrote:The other part to this is Carpenter's Halloween theme (although acknowledging he had help). For years Psycho was considered THE all-time horror theme until 1978. I just think those three accomplishments of Carpenter's alone are going to make it very difficult to exclude him from an induction.
Can't really agree there. Halloween doesn't really even have a "theme" per se; merely an extended drone, with some simple chords beneath. And musically and dramatically, Halloween isn't even close to the same ball park as Psycho, or scores like The Omen, Williams' Dracula, Alien, Altered States, Poltergeist or even the schlock horror movie scores of Donoggio and Chris Young. Even "fringe" horror scores like Ghostbusters or Lifeforce had more chills and thrills than Carpenter's automated loops.
Halloween's title does stick in one's memory, but that doesn't make it dramatically effective. It merely gets ingrained in one's head due to repetition.
Having an extended drone or simple chords beneath doesn't mean anything to me. It only does if I do not find the music effective. If anything, it reinforces my belief about Carpenter's Halloween: much of his other music sounds shallow to my ears in comparison. For me it is one of those pieces of music that can get away with repetition more because its signature sound is so strong.
Also, if the music isn't dramatically effective, wouldn't it not get stuck in my head?
The Pessimist wrote:
Also, if the music isn't dramatically effective, wouldn't it not get stuck in my head?
There is a lot of really bad music that has gotten stuck in my head -- commercial jingles, Brittany Spears songs, Frank de Vol TV themes, etc. Certainly those are not dramatically effective or artistic.
There are conversely a lot of highly effective film scores which are barely noticeable to many viewers (even viewers who are generally attuned to the effect of film music).
