Happy Halloween from the Odinson,
At last, All Hallows’ Eve is finally upon us! It is time to don our ghoulish costumes, carve ghoulish faces into pumpkins and light the Jack-o-Lanterns. And, if you feel so inclined, hand out candy and treats to all the ghoulish little boys and girls out Trick-or-Treating. So, this week, I shall finish our countdown to Halloween 2017 with a sweet treat indeed.
The Odinson Celebrates the Master of Horror: John Carpenter
Stephen King (Salem’s Lot, The Shining) may be the King of Horror. George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead) is the Godfather of Horror. Clive Barker (Hellraiser, Candyman) may be the heir apparent. Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) may be the Modern Day Monarch of the Macabre. And, Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream) may be that crazy uncle. But, for over thirty years, there was only one undisputed Master of Horror and his name is John Carpenter.
1978: Halloween – There’s a long-running tradition at Odinson’s house. Every Halloween, as I hand out candy to all the little ghosts and goblins, I watch a trio of my favorite films – The Crow, Fright Night (the original, of course), but it all gets started with a gem of cinema horror – John Carpenter’s Halloween. Right from the beginning, Carpenter proves he is a master of his craft. Not a single shot is wasted in this exceptionally well-paced horror film. Yes, in 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece Psycho may have invented the slasher subgenre of horror, and in 1974, Tobe Hooper’s grisly The Texas Chainsaw Massacre may have pushed the boundaries of where a slasher film can go, but it was Carpenter’s Halloween that firmly established the formula that would sweep 80s cinema, permeate video store aisles, and capture the imagination of an entire generation of horror fans. Odinson Rating: 5 out 5 Hammers.
Here’s the formula John Carpenter’s film established and was emulated countless times for years to come.
Slasher Genre 101: Pick a holiday or important celebration (i.e. My Bloody Valentine or Prom Night). Create a scary antagonist with a mysterious past and preferably with either some kind of disfigurement or mask (i.e. Jason Voorhees or Freddy Kruger). Have a cast of likable, beautiful young people that the audience cannot help but fall in love with, then place them in an isolated setting far away from adult supervision or help (i.e. a summer camp or backpacking across the moors of Yorkshire). And finally, there must be a Survivor Girl, that one girl brave enough, smart enough, and lucky enough to outlast all the rest and face the killer in a climatic third act battle.
With that formula firmly in place, John Carpenter’s Halloween launched the Golden Age of Slasher Films. His film, along with Friday the 13th inspired ole Odinson to write a love letter to this genre titled The Survivors: A Glen Haven Tale.
1980: The Fog – The lives of the citizens of Antonio Bay, a sleepy Californian coastal town, are forever changed when on their 100th Anniversary a mysterious and unnatural fog sweeps in and engulfs the village. As people begin to disappear and others turn up dead, some of the residents quickly realize they may not survive the night and that this unnatural fog may be the byproduct of a pirate curse. This is the film that made you scared to answer that ominous knock at the front door. Odinson Rating: 3 ½ out o5 Hammers.
1981: Escape from New York – In the not too distant future, the crime rate in America has risen so high that Manhattan Island has been turned into a giant super prison. All the bridges and waters surrounding the island are littered with mines and the United States Police Force is positioned at all access points atop high, electrified walls. Here’s the problem, Air Force 1 has been high jacked and the President’s escape pod lands right smack in the middle of this hell on earth inhabited by killers, rapists, and sewer-dwelling cannibals. Only one man has the skills and the attitude to rescue the President from this nightmare, but he only has 22 hours to do it. His name is Plissken, but you can call him Snake. NOTE: Any film that introduces us to Snake Plissken, the greatest antihero in Hollywood History, is an instant classic. Odinson Rating: 5 out of 5 Hammers.
1982: The Thing – When a shape-changing alien infiltrates an isolated Antarctic compound, the skeleton crew on staff suddenly finds themselves in an And Then There Were None situation where they don’t know who they can trust, maybe not even themselves. The music, the mood, the brilliant pacing and storytelling of this film sees Carpenter at the height of his powers. The Thing is not just one of the best scary movies of All-Time, it is quite simply a masterpiece and a must watch for any movie fan. Odinson Rating: 5 out 5 hammers and a Thunderclap.
1983: Christine – Worlds collide as John Carpenter teams up with Stephen King for one of the most unique horror tales ever. On paper, a possessed killer car, just should not work, but in the hands of the Master, it does. I watched this film again recently for the first time in years and to my shock, it actually holds up. Carpenter’s music, direction, and humor take what should be a ridiculous concept and turns it into a tantalizing and horrific journey into the psyche of teenager as he loses his mind. Odinson Rating: 3 ½ out of 5 Hammers.
1986: Big Trouble in Little China – What can the Odinson possibly say about this true gem that hasn’t already been said before? It’s got kung fu, demon sorcerers, monsters, demi-gods, black magic, laughs, scares, and in the middle of it all, it has Jack Burton, proprietor of the Pork Chop Express. “Have you paid your dues, Jack?” “Yes sir, the check is in the mail.” NOTE: The Three Storms from the film, especially Lightning, were the inspiration for the Raiden character in the Mortal Kombat video game series. Odinson Rating: 5 out of 5 Hammers.
1987: Prince of Darkness – When a professor, a priest, and group of college students open a mysterious container in the basement of an abandoned church, they unleash the ultimate evil upon the world. But, that is only the beginning as they quickly discover there may be something even more terrifying yet to come. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers.
1988: They Live – This is a film that was way ahead of its time and easily one of Carpenter’s most underappreciated gems. The story is pretty simplistic as a down on his luck construction worker discovers a conspiracy involving an alien invasion. However, it’s the Nostradamus-like observations about political and media corruption, on greed and materialistic desires, and the widening gap between the rich and lower classes that help this thirty year old sci-fi/horror still resonate to this very day. Odinson Rating: 4 out of 5 Hammers.
1994: In the Mouth of Madness – Woof! This is a brain-twister. Carpenter was channeling his inner H.P. Lovecraft and David Cronenberg with this nightmarish tale that literally jumps off the screen and sticks with you long after the credits roll. John Carpenter has said that Madness completes his Apocalypse trilogy with The Thing and Prince of Darkness being the first two installments. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers.
1995: Village of the Damned – Other than a clown in a sewer drain, what can be creepier than sinister toddlers with glowing eyes and psychokinetic powers that can destroy the human race? NOTE: This is the last film the great Christopher Reeve starred in before the tragic accident that paralyzed him. Christopher Reeve will forever be Superman to me. Odinson Rating: 2 ½ out of 6 Hammers.
1998: Vampires – Jack Crow and his team of expert vampire hunters have just cleaned out a nest of the undead, but there’s just one problem, where was the master? That question is quickly answered when the team is ambushed by the master later that night and slaughtered. In a fast-paced race against the clock, Crow and his only surviving partner soon discover that they were set up and now that master vampire may be on the verge of becoming a vampire that can walk in the light. The key to stopping this nightmare may reside within the last girl the master fed on. This is a super cool western set in modern times with a supernatural horror twist. These aren’t sparkly, angst-ridden teenage vampires out looking for love. No, these are mean as hell, blood-sucking monsters from beyond the grave and the only thing standing in their way is a tenacious, ornery man who may just be even more monstrous than they are. Odinson Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Hammers.
2001: Ghosts of Mars – I really, really like this sleek sci-fi/horror that is basically a zombie outbreak on Mars. But, after hearing what the film was originally supposed to be, I can never watch it the same way again. Originally, Carpenter pitched the film as the third Snake Plissken movie, but since Escape from L.A. tanked so bad at the Box Office, the suits in Hollywood made Carpenter change the story up. Don’t get me wrong, Ice Cube as the super cool Desolation Williams in the film is fantastic and the movie still works just fine. But, can you imagine how awesome it would have been if when those police officers showed up for the transfer and the doors open up to reveal Snake Plissken snarling back at them from behind bars? That would have been next level. Odinson Rating: 3 ½ out of 5 Hammers.
2010: The Ward – To date, this is Carpenter’s last film he directed, and he goes out with a chill-inducing mind-bender of a film. Set in a creepy psychiatric ward, this film’s twist ending puts a fine capper on what has become one of the greatest sci-fi/horror/supernatural filmographies in cinema history. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers.
Another aspect of Carpenter’s films that can never be overstated is the fact that he composes almost all the music as well. From the haunting unforgettable theme of Halloween to the urban beats of Escape from New York to the guitar licks of Vampires, Carpenter has proven time and time again that he is not just a great writer and a master filmmaker, but he is also one hell of a musician.
Any one of these films would complete any Halloween night. If thou art brave enough this Halloween evening, venture by ole Odinson’s house where thou shall find me dressed as Clark Kent, handing out candy, and, of course, enjoying yet another viewing of John Carpenter’s Halloween.
This is Odinson bidding thee scare-well
NOTE: Looking for a good scare this Halloween? Check out the Odinson’s love letter to the slasher-horror genre of the 1980s – The Survivors: A Glen Haven Tale.
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