FIENDISH RETROSPECTIVE: SAM RAIMI

If you took a poll asking what movie Sam Raimi was famous for, you'd probably get two distinct camps. The first, and probably more popular answer, might be the Spider-man camp, after all he did spend most of the Aughts directing the three movies. It's also super mainstream and in the highly popular superhero genre. The other would be the Evil Dead camp. He built his street cred on the backs of these flicks, and they are considered cult classic gems. The first two were highly influential in the horror field, while the third one, Army of Darkness, is a cult all its own. More knowledgeable film fans will also get into depth about the flavor he brings to the table.

His kinetic style is easily marked with crazy zooms and angles, and transitions that both make you chuckle and make you nod in appreciation. His direction seems to inspire and bring out the best from his actors, as his films are filled with great to over-the-top performances that almost always leave an impression. It's easy to see that Sam Raimi is a creative mind that loves the art of film making, a man that isn't afraid to try something new, and an innovator that has been mimicked and sited as an inspiration over and over.

His movies have affected us here at the Fiend in one way or another for a long time now, and we are proud to acknowledge Mr. Raimi's accomplishments with the following retrospective. We hope you enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed his films.

Like most film makers, Sam Raimi started out directing a few shorts. Using his friends and classmates, some of which whom would come along for his journey for quite some time, Raimi made his first short It's Murder!. A throwback to classic murder mysteries, it is also filled with Raimi's developing slapstick humor streak. It has some merit, but overall it's a tad rough. Feel free to give a go as it's on YouTube in a few parts, the first if you click to through the film's title. As a side-note...one of Raimi's most notable collaborators, Bruce Campbell, makes an appearance as a cop. After this came Within the Woods. This is the short Raimi and co. used as a sell for The Evil Dead. The film hasn't aged well physically, so if you want to check it out make sure your aspirins are ready. Finally, we have Clockwork, the shortest of the bunch, but also the most polished. This one is about a homeless serial killer who stalks a girl, and you can really get a feel for Raimi's talents here. It's probably one his more serious pieces, too. Give it a check!

And now, let's move on to the features:

(click each title to see that movie's trailer!)

THE EVIL DEAD (1981)
From IMDB: Five friends go up to a cabin in the woods where they find unspeakable evil lurking in the forest. They find the Necronomicon and the taped translation of the text. Once the tape is played, the evil is released. One by one, the teens become deadly zombies. With only one remaining, it is up to him to survive the night and battle the evil dead.

Sal: Where it all began...I remember seeing this one in high school with a group of friends, and laughing my ass off at the "tree rape" scene. It wasn't so much scary at the time as it was fun, and what stuck to me was this frenetic camera work that Sam Raimi employed. Bruce Campbell, Ash, wasn't yet his over-the-top self, but you could still tell there was something in his acting that would make Ash an icon of the horror genre. This one played at being more of a horror movie than the rest, and it has inspired a world of clones over the years.
Steve: I consider this my least favorite of the 'Dead' films. I saw Evil Dead Two first and it had a lasting impression; I only sought out its predecessor in my teen years. Watching it only confused me as to why one and two were so similar. I, of course, eventually figured out why that was, but for me two is the tits. I still think this is a great movie and well worth checking out.
Lou: To me, this is one of the over-rated "classics" of the horror genre. It is shot well on the very low-budget that it was made with, but the plot and acting leave a lot to be desired. The sequel/remake is better, but honestly, not by a whole lot.

CRIMEWAVE (1985)
From IMDB: A pair of whacked-out cartoon-like exterminator/hitmen kill the owner of a burglar-alarm company, and stalk the partner who hired them, his wfe, and a nerd framed for the murder, who tells the story in flashback from the electric chair.

Sal: I think I'm on my own with this one. I recently caught Crimewave (thank you, Netflix!) after searching for it for a long time in the 90's. However, I wish I hadn't honestly, it was tough to watch. Raimi, along with cowriters the Coen Bros., attempted a sort of Three Stooges/Keystone Cops type of movie and it didn't really work for me. Surprising, given the talent mentioned. Not much more to say other than it gave Raimi some more experience so he'd go onto his horror classic. Oh and Bruce Campbell has a funny role.
Steve: Haven't seen it, and after Sal's thoughts I don't see myself searching to find it.

EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN (1987)
From IMDB: A sequel/remake of the film The Evil Dead. A young man named Ash takes his girlfriend Linda to a secluded cabin, and plays back a professor's tape recorded recitation of passages from the Book of the Dead. The spell calls up an evil force from the woods which turns Linda into a monstrous Deadite, and threatens to do the same to Ash. When the professor's daughter and her entourage show up at the cabin, the night turns into a non-stop, grotesquely comic battle with chainsaw and shotgun on one side, demon horde and flying eyeball on the other.

Steve: This is probably my favorite Raimi movie, and the first one I had ever seen. I rented this, or had my Grandmother rent it for me, when I was far too young to see it. It fucked me up, and has had me coming back for more ever since. It was zaney and scary (though not anymore) and I had never seen anything like it since. Evil Dead 2 and Night of the Living Dead were the first two horror movies I remember seeking out based on the box art alone. This movie has it all, and if there were one Raimi movie I'd recommend it'd be this one.
Sal: ED2:DBD was sort of a retread of the first movie, with the opening 10 minutes or so retelling that story in a new way and then just continuing from there. This time Raimi fully cast Campbell in the only lead and Ash was officially born. All of the tricks Raimi had been practicing come to full light here and he bops you in the head with zooms and trick shots throughout. It was a fun horror flick that played more as a comedy with horrific elements than anything else. I've always had a blast with this movie.
Lou: To me, again, this film is over-rated. While the effects are better than it's predecessor, the story still seems lacking and the disjointed ending throws me out of the film more than it helps to wrap it up. The creatures annoyed me more than they scared me.

DARKMAN (1990)
From IMDB: Peyton Westlake is a scientist who has discovered a way to produce synthetic skin. This could revolutionize skin grafting, except for one minor glitch; the synthetic skin degrades after 100 minutes of exposure to light. When gangsters attack Peyton, he is horrifically burnt, and assumed dead. In his quest for revenge, Peyton, aka the Darkman, is able to take on the appearance of anyone (using the synthetic skin,) but he's only got 100 minutes per disguise.

Sal: Raimi's first foray into the superhero genre had tinges of horror mixed in as well. Liam Neeson, in an early role, was his lead here as a scientist who is horribly scarred, but a master of organic mask making. He battles the thugs who did it to him. It's a rather fun romp, and probably showed the folks at Marvel that he can do this type of film. Seeing the trailer again makes me want to watch it!
Steve: My memory is a little fuzzy on this one. I recall liking it quite a bit, but then again at the time I watched this I was still a youngin' with no idea what I wanted from a movie. I remember liking the make-up FX, and I think they still hold up.
Lou: Haven't seen this one in a while, but I do remember enjoying it. It was the first film that I ever saw Liam Neeson in and he stood out from then on.

ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992)
From IMDB: In this sequel to the Evil Dead films, a discount-store employee ("Name's Ash. Housewares.") is time-warped to a medieval castle beset by monstrous forces. Initially mistaken for an enemy, he is soon revealed as the prophesied savior who can quest for the Necronomicon, a book which can dispel the evil. Unfortunately, he screws up the magic words while collecting the tome, and releases an army of skeletons, led by his own Deadite counterpart. What follows is a thrilling, yet tongue-in-cheek battle between Ash's 20th Century tactics and the minions of darkness.

Steve: Classic. A must see. This would be my second favorite Raimi movie. I love everything about it. It's epic, fun, gross, and has those really good Ash one-liner's that really defined his character. This is also when Raimi really defined his visual flare. The poster is also classic and one of the last of the great horror movie posters--it seems like after this movie everybody opted for the photographic montage.
Lou: By far the best of the Evil Dead films. If you're only going to see one of them this is the one to see. The heavy dose of humor in the script helps to keep it lighthearted and fun while not giving up completely on the weird horror elements.
Sal: I agree, it's the best of the bunch and the first Raimi film I saw at the movies. I love everything about this movie from the poster to the very last frame in the S-Mart ending, the better of the two endings, IMO. Raimi is so on in this one, and he and Campbell really threw everything they had at it. It's insane, their ultimate collaboration, and probably one they easily felt they could hang their hat on the series with. Of course, Army being as good a romp as it was caused fans to clamor for more ever since. Probably in my Top 20 all-time.

After Army of Darkness, Raimi ventured into TV production helping create and bring to the small screen shows like Hercules, Xena, Jack of All Trades, Spartacus, and more! He has also produced many a movie including 30 Days of Night and The Grudge. He's also co-written The Hudsucker Proxy with the Coens and The Man With the Screaming Brain with his pal Bruce Campbell. Still, though, his calling card has been his directorial efforts...

THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995)
From IMDB: Ellen, an unknown female gunslinger rides into a small, dingy and depressing prairie town with a secret as to her reason for showing up. Shortly after her arrival, a local preacher, Cort, is thrown through the saloon doors while townsfolk are signing up for a gun competition. The pot is a huge sum of money and the only rule: that you follow the rules of the man that set up the contest, Herod. Herod is also the owner, leader, and "ruler" of the town. Seems he's arranged this little gun-show-off so that the preacher (who use to be an outlaw and rode with Herod) will have to fight again. Cort refuses to ever use a gun to kill again and Herod, acknowledging Cort as one of the best, is determined to alter this line of thinking...even if it gets someone killed...

Sal: It's not surprising to me that Raimi would move on to a western next. After all, his style is sort of reminiscent of certain Spaghetti Westerns, and this movie felt like it was in that vein. I really liked this one, too. The gunslinger tournament story just lent itself so well to producing many memorable characters, and it had them in spades. And those characters are played by a litany of great to interesting actors from Gene Hackman and Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe to Sharon Stone and Lance Henrikson. Nice twists keep everything lively to the end, and Raimi's camera work works so well in enhancing the drama. One of the better Westerns of the last 20 years for sure.
Lou: This is a solid western with a great cast. Sharon Stone stars as a woman looking for revenge against an older gunman played by Gene Hackman. Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe also give strong performances. It's an underrated movie that is worth hunting down.
Steve: This never really did it for me. For starters, I guess I can't really stand Sharon Stone.

A SIMPLE PLAN (1998)
From IMDB: Two brothers, one a mild-mannered hardware store manager, the other an unemployed slob and a friend stumble onto $4.4 million cash in stolen money. The new-found booty leads Hank, the store manager (with help from his cunning wife), to great lengths to keep the money a secret from local authorities. The three men begin to doubt each others trust, which leads to shocking results of lies and deceit.

Lou: This one's a bit on the slow side. It's also somewhat predictable, but the performances by Billy Bob Thornton and Bill Paxton are good. It's not necessarily one to really seek out, but not one to completely dismiss.
Sal: I agree on its pace, but I think this was a fairly solid pot boiler and something completely different for Raimi. The acting is what drives this one for sure, though, with the folks already mentioned and also Bridget Fonda as Paxton's wife (who may be the evilest one of the bunch!). I've often heard about the greatness of this movie, but while it's definitely not that, I thought it was pretty OK.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME (1999)
From IMDB: Baseball great Billy Chapel, 40, wants nothing more than to reconnect with his one-time lover, Jane Aubrey. On the morning he's to pitch the last game of the season, she tells him she's leaving that evening for a job in London; he also learns that the Detroit Tigers' new owners plan to trade him. As he pitches that night, he must decide whether to accept the trade or quit the game he loves, and between innings, he recalls meeting Jane, their first date, happy times, miscommunication, and what may be a final break. Meanwhile, with Vin Scully announcing, one Yankee batter after another fails to reach first base. Can Billy pitch a perfect game, and if so, what does it matter if he loses Jane?

Sal: I just saw this movie to be able to wrap up this retrospective, and I must say, I was impressed. If A Simple Plan was completely different, then this one is waaaaaay different! It's a romantic baseball drama starring Kevin Costner, yup, he went there, but you know what? He did it well. Costner is usually on his A-Game when making baseball movies, and this one is no different. And like the title implies, it's not only a romantic movie in the strict sense, but mostly it's a romance of the "Love of the Game". I really liked the framing sequence of Costner's Chapel character pitching through what may be a perfect game, with many reminders flashing him back to what has happened in the last five years or since he has met the love of his life. Sure, it's sappy, but it really did have a heart, and overall I just dug it. Glad I got to see it before this went up!

THE GIFT (2000)
From IMDB: Annie Wilson is a young widow with three children. She has a "gift" and to make ends meet she reads cards and tells people their future. When the daughter of the area's most prominent citizen disappears, Annie is called upon by the woman's anxious father and fiancé to assist the police. She manages to lead them to the lake where the girl's body is to be found and the police arrest Donnie Barksdale, known to both Annie and the police as an extremely violent man. Annie continues to receive clues even after Barksdale's arrest that leads her to believe someone else is responsible. In her final confrontation with the killer, she gets assistance from an unexpected source.

Sal: I decided to go give this one a check because it had a supernatural vibe, the first in a while for Raimi. I wasn't disappointed. I got that plus a lot more. This was a severely toned down supernatural Raimi, though, more like his last two films than the ones that preceded those, but I realized right away that he had come a long a way as a film maker: from a cool, quirky one to a damn solid one. The performances in this movie are outstanding, a testament to Raimi's direction, no more so than Keanu Reeves. He's insanely scary!!! Also fantastic is the performance of Giovanni Ribisi. This is another one that keeps you guessing, and the payoff is quite interesting.
Steve: I think this is a great looking film, love the atmosphere. The casting is dead on, and I think Keanu Reeves is actually acting in this one! You can find better films, sure, but The Gift is a solid movie in Raimi's arsenal.

SPIDER-MAN (2002)
From IMDB: On a school field trip, Peter Parker (Maguire) is bitten by a genetically modified spider. He wakes up the next morning with incredible powers. After witnessing the death of his uncle (Robertson), Parkers decides to put his new skills to use in order to rid the city of evil, but someone else has other plans. The Green Goblin (Dafoe) sees Spider-Man as a threat and must dispose of him. Even if it means the Goblin has to target Parker's Aunt (Harris) and the girl he secretly pines for (Dunst).

Sal: Wow, so when this was announced I think fandom exploded. I mean there was no more perfect choice to bring Spidey to screen than Raimi. Army of Darkness and Darkman proved he could do superheroes, and he blasted this movie out of the park! Tobey Maquire was thumbs up as Peter Parker and you couldn't ask for a better villain than Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin. He not only got the characters right, but he got the essence of NYC, always a big part in the comics, right. I loved this as both a huge Spider-man fan and a life-long New Yorker.
Steve: Loved it. Raimi pulled off the impossible. It's fast moving, fun, and filled with action.
Lou: To me this is one of the best superhero movies ever made. Toby Maguire gives the perfect performance as Peter Parker and the Willem Defoe pulls off the evil Norman Osborne very well. It's an origin story that doesn't get bogged down exposition and holds up to repeated viewings.

SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)
From IMDB: Peter Parker is an unhappy man: after two years of fighting crime as Spider-Man, his life has begun to fall apart. The girl he loves is engaged to someone else, his grades are slipping, he cannot keep any of his jobs, and on top of it, the newspaper Daily Bugle is attacking him viciously, claiming that Spider-Man is a criminal. He reaches the breaking point and gives up the crime fighter's life, once and for all. But after a failed fusion experiment, eccentric and obsessive scientist Dr. Otto Octavius is transformed into super villain Doctor Octopus, Doc Ock for short, having four long tentacles as extra hands. Peter guesses it might just be time for Spider-Man to return, but would he act upon it?

Steve: He did it again, and this time he did it better. I consider this the 'Empire' of the series. I loved the darker imagery and more elaborate action. Raimi captured the feel of a comic in celluloid and gave a laughable villain a modern day make-over.
Lou: Also on the top of my all-time greatest superhero movies list. Alfred Molina plays Dr. Octopus perfectly. The action is intense without being completely over-the-top. The characters are developed well and remain sympathetic. Definitely worth watching again and again.
Sal: Weirdly and oppositely, by the end of this movie, I sort of lost interest and haven't revisited since. It had some great sequences and I definitely don't think it was a bad movie, but I just dug the first one more. Alfred Molina as Doc Ock was inspired casting, though!

SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007)
From IMDB: Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero. Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself.

Sal: If part two lost my interest at the end, by the end of the third installment I had completely lost faith in this series. Two many characters, too many subplots, and Tobey Maguire does his best Saturday Night Fever. 'Nuff Said.
Steve: Sam, what the hell where you thinking? I guess you got paid realllll nicely, cause this one's a stinker.
Lou: The most disappointing of the Spider-Man movies. While not truly terrible like the later Batman films, it suffers from similar problems with too many villains and not enough believable character development to keep the film interesting. If you decide to skip it it you won't be missing much.

DRAG ME TO HELL (2009)
From IMDB: Christine Brown is a loans officer at a bank but is worried about her lot in life. She's in competition with a competent colleague for an assistant manager position and isn't too sure about her status with a boyfriend. Worried that her boss will think less of her if she shows weakness, she refuses a time extension on a loan to an old woman, Mrs. Ganush, who now faces foreclosure and the loss of her house. In retaliation, the old woman place a curse on her which, she subsequently learns, will result in her being taken to hell in a few days time. With the help of a psychic, she tries to rid herself of the demon, but faces several hurdles in the attempt.

Steve: Okay, I can forgive Raimi for Spider-Man 3 because he finally threw us horror fans a bone to chew on. An excellent return to his horror roots, I really enjoyed this movie. I don't think it was anything great or inventive, but it showed us that PG-13 horror movies don't have to suck. It's a fun romp and perfect for a group setting. It does have a number of effective creepy scenes, and a few really gross ones too. A great pick for Halloween.
Sal: Or any other day for that matter! Man, what a ride Raimi gave us with this one, huh? This might, quite possibly, be his greatest flick yet! Combining everything he has learned in his 30 years of film making and going back to horror to give us this gem, it's like Raimi Horror 101. It's scary as heck and completely ridiculous all at the same time. The horror actually makes you laugh, it's that good. There are scenes in this movie that I could watch again and again starting with the parking garage scene, whooo boy! So going back to how we opened this retro, if you asked me to give you just one movie that sums up what Sam Raimi is all about, this is the one, folks. This is the one!

And with that, we await where ever Mr. Raimi goes next. There have been all sorts of rumors from Worlds of Warcraft to a Wizard of Oz sequel that would star Robert Downey Jr. as the wizard himself. I like the latter idea better, and would love to see Raimi tackle the Wonderful World of Oz! But, hey, Sam...before Bruce gets too old, how about another Evil Dead?! ;)

We hope you enjoyed our Sam Raimi retrospective. You can get back to your trick or treating and bobbing for apples now. But remember, you must say the words Clatto Verata Nicto exactly right, OK? Happy Halloween!

FIENDISH RETROSPECTIVE: JOHN CARPENTER

John Carpenter is a director that is synonymous with horror. Having created one of the genre's most popular icons in Michael Myers, he has defined horror more than once. That isn't the only genre Carpenter has played in, though, as some of his more memorable movies have been sci-fi or a blend with comedy. Of course, most folks like to lump sci-fi and horror together, so Carpenter is billed as a genre-director, and that suits him just fine, as hey, those are the movies he makes and loves! And we here at Flix Fiend love him as well.

To say that his movies have affected us in one way or another is an understatement. Matter of fact, this whole website spawned from a conversation about doing this very retrospective, the first of many of this type we hope, but back to the man of the moment.

Carpenter is a director who deeply cares for the characters he creates and the worlds they populate. He is incredibly loyal to the actors that play these characters and often brings leads and supporting players back. This gives his movies a sense of familiarity beyond just camera tricks and cinematography. Characterization is part of the Carpenter style that is a well-oiled machine. You know you're watching one of his films right away, and another aspect of that is the score.

Most knowledgeable movie-goers know how important music is to a movie. Bad music can kill a scene, and good music can save one. John Carpenter has made music part of his signature. His composing usually consists of synthesized mastery with the occasional smooth yet crunchy guitar licks. Like the characterizations, the score is a major part of his style. While all of them sound somewhat similar they each contain their own flavor, not unlike what Akira Ifukube used to do on the Godzilla films. It's these themes that keep Carpenter's movies humming about in your mind for a long time after viewing.

Looking at his IMDB page, Carpenter made many a short film as a youngster and a student. Any of us would kill to see some of these, especially Gorgo vs. Godzilla! It was a 1970 student short that he wrote, however, that won Carpenter an Oscar for best short subject. That one was called The Resurrection of Broncho Billy. Strangely, this was Carpenter's only full foray into an actual Western, an influence that is strewn throughout his movies. This movie vaulted him to his first feature...

(click each title to check out that movie's trailer!)

DARK STAR (1974)
From IMDB: The crew of the Dark Star are on a 20 year mission to clear a path in space by destroying planets that are in the way of navigation routes. After a series of mishaps Mother, the ships computer, can no longer persuade Bomb not to detonate. Even the dead captain is of little help in arguing with Bomb who is bound to do his duty.

LOU: This has to be the weirdest of all of Carpenter's films. It features talking bombs and a strange bouncing furry alien. It's pretty puzzling and fairly slow, but is an interesting curiosity if you want to see where Carpenter's career began.
SAL: The only one of his full-length features I haven't seen, however it is in my Netflix. Still, even though I consider myself a huge Carpenter fan, I'm in no rush to see this one.
STEVE: Haven't seen it, but with Lou's comments I kind of want to.

ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976)
From IMDB: An L.A. street gang declares war on a police station about to be shut down that has given refuge to a man who has witnessed a gang slaying. Because of the shutdown, the phones and electricity have been turned off, and gang members await outside with knives and guns where the precinct has been totally shut off from the outside world.

STEVE: Nowadays this probably seems like your run-of-the-mill siege film, and it is. I like it, and I think any fan of Carpenter needs to see it. It's technically sound, has a good score, it's competently acted, but its just not one of my faves.
SAL: This is a hell of a gritty movie, and the earliest where you can see Carpenter's Westerns influence. It's a surprise he actually never made a full-blown Western!
LOU: This is a pretty intense action movie, though, it can leave you wondering about the cause for all the action. I'm curious as to whether or not the remake does it justice.
ANT: I went into this one with the lowest of expectations, so of course I loved it. If a remake had to be made, it should have been John Carpenter himself to remake it. It would be great to hear Kurt Russell say "That's an old story with me. I was born out of time." Perhaps with James Woods, and Keith David. Yeah, that'll work.

HALLOWEEN (1978)
From IMDB: 15 years ago, 6 year old Michael Myers brutally killed his older sister. The silent child was incarcerated in the Smith's Grove Sanitarium under the care of psychiatrist Sam Loomis. The town of Haddonfield had slowly began to forget the tragic crime, until Loomis returned to the town to warn of Myers escape from Smith's Grove. With Michael set on killing a group of high school students, Loomis seeks the help of the hesitant town sheriff to stop him before it's too late.

SAL: Probably one of the most influential films of our time, and why not? Horror wasn't the same after this, as Carpenter gave Horror movies a face, and tons of directors scurried to follow suit and create their own Michael Myers. It also established Carpenter as a fantastic composer, with a theme that is unmistakable.
LOU: Definitely the best score that Carpenter ever wrote. The film is also among his best, with genuinely frightening moments. It helped to put the modern horror movie on the map.
ANT: And the modern slasher flick was born. Thanks again, John.
STEVE: Every one here has said what I wanted to. This is the movie people are still trying to make. This is the movie where I learned how to interact in social circles.

Before his next feature, Carpenter directed two TV movies, Someone's Watching Me! and Elvis. The first could possibly sound like a Carpenter flick, while the other is just plain cool. An interesting note about both of these is that Adrienne Barbeau and Kurt Russell appeared in these, the latter as the title character. Both are distinctly connected to Carpenter. Russell as a frequent collaborator with whom the director has made some of his finest films, while Barbeau appeared in his next two features as well being married and having a kid with the Master of Horror!

THE FOG (1980)
From IMDB: The Centenary of the small sea town, Antonio Bay, is approaching. While the townsfolk prepare to celebrate, the victims of the crime that founded the town rise from the sea to claim retribution. Under cover of the fog, they carry out their vicious attacks, searching for what is rightly theirs.

SAL: Even though this movie spawned a remake, I feel like for the longest time this movie was neglected and forgotten. Maybe because after Halloween, the masses just looked for more Michael Myers, and having gotten it, The Fog just didn't compete? Either way, it isn't a bad horror movie at all, and worth your time.
ANT: I don't think I've actually seen this movie in it's entirety. I remember enjoying what I did see, but it was so long ago, I'm not quite sure. I'll have to Netflix this one soon.
STEVE: Ant, you definitely should. The Fog is a classic in my eyes. Maybe Sal is right and the powers that be only wanted more Michael Myers, but I not being one of them accepted this film without question. Or maybe it was because the first time a saw this movie I had no idea who John Carpenter was and wouldn't know, or care for many years to come. This film has everything a good film needs, for the horror genre or any genre. Put your thoughts of Michael Myers aside and strap in for an eerie trip to Antonio Bay.

ESCAPE FROM NY (1981)
From IMDB: A condemned criminal and former war hero is offered his freedom if he can rescue the President of the United States from the walled prison island of Manhattan after a terrorist brings down the President's plane in this futuristic adventure.

LOU: This is the movie that has probably influenced me more than any other. As a kid growing up in New York it presented a scary glimpse of what the future could be like. The cast is top-notch with Kurt Russell and Ernest Borgnine stealing the show. Isaac Hayes makes a great villain and Donald Pleasance and Lee Van Cleef give solid performances. This is one of the bleakest views of the future ever put to film, but it works incredibly well. Carpenter doesn't get enough credit for his scores. The one he provides for this movie is one of his best and probably only second to Halloween's.
ANT: When I was a kid, I was really disappointed with this movie. I guess I expected...well, I didn't really know what to expect, but I know that what I saw wasn't it. As the years passed, I've come to appreciate it more and more with each viewing. Overall, I think I like the music more than anything.
STEVE: I wish I could escape from New York, but I can't. I have to go there almost every damn day. But seriously, I agree with Ant on this, found it boring when I was younger and have only recently begun to appreciate it. The coolest thing about this movie for me is the setting and the atmosphere and that old NY that I never got to see.
SAL: This is a pretty kick-ass movie. Kurt Russell's Snake Plisskin is basically a post-apocalyptic Clint Eastwood, and he leads a very eclectic supporting cast through a Manhattan that probably had more of a real connect to the Manhattan of the time than anyone could now imagine. The music, as mentioned, is so classic it's in my head now.

THE THING (1982)
From IMDB: Members of an American scientific research outpost in Antarctica find themselves battling a parasitic alien organism capable of perfectly imitating its victims. They soon discover that this task will be harder than they thought, as they don't know which members of the team have already been assimilated and their paranoia threatens to tear them apart.

SAL: One of the more frightening, claustrophobic movies ever filmed, and pound-for-pound, Carpenter's best. It's brilliant in ways film makers can only dream of, and gets under your skin like no other. It creeps me out every time I watch it, but every time I'm left speechless. That ending sticks with you for a loooong time!
STEVE: I could go on and on about how much I love this movie, so I won't. It's great and I watch it every couple of months especially in the winter. In my opinion it's a must see, and if you haven't watched it, there is no time like right now. Everything about this movie still holds up, and 20 years from now it will as well.
ANT: If I had to pick a favorite of the bunch, this has to be it. What a great movie. This movie is actually quite frightening. The special and visual effects are insane and in my opinion, still hold up today. I remember seeing this at a double feature when I was a kid, and spending most of my time hiding behind the seat.
LOU: This is one of the best horror movies ever made. The sense of paranoia, desolation, and dread that the characters experience stays with you when the movie's over. It's definitely worthy of repeated viewings.

CHRISTINE (1983)
From IMDB: High school geek Arnie Cunningham falls in love with "Christine", a bright red 1958 Plymouth Fury which has seen much better days. Setting himself the task of restoring the car to its original condition, his friends notice that the car is not the only thing that is changing. Arnie seems to spend more and more time with his car. He's also developed a sort of cocky arrogance which does not seem like the real Arnie at all.

SAL: I've seen this one, but have very little to say about it. It's been awhile, and I never really cared about the concept much. I'll defer to my partners here.
STEVE: I liked it, don't know what I can say about it, either. It doesn't really stand out in one way or another. It's worth a look.
ANT: Being a fan of the book and also a fan old Plymouths I got a kick out of this movie. It's almost completely identical to the book in almost every way (from what I remember, anyway). It would have been cool to see John Carpenter do a commercial for a custom 58 Fury for the DVD. My only gripe (and it's a small one) is the high school bullies. They look like guys who are way to old for school.

STARMAN (1984)
From IMDB: An alien who has crash-landed in the United States takes on the the appearance of a woman's dead husband and enlists her help to escape from pursuing authorities and rendezvous with a spacecraft on the other side of the country. As he learns how to be more human the alien begins to take on more and more qualities of the woman's husband, drawing the woman closer.

LOU: This film is one of the ones that I need to revisit. From what I remember, it features some of the better acting in any of Carpenter's films with Jeff Bridges giving a strong performance as an alien who will only live for three days.
ANT: I'm with Lou. I need to see this one again. I have seen it and I certainly remember liking it, but it was so long ago that I'll have to go back.
SAL: I remember liking this movie as a kid, and then couldn't wait for the TV Show to continue the story. Needless to say, it didn't live up to it. It's kind of hard to replace Jeff Bridges with Robert Hayes!
STEVE: I was three, I'm sure I watched it.

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)
From IMDB: When trucker Jack Burton agreed to take his friend Wang Chi to pick up his fiancee at the airport, he never expected to get involved in a supernatural battle between good and evil. Wang's fiancee has emerald green eyes, which make her a perfect target for an immortal sorcerer named Lo Pan and his three invincible cronies. Lo Pan must marry a girl with green eyes so he can regain his physical form. Now, Jack must save Wang's fiancee from Lo Pan and his henchmen, and win back his stolen truck. But how can he defeat an enemy who has no body?

SAL: Hands down, my all-time favorite flick. To me this is flawless storytelling. It's funny and adventurous, and hits so many perfect notes. The cast is so amazing, they all make me wanna buy them a beer. This is the type of adventure you hope happens to you. Kurt Russell chews up everything in sight in one of his greatest roles ever. Carpenter could just make Jack Burton movies for the rest of his life and I'd be satisfied.
ANT: One of my all-time favorites, too. Kurt Russell is outstanding in this. A classic, over-the-top, tough guy. When I was a kid, I wanted so much to be him. The film itself has everything. Fun Kung-Fu action, comedy, a tiny touch of romance, all set in your basic story of good vs. evil. I enjoyed it as a kid and as an adult I love it. I would certainly would have preferred a sequel to this over Escape from N.Y., that's for sure.
STEVE: Seriously, I don't know anyone who hasn't seen this, and hasn't loved it. This movie has tons of great characters, among them Jack Burton, what every boy aspires to be: a truck driving, ass-kicking, sarcastic prick with an unrivaled charisma. You should own this movie, you should quote this movie, you should hope that every day was as kick-ass as this movie.
LOU: While not my favorite Carpenter film (that title goes to Escape from New York), this one has just about everything you could ever hope for in an action movie. Kurt Russell proves again that he is the best of Carpenter's leading men by making Jack Burton a character that stays with you long after the movie's over.

PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987)
From IMDB: 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?

SAL: A great Satanic movie that goes in odd directions. One of Carpenter's more serious pieces as well, but this movie is way underrated. It sports a good cast of Carpenter alums, who really get put through the paces as they deal with the rebirth of Satan! It's very, very creepy, and some of the horror movies of the Oughts owe a ton to it.
STEVE: I may catch some guff over this, but, I haven't seen it.
SAL: Guff! Guff! Guff! Seriously, I can't stress enough to everyone that hasn't seen it, my partners included, that this should be on their short list of must-sees.

THEY LIVE (1988)
From IMDB: 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.

SAL: Another of my all-time favorite films. Rowdy Roddy Piper(!), as a homeless drifting construction worker, stumbles onto a plot by aliens to take over the world with subliminal messages! Hell yeah! This movie boasts some of the greatest one-liners ever, not to mention the greatest alley way fight ever put to film! Not only that, but the political overtones get better with age, and one of Carpenter's best scores drives it along. Most importantly, it makes me want to kick ass and chew bubble gum! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
STEVE: Classic. This is a great movie, one of my all-time favorites, too, and a sure-fire hit for anybody who grew up in the 80's. If you don't have fun watching this movie, then we cannot be friends.
LOU: This is one of the all-time cult classics. Roddy Piper steals the show as a no-nonsense tough guy who has stumbled on an alien-invasion. While at times the effects are cheesy, I didn't seem to mind so much because I got so caught up in Piper's performance.
ANT: Another classic right here. The story is simple yet brilliant. The alien effects are terrible, but somehow quite charming. I remember thinking that this was where Roddy's film career was going to take off. Boy, was I mistaken. At least he was in an episode of this seasons "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". Really funny stuff. Looking back, though, it was a damn fun movie. I am dreading the remake.

MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN (1992)
From IMDB: Nick Halloway is accidentally made invisible during an accident. When Jenkins finds out about Nick, he set out to recruit him into the world of espionage, seeing the potential for an invisible CIA agent. When Alice Monroe falls in love with Nick, they are forced to flee the attentions of Jenkins. Nick also has the problem of living invisibly whilst trying to find a cure.

SAL: I like Chevy Chase as much as the next guy, but this is easily my least favorite Carpenter film. Carpenter was like one of the first directors I followed, and I actually recall being disappointed when this came out. Looking at the trailer for the first time in ages, though, I gotta say it looks better than I remember it. Hmm...
ANT: I never realized this was a Carpenter film. Regardless, I'm not going back.
STEVE: I have yet to be interested.

After Memoirs, Carpenter was set to start a new Tales from the Crypt styled horror anthology series called Body Bags for Showtime. The cable company didn't like the pilot and pulled the plug. The three episodes that were produced, two directed by Carpenter and the other by Tobe Hooper, were collected into a film that was actually released in some theaters.

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994)
From IMDB: With the disappearance of hack horror writer Sutter Cane, all Hell is breaking loose...literally! Author Cane, it seems, has a knack for description that really brings his evil creepy-crawlies to life. Insurance investigator John Trent is sent to investigate Cane's mysterious vanishing act and ends up in the sleepy little East Coast town of Hobb's End. The fact that this town exists as a figment of Cane's twisted imagination is only the beginning of Trent's problems...

SAL: This is one of Carpenter's finest. Sam Neil stars as an insurance agent that tries to find out what's the deal with a publisher's best author, a horror novelist who's newest book is making folks nuts. There are some truly fantastic scenes in this one, with one of Carpenter's best and most thought-provoking endings.
STEVE: This is a slow, calculated descent into madness. A fine example of what Carpenter is capable of, though I think it seemed to have flown under the radar for most, and may stay well-hidden in obscurity. Well acted throughout, and filled with very atmospheric and creepy visuals. A must see for any Carpenter fan.
ANT: I really enjoyed this movie. One of the best (and few) horror movies made in the nineties. It's not scary as it should be, but it's a really fun Stephen King-ish story.

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1995)
From IMDB: An American village is visited by some unknown life form which leaves the women of the village pregnant. Nine months later, the babies are born, and they all look normal, but it doesn't take the "parents" long to realize that the kids are not human or humane.

SAL: I've never seen the original, but I dug this remake. The kids are creepy, and it featured one of Christopher Reeve's last roles before his accident. With the exception of Escape from L.A., everything after Memoirs felt very low budget, and I think my only gripe with Village is that suffers from that aspect.
STEVE: Village hit all the right notes, it had the cast, the sound, the creepy kids were creepy--all the pieces were there. But it's missing something, that Carpenter magic just isn't there. This is a paint-by-numbers remake and could be the same movie with any one sitting behind the wheel. Perhaps this was the beginning of the end...

ESCAPE FROM L.A. (1996)
From IMDB: The year is 2013 and Snake Plissken is back from Escape From New York. An earthquake has separated Los Angeles from the mainland. In the New Moral America, all citizens not conforming to the new laws (no smoking, no red meat) are deported to L.A., now a penal colony. The President's daughter has stolen a doomsday device and has fled to L.A. It's up to Snake Plissken to find the President's daughter and retrieve the doomsday device before its too late.

STEVE: ...or not, maybe that was a fluke, because Carpenter showed up to slam this cheese-fest down our throats. For me it has a bit too much cheese, though Bruce Campbell's brief role is worth watching again and again. I like it, and its an okay movie, but if you're going to escape from anywhere it better be New York.
LOU: This film might have been better if it had tried a little harder to actually be serious. It's treated as a giant joke with a script full of cheesy one liners. When i saw this in the theater my friend and I were the only to people in the auditorium. We should have taken that as a sign and asked for our money back rather than sit through this steaming turd of a movie.
SAL: Eh, I've always been on the fence on this one. I like certain aspects, and others I didn't at all. I think 2010 Sal would love it way more than 1996 Sal. The more I think back on this one, the more I can tell Carpenter and Kurt Russell said "you want Snake back, you got him. Haha!" I'm thinking a revisit is in order.
ANT: You couldn't pay me to watch this again.

VAMPIRES (1998)
From IMDB: The church has long known that vampires exist. However, it is discovered that a group of vampires are searching for a powerful doom for mankind. The Vatican then secretly enlists a team of vampire-hunters, led by Jack Crow, to hunt down and destroy the vampires before they find the crucifix.

SAL: This is a freaking fun popcorn movie. James Woods as Jack Crow is the perfect as a Carpenter hero. Let's forget everything else, this movie is all Woods. Woods in a western. Killing vampires. Being bad ass. Nuff' Said!
ANT: It's been a while for this one as well. It might certainly deserve a revisit. I remember enjoying it. Could be James Woods' last good flick.
STEVE: Fun, yes. Good, not sure. I like it and its a man's vampire movie, not like that glittery shit the kids are into now, so for that alone I say watch it. Watch it with a beer in your hand (none of that lite shit) and a stake in the other--just in case.

GHOSTS OF MARS (2001)
From IMDB: 200 years in the future a Martian police unit is dispatched to transport a dangerous prisoner from a mining outpost back to justice. But when the team arrives they find the town deserted and some of the inhabitants possessed by the former inhabitants of the planet.

SAL: You can tell Carpenter was burnt out by the time this movie came along. GOM is a total rehash of many of his previous movies (Assault on Precinct 13, anyone?), even the music is uninspired. None of the characters are particularly memorable, and while I usually appreciate his Wild West tributes, this one just doesn't work. The way the story is told is OK, but the rest doesn't hold up.
LOU: This film might have been a lot better if it hadn't tried so hard to be taken seriously. The plot is thin and the dialog and acting is sub-par even for a B-Movie. Jason Statham and Pam Grier can't even save this one. And why does everyone look like Marilyn Manson?
STEVE: I think I need to revisit this cheese-fest. Though I wasn't really a big fan of the movie, I enjoyed it and it was a great idea. It just never came to fruition for me.

After that, Carpenter went into a long sabbatical. Burn-out seems to be the biggest cause cited. Interestingly enough, he came back in 1995 to direct two episodes of Showtime's new horror anthology, Masters of Horror. This was more than ten years after Carpenter's brush with the company with Body Bags. His episodes were Cigarette Burns and Pro-Life. Both can be seen on Netflix via instant streaming.

The Masters of Horror episodes seemed to have re-sparked Carpenter, and he's since made his latest feature, The Ward. The movie centers around a girl in a mental institution that is haunted by an evil spirit. The Ward is currently in post-production, but it doesn't have a release date attached to it yet. Hopefully we get to see it this year!

And that about does it for our first Fiendish Retrospective. With a huge catalog of influential and fun films, John Carpenter made for a great first subject. We hope talking about these movies will inspire you to seek them out and enjoy them as much as we have. His movies have inspired us in one way or another, and we believe the next phase of the director's career will continue to do so. Thank you, Mr. Carpenter.