John Capenter's "The Fog" & "The Thing"

[Mofo Rising]

I gotta disagree with you on the gore in Carpenter's THE THING, Hair.  Mostly I base this on the fact that the small scene I viewed as a child was absolutely terrifying.  This probably is the main reason I avoided watching THE THING until last year, even if it was subconscious.  I thought it was a quality movie, and I'd stand by it in an argument.  (Where I'd get in an argument outside this board, I don't know.)  Good version of the classic story involving people trapped in a confined area with someone on the inside betraying them.  RESERVOIR DOGS is the same.

I usually enjoy Carpenter's movies when they're played tongue in cheek.  THEY LIVE is a good example.  The fight in THEY LIVE is cinematic genius.  Yes their is a metaphor, but it's far too heavy handed to take seriously.  BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is pure popcorn.  It also has the only version of Rayden put to film I'll accept.  (You hear that Lambert?)

ESCAPE FROM L.A. is just a bad science fiction film.  I didn't enjoy it, but I won't hold that against it.

PRINCE OF DARKNESS is one of my favorite out-and-out horror movies.  I admire the fact that it actually delved into philosophical horror.  It may be flawed philosophy, but what other movies delve into quantum physics and religious theory?  It loses some points because its need for gore undermines it, and it's no longer pre-1999.

Well, whatever you think of John Carpenter and his very mixed bag, there's no denying that he is one of the more prolific movie makers in the genre world.

[Flangepart]

Must agree,Chadzilla. The JC version did the Campbell story justice, and in context, the gore was inevitable. Still, the downer ending, though realistic, was not my cup of tea. I mutch prefer the 50's thing. So many goodies there.

[Hairzilla]

Mofo Rising wrote:
>
> ESCAPE FROM L.A. is just a bad science fiction film.
>
>I guess that I've come to the right place then, eh? 8)  
>
> PRINCE OF DARKNESS is one of my favorite out-and-out horror
> movies.  I admire the fact that it actually delved into
> philosophical horror.  It may be flawed philosophy, but what
> other movies delve into quantum physics and religious
> theory?  It loses some points because its need for gore
> undermines it, and it's no longer pre-1999.
>
>Just a quick comment/question here. If I'm understanding correctly, it sounds as though you're making a similiar point to the one I raised earlier -about the use of gore- with regard to this particular movie?
>
> Well, whatever you think of John Carpenter and his very mixed
> bag, there's no denying that he is one of the more prolific
> movie makers in the genre world.

I'll agree with you on that Mofo'. Whatever our opinions of his various projects, mine now being more broadened at the very least, I think we can safely say that the cinematic landscape [as well as late night cable tv] wouldn't be the same without him.....Now, if only "Savage" Steve Holland would reemerge!....And if anyone tells me that HE'S responsible for some recent, critically acclaimed film I think I'm gonna hurl!

[For those that don't know, "Savage" Steve was the writer/director responsible for two, eighties teen comedy, cult classics: BETTER OFF DEAD and ONE CRAZY SUMMER. The latter featuring a hysterical segment with "Bobcat" Goldthwaidt getting stuck in what surely must have been the monster suit used in Korea's illegitamate STAR GODZILLA.]

Man, I'm amazed that every reply to my post zero'ed in on my relatively brief comments about John Carpenter movies, when what I was really bracing myself for was an onslaught of laughter [...as well as possible exile from this phorum. See the risk I was willing to take for my appreciation of B' flicks?] at my more extensive thoughts about THE BLACK HOLE!  And on that note, it's time to move on to other things...

[Steve.]

Oh yeah, I forgot about The Black Hole - hahahahahahahaha.

[Hairzilla]

 Thanks Steve, I feel much better now. Rock on!

[Mofo Rising]

ONE CRAZY SUMMER is, in my opinion, one of the funniest movies ever made.  It's only really matched by GREMLINS 2 for sheer, off-the-wall inventiveness.  ("Were you that little fat boy?")

Unfortunately, Savage Steve has reemerged, of sorts.  He directed the recent Disney movie SAFETY PATROL.  I haven't seen it, but it stars Leslie Nielsen.  He's currently directing the TV series "Even Stevens" for Disney.  He was also behind the loathsome series "Shasta McNasty" that was on several years ago.

On the plus side, he was also behind the cartoon "Eek the Cat", which could be pretty funny.  Who else references "Lord of the Flies" in a kids cartoon?  ("Give us the glasses, Piggy!")

IMDb lists Holland's trademark as "frequently casts Curtis Armstrong".

[Squishy]

(Please note: I'm not trying to start a fight here. I know a lot of people are very devoted to Carpenter--I used to be, too--and I like almost everybody involved in this thread and so I won't pursue my usual "no-you're-a-poo-poo-head" form of debate. I'm just venting.)

 I adore One Crazy Summer, and not just because that crazy bastard Bobcat Goldthwait played Godzilla...Better Off Dead is a hoot, too, and one of these days I'll have to try How I Got Into College. I missed most of Eek! The Cat, but I was amazed at what Sav' got away with, even on Fox.

High-concept horror is fine, but it's got to be more than backstory noise. And the characters have to be interesting. If I made a horror movie starring my toes that represented Communism, would it be a good movie? Would it help if I squirted ketchup on a toe every five to ten minutes like clockwork? Oh hell no. And the collection of scabby trolls and farts snarling at each other in John Carpenter's The Thing are about as interesting as my toes. (Also: when a character in a movie does something monumentally out-of-character stupid--so stupid it has to be there only because an actor insisted it be put in the script--the movie loses me. In John Carpenter's The Thing, that would be when Russell's character pours his drink into a computer system because he lost a game. Unfortunately, that's very early on. Is that supposed to be characterization? Did Russell think he was still playing Snake?)

Likewise, when all the history lectures and religious theories are snipped out of John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, it's just another zombie movie. In fact, towards the end, it starts looking like John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 without bang-bangs, which, as others have pointed out, looks like Night of the Living Dead. Except the "leader" in those movies isn't a blonde chick with severe acne gibbering and hooting like a chimpanzee at the sight of a makeup mirror. Eeeeeeeeeee! The terror! Guest-starring Alice Cooper for no reason whatsoever. Eeeeeeeeeee! The terror!

I'll shut up now.

[Chadzilla]

Squishy sez...
In John Carpenter's The Thing, that would be when Russell's character pours his drink into a computer system because he lost a game.

Chadzilla politely, with no insult and complete respect for the Squishmeisters valid opinion replies...
This is what is commonly referred to as foreshadowing in screenwriting.  When Macready loses he retaliates by obliterating his opponent, thus he fries his computer when he loses a silly little chess game and later, when he loses the camp to The Thing, he blows the whole place to smithereens rather than admit defeat.  As far as the oft complained "murky" characterizations of The Thing.  The movie is told from within the viewpoint of the characters, who quickly realize they do not know each other well enough to tell an imitation from a real person.
"If I were an imitation, a perfect imitation, how would you know if it wasn't really me?"  The response to this is baffled silence.  As far as their being snarling, farting trolls?  The film shows that all our pretentions of humanity are meaningless (Romero explores this in the equally downer, and beloved by me, Day of the Dead) and, when threatened, we will quickly revert to selfserving savagery.  In this respect a conflict pulling people apart, quite literally (here and also in the zombie featured works of Romero), rather than together firmly roots the film in the post Vietnam era of cynical humanism.  The movie works, and has always, worked for me.  I feel it is Carpenter greatest artistic success (he is at his best when he at his bleakest, because I think he is a cynic at heart) and will defend it with my dying breath.

I just died on this board.

[Steve.]

For your selfless service in defending The Thing from naughty persons you are hereby resurrected.

[Hairzilla]

Chad', dude! As I'm sure you're well aware, because it's been observed time and time again, a real 'ZILLA cannot die so easily! ...Taking a cue from "G Vs Destroyah", Hairzilla revives his fellow monster maniac.

[Hairzilla]

 In response to Mofo', Squishy, and anyone else following "the thread that never ends..."

  First and foremost, having regulary watched EEK THE CAT when it was on I am deeply shamed that I didn't catch on to the fact that "Savage" Steve Holland was behind it! [I should'a payed more attention to the credits.] That 'toon was hilarious! In hindsight I can now more easily recognize the quirky humor of the "Savage" one all over it! [Even to the point of having Curtis "Charles De Mar/Ack Ack" Armstrong doing the voice for the fat blonde caveman!...I guess that HE was "the little fat boy" after all, eh Mofo'?]

I completely agree with both of your thoughts that ONE CRAZY SUMMER is a hysterical movie, and for much more than just the "Goldzilla" segment! For some strange reason, I think that the beach scene where "Hoops" and George meet up with Ack Ack, and then have to run for their lives as "Hoops" screams OOOOOOHMYYYYYYYYGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! is priceless!

I think that "Savage" Steve's trademark more rightfully should be that he repeatedly featured John Cusak and Curtis Armstrong in his movies! No matter how far he goes in his acting career, no matter what "big name" celebrity he's teamed up with, I can never look at John Cusak without thinking of Lane Myer or "Hoops" McCaan! ["God bless 'em!"] Movies, I think, are truly not being made like that anymore, and I'm not just talking about Holland's quirky flicks, but the whole way in which comedies rooted in the eighties and very early nineties were done...But, it is said that what goes around comes around...maybe "Savage" Steve and John will hook up for one more run sometime.

"Wyatt, your kitchen is blue..."

[ralfy]

"John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ Brought Seafaring Ghosts to the Big Screen 40 Years Ago"

BTW, can anyone identify the classical music piece in the 5:28 mark?

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[Gabriel Knight]

Holy Carpenter, a 19 year old necro! That has to be a record.

[chainsaw midget]

I was really thrown at first.  I didn't notice the date.  I was just looking through the posts and thinking "Who are these people?"   

Also, I'm going to disagree with what some people that aren't hear anymore said.  The Fog was a really good movie with a lot of nice spooky atmosphere. 

[Alex]

I am with Chainsaw on this one. To me these are both films that have stood the test of time.