This past weekend John Carpenter fans came out in droves to see the new prequel to his 1982 masterpiece THE THING. The Daves were no exception. And this would also mark the first horror film that we would both see together at the theater. We did not have high expectations, though the film did promise to maintain the same cinematic quality as its predecessor. We worried that it would stray too far from the special effects that had made it so memorable. Also a concern, was how to make a film 30 years later that actually looked as if it had been made 3 years prior. In that regard, we were pleasantly surprised. From the film’s score to its recognizable opening credits, it did indeed look cohesive.
Tag Archives: John Carpenter
John Carpenter and Monster-Mania’s Masters of Horror!
The Daves would like to thank Rob Dimension for this coverage of Monster Mania!
MonsterMania 20 has come and gone, leaving the usually peaceful Hunt Valley, MD in ruins…well, not exactly. The Horror Convention hosted some of the greatest Horror Icons and Movie stars with names like John Carpenter, Anthony Michael Hall, Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Combs and many more. The crowd was the best yet for the NJ based convention..plus, it was a great time had by all who attended.
Movie Fights – The Ward vs. Shutter Island!
The recent release of John Carpenter’s first theatrical feature in ten years, THE WARD, left many film goers crying deja vu! So similar to the more mainstream SHUTTER ISLAND, many wondered if perhaps Carpenter was working from the same script. According to Carpenter, he had no idea at the time he was making the same film as production overlapped and, at the recent FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FEST convention in Kentucky, urged fans not to even bother seeing his entry.
Now, now John. It really isn’t all that bad. Let’s give you a nice glass of warm milk and see you off to bed. Here is a comparative summary of the two films and we’ll let YOU decide which is best. Of course I’ll tell you which one I prefer but first things first…
JOHN CARPENTER Q&A Panel at FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FEST 2011
The following is an overview from the John Carpenter Q&A panel that took place on Saturday July 23, 2011 at the FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FEST in Kentucky…
Horror Fans at the Hands of an Angry god: John Carpenter!
There was no question that the big draw for the 2011 FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FEST was John Carpenter. If you’re a horror fan, the prospect of meeting a legend such as this is one few could pass up. After all, this is the man who grabbed a few friends and made a low budget/independent film, not knowing all the while that it would become one of the grandaddy horror films of all time ( HALLOWEEN) and a cultural phenomena. Far from a “one shot wonder,” Carpenter would also give us ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE THING, and one of my all-time favorites – THE FOG. Like his fellow Master of Horror, Dario Argento, his best work appears to be far behind but is still one of the best film resume’s around.
2011 Fright Night Film Fest: The Cold Dead Truth…
I just returned from FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FEST in Kentucky and have mixed reviews regarding the event. Actually, there is another blogger out there who fairly (and from my perspective accurately) describes the ups of downs of this past weekend. Check out Shawn Patrick’s write up via Shawnster the Monster for a really great read.





