The horror masterJohn Carpenterhas made plenty of films outside his most famous genre. Whether it’s the cultural paranoia ofThey Liveor the under qualified action star ofBig Trouble in Little Chinaas the template for Star-Lord inGuardians of the Galaxy, Carpenter’s skills and influence as a director undoubtedly extend far beyond the horror genre.
There aren’t many filmmakers that can flex the consistent quality of their oeuvre like John Carpenter. FromAssault on Precinct 13untilMemoirs of an Invisible Man, Carpenter had a tremendous run of ten theatrically-released films that each felt simultaneously so different from one another but like no one else could have made them. It’s a shame he couldn’t enjoy his success as much in the moment, as many of his now-beloved classics were infamous box office failures. Even still, together with reliable actors likeKurt Russell, Carpenter crafted an unparalleled legacy. And if Carpenter has indeed retired for good, it’s truly a blessing how endlessly rewatchable many of his films are, both horror and not. Here are John Carpenter’s non-horror movies, ranked worst to best.
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9.Memoirs of an Invisible Man(1992)
A tedious film saved by great special effects, but lacking Carpenter’s signature style behind the camera. This adaptation of theH.F. Saintnovel of the same name seesChevy Chaseas Nick Holloway, a glum stock analyst who is turned invisible after a lab accident. The story unfolds largely as a cat-and-mouse chase between Holloway and David Jenkins (Sam Neill), a shady CIA operative obsessed with capturing Holloway. While the film has some invisible Chevy Chase antics you’d expect, the entire film is draped in such a morose atmosphere that the humor of these antics often falls short.
There is also an attempt at a romance between Chase andDaryl Hannah’s Alice Monroe, a TV documentary producer. However, like the rest of the film, this romance is unfortunately not explored enough and seems to only matter when the plot needs it to. It’s no surprise that Carpenter is never eager to talk about this film. Chase wanted the film to be his chance for everyone to take him seriously as an actor, but, much like Jenkins at the end of the film, it falls flat.
8.Elvis(1979)
The first collaboration between Carpenter and Kurt Russell was this TV movie from 1979 about the titular King of Rock and Roll. It’s a fine biopic hindered a bit by the inevitable TV movie aesthetics but buoyed by a terrific performance from Russell. Thankfully, there aren’t many scenes without Russell, but at three hours, the film can’t avoid getting a little long-winded in following a generic biopic storyline.
The film never becomes a chore as the songs are always there to liven things up. And if nothing else,Elvisis a nice dip into the past to further appreciate what Carpenter and Russell will bring to their movies in the years to come. For Carpenter, his music career is nearly as storied as his directorial one, so it’s easy to feel his excitement at telling the story of one of the greatest artists ever. As for Russell,Elvismarked a graduation out of the Disney family films that had started his career and into more adult ones. Carpenter had already hit the ground running withHalloween, and once he discovered his muse in Russell, the two were destined for greatness.
7.Dark Star(1974)
John Carpenter’s student film is an amusing science-fiction satire that provides an early showcase for the director’s knack for suspense building and original creature design. The story follows a crew aboard the spaceshipDark Stara few hundred years into the future. The crew is hopelessly bored with their mission to research interstellar planets they see as a threat to humanity and use their “Thermostellar Triggering Devices” to blow them to smithereens. To unwind, the crew hopes to boost morale by adopting a “beach-ball-like” alien that acts as the ship’s mascot.
Inevitably the alien escapes, and when an electromagnetic surge strikes the ship, the Themostellar Bombs onboard, who also happen to be sentient, contemplate detonating themselves. The whole film is much sillier and lighthearted than any of his future films and because of this, it is mostly an enjoyable curio. Aside from being Carpenter’s directorial debut,Dark Staris significant because of the collaboration withDan O’Bannon, who would later go on to write a little film calledAlien.
6.Escape from LA(1996)
After a cataclysmic earthquake strikes Los Angeles and separates the city from the rest of California, the President of the United States sees the perfect opportunity to expel the newly formed island from the country and declare it a penal colony for criminals. When the president’s daughter ends up on the island, Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) must return to once again begrudgingly do his country’s bidding.
This sequel is much sillier than the first film, which is guaranteed to split fans. If Snake surfing withPeter Fonda, cruising in a convertible withSteve Buscemi, and making half-court shots in basketball sounds appealing for you, then this movie will be euphoric. And while others may seeEscape From LAas just another bloated and overdue sequel, it’s also an entry in an unfortunately long line of Carpenter films where he never got the budget to fully realize his vision.
5.They Live(1988)
When ranking Carpenter’s filmography, it’s commonly argued that the top half of his films could be ranked interchangeably in the list.They Livemarks the first film that falls under that criterion. LikeThe Matrixafter it,They Liveis a landmark film for reexamining the world as we know it. More than justRoddy PiperandKeith Davidshooting up aliens, the film is a scathingly satirical takedown of ‘80s Reaganism and an ignorant capitalistic society.
The story follows Piper’s George Nada, an industrious working-class citizen who always thinks his next job is going to be the one to let him live comfortably. When he stumbles upon a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world for how it really is (AKA an alien invasion), he gathers his fellow human beings living on the edge of society to take matters into their own hands. Through the sunglasses, the seemingly innocuous messages on billboards and TV screens change to threatening orders like ‘Obey’, ‘Marry and Reproduce’, and ‘Stay asleep.’ The film sustains a bitter atmosphere that perfectly translates Carpenter’s own disdain for the capitalistic excess of America in the ‘80s. Thankfully, the film never teeters too far into pedanticism as Piper and David are always there to keep things entertaining.
4.Escape from New York(1981)
The United States is being overrun by crime. In response, Manhattan Island is turned into a maximum-security prison for criminals to either mingle politely amongst themselves or, more likely, form their own anarchic society and threaten anyone who comes near. When a plane carrying the President of the United States crashes on the island, the government calls on Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) to rescue the vulnerable Commander in Chief.
Of course, Snake isn’t jumping at the opportunity to help the country that recently declared him a convict and was going to ship him off to prison anyway. But when Snake is injected with a deadly poison set to release if he does not return with the President, he isn’t left with much of a choice. Unlike Russell’s other characters inThe ThingorBig Trouble in Little China, the eye-patched Snake has a permanent grimace that could freeze even the hardest criminals dead in their tracks. It’s really a joy to see both Russell and Carpenter have so much fun in this dystopian world they create. And when you add a delightful cast of supporting characters likeHarry Dean Stantonas Brain orErnest Borgnineas Cabbie, the result is a one-of-a-kind science-fiction action film that many have tried unsuccessfully to replicate.
3.Big Trouble in Little China(1986)
Kurt Russell stars once again, this time as Jack Burton, a big rig driving, big game talking, wife-beater-wearing blockhead. After unknowingly getting wrapped up in a supernatural battle between good and evil in San Francisco’s Chinatown, he and his friend Wang Chi fight their way through evil sorcerers and monsters to rescue Chi’s green-eyed fiancée. If that sounds like an abrupt escalation, Carpenter’sBig Trouble in Little Chinahas little sympathy for people trying to play catch up to its story, perhaps because it never seems like it is taking the story seriously enough to repeat itself.
On the surface, Burton’s inclusion in this Hong Kong-inspired action-fantasy film feels like an unsavory setup for a poorly-aged white savior narrative. But Carpenter is smarter than that. And his solution is pretty simple. Jack Burton is an idiot. He may constantly talk the talk against his mystical foes, but at every turn, his words are undermined by his hopeless inability to help fight these enemies. When he’s not knocking himself unconscious, he is running away from the conflict. The film carries a tone that has aged particularly well in an era where films likeGuardians of the Galaxyembrace the silliness of its characters and mythos.
2.Assault on Precinct 13(1976)
Before Carpenter made a name for himself with his horror films, he made his love for Westerns very well known. In this film that pays heavy homage to Howard Hawk’sRio Bravo, Police Lieutenant Ethan Bishop (Austin Stoker) is ordered to oversee the closing down of a police station in Precinct 9. Suddenly, a man being chased by a bloodthirsty street gang runs into the station out of breath. When the gang decides to lay siege to the station, Bishop and the people inside, including two station secretaries and two criminals, do what they need to in order to survive wave after wave of gang invasion.
In the grand scheme of Carpenter’s career,Assault on Precinct 13marked his first time flexing his gift for building claustrophobic atmospheres. Similarly, the siege premise of the film is something that Carpenter would later return to in films likeEscape From New York,Prince of Darkness,and evenGhosts of Mars. Perhaps the most remarkable thing aboutAssault on Precinct 13is that it doesn’tfeellike Carpenter is tinkering with all these things for the first time. He plays the suspense like a seasoned pro and stages the action in an impressively coherent manner. You also may never approach an ice cream truck the same way again.
1.Starman(1984)
One of Carpenter’s most underrated films is this touching fish-out-of-water romance about grief. Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen) awakens one night to find an alien baby in her living room. When the alien suddenly grows and takes the form of her recently deceased husband (Jeff Bridges), Jenny promises to drive from Wisconsin to Arizona to reunite the alien with its kind. Along the way, their road trip is interrupted by the pursuit of government officials keen on capturing the alien.
This might be the film in Carpenter’s filmography that sticks out like a sore thumb the most. Aside from the transformation scene, which remains remarkably disturbing in its practical effects usage, this film is all about sentimentality and heartfelt emotions. There’s a charm to seeing Jeff Bridges act like he’s learning the English language for the first time, and the off-kilter blend of the lead pair surprisingly never undercuts the emotion. As Jenny teaches the alien what it means to be human, she simultaneously relearns what made her life worth living in the first place. It’s a deeply touching emotional arc, and a John Carpenter film sounds like the last place you’d expect to find it, let alone find it working.
