Precinct 13: The Movies and Music of John Carpenter

We're back, and with quarantine still in place, we've had a lot of time on our hands. So, what a great opportunity to really soak up some instrumental John Carpenter compositions from his 2015 album Lost Themes! Track-by-track, Chris and Nick break down the album of all-original Carpenter music (none of which has been heard in his, or anyone else's, films), and it's a must-listen for those who love his iconic scoring work on movies such as Halloween and Assault on Precinct 13. We also recap some of our quarantine film viewing and discuss some of our favorite film composers of this generation -- many of whom have some distinctive John Carpenter influences of their own. (Apologies for the sound quality not being quite up to our usual standard -- Nick's mic crapped out, and he's pretty heartbroken about that -- but we'll be back at 100% by our next episode on Big Trouble in Little China!)

At long last, we're back in action to discuss John Carpenter's 1984 romantic sci-fi road movie Starman -- and we've brought along our ol' podcasting pal, Brian Verderosa, to help us sort through this very unique addition to the Carpenter canon. While the first decade of the director's career was marked by thrills, chills, and dark humor, with Starman, Carpenter shows his sentimental side; yes, there's an extraterrestrial visitor, here, but this movie is about as far from The Thing as it gets. Did your hosts find the film as heartwarming as it clearly intends to be? Did Jeff Bridges deserve the Oscar nomination that he earned for playing the title character? And, just what's up with those magical balls? All that and much, much more on the latest Precinct 13!

Buckle up and crank that old time rock 'n roll, Stephen King fans, because it's time to tackle John Carpenter's adaptation of the killer-car novel Christine. On this episode, King expert Josh Mosley joins Chris and Nick to discuss Carpenter's comeback film after the box-office disappointment of his magnum opus, The Thing. Is the cinematic Master of Horror up to the task of bringing King's wildly popular work to the screen? Or does the film, about a 50s-vintage Plymouth Fury that's as evil as it is beautiful, belong in the junk pile behind Darnell's garage? We have some thoughts on where this movie stands in both the Carpenter canon and the pantheon of Stephen King films, and we also run down some of Christine's most memorable moments -- much like Christine herself runs down anyone who crosses nerd-turned-badass Arnie Cunningham!

We're back to wrap up our two-part discussion of one of the all-time great Carpenter films, 1982's The Thing! This time around, we take a look at the film's chilling second half, from the infamous "defibrillator" sequence to the most terrifying blood test in movie history to the brilliant ending that drives home the film's themes of both apocalyptic despair and -- perhaps surprisingly -- sacrifice and brotherhood in the face of unimaginable evil. We also discuss the film's box-office disappointment and its effects on Carpenter's later career, as well as the much-deserved cult following that began to spring up as The Thing caught up with audiences in the VHS era. Even with a much-discussed remake on the horizon, this classic will always hold a special place in Chris and Nick's hearts (after all, man IS the warmest place to hide!), and we're excited to return to it one more time before tackling the rest of Carpenter's fascinating 1980s output.

It's the dead of winter, and what better movie to, er, celebrate the season with than Carpenter's snowbound sci-fi/horror masterpiece, The Thing? Chris and Nick have been eagerly anticipating the chance to discuss this film (Nick's favorite entry in the Carpenter canon), and on this episode, they tackle The Thing's origins, its themes of paranoia and isolation, and -- of course -- the incredible visual effects that can make even modern audiences squirm. This week's episode focuses on the first half of the film, where its bleak worldview, memorable cast of characters, and endlessly shape-shifting creature are established, and, next time around, we'll tackle the film's spectacular second half, the effect its release had on Carpenter's career, and the cult-classic status it took decades to develop. You knew we'd have a lot to say about this one, so bundle up and join us -- and, yes, we promise it's really us!

We just can't get enough of Snake Plissken here at Precinct 13, so this week, Nick and Chris are back to continue our discussion of Carpenter's 1981 classic Escape From New York. This time around, we discuss the film's casting (and what it might have been like without star Kurt Russell), explore some thematic ideas that link Escape to the previous entries in the Carpenter canon, take a look at critics' opinions of the film both then and now, and delve a bit further into the film's cinematography, production design, pacing, and -- of course -- that rockin' synth score (sorry, RedLetterMedia, but we love it!).

2020 is here, and as we kick off the new decade, it's time to tackle the amazing run of films that characterized John Carpenter's most successful decade of moviemaking. Guest co-host CoolRogRox joins Chris and Nick for the first half of our wide-ranging discussion of Escape from New York, the movie that introduced the world to Kurt Russell's all-time-great action antihero Snake Plissken. This week, we touch on everything from the film's almost comically bleak depiction of dystopian future America to its amazing poster art, innovative visual effects, who's who of regular Carpenter collaborators, and much, MUCH more. Strap on your favorite eyepatch, keep an eye out for landmines, and give it a listen!

The holidays have come, and... well, alright, John Carpenter's 1980 horror outing The Fog has absolutely nothing to do with this season, but who needs the holiday spirit when you've got vengeful spirits raising hell for Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, and an all-star cast of Carpenter regulars? Chris, Nick, and returning guest co-host Megan Mosely break down the supernatural thriller that marks something like an "official" follow-up to Halloween, features some of the finest cinematography and scoring in the entire Carpenter canon, and kicks off the filmmaker's most memorable decade in style. And, this being as close to a holiday special as we're going to get, we even take a moment to discuss what a John Carpenter Christmas film might look like. Check it out, have a wonderful holiday season, and we'll talk to you in 2020!

Chris and Nick check in to the Heartbreak Hotel for a discussion of John Carpenter's 1979 made-for-TV film Elvis, which marks the first collaboration between Carpenter and his ride-or-die leading man, Kurt Russell. Does Kurt have the chops to portray The King both as an up-and-coming young star AND as a middle-aged music icon who's well past his prime? Can Carpenter successfully pivot from innovative genre fare into much more conventional TV-movie territory? And, how excited are we to see Carpenter regular Charles Cyphers show up as the record producer who gives Elvis Presley his big break? Give this one a listen and find out, J.C. fans -- and, don't worry, it's a whole lot shorter than the movie!

We're switching things up a little bit this week, taking a step back from our discussion of Carpenter's film-directing career to focus on a 2017 album that showcases his talents as a composer. Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 features re-recorded and newly orchestrated versions of a large selection of classic Carpenter movie themes, with musical support from his son, Cody Carpenter, and godson, Daniel Davies. Chris and Nick break it all down track-by-track and discuss Carpenter's stylistic choices, his off-the-cuff way of composing, and his uncanny ability to conjure up atmosphere that's perfectly suited to his films.