John Carpenter Biography
Born: January 16, 1948
Date of Birth: January 16, 1948
"In France I'm an auteur; in Germany a filmmaker; in England, UK a genrefilm director; in USA a bum." - John Carpenter
Hailing from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Carpenter always had a deep interest in filmmaking and started making short fantasy films at the age of eight. The son of a music professor, Carpenter attended Western Kentucky University, only to drop out years later to enrol in film school at the University of Southern California.
While at film school he made over 12 short films and became acquainted with Dan O'Bannon. The two received a $1,000 grant to create Dark Star. The low-budget film was released in 1974 and became a cult hit.
While still in school, he co-wrote the short film, The Resurrection of Bronco Billy, which won an Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Live Action).
After completing his education, he started filming his third feature, Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). Two years later he completed his first masterpiece, Halloween. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, the film was made on a shoestring budget and ended up raking in over $60 million internationally, becoming the top-grossing independent film of its time. The film he wrote, directed and scored became a cult classic and spawned five sequels.
In the early '80s, Carpenter could do no wrong, releasing hit after hit including Escape from New York, The Thing, Christine, Starman and Big Trouble in Little China. He continued to work on all aspects of filmmaking including directing, composing, writing, producing and even a little bit of acting.
But the success didn't last, and through the next decade, he created a number of box office flops including They Live, Memoirs of the Invisible Man and Village of the Damned.
Continuing to create horror and sci-fi films with his personal flair, Carpenter completed Vampires in 1998. The film garnered him his second Saturn Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy, for Best Music.
It also won awards for his cast and crew, and nominated him for a Bram Stoker Award.
Carpenter has been married twice, first to actress Adrienne Barbeau for five years, then to current wife, producer Sandy King in 1990.
Filmography (director):
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Vampires (1998)
Escape from L.A. (1996)
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
Village of the Damned (1995)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
They Live (1988)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Starman (1984)
Christine (1983)
The Thing (1982)
Escape from New York (1981)
The Fog (1980)
Halloween (1978)
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Dark Star (1973)
Warrior and the Demon (1969)
Filmography (writing):
Halloween: The Homecoming (2001)
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Escape from L.A. (1996)
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Halloween 5 (1989)
They Live (1988)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Black Moon Rising (1986)
Halloween II (1981)
Escape from New York (1981)
The Fog (1980)
Halloween (1978)
Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Dark Star (1973)
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy (1970)
Filmography (composer):
Halloween: The Homecoming (2001)
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Vampires (1998)
Escape from L.A. (1996)
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Village of the Damned (1995)
Halloween 5 (1989)
They Live (1988)
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Christine (1983)
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Halloween II (1981)
Escape from New York (1981)
The Fog (1980)
Halloween (1978)
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Dark Star (1973)
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy (1970)