John Carpenter Page 2:  The Sequel
Yes, i bring you more about this genius of a man!  Since i started  my initial page on John Carpenter i have seen and acquired more of his films, but when i came to add them to the original page, i realised i didn't really have the space.  So i thought 'what the hey i just do another page!'  Cos i have a bit more room, the quick reviews are more detailed than the prior ones and i apoligise if the pics take a while to load (i tried to make them smaller without lossing to much of the actual picture).  If you click on the movie poster for 'In The Mouth Of Madness' below it'll take you to the official John Carpenter page, it's worth a look lotsa interesting stuff there, plus you can get sound clips from the films.
Memoirs Of An Invisible Man (1992)

Stars Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah and Sam Neill (yay!).  Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase) is a business man whos goes to a conference rather hung over.  He sneaks off to take a quick nap and a chain of events are sparked that lead to him becoming invisible.  When some government agents learn about this they, to put it simply, set out to hunt him down when he escapes their grasp, in the hope to use him for certain spying tasks.  Then just to add a little twist to the plot we get some romance thrown into the tale in the form of Alice (Daryl Hannah).  Not Carpenters greatest film, but a watchable one never the less and you've gotta love the SFX in this film and the rather clever way in which Nick fools the government agent at the end.
Little bit of movie trivia for ya here, Carpenter actually did a cameo in this film as the helicopter pilot and he actually flew the helicopter!
Village Of The Damned (1995)

This film has some good gory moments (bloke on the BBQ).  Based on the book 'The Midwich Cookoos' by JohnWyndham.  Everyone in a small village blacks out for a period of time and just as suddenly wake up, most of them unharmed.  But soon they discover that all the women in the village are pregnent.  When the children are born they're ...well scary and behave rather oddly, them start killing people and making big plans.  Stars Christopher Reeves and Kirstie Alley and Carpenter makes a cameo as a guy at a gas station phone, credited as Rip Haight
In The Mouth Of Madness (1995)

I love this film with a capital L.  I orginally saw it very late on night (about 2am) on tv and hunted for months afterwards to find it on video, luckily i found it in a sale soon after.  Its wierd, thought provoking, confusing, obscure and twisted.  You won't get it all the first time you watch it, but thats what helps make it a film you want to watch over and over again.
It stars Sam Neill (i adore this guy, he's just such a fantosstic actor and not bad for a man of his age) whos an insurance fraud investiagtor.  Stutter Cane is a horror writer whos a worldwide phenomenon, everyone loves his books, and are awaiting the arrival of his new book 'In The Mouth Of Madness'.  But Canes disappeared and John Trent (Sam Neill) is sent in to investigate and find Cane.  His search leads him on a path of VERY twisted events which lead to a classic Carpenter ending, one that leaves us with no promises that everything gonna be alright and no closure.
Carpenter also used some very different techniques in comparision to what you expect from him i.e. the narrative being in one long flashback.  It's based upon the works of  H.P Lovecraft and its just brilliant, definately one of Carpenters best movies (My second favourite, after Halloween)
Escape From L.A. (1996)

Sequel to 'Escape from New York' and if we're honest its your typical sequel, never matches the first one.  Its still a good entertaining, 'no brainer',fun, popcorn movie, thats fun to watch for the pretty explosions and action but its just WAY too cheesy.  I understand Snake is like an action hero sorta figure but he crosses the line of perfection (is there nothing this man can't do!?!?!) 
This time however Snake is being sent into L.A., which got cut off from America by an earthquake in 2000.  Snake has once again been captured and in exchange for his freedom must brave the rough streets of L.A. and recover an important piece of equipment stolen from the US government by the presidents daughter.  Ya know he's gonna do it, but it's fun watchin him blow everything up in the process.
A good game to play while watchin this film is spot as many well known actors as you can, some include:  Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, A.J Langer and Steve Buscemi.
To go back to the home page click on this little button to the left.
" In France, i'm an auteur.  In England, i'm a horror movie director.  In Germany, i'm a film-maker.  In the US, i'm a bum.' - words from the man himself.
That bit where Linda Styles (Julie Carmen) swallows the car keys.  Little did you realise its really pasta!!! (apparently it tasted mingin!)