John Carpenter
Known for Directing · 125 credits
- Born
- 1948-01-16 (age 78)
- Place of birth
- Carthage, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Martin Quatermass · Frank Armitage · John T. Chance · Rip Haight · John Howard Carpenter · ジョン・カーペンター
Biography
An American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor.
Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.
Most films in Carpenter's career were initially commercial and critical failures, with the notable exceptions of Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and Starman (1984).
However, many of Carpenter's films from the 1970s and the 1980s have come to be viewed as cult classics, and he has been acknowledged as an influential filmmaker. Cult classics that Carpenter directed include: Dark Star (1974), Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), The Thing (1982), Christine (1983), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Prince of Darkness (1987), They Live (1988) and In the Mouth of Madness (1995).
His films are characterized by minimalist lighting and photography, static cameras, use of steadicam, and distinctive synthesized scores. Carpenter is also notable for having composed or co-composed most of the music of his films; some of them are now considered cult as well, with the main theme of Halloween being considered a part of popular culture. His music is generally synthesized with accompaniment from piano and atmospherics. He released his first studio album Lost Themes in 2015, and also won a Saturn Award for Best Music for Vampires (1998).
Known For
TV Shows (14)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest
The Rifleman
1958
The Movies That Made Us
2019
as Self (Archival Footage)
Through the Night with...
2002
as Self
Crossbow
1987
The Real History of Science Fiction
2014
as Self
John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in L.A.
2024
as Self
The Director's Chair
2014
as Self
Charles Band’s Full Moon Freakshow
2022
100 Scariest Movie Moments
2004
as Self
100 Years of Horror
1996
as Self - Interview
A History of Horror
2010
as Self
Amityville: An Origin Story
2023
as Self
Track Stories
2015
as Self
Movies (111)
The Thing
1982
as Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
Halloween
1978
as Paul (voice) / Michael Myers (uncredited)
They Live
1988
as Voice That Says 'Sleep' (voice) (uncredited)
Escape from New York
1981
as Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player
Big Trouble in Little China
1986
as Worker in Chinatown (uncredited)
The Fog
1980
as Bennett
Starman
1984
as Man in Helicopter (uncredited)
Studio 666
2022
as Engineer
Dark Star
1974
as Talby Voice
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
1992
as Helicopter Pilot
Assault on Precinct 13
1976
as Gang Member (uncredited)
Village of the Damned
1995
as Man at Gas Station Phone
Body Bags
1993
as Coroner
The Silence of the Hams
1994
as Trenchcoat Man / Gimp
The Boy Who Could Fly
1986
as The Coupe de Villes
In Search of Tomorrow
2022
as Self - Interviewee
I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not
2025
as Self (archive footage)
The Thing Expanded
2026
as Self
In Search of Darkness: Part II
2020
as Self
Why Horror?
2014
as Self
The Perfect Scary Movie
2005
as Self
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
1994
as Self
Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film
2006
as Self
Partners in Crime: Hitchcock's Collaborators
2008
as Self
Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters
2024
as Self
In Search of Darkness
2019
as Self
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
2020
as (archive footage)
The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style
2009
as Self
In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy
2008
as Self
Tales from the Script
2009
as Self
Red Desert Nights: Making Ghosts of Mars
2001
as Self
In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994
2024
as Self
In Search of Darkness: Part III
2022
as Self
Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions
2017
as Self - Filmmaker
Scream and Scream Again: A History of the Slasher Film
2000
as Self
An Opera of Violence
2003
as Self - Filmmaker
Stephen King's World of Horror
1989
as Self
The American Nightmare
2000
as Self
Hollywood's Creepiest Creatures
2004
as Self
The History of Metal and Horror
2021
as Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
2006
as Self
Halloween: The Inside Story
2010
as Self
Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX
2008
as Self
Halloween: 25 Years of Terror
2006
as Self
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
2006
as Self
Masters of Horror
2002
as Self
In Search of Darkness: 1995-1999
2025
as Self
Hollywood's Greatest Villains
2005
as Self
John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies
2004
as Self
Bloodsucking Cinema
2007
as Self
Working with a Master: John Carpenter
2006
as Self (archive footage)
Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven'
2000
as Self
Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
2003
as Self
Charlie Brown: Blockhead's Revenge
2011
as Self/Host
Tales from the Mist: Inside 'The Fog'
2002
as Self
Nightmare Factory
2011
as Self
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #4: Follow Your Own Star
2020
as Self
The Wages of Sin
2003
as Self - Filmmaker
It Takes a Village: The Making of Village of the Damned
2016
as Self
Halloween in Hollywood
2022
as Self
Something to Do with Death
2003
as Self - Filmmaker
Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror
2001
as Self
Jean-Michel Jarre: A Journey into Sound
2015
as Self
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
2006
as Self
Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown
2008
as Self
Bernard Herrmann: Hitchcock's Maestro
2008
as Self
Fasten Your Seatbelt: The Thrilling Art of Alfred Hitchcock
2009
as Self
Big John
2006
as Self
Halloween: Unmasked
1999
as Self
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
2009
as Self
Christine: Finish Line
2004
as Self
1982: Hollywood Summer
2019
as Self
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
2000
as Self
Stephen King's World of Horror
1986
as Self
Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock
2008
as Self
Fear on Film: Inside 'The Fog'
1980
as Self
Christine: Fast and Furious
2004
as Self
First Works
1989
as Self
Christine: Ignition
2004
as Self
The Rise of the Synths
2019
as Narrator (voice)
After Sunset: The Life & Times of the Drive-In Theater
1995
as Self
Commemoration: Howard Hawks' 'Rio Bravo'
2007
as Self
Carpenter on Quatermass
2014
as Self
Monsterland
2009
as Self
Let There Be Light: The Odyssey of Dark Star
2010
as Himself (voice)
The Making of 'The Thing'
1982
as Self
Fear in the Dark
1991
as Self
Henchman: The Al Leong Story
2018
as Self
The Debra Hill Story
as Self
Full Moon Rising: The Charles Band Story
as Self
Scoring Resident Evil
2002
as Self (archive footage)
The Future of Fear
2011
as Self
Monstres, l'ennemi de l'intérieur
2017
as Self
Unmasking the Horror
1998
John Carpenter: Live Retrospective
2018
as Self
The Thing: Terror Takes Shape
1998
as Self
John Carpenter: Live At Primavera Sound 2016
2016
as Self - Keyboards
The Making of 'They Live'
1988
as Self
The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie
2012
as Self
The Puppet Man
2016
as The Taxi Driver
Bringing A Legend To Life
1979
as Himself
Do You Remember Laurie Zimmer?
2003
as Self (voice)
The Original Monster Mash
2011
as Self
Scary Girl
2011
Take One: Fear on Film
1982
as Self
Hidden Values: The Movies of the Fifties
2001
as Self
Horror Cafe
1990
as Self
Carpenter
2026
as Self (archive footage)
Return to 'Escape from New York'
2003
as Himself
Snake Plissken: Man of Honor
2005
as Self
John Carpenter: Live From Los Angeles - Halloween Night
as Self
About John Carpenter
An American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction. Most films in Carpenter's career were initially commercial and critical failures, with the notable exceptions of Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and Starman (1984). However, many of Carpenter's films from the 1970s and the 1980s have come to be viewed as cult classics, and he… With 125 credits spanning from 1958 to 2026, John Carpenter has appeared in 111 films and 14 TV shows.
Fans searching for John Carpenter movies, John Carpenter filmography, or the latest projects starring John Carpenter can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular John Carpenter Movies
- The Thing (1982) — as Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
- Halloween (1978) — as Paul (voice) / Michael Myers (uncredited)
- They Live (1988) — as Voice That Says 'Sleep' (voice) (uncredited)
- Escape from New York (1981) — as Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player
- Big Trouble in Little China (1986) — as Worker in Chinatown (uncredited)
Where to Watch John Carpenter Films
Most John Carpenter movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring John Carpenter, check our movies catalogue and browse page.