Friday, March 23, 2007

The John Carpenter Effect: A Blog-A-Thon


A few months back I wrote about how Grindhouse is nothing more than a flat out tribute to John Carpenter. You can read about it here. And that got me thinking... how many other things has John Carpenter influenced? The guy writes his own stuff, directs it, writes the music, and even sometimes edits it. There's no doubt he has paved the way for modern horror and numerous remakes, but he's also directed biopics and westerns.

So on the days after the opening of Grindhouse April 9th-11th (I'm not stepping on The Bleeding Trees Trashy Movie Blog-A-Thon), I ask you to write about John Carpenter's influence during The John Carpenter Effect: A Blog-A-Thon. Could be on music. On movies. On cartoons. On comic books. On bad hair. Whatever.

Spread the word. It's short notice. Show John Carpenter a little love.

8 comments:

Charlie said...

Piper,

Seriously, are you trying to piss me off?

Charlie said...

Ok, the John Carpenter effect…..

In one line…MOVE ON! The effect John Carpenter has had on movies is to know when enough of a good thing and move the fuck on! Seriously, I thought this guy was dead. Like much of the 1980’s, Carpenter was good. A little hoaky and cheesy at times, but decent. His music, which he proudly tells he did his own music for his movies, is about four basic chords that any idiot with a Casio Keyboard could do. The effect John Carpenter has here is, “spend the extra dough and hire Randy Newman!”

The problem is Carpenter went the way of M.C. Hammer, Parachute Pants, Members Only Jackets and most of the other things from the 1980s. Oh, like those things, he tried to hang on to the good old glory days, but the fact is also like those things it was impossible to hold on. Unlike those things however, Carpenter refused to go away and gave us some great film works like “Village of the Damned!” (Seriously, afterbirth was better than this. At least with afterbirth it meant a new life had been born. With Village of the Damned, it just meant life had been taken. Carpenter still owes me two fucking hours of my life!) Carpenter’s effect, at the time was good. Not great, but good. Did he change the face of Hollywood? Oh, I know Piper will say he did, but I will argue no more than other great directors like Stephan King, Brett Ratner and Joel Schumacher.

Sorry Piper! What effect did Carpenter have on Hollywood…..Well, about the same effect a baby had on a diaper!

EP

Neil Sarver said...

Thanks for not stepping on mine.

I'm still annoyed that I'll have to think something up for this, though. Hmmm...

PIPER said...

Jesus Elijah,

Calm down.

Save your thoughts for the Blog A Thon. Or don't.

Like I said before, you and I differ on Carpenter and well, this is my blog, so...

And like it or not, Carpenter still has an effect on what goes on today whether you want to admit it or not.

PIPER said...

Neil,

I would love your participation. I'm currently picking my most trashy movie to write about for your blog a thon

Anonymous said...

Wait, Jesus and Elijah were the same person?! (get it?)

Seriously though, it looks like Elijah's the one who needs to "MOVE ON!"

I don't know much Carpenter, but maybe I can catch up before the 'thon....

PIPER said...

Yeah, I felt like I got a little biblical there. Jesus, Elijah, Mary and Joseph. Didn't necessarily intend that.

Charlie said...

Piper,

The my name has no biblica significance, however, I appreciate the compliment. I expect more than that out of you Piper.

As for calming down, hey what can I say. I was jacked up on Red Bull, Ring Dings and HoHos!

Pacheco...trust me, once you get to know Carpenter, you'll se what I'm talking about!

We'll talk soon....

EP