A master of both horror and action, John Carpenter has been experiencing a bit of a resurgence in popularity as of late. With the wildly successful revival of his slasher franchise Halloween Kills in October, Carpenter's influence appears to be here to stay.
Throughout the years, many directors have taken inspiration from Carpenter's restrained style. Many have also pulled from his pitch-perfect, foreboding music, as well as his tendency to allow a narrative to unfold in a single location. From old 1980s favorites to the work of current directors like Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong), John Carpenter's influence can be felt all over genre cinema.
Friday The 13th (1980)
Released just two years after Carpenter's seminal Halloween (1978) became a box office phenomenon, Screenrant, if Halloween didn't exist, neither would Friday the 13th.
The plot follows a group of counselors arriving at Camp Crystal Lake to begin re-opening the site. Unaware that someone is lurking in the woods and around the corners, they begin to fall one by one.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Carpenter's affinity for having his narratives unfold in an isolated location was a very clear influence on Tarantino. He's gone on to it that several of his films—with the first being The Thing (1982).
Six bank robbers carry out a job only to find themselves ratted out. At their designated warehouse meeting place, they squabble amongst each other in increasingly intense fashion, culminating in a bloodbath.
Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007)
Another example of Carpenter's influence on Tarantino, Escape from New York and Assault on Precinct 13 on its sleeve.
The plot follows two separate groups of women's interactions with the murderous Stuntman Mike (Russell) and his modified death machine of a car. With the latter group, Mike might finally lose his upper hand.
Attack The Block (2011)
Joe Cornish's directorial debut, the science fiction comedy Attack the Block, was inspired by Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13. He told The Quietus that his intention was to craft a similarly "lean, mean and stripped-down minimalist siege movie... also has a strong sociological subtext."
Critics and fans took to Cornish's emulation of Carpenter. Attack the Block has gone on to be a cult classic not unlike the works of Carpenter himself.
Lockout (2012)
The swiftly forgotten sci-fi actioner Lockout is so reminiscent of Carpenter's Escape from New York that it could be called an outright remake. In fact, according to Escape from L.A.
The plot follows Snow—played by a Guy Pearce trying on his Kurt Russell—a wrongly convicted government agent who has been promised freedom if he saves the president's daughter. First, he must travel to the outer-space facility where she's being kept. Unfortunately, the facility is a prison for 500 dangerous criminals.
It Follows (2014)
It Follows features little bits of Carpenter spliced throughout its DNA, and it couldn't work any better. With Carpenter's visual style and penchant for tension building, David Robert Mitchell's film feels very much like it could have been directed by the man himself.
The plot follows Jay, a young woman who has recently lost her virginity. The young man she's with knocks her out, ties her up, and informs her of her newfound peculiar situation. An unstoppable force of an antagonist (Halloween) that only some can see (ambiguous nature in It Follows is also reminiscent of The Thing.
The Guest (2014)
You're Next (2011), features a comparable balance between action and horror. Both of these films strive for a retro vibe and accomplish the difficult task in full measure. In the end, Wingard's film stands as an effective, restrained play on John Carpenter's seminal creation: Michael Myers.
The Peterson's think it's a blessing when a mysterious soldier arrives on their doorstep, claiming to have known their recently deceased son, Caleb. When mysterious murders begin occurring all around town, Caleb's sister, Anna (Maika Monroe), suspects the soldier is capable of more than he's letting on.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) was the direct inspiration for Quentin Tarantino while writing feature intentionally similar, stunning scores by Ennio Morricone.
A veteran, a bounty hunter, and his prisoner all stop into the isolated Minnie's Haberdashery to avoid an impending blizzard. There, they find others, but not everyone may be who they say they are.
Midnight Special (2016)
Jeff Nichols' Starman were made into "Starboy." The films' tones strike a fairly similar tone: one very different from the remainder of Carpenter's oeuvre.
Roy Tomlin (Michael Shannon) must protect his very special son from government agents and religious extremists in this obscure but great 2016 sci-fi film.
Green Room (2016)
Jeremy Saulnier is another up-and-coming director who emulates many Carpenter traits. The color tone alone that is present in movie's punk rock theme also harkens back to Carpenter films such as They Live and Escape from New York.
The plot follows a punk rock band as they play a gig at an isolated club. After witnessing a murder, they must fight their way through the true owners of the club.
