john carpenter Archives - Movies In Focus

Behind The Scenes: John Carpenter & Chevy Chase On The Set Of MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN

Slick and glossy, 1992’s Memoirs Of An Invisible Man gave John Carpenter his biggest ever budget ($40 million), but it also gave him a lot of limitations. The film, based on the novel by H. F. Saint, deals with many of the director’s usual [...]

April 23, 2021

Notebook Reviews: John Carpenter’s GHOSTS OF MARS

John Carpenter – 2001 Ghosts Of Mars might not be one of John Carpenter‘s best films – but its definitely far from the worst (I’m looking at you, Escape From New L.A.). This sci-fi seige movie is a semi-remake of the great [...]

March 22, 2021

The Mighty Kurt Russell

The mighty Kurt Russell turned 70 years old on 17 March 2021. The iconic actor has had a long and varied career, starring in a variety of beloved cult classics and out-right global blockbusters. Russell brings a laid-back, blue-collar vibe to his [...]

March 17, 2021

Uncovering Curiosities: Johannes Roberts’ STORAGE 24

Take a measure of John Carpenter mixed spice (The Thing, Assault On Precinct 13), add a touch of Alien, a pinch of Shaun of the Dead and a smidgen of Die Hard, bring to the boil and rest. Now, get ready to serve-up Storage 24. Director Johannes [...]

March 6, 2021

Uncovering Curiosities: Paul Campion’s THE DEVIL’S ROCK

The horror genre is frequently looked down on by film critics. It can often be exploitative, cheap and nasty – three things that if done right can be quite a thrill for an audience. However, it’s a difficult juggling act to get right, meaning [...]

March 5, 2021

Uncovering Curiosities: Donald G. Jackson & R.J. Kizer’s HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN

Hell Comes To Frogtown is a cult 1988 straight-to-video actioner starring wrestler (Rowdy) Roddy Piper. Is it high art? No, far from it – but it is an enjoyable slice of ‘80s cheese. Piper plays Sam Hell, a bad-ass wandering the wastelands of a [...]

February 9, 2021

Uncovering Curiosities: Michael & Shawn Rasmussen’s DARK FEED

The low-budget arena is where the horror genre works best. Michael and Shawn Rasmussen used their lack of finances to make 2013’s Dark Feed, an old-fashioned chiller that puts tension before gore. Dark Feed uses the tried and test [...]

February 7, 2021

Notebook Reviews: ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13

John Carpenter – 1976 John Carpenter‘s Assault On Precinct 13 is a taught and well-made thriller. This low budget siege film is hugely entertaining and a masterclass in tension. Assault On Precinct 13 is one of Carpenter’s finest [...]

January 22, 2021

Behind The Scenes Image From 1951’s THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD

John W. Campbell Jr’s 1938 novella Who Goes There? (originally published under the pseudonym, Don. A. Stuart) was the basis for the 1951 RKO Picture, The Thing From Another World. The plot sees US Air Force men and scientists defending [...]

December 29, 2020

We Don’t Need A New Sequel To THE EXORCIST

Word from The Observer is that Blumhouse Productions and Morgan Creek are developing a sequel to The Exorcist with David Gordon Green. The news comes after Green’s 2018 sequel to Halloween grossed more than $255 million globally and [...]

December 22, 2020

Notebook Reviews: VAMPIRES

John Carpenter – 1998 John Carpenter‘s Vampires might not be as good as some of his early classics like Escape From New York, The Thing or Big Trouble In Little China but it’s still solid fun. The Tex-Mex setting echoes From [...]

December 13, 2020

Uncovering Curiosities: Dick Maas’ SINT

Sint (Saint) is a Dutch horror film that sees an evil Saint Nicholas descending on Amsterdam bringing death and terror, rather than the usual festive gifts. This 2010 Christmas-set horror comes from writer/director Dick Maas. Maas re-imagines the [...]

December 7, 2020