Through the Lens - John Carpenter

Escape From New York (1981)

The first of John Carpenter’s collaborations with Kurt Russell for the big screen came in the form of Escape from New York. Written in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Carpenter channelled the U.S.A’s growing cynicism into a dystopian action picture that was responsible for the birth of a cult icon - Snake Plissken. Sent on a daring mission to rescue the President from Manhattan Island, now a maximum security prison, Plissken fights his way through the factions that have taken over in a race against time.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Inspired by the Shaw Brothers films of the early 70s, Big Trouble in Little China saw John Carpenter return with another action number, this time taking place on the opposite coast in San Francisco. Kurt Russell bumbles through the Chinatown underworld, facing foe after foe, trying to help rescue his friend’s fiance. Flipping the saviour trope on its head, Carpenter’s penchant for subverting audience's expectations results in a comedic, kung fu delight.

Halloween (1978)

In the most infamous of his works, Halloween has Carpenter firing on all cylinders from script to score. Featuring a star-making performance from a young Jamie Lee Curtis, Carpenter brings the terror out of the city streets and into the heart of small-town America in this genre defining classic. Making full use of the anamorphic aspect ratio, the legendary Michael Myers haunts the edges of the frame, launching a franchise that’s now thirteen films deep.

The Thing (1982)

Arguably the Apex of John Carpenter’s and Kurt Russell’s collaborations, this once panned remake of ‘The Thing from Another World’ has since been revised as one Carpenter’s best. When a group of scientists stranded in a research station come into contact with an alien organism, all trust breaks down, leaving them to fend for themselves. With its bleak outlook and ice cold soundtrack from revered composer Ennio Morricone, The Thing’s Antarctic nightmare is just as scary today as it was upon its release.

They Live (1988)

Written in response to the consumerism of the Reagan era, They Live gave birth to the strain of science fiction film that would take over the 1990s. Posing the idea that ‘the world is not as it seems’, John Carpenter’s satire is at its most biting here. Nada, played by wrestling superstar “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, comes across a pair of sunglasses that reveal the subliminal messaging all around him. With his extraordinary visual storytelling skills, Carpenter sells the audience on high contempt ideas with the same immediacy as the billboards and street signs in the film.

Through the Lens - John Carpenter

Escape From New York (1981)

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Halloween (1978)

The Thing (1982)

They Live (1988)

Join us at The Light to celebrate just a handful of John Carpenter’s seminal works as they were meant to be seen on the big screen. Running from 10th October - 13th November 2025 during our Halloween season, there’s never been a better time to revisit these genre classics.