There is arguably no greater name synonymous with horror than director John Carpenter’s. On Friday, Oct. 13 (spooky!), the oft-proclaimed “master of horror” appeared to a jam-packed room of fans at New York Comic Con to reflect on his five-plus decade career.
Carpenter, known for his iconic contributions to the genre, directed films like “The Fog” (1980), “The Thing” (1981), and “They Live” (1985) among a slew of fan favorite titles across the sci-fi/horror spectrum. However, Carpenter’s most beloved and long-standing work is undoubtedly 1978’s “Halloween,” which he directed, co-wrote, and infamously scored. The theme song as well as the movie’s antagonist, Michael Myers, are instantly recognizable. The film is historically responsible for kicking off the slasher film craze of the 1980s, influencing several well received copycat films like “Friday the 13th” that aimed to capitalize on the success of Carpenter’s low budget masterpiece.
On the eve of his NYCC appearance (the considerably less spooky “Thursday the 12th), Carpenter was seen lounging behind the Storm Kings Comics booth in the shopping area of the convention where the legendary director declined to speak with The Free Press. “Can’t do it man,” he said.
Friday afternoon in a room on the fourth floor of the Javits Center, Carpenter was greeted with thunderous applause from an audience that had eagerly awaited him. He wasted no time in kicking off a Q&A session, prompting the audience to line up once again.
Much like the scope of Carpenter’s work, the audience and their questions were diverse in nature. He touched on subjects like his various films across different genres, his musical work which has appeared in his films and on stages across the country, Storm King Comic which Carpenter runs with his wife Sandy King, and more.
Some questions were more thought out than others. However, comedic, blunt, and at times sarcastic, Carpenter handled each question with a sense of sincerity and respect, taking time to address each individual wholeheartedly.
He reflected on how other films and filmmakers impacted him, like the 1959 film “The Fly” which still makes popcorn “fly out” of his lap. He recalled going to see famed director Orson Welles as a young film student. “He wanted to get some footage of students asking dumb questions,” he joked to the audience. He discussed the difference between making music and film, citing the latter as much more difficult. “There’s a lot of bullshit,” Carpenter said.
Some questions went unanswered. “Fuck, Marry, Kill: Michael Myers, The Thing, and the Beach Ball Alien from ‘Darkstar,’” The Free Press asked at the microphone. “God bless you son,” Carpenter told The Free Press.
Carpenter took a few more questions before cutting the Q&A a little early — he had a busy weekend of signing autographs and taking pictures with fans ahead. Carpenter joined a myriad of other guests in the autographing area including actors Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Ewan McGregor.
New York Comic Con, perhaps the area’s largest pop-culture convention since its inception in 2006, hosted an increasingly diverse array of programming this year, catering to fans of various genres of film, television, music, art, toys, and of course, comics. NYCC will return for its 18th year next October. How will they attempt to top hosting the “master of horror” John Carpenter? There’s only one way to find out.
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