The 7 Best John Carpenter Movies, Ranked

Every movie genre has a few creative masterminds behind it. For the Western, it was innovative filmmakers like John Ford and Howard Hawks. For science fiction, it was mainstream pioneers like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. For horror, said name can be found in the looming shadow of John Carpenter – the larger-than-life director behind such renowned films as The Thing, Halloween, and Escape from New York.

A prolific writer, director, and musical composer, Carpenter quickly gained a cult reputation for his kitschier B-movies by the late 1970s. In the decades that followed, Carpenter routinely proved his deft handling of various cinematic genres, from stylized ‘80s action movies to claustrophobic sci-fi horror films. Regardless of the genre he worked within, though, Carpenter always managed to weave in a sense of organic originality into each of his movies, contributing to their iconic status as beloved fan-favorite films today.

7. Dark Star (1974)

Carpenter’s earliest full-length effort also shows off the director’s hands-on approach to every aspect of his feature-length films. With a soundtrack and screenplay personally provided by the young Carpenter, Dark Star brilliantly illustrates Carpenter’s technical versatility as a multi-faceted filmmaker. At the same time, the film also displays Carpenter’s unrelenting creativity as a narrative storyteller, eloquently combining comedy with high-concept space opera tropes and stereotypes.

6. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

The film that helped launch Carpenter to new heights in the film industry, Assault on Precinct 13 acts as a stylized remake of Howard Hawks’ well-loved Western, Rio Bravo (a favorite film of Carpenter’s). Transposing Hawks’ premise from a dusty Western town to the mean streets of modern day Los Angeles, Assault on Precinct 13 succeeds as a hard-boiled action film first and foremost. Introducing a far grittier aesthetic than most audiences were used to seeing at the time, Assault on Precinct 13 leaves viewers dazed, bewildered, yet thoroughly entertained by its action-heavy plot line.

5. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Given his penchant for regularly molding conflicting genres together, it shouldn’t be surprising that Carpenter once again tossed two disparate genres together in his 1986 cult classic, Big Trouble in Little China. Borrowing elements of a martial arts movie and a traditional ‘80s comedy, Big Trouble in Little China delivers as many laughs as it does genuine thrills. Relying on the comedic range of Kurt Russell and his supporting cast members, Big Trouble in Little China is bound to leave most viewers grinning from ear to ear with its infectious humor and hilariously over-the-top action sequences.

4. They Live (1988)

Far and away the most political of Carpenter’s movies, They Live thrives as its own unique attack against ‘80s-era consumerism and a fast-growing materialist society. Reinventing the idea of a stereotypical alien invasion, They Live used more heavy-handed satirical humor to spoof the classic sci-fi landscape. Funny and thought-provoking at the same time, They Live’s topical themes, witty humor, and explosive action establish it as one of Carpenter’s most ceaselessly enjoyable films.

3. Escape from New York (1981)

To this day, Escape from New York might just serve as one of the most creative action movies of the 1980s. Piecing together his own self-contained dystopian universe, Carpenter created a masterful action piece with his work on Escape from New York, providing a nightmarish look at a world ravaged by rampant criminality. With a wispy-voiced Kurt Russell handing in a memorable performance as former Special Forces soldier Snake Plissken, Escape from New York naturally captures viewers’ attention the moment the opening credits start to roll.

2. The Thing (1982)

Before Among Us caused us all to doubt our friendships and worry about potential murderers hiding around every corner, Carpenter presented a similarly tense atmosphere with his 1982 classic, The Thing. Lambasted by critics upon its initial release, The Thing has since acquired a highly respected place in pop culture history, thanks in large part to its riveting special effects and suspenseful main narrative. 

Like all the best whodunit mysteries, The Thing forces us to pay close attention to its central storyline, leaving plenty of room for audience debate and interpretation regarding who’s an alien, who’s human, and who’s simply lost their mind with paranoid delusions about their fellow researchers.

1. Halloween (1978)

There may have been a few earlier entries in the slasher subgenre, but with 1978’s Halloween, Carpenter laid the groundwork for the entire slasher craze that followed in its wake. Drawing inspiration from movies like Psycho, Peeping Tom, and Black Christmas, Carpenter constructed his own sensational piece of horror with his breakout work on Halloween. Mocked, parodied, and directly referenced in countless movies, TV shows, comic books, and video games, it’s a lasting pillar of the slasher movement, inspiring everything from Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.