5 Iconic John Carpenter Horror Movies To Watch This October
John Carpenter is a living legend, a fact that is not up for debate. We all know this and have various films helmed by him that made us the way we are. Which is why Halloween month belongs to him and his co-creation, Michael Myers. While many lists are going to rank the icon’s most popular movies, I decided to do something different.
As this is one of my last streaming guides for Dread Central, I’m giving you my five current favorite Carpenter films. Some of these shaped me as a youth. Others I grew to love. One of them, I was super late to the game for, but I am now a little obsessed with it. However, all of them slap and are reasons why Carpenter is a master of horror. Without further ado, allow me to tell you what to watch one last time.
Christine
Where You Can Watch: HBO Max and Tubi
A nerd starts to change after buying a car with a mind of its own. No one can resist the pull of a John Carpenter-helmed Stephen King adaptation. Whether you’re a fan of cars or cursed objects, you have probably watched Christine a few times.
This film, and the book it is based on, has grown on me over the years. Maybe it’s because Keith Gordon and John Stockwell were precious babies who keep drawing me in for rewatches. It might be that I associate “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood & The Destroyers with the end credits. Or, perhaps, it’s the fact that Carpenter really made this car look like a sexy and cool menace. Whatever the case, or cases, may be, I’m happy it won me over. We might never see a car as vicious again. I dream of seeing it on a big screen someday.
The Fog
Where You Can Watch: The Roku Channel
A mysterious fog envelopes a small coastal town in Northern California. Soon after, residents find themselves fighting supernatural foes seeking revenge. The unholy union of John Carpenter and Debra Hill led to many timeless horror movies. However, this one is fun and cool in a way that is beyond words. That’s in large part because Carpenter and Hill knew what sent tingles down the spines of horror fans. It also doesn’t hurt that Carpenter directed the hell out of this movie. Sure, some people might show up because of names like Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Janet Leigh. However, I rewatch it because it reminds me that horror films that came before me were fun, frightening, and endearing. They weren’t made with a lot of money, but the creativity flowed, and that is why they still hold up today.
Body Bags (Co-directed with Tobe Hooper)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+, Fandango at Home, Peacock, Philo, Plex, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Sling TV, The Roku Channel, and Tubi
A horror anthology unfolds in a morgue as a mysterious figure shares three terrifying tales. I finally hit play on John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper’s film a couple of months ago. I was immediately sad that I didn’t take this ride earlier in life. As someone who loves anthologies and watching icons live their nerdiest life, this was right up my alley. A young Carpenter himself plays our guide, the Coroner. Hooper also makes an appearance, credited as Morgue Worker. Between them and so many beloved actors, this movie feels like a who’s who of genre royalty. However, the Pasty-Faced Man played by Wes Craven is who stole my heart and made me lean forward. To make things even better, the segment he appears in is called ‘Unleaded’ and sees Alex Datcher as a Black final girl. For all these reasons, Body Bags is my third favorite Carpenter film.
The Thing
Where You Can Watch: AMC+ and Peacock
A shape-shifting alien hunts a research team stranded in Antarctica. The Thing is one of the few remakes that surpasses its predecessor. That’s how good this script is and how powerful John Carpenter’s direction is. This movie is a banger from top to bottom and has shared the number one spot in my Carpenter rankings since I was a child. The practical effects are chef’s kiss. The feeling of paranoid dread is palpable. Even before you get to the end moment we have all been arguing about forever, this movie is cinematic gold in too many ways to comprehend. Kurt Russell and Keith David have had long careers, but I bet this is one of the movies you think of first when you see them. The importance of The Thing in the history of film cannot be overstated.
Halloween
Where You Can Watch: AMC+ and Plex
Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to his hometown to finish a murder spree he started fifteen years earlier. The night he came home changed the slasher game, and that is why it shares the number one slot in my John Carpenter favorites. This movie imprinted on me as a kid, so much so that Michael was my imaginary friend for a stint. Carpenter and Debra Hill fully snapped with this script. Carpenter on the keyboard and helming this scary moment elevated it to the next level.
While I have a soft spot for all of the original franchise entries, this is the best Halloween film that has ever been made. It’s not even close. This indie movie reinvented the wheel and introduced so many of us to the late Donald Pleasence. May we all create something so important someday.
Do we have overlap in our favorite John Carpenter films? Or is your hit list completely different? Find me either way on Bluesky.
Categorized: Editorials Streaming Guides
