Quintessential horror movie director John Carpenter is a truefilm auteur—a writer, director, composer, producer, editor, and actor—whoseunique and inspired work has brought him the praise and admiration of filmcritics and horror cultists alike. He is both the product of and an importantparticipant in the American filmmaking tradition, and the intelligent, moody,and strange films with which his name is so quickly associated are sometimessimply Westerns in disguise. Essentially, a lively, candid interview withCarpenter, this book thoroughly discusses each of his films and covers hisbackground, his inspirations, and his ups and downs in Hollywood. Among themany and varied subjects that pop up are his Bible Belt childhood, Germanexpressionism, Howard Hawks, John Wayne, The King, Barbra Streisand, MichaelMyers, Kurt Russell, Stephen King, quantum physics, and attractive femaleextras. Included are exclusive still photographs, a filmography, and a Forewordby Halloween III director Tommy LeeWallace. Among Carpenter’s films are Dark Star, Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13,The Fog, Escape FromNew York, The Thing, Christine, Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness, They Live, Village of the Damned, Inthe Mouth of Madness, and EscapeFrom L.A. In addition to penning most ofthe screenplays for the films he has directed, he co-wrote The Eyesof Laura Mars.