Ranking John Carpenter’s nine science‑fiction films

Movieweb published a ranking of every John Carpenter sci‑fi movie, noting the director made nine films in the genre and that it has been 15 years since he last made a movie. The piece ranges from celebrated works to commercial flops: The Thing (1982), based on John W. Campbell Jr.’s 1938 novella, is praised for its creature effects and was later reassessed as one of Carpenter’s best; Starman (1984) earned Jeff Bridges an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe nod for its score; Escape From New York (1981) was written in reaction to Watergate, received four Saturn Award nominations and influenced William Gibson.

By contrast, Village of the Damned (1995) was a box‑office failure, Escape from L.A. (1996) underperformed and felt like a self‑parody, and Ghosts of Mars (2001) has poor effects despite cult status. The article also notes Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) was initially intended for Ivan Reitman and that Carpenter told Variety the production left him saying, "It was a horror show" and that he "really wanted to quit the business after that movie." They Live (1988), based on Ray Nelson’s 1963 short story, is highlighted for its political edge and a memorable five‑and‑a‑half‑minute alley fight; Dark Star (1974) is identified as Carpenter’s feature debut and has been called a "masterpiece" by Quentin Tarantino.

Key Topics

Culture, John Carpenter, The Thing, Starman, They Live, Dark Star