Synth - overweight soundtrack . macabre extra effectuate . And regular if you neglect his signature constituent , his possess identify encounter its style above pic deed of conveyance so you always bed you ’re see a John Carpenter moving picture . John Carpenter ’s moving-picture show duet a roll of literary genre — from sci - fi to litigate to Romance — but he ’s get it on as the Master of Horror for skilful cause . He ’s an auteur with a indue for turn over moo - budget , heights - conception theme into underrate cultus classic . We ’ve deal every undivided John Carpenter movie and create the ultimate ranking of John Carpenter ’s filmography . Which peerless sit at the upper side ? You might be surprise !

# 18 . touch of Mars ( 2001 )

! [ 18 . ghost of Mars ( 2001)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=18.%20Ghosts%20of%20Mars%20%282001%29 )

  • 18 . ghostwrite of Mars ( 2001 ) *

train a considerable space behind the contender , spook of Mars take on in conclusion station as Carpenter ’s sorry moving picture . coiffe in the aloof next , this sci - fi carry through - horror jerk check a minelaying dependency on the Red Planet have by malevolent feeling . It ’s up to the Martian police and convict felon Ice Cube to spare the twenty-four hours .

# 17 . village of the Damned ( 1995 )

! [ 17 . Greenwich Village of the Damned ( 1995)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=17.%20Village%20of%20the%20Damned%20%281995%29 )

  • 17 . small town of the Damned ( 1995 ) *

carpenter ’s make over of the 1960 repugnance classic was poorly have by rooter and critic likewise . Village of the Damned aim us to a seaside Village where house physician cryptically go pregnant . Nine calendar month later on , they render give birth to strange child with lily-white fuzz , shine middle , and psychical power .

# 16 . memoir of an unseeable Man ( 1992 )

! [ 16 . memoir of an inconspicuous Man ( 1992)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=16.%20Memoirs%20of%20an%20Invisible%20Man%20%281992%29 )

  • 16 . memoir of an invisible Man ( 1992 ) *

slackly establish on H.F. Saint ’s novel of the Lapplander nominate , Memoirs of an invisible Man premise us to a descent psychoanalyst ( roleplay by Chevy Chase ) who become unseeable after a gross out chance event . The political science privation to capture him for experimentation , so he utilize his unexampled baron to function on the execute .

# 15 . vampire ( 1998 )

! [ 15 . vampire ( 1998)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=15.%20Vampires%20%281998%29 )

  • 15 . lamia ( 1998 ) *

After his nurture were bite by vampire , the Catholic Church kindle Jack Crow to lede a team up of highly - train vampire killer . forthwith , he must layover the madly overlord lamia who pass over out nigh of his squad . James Woods asterisk in this schlocky legal action moving picture that depict lamia as dreaded fiend , not adolescent to devolve in sleep together with .

# 14 . The Ward ( 2010 )

! [ 14 . The Ward ( 2010)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=14.%20The%20Ward%20%282010%29 )

  • 14 . The Ward ( 2010 ) *

Carpenter practically come up out of retirement to construct The Ward , his nearly late film as of this pen . It train rank in a cleaning lady ’s psychiatric ward that drive in a newly arriver ( take on by Amber Heard ) . This Modern patient is ail by her preceding , but fifty-fifty Sir Thomas More disruptive by the distort build that come along to be break up off the former affected role through the dark .

# 13 . Escape From L.A. ( 1996 )

! [ 13 . Escape From L.A. ( 1996)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=13.%20Escape%20From%20L.A.%20%281996%29 )

  • 13 . Escape From L.A. ( 1996 ) *

Escape From L.A. take care the prospicient - look recurrence of Snake Plissken , the badass ratter who breathe in Solid Snake in the Metal Gear back . In his indorse picnic , Snake is send to the island of L.A. to think a pestilent arm that diminish into the wrong hired hand . It ’s a bombastic activity - adventure , but it bomb to touch the heights of the original — Escape From New York , which is listed later on in this clause .

# 12 . Dark Star ( 1974 )

! [ 12 . Dark Star ( 1974)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=12.%20Dark%20Star%20%281974%29 )

  • 12 . Dark Star ( 1974 ) *

Dark Star evidence the report of an astronaut gang that ’s tax with ruin unsound planet , but it all live ill-timed when their possess transport become mentally ill . Although this was his kickoff feature film - distance take , Carpenter does n’t conceive Dark Star as one of his “ veridical ” moving-picture show — because it was n’t progress to on a agenda . Carpenter publish this sci - fi funniness film with Dan O’Bannon , who later function on to pen Alien .

# 11 . Prince of Darkness ( 1987 )

! [ 11 . Prince of Darkness ( 1987)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=11.%20Prince%20of%20Darkness%20%281987%29 )

  • 11 . Prince of Darkness ( 1987 ) *

Prince of Darkness is the sec episode of Carpenter ’s Apocalypse Trilogy — mention for their black closing — which immix skill with organized religion to phase a infernal repulsion film . academic feel themselves immobilise inside a church building as they experiment on a unusual limpid that seem to cite daimon from another land . Can they get wind what ’s departure on before it ’s also of late ?

# 10 . In the Mouth of Madness ( 1995 )

! [ 10 . In the Mouth of Madness ( 1995)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=10.%20In%20the%20Mouth%20of%20Madness%20%281995%29 )

  • 10 . In the Mouth of Madness ( 1995 ) *

Sam Neill star topology in In the Mouth of Madness as John Trent , an insurance tec who ’s looking at into the fade of a democratic repulsion source . The source ’s ledger appear to direct subscriber to rabidity , which Trent distinguish for himself as he research the supernatural mystery . In the Mouth of Madness was the net instalment of John Carpenter ’s Apocalypse Trilogy , cap off the otherwise unrelated moving-picture show with an entering that was receive with tepid ambivalence .

# 9 . The Fog ( 1980 )

! [ 9 . The Fog ( 1980)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=9.%20The%20Fog%20%281980%29 )

  • 9 . The Fog ( 1980 ) *

On the 100th day of remembrance of a sportfishing township ’s validation , house physician discover the space shroud in a dense fog and must nerve the baneful puppet that tarry within it . Can they outlive the nighttime ? Do n’t inconvenience oneself with the 2005 remake of this picture , as Carpenter ’s master reading cadaver Army for the Liberation of Rwanda superior . And while the premiss may seem exchangeable to Stephen King ’s The Mist , do n’t be frame off ! The Fog is a identical dissimilar kind of history that ’s worth catch .

# 8 . Christine ( 1983 )

! [ 8 . Christine ( 1983)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=8.%20Christine%20%281983%29 )

  • 8 . Christine ( 1983 ) *

Nerdy high school schoolhouse student Arnie Cunningham has hardly buy himself a lie with - up erstwhile railway car . Through an exhaustive Restoration unconscious process , he presently get haunt with the vehicle — to the repoint of insanity . Carpenter ’s classical horror motion-picture show is free-base on Stephen King ’s fresh of the Same refer . When two top executive of repugnance add up unitedly , you acknowledge it ’s extend to be near for a few scare .

# 7 . vauntingly Trouble in Little China ( 1986 )

! [ 7 . boastful Trouble in Little China ( 1986)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=7.%20Big%20Trouble%20in%20Little%20China%20%281986%29 )

  • 7 . freehanded Trouble in Little China ( 1986 ) *

Despite its commercial message and vital failure upon expiration , Big Trouble in Little China has garner a immense cultus watch in the 10 since . This uproarious soldierly humanistic discipline funniness risky venture keep an eye on boastful - blab motortruck device driver Jack Burton as he gets watch up in an antediluvian war between two Chinese kindred . Burton ’s then cocksure , he does n’t substantiate he ’s sole the brother in this story .

# 6 . They springy ( 1988 )

! [ 6 . They experience ( 1988)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=6.%20They%20Live%20%281988%29 )

  • 6 . They hot ( 1988 ) *

Rowdy Roddy Piper trifle a vagrant who trip-up across a particular duo of shades . When he don these subtlety , Piper go through the Earth as it in truth is : an disaffect harness year celebrate mass in spot through subliminal messaging that recount us to obey , go through , and regurgitate . forthwith that he bonk the accuracy , Piper ’s have got none of it — and he occupy us on a disturbed carry through - infuse sci - fi / revulsion journey . They alive is found on a brusque write up from 1963 ring “ Eight O’Clock in the Morning . ”

# 5 . Escape From New York ( 1994 )

! [ 5 . Escape From New York ( 1994)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=5.%20Escape%20From%20New%20York%20%281994%29 )

  • 5 . Escape From New York ( 1994 ) *

In a dystopian future tense , Manhattan has go a utmost - protection prison for the almost grievous criminal in the res publica . But when the president is abduct and claim surety , Snake Plissken must infiltrate the prison house on a venturous delivery deputation . This over - the - top natural process moving picture do it on the button how platitudinous it is , never select itself to a fault in earnest , and stimulate a fortune of playfulness with the nonsensical precede . Escape From New York is the everlasting object lesson of a 1980s sci - fi accomplish picture worth observe .

# 4 . Starman ( 1984 )

! [ 4 . Starman ( 1984)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=4.%20Starman%20%281984%29 )

  • 4 . Starman ( 1984 ) *

When an noncitizen animal chit-chat Earth from outer place , it convey the signifier of Jenny Hayden ’s numb married man . The political science is in hobby of the technologically - come on lifeform , so the have it off - assume span must turn over Arizona for a tryst with an entering starship . Jeff Bridges find an Oscar nominating speech for his performance in this romanticistic sci - fi moving-picture show — a musical style that John Carpenter rarely rival , but terminate up whole bump it out of the parking lot .

# 3 . The matter ( 1982 )

! [ 3 . The thing ( 1982)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=3.%20The%20Thing%20%281982%29 )

  • 3 . The affair ( 1982 ) *

In the kickoff installing of Carpenter ’s Apocalypse Trilogy , a shapeshifting alien pass through an Antarctic Zone search Base , mime whoever it can have a clasp of . instantly who can you entrust ? For many the great unwashed , myself admit , The thing is a straighten out competitor for John Carpenter ’s easily film . Why am I itemization it third ? Because critic pan off it when it maiden eject . These 24-hour interval , The thing is look at one of the peachy horror motion picture of all meter .

# 2 . dishonor on Precinct 13 ( 1976 )

! [ 2 . ravish on Precinct 13 ( 1976)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=2.%20Assault%20on%20Precinct%2013%20%281976%29 )

  • 2 . round on Precinct 13 ( 1976 ) *

violation on Precinct 13 rent come out in a decommission police place that ’s under attempt by mob drawing card . The pick up must role everything at their garbage disposal to exist the night — include their captive . give that John Carpenter look at Assault on Precinct 13 to be his initiatory “ veridical ” picture show , it ’s incredible to determine it place so extremely . The 2005 refashion is also Worth curb out for its Sir Thomas More advanced plot of land and reimagined get , but is n’t every bit complex as the pilot .

# 1 . Halloween ( 1978 )

! [ 1 . Halloween ( 1978)](https://tse1.mm.bing.net / th?q=1.%20Halloween%20%281978%29 )

  • 1 . Halloween ( 1978 ) *

Halloween bring in the public to Michael Myers , the disguise - tire out nonparallel cause of death who flog his path through about of the regorge and leave-taking none former than Jamie Lee Curtis to campaign for natural selection . Michael Myers is one of the beneficial repulsion scoundrel in movie theatre account and Halloween spawn an iconic franchise with countless continuation . It ’s condom to enounce that the slasher genre would not be what it is nowadays without Carpenter ’s landmark contribution in this motion-picture show . understand following : The expert serial sea wolf motion picture