Connect with us

News

John Carpenter’s Live Retrospective Tour is Fan’s Dark Dream Come True

Published

on

This review of John Carpenter on tour was originally published June 25, 2016

Horror fans are some of the nicest people on the planet.”

The voice came out of nowhere in the packed lobby of the Majestic Theater in Dallas, TX.  I turned to look for the source of the voice and there stood a beautiful lady in her mid-50s, perfectly put together from the hair to the nails to the shoes that perfectly matched the color of her blouse.  In short, she was NOT who I was expecting to see at a concert by legendary horror master John Carpenter.

“Yes, we really can be,” I replied with a smile.

“Yes, WE can,” she emphasized back.

As this finely dressed lady continued to chat with me about her love for Texas Frightmare Weekend and all things John Carpenter, I began to take a look around the room at the assembled crowd.  We were the metaphorical melting pot.  Race, gender, and age differences meant nothing in this group of die hard fans who gathered to witness the maestro performed the music he composed for his films and for his two recently released albums, Lost Themes and Lost Themes II.

As the doors opened, the excitement released in a dull roar as people stopped at the full open bars for drinks and headed to their seats. Inside the theater, energy levels were high. None of us really knew what to expect from this concert. We’d all heard vague descriptions. I had two friends who had seen the show earlier and their descriptions set my imagination on edge. Carpenter, with a band, playing his music as images from his films were shown on a screen behind him.

The question that seemed to be on everyone’s lips was, “Do we call John Carpenter a master of horror, or has he been a rock god in disguise all this time?”

As the lights dimmed and the curtains rose, as John Carpenter and his band took the stage, as those first images of Kurt Russell as Snake from Escape from New York appeared on the screen and the music punched its way through the chest cavity of every member of that audience, the answer became clear. This man is BOTH!

For an hour and a half with only the briefest pause between pieces, Carpenter held his audience in a tight fisted grip. The man is a showman and he seemed thrilled and content to let the music and imagery speak for themselves rather than giving explanations or talking about his compositions. His comments were brief, but were expertly crafted to keep the momentum going.

“I AM KNOWN AS A DIRECTOR OF HORROR MOVIES,” he bellowed into the mic midway through the show. “I. LOVE. HORROR MOVIES. HORROR MOVIES WILL LAST…FOREVER.”

As the word forever echoed over the halls, Cody Carpenter, John’s son with Adrienne Barbeau and a brilliant musician in his own right, launched into the familiar, jarring 5/4 cadence of the title theme to Carpenter’s legendary Halloween. This movie, that I’ve literally send hundreds of times, took on new life with a power and intensity that only live music can convey. One could not help but wonder what it would be like to watch the entire film this way with the score played live by this band.

And speaking of his band, the lead guitarist, Dan Davies, is a bit of rock royalty himself. You might have heard of his dad before. His name was Dave Davies and he was in a little British band called THE KINKS! Davies talent seemed barely contained, his guitar an extension of his body, as he pushed the instrument from fear filled moan to terrified screams throughout the night. He is an undeniably brilliant successor to his father’s legacy and it’s no accident he is touring with Carpenter. The director happens to be his godfather.

Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Dan Davies in Studio. Photo by Sophie Davies

The audience responded with their own shrieks and cheers as each number came to a close, equally thrilled by Carpenter’s film music and his new compositions. Standout pieces like “Wraith”, whose rhythmic raindrop melodic cadence expanded to a haunting and hellish Bolero before returning to its quiet beginnings, and “Vortex”, which engulfed the audience in swirling, primal colors of sound, prove just what a master of synthesized composition Carpenter can be. The beautiful “Purgatory” with its slow build from stark piano melodies to jazz and funk inspired rhythms with sweeping synthesized strings is one piece this writer will never forget.

It was a journey the audience was privileged to take with the composer filled with moments fans of Carpenter’s films will never forget: smoke machine fog filling the stage as the haunting overture to 1980s The Fog began and the vengeful spirits of the Elizabeth Dane slowly stalked onto the onstage screen, the frenzied rendition of music from In the Mouth of Madness as Sam Neill succumbed to the power of Sutter Caine’s words and Hobb’s End became of village of monsters, and Roddy Piper kicking ass to the music from They Live.

As the evening came to a close, Carpenter once more leaned into the microphone. He thanked us for coming to the concert, and implored us to be careful driving home from the Majestic because…Christine would be on the highway tonight. As he and the band concluded the final refrains from “Christine Attacks” from the classic killer car film, the audience rose to its feet as one to thank the man for the horror and the music once again.

I urge you readers. Take my advice and pick up a copy of Lost Themes and Lost Themes 2 today. Turn down the lights, turn on the music, and ride the wave that is the musical genius of one of horror’s finest auteurs. John Carpenter: writer, director, and yes, rock god.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News

New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

Published

on

Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

Published

on

Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

Published

on

Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Embed Gif with Clickable Title