Big Trouble In Little Cinema: The Films Of John Carpenter

Last week we talked about the film geek San Diego and the famous first program. This week, film great launch another film series, this pays tribute to John Carpenter. He is best known for the classic film Halloween. He has made a string of action horror and sci-fi movies, many of which will be screened based year. My guest is programmers, Beth who is the arts reporter and welcome. Thank you. We have Rodriguez. We welcome back. Thank you for having me back. What is it about John Carpenter that has you excited? He is such a great director. I think the reason why we want to showcase him is because he is underappreciated. He works a lot of films and that not -- it does not get you a lot of respect in Hollywood. For me, he is a lean, mean minimalist director who gets right to the meat of the story and does not have fact on the spells. We wanted to showcase him so we could share our appreciation and hope other people could look at him with more respect Has had famous films, Halloween is the most. Is the underappreciated or the rest of his genre films? Back from a mainstream standpoint, he is underappreciated. I love him for reasons that sounds very different than saying that he is lean and mean. The films are because there are no liking moments in the films. He does what is best that you can do with his John which is billing this film was some text. You can read layers and layers into films like they live which is about space aliens and the thing which is a remake and eight I can go on and on. He is a man who knows. He is a reason for making a film he makes. That is why I appreciate him. Miguel, when he starting off with? We're going in chronological order. We want to showcase John Carpenter's growth as a maker. We are starting with his student film which was written by Dan. It got theatrical release. It is called dark star. We think it has not been seen very much except by the hard-core fans. It has the rough edges that a student film has but it is full of imagination and fun. Dan went on to greater things? But yes. He wrote alien, which is probably one of the best sci-fi horror films ever. Beth, one of the films were screening is what he mention, the thing. This is cited as one of the few good remakes. What is the work when so many don't? He makes films were purpose. He was not remaking the thing to cash in on the popularity of the previous film. Here and made it because he had a specific reason. The first thing came out. It was about beer of the Russians invading and fear of invasion from outside of the United States and everybody dance to gather to fight this outside force. For the things, it was majoring in Reagan's era. There was a lot a feeling of unease. When he tapped into was the sense of paranoia. He change the politics that he was referring to and made a brilliant film about an alien creature that assumes our identity and looks like us so we cannot tell who it is. That has paranoia. System providing the scene where Kurt Russell plays one of the people confined in his Arctic compound. I think it rips the your close one it takes you over. They found shredded longjohns but the name Ted was missing. It could be anybody's. Nobody trusts anybody now. Speaking of Kirk Russell, you are big fan of the action bill. Big trouble middle China? Back who could not be a fan of that felt? It is so funny. It was not initially received well, was a? A lot of these films were not, including the thing. That was the downturn from Carpenter being the golden child to losing everything, every film was not financially viable at first. Big trouble in Little China is one of those. I think they are ahead of their Mac time. People did not know what to make of them at first. At the beautiful thing about not being in Hollywood is that Carpenter has a more independent spirit. That independent spirit is all over big trouble in Little China. It is unique and wacky fun. Her Russell is a hoot. To hear out who he sounds like in this clip. Listen the pork chop express and take advice. Was some wild maniac grabs her neck, you put your head up against day wall and he asked if you paid your dues, stare him back in the eye and remember what Jack says at atomic that's. Have you paid your dues, Jack? Yes, the check is in the mail. That is Kirk Russell and John Carpenter with big trouble in Little China. It sounded like John rain -- John Wayne. It sure does. Why does this work? I think with good collaborations, they tend to have an unspoken language. They know how to work with each other. With Kirk Russell and John Carpenter, Kirk Russell topped -- tapped into that lean and mean quality come minimalist, no history, no big acting but just quiet affective, to the point and doing less is more. Even when he is over acting, it is not so hammy that it is off the chart. It is a perfect spoof of John Wayne. In this John Carpenter series, where is Halloween? [ laughter ] We have Halloween and spring. We are going in chronological order, we are showing in March. That is my birthday much. Halloween is an amazing movie. A kicked off. It invented a new sub Saundra. It is a film that is about tension and suspense. A lot of people are misled into thinking it is a bloody movie. Actually, it is not. It is more about fearing what is in the dark. Is the ball coming up? We are showing that and it is coming in April. The story that John Houseman talks about, it is on April 21. I am just saying -- [ laughter ] The digital Jim is a unique screening in you. This is the third series there. Why'd you come back? It is our home away from home. It is a micro-cinema and we have a warm, family feeling where people,. It is like cheers. People come in the door and we feel like saying hello warm. We know the people we talk about the film. It is a smaller venue where you feel the intimacy of sharing your ideas about the Ellman talk about them. It is cozy. People listening to this and do not know you can go also? Back for sure. We are always welcoming new members. Big trouble in Little cinema, the films them John Carpenter kicks off at digital Jim cinema. You can go to the film geeks page on Facebook for more information. I've been speaking with Beth and Miguel, the director of horrible a matching film Festival. Thank you.