John Carpenter's "Riot"

[Boner M]

http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/riotposter.jpg

Best teaser tagline ever.

C'mon C&C, you can dig yerselves outta yer respective holes.

[megladon8]

I've never even heard of this.

[Boner M]

It's listed as Scared Straight on the IMDb. Dunno which one's the official title.

[megladon8]

It's listed as Scared Straight on the IMDb. Dunno which one's the official title.


Yeah I just read the synopsis there.

Sounds...terrible.

Oh John Carpenter, what the hell happened to you?

[Skitch]

Me either, but I'm there.

[Boner M]

Yeah I just read the synopsis there.

Sounds...terrible.

Oh John Carpenter, what the hell happened to you?
*shrug* Just sounds like the kind of B-movie premise that Carpenter's always worked from.

[Sven]

Sounds...terrible.

Oh John Carpenter, what the hell happened to you?

His very first "real" film, Assault on Precinct 13:

"Police ambush and kill several gang members in Los Angeles. Gang members make a pact of blood to strike back at police, and conduct a siege on the police station which is almost abandoned and due to be closed. Staff of the closing precinct and the criminals being held there while in transit must work together to fight off the attacking gang members."

His cult classic, Escape from NY:

"In the future, crime is out of control and New York City is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President's plane in bad old Gotham. Gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed lone warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables."

His "masterpiece", Halloween:

"A group of unsuspecting teenage girls are stalked by an escaped mental patient who murdered his sister on Halloween when he was only six years old. He has returned to his hometown to repeat his crime, pursued only by his psychiatrist, who believes that his patient is the manifestation of pure evil."

Tell me, how do these movies sound any better than the synopsis for Riot?

At any rate, it goes without saying that I think this will be the finest motion picture event of 2009.

[number8]

Yeah, I think this is going to be awesome.

[Ezee E]

Sven's already got the next two years covered it looks like.

[number8]

It's listed as Scared Straight on the IMDb. Dunno which one's the official title.

Riot is. They had to change it because they can't get the rights to the title.

[Wryan]

Cage and Carpenter. Haha. This can't be anything less than entertaining.

[Ezee E]

Read the synopsis. Looks good to me.

[Sycophant]

Cage and Carpenter. Haha. This can't be anything less than entertaining.
I'd like to see Cage and Carpenter work together on a movie called "Cage and Carpenter Try to Make a Boring and Bland Movie."

[number8]

I'd like to see Cage and Carpenter work together on a movie called "Cage and Carpenter Try to Make a Boring and Bland Movie."

"...And Fail."

[Sycophant]

"...And Fail."

Naturally.


CAGE
Did you see that, John? That
was amazing.

CARPENTER
Fuck! Why can't we do this?!

CAGE
It was a joyous spiritual experience
that I will always regret.

[Grouchy]

This is going to be incredible.

I also think Riot is a better title than Scared Straight.

[Dukefrukem]

Cage and Carpenter is almost as good as Cage and Bay

[Sycophant]

Cage and Carpenter is almost as good as Cage and Bay

What the fuck.

[Dukefrukem]

What the fuck.

Hey if this movie is better than the Rock, then my statement will flip.

[MadMan]

I want a trailer. Now.

[megladon8]

Tell me, how do these movies sound any better than the synopsis for Riot?

At any rate, it goes without saying that I think this will be the finest motion picture event of 2009.


I guess it's my weariness of both modern Cage, and modern Carpenter projects.

Neither of them have done anything particularly good in years. Though I liked Carpenter's "Cigarette Burns" episode of "Masters of Horror", but then his "Pro-Life" episode was absolute shit on a stick.

I love Carpenter's old B-movies, but I really doubt this'll be good.

I'm thinking Carpenter, like Dario Argento, can't make modern movies.

[D_Davis]

but then his "Pro-Life" episode was absolute shit on a stick.


Bag of tits...eat a dick...shit on a stick...

Are you mad about something?

[megladon8]

Bag of tits...eat a dick...shit on a stick...

Are you mad about something?


Yes, lots of things.

Life isn't going too well lately, let's leave it at that.

[The Mike]

This is going to be incredible.

I also think Riot is a better title than Scared Straight.
Agreed 100000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000%

I'm not sure if I put enough zeroes in there. I was going for a gajillion.

In fact, this immediately becomes my most anticipated movie ever. :pritch:

[Ezee E]

Yes, lots of things.

Life isn't going too well lately, let's leave it at that.
I did jinx you didn't I?

[Spinal]

When I see Cage's name on something, I pretty much just dismiss it these days. Shame, cause I used to be a big fan.

[megladon8]

When I see Cage's name on something, I pretty much just dismiss it these days. Shame, cause I used to be a big fan.


Exactly. It's sad. :sad:

[The Mike]

He'll come back around.

Sooner than later, methinks.

[Qrazy]

I would say Carpenter did his best work with Dean Cundey. Gary Kibbe did an OK job with Prince of Darkness, In the Mouth of Madness and They Live but after that it's all been downhill. I don't know who's DP'ing this project but I'd be much more excited if it was either Cundey or at least someone other than Kibbe. Granted Carpenter needs to pull his shit together because his storytelling beyond the visuals has also suffered in the last two decades.

[Spun Lepton]

His "masterpiece", Halloween

Are the quotes necessary?

[Sven]

Are the quotes necessary?

Well, I wouldn't agree to the use of masterpiece with Halloween, so yeah. The quotes are there to indicate that people like you think it is!

[Winston*]

Are the quotes necessary?

They are when you think his masterpiece is Ghosts of Mars.

[Spun Lepton]

Well, I wouldn't agree to the use of masterpiece with Halloween, so yeah.

Then don't use the word.


The quotes are there to indicate that people like you think it is!

Pandering won't win you any points.

[Raiders]

Seems to me it is pretty routinely thought of as Carpenter's best film (maybe tied with The Thing). Iosos' statement makes perfect sense.

[Spun Lepton]

Seems to me it is pretty routinely thought of as Carpenter's best film (maybe tied with The Thing). Iosos' statement makes perfect sense.

You're cool, Raiders. This site is good.
You're "cool" Raiders. This site is "good."

:P :) There's a difference.

Either way, I'm going to wait for a critical response to Riot before I see it. Carpenter's recent history is spotty at best.

[Raiders]

You're cool, Raiders. This site is good.
You're "cool" Raiders. This site is "good."

:P :)

Right, exactly. Iosos' point was, as in response to meg's original post, that even his supposed best film (his "masterpiece") has a rather lame-sounding plot. Iosos does not consider it his best film, but using the term before what he does consider his best, Ghosts of Mars, would have probably caused you even greater displeasure. So, he went with the populist choice and made sure it was recognized that it wasn't his personal opinion.

Whew.

On another and related note, I'm letting my masochistic side take over and checking out Village of the Damned in the next few days. Can't wait.

[The Mike]

Halloween is a masterpiece. Anyone who says otherwise is "retarded".

[number8]

Halloween is a masterpiece. Anyone who says otherwise is "retarded".

I "disagree".

[Boner M]

Carpenter has never made a less-than-watchable film. No quotes.

[MadMan]

I want to see In The Mouth of Madness next. Then I may watch The Village of the Damned or Escape From LA. I've cycled through most of Carpenter's major works already.

[Spun Lepton]

I want to see In The Mouth of Madness next. Then I may watch The Village of the Damned or Escape From LA. I've cycled through most of Carpenter's major works already.

Of the three, Madness is the strongest, but they all fall near the bottom of his filmography. I admire what he tried to do with Madness, but it may have been a bit too ambitious for the budget he had.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I don't anticipate this, but I'll probably see it.

Carpenter's masterpiece, though, is obviously Big Trouble in Little China.

[Sven]

For the record, I do not think Ghosts of Mars is his best. That would be They Live.

[megladon8]

Let's rate Carpenter!

Assault on Precinct 13 - 6.5
Halloween - 10
The Fog - 5.5
Escape From New York - 5
The Thing - 10
Christine - 4.5
Big Trouble in Little China - 3
Prince of Darkness - 8
They Live - 6
In the Mouth of Madness - 7.5
Village of the Damned - 4
Vampires - 6.5
Ghosts of Mars - 6
MoH: Cigarette Burns - 8
MoH: Pro-Life - 3.5


Though he's all over the map, I love him to death.

[The Mike]

Dark Star - 7.5
Assault on Precinct 13 -10
Halloween -100000000000000000000000000000 000000000
Someone's Watching Me - 6
The Fog - 8
Escape from New York - 10
The Thing - 9.5
Christine - 8.5
Starman - 9
Big Trouble in Little China - 10
Prince of Darkness - 9.5
They Live - 9
Memoirs of an Invisible Man - 5.5
Body Bags - 4.5
In the Mouth of Madness - 8.5
Village of the Damned - 4.5
Escape from L.A. - 7.5
Vampires - 8
Ghosts of Mars - 7.5
MOH: Cigarette Burns - 8
MOH: Pro-Life - 6.5

Not quite Carpenter....
Eyes of Laura Mars - 6
Black Moon Rising - 8

[Grouchy]

Dark Star - 6
Assault on Precinct 13 - 10
Halloween - 10
The Fog - 5
Escape from New York - 8
The Thing - 10
Christine - 4
Starman - 8
Big Trouble in Little China - 9
Prince of Darkness - 7
They Live - 8
Memoirs of an Invisible Man - 6
In the Mouth of Madness - 9
Village of the Damned - 4
Vampires - 9
Ghosts of Mars - 6
Cigarette Burns - 7


He never made a film that was less than fun, though.

[MadMan]

Perhaps I'll see his Masters of Horror segments as well, but they are kind of a low priority.

Assault on Precinct 13(1976)-95
Halloween(1978)-100
The Fog(1980)-81
Escape from New York(1981)-95
The Thing(1982)-100
Big Trouble in Little China(1986)-90
Prince of Darkness(1987)-88
They Live(1988)-82

Oh shit, I forgot about Christine and Starman, plus Vampires. So I guess I still do have a ways to go. I highly doubt I'll ever get my hands on Dark Star, his first film, though.

[Morris Schæffer]

Assault on Precinct 13 - **½
Halloween - ***½
Escape From New York - **½ (but been a long time)
The Thing - ****
Starman - ***
Vampires - **½
Escape from LA - *½

[megladon8]

He never made a film that was less than fun, though.


I whole-heartedly agree.

In fact, this is rep-worthy.

Even the stuff he made that really sucks has this awesome kinetic, fun feeling.

Whenever I watch one of his movies I feel like it must have been a blast to make.

[MadMan]

Assault on Precinct 13 - **½
Escape From New York - **½ (but been a long time)And you've called me crazy before :P

[Morris Schæffer]

And you've called me crazy before :P

Grrrrr :)

I thought the former degenerated into an utterly mindless shoot-em up, but the build-up is tremendously sinister and atmospheric.

As for the latter, I would need to see it again to determine whether it's badass or a cheap, little B movie, the kind which I tend to forget rather quickly.