[Master Gandhi]

John Carpenter's early Feature Films (1976-1982):

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) - A dark and surprisingly suspenseful action picture, which really got the ball rolling for Carpenter's reputation as a director. He integrates action, western and horror elements into a basic story of survival. It has gained a cult following among fans of the director's work and low-budget action movies in general.

Halloween (1978) - The movie that would put Carpenter on the map, and become a classic horror film of the "slasher" subgenre that it started. Not to mention, it gave birth to a very successful franchise that still continues today (thanks to the original's financer, Moustapha Akkad). If one was forced to choose a favorite from the director's body of work, it would have to be this one. The "shape" remains scarier than Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees combined. He is an unstoppable force without a soul or motives of any kind.

The Fog (1980) - A film that has been praised on many occasions for its "atmosphere", which Carpenter is known for already, but here he truly makes a film that is creepy from start to finish. Every element that is used in it manages to add a layer of atmosphere to the story (such as its music, cinematography, location, mise-en-scene and even acting). You might say it did for fog what Psycho (1960) did for showers and Jaws (1975) did for water. It is definitely one of Carpenter's less well-known classics.

Escape From New York (1981) - The character of Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is considered one of the great anti-heroes of our time, and that's mostly because he's a stone cold bad ass who doesn't take shit from anybody. It should also be noted that he's a criminal, who is forced into taking a mission to save the President. Russell's performance carries this movie, plus it has enough thrills and campy dialogue to make the whole ride worth taking. Also, just like in 'Assault', Carpenter blends multiple storytelling elements into the film, so it ends up being more than just another action movie. This film is not to be confused with its inferior sequel, Escape From L.A. (1995).

The Thing (1982) - It was obvious in Halloween that Carpenter admired the original 'Thing' movie, since it was playing on the T.V. in the background, while Jamie Lee Curtis was babysitting. His remake is rather well-regarded, and is considered to be another one of his classics. This movie has an ensemble cast, but isn't too character driven. The actors deliver convincing performances and the direction is completely solid. The creative special effects and boiling tension are what highlight this entertaining science fiction movie. This marked the second feature film collaboration between Carpenter and Russell (who would later work together on Big Trouble in Little China (1985) and Escape From L.A. as well).