When it comes to cinematic legends, few names shine as brightly in the genre of horror movies as John Carpenter’s. The master of macabre, known for classics like Halloween and The Thing, has indelibly impacted the film industry. However, there’s one recent movie that left him bewildered. In a recent interview, the Starman director opened up about his thoughts on the unexpected film he watched and shared his take. The movie in question is Barbie, which he admits went right over his head.
Carpenter, the maestro of fright, is not someone you’d typically associate with the Barbie doll world. The renowned director and composer, now in his mid-70s, was asked in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times if he still goes to the movies. And, if so, what he’s been watching. His response was not all that surprising. He said:
I watched ‘Barbie.’ I can’t believe I watched ‘Barbie.’ It’s just not my generation. I had nothing to do with Barbie dolls. I didn’t know who Allan was. I mean, I can sum it up. She says, ‘I don’t have a vagina,’ and then at the end, ‘I’m going to go to a gynecologist!’ That’s the movie to me. I mean, there’s a patriarchy business in there, but I missed that whole thing. Right over my head. But I think she’s fabulous, Margot Robbie.
The man behind one of cinema’s most terrifying classic horror villains may not be the first person you’d expect to understand the billion-dollar Barbie movie. A generation gap separates the creator of The Fog from the satirical world of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s sentient Mattel dolls. Although witnessing the 75-year-old filmmaker watching the ‘I’m Just Ken’ Dance Sequence is something I would pay a pretty penny to see. Take my money!
While Carpenter may have missed the subtler thematic elements of one of the biggest movies to hit the 2023 movie release schedule, he isn’t ready to fold up his director’s chair. The Escape From New York filmmaker is returning with his latest miniseries, John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams, which hits the small screen today, October 13th. This marks his return to directing, albeit remotely. This much-anticipated comeback comes after a hiatus that began with 2010’s The Ward, but the Assault on Precinct 13 creator has maintained a close connection to the horror genre throughout. His new series will be streamable for anyone with a Peacock subscription.
The They Live writer might not be the guy you want to call to take up directing duties for the next movie-based film–though he could probably make a killer slinky flick–with news of the upcoming Halloween TV reboot, one can only wonder if the Chrisitne director will reunite with his old buddy Michael Myers. Only time will tell.
In the meantime, you can dive into John Carpenter’s latest creation, Suburban Screams, with all episodes now available for streaming on Peacock. And if you’re curious to see what the horror maestro might have missed in Barbie, you can rent it from your preferred digital streaming platform. Remember to explore our 2024 movie release schedule to stay updated on the upcoming horror movies heading to a theater near you.