John Carpenter,the filmmaker behindgreat horror works likeHalloweenandThe Thing, is set to be honored next month when he receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony is set to take place on Thursday, April 3, with guests still to be announced. Carpenter’s star will be the 2,806th installation on one of the most important sidewalks in the world, where Hollywood legends have been granted a place in history. The press release lists the exact address of his star as “7000 Hollywood Boulevard, in front of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.”
Steve Nissen, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, will lead the ceremony alongside the guest speakers. The event will be live-streamed on the organization’s website at 11:30 AM PT. Per the press release on the Walk of Fame website:
“Few filmmakers have had as galvanizing and enduring an impact on cinema as John Carpenter. As director, writer, producer, and composer, Carpenter has brought to the screen some of the most popular and influential films in history. Starting out with his 1978 breakthrough: a low-budget horror film called Halloween, which shook both moviegoers and the film industry with a force that continues to be felt nearly 50 years later.
“Carpenter’s horror films—includingThe Thing(1982),The Fog(1980),Christine(1983), andIn the Mouth of Madness(1994)—have made him into the modern master of the genre, though his flair for action, suspense, mystery and comedy have been on considerable display in a remarkable range of now-classic films. They include the Oscar-nominatedStarman(1984), the hard-driving action ofAssault on Precinct 13(1976),Escape from New York(1981), andEscape from L.A.(1996), horror-hybridsVampires(1998) andGhosts of Mars(2001), science-fiction thrillersVillage of the Damned(1995), and the cult-classic action-comediesBig Trouble in Little China(1986), andThey Live(1988).”
John Carpenter’s 10 Best Movie Characters
From morally ambiguous anti-heroes to slasher icons that are pure evil, John Carpenter’s characters are among the most creative of the past decades.
Ana Martinez, a Hollywood Walk of Fame producer, said the following: “The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to pay tribute to director John Carpenter with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has forever shaped the horror genre and has created lasting cinematic masterpieces. It is an honor to dedicate a star to such a talented and influential director.”
Carpenter isn’t the only horror icon who will receive his star in the monumental boulevard.Last year, we reported that Robert Englund, ofA Nightmare on Elm Streetfame, would also receive a star.Predator’s Bill Duke is another one of the horror stars who will also be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, although their respective ceremonies have yet to be planned.
Does Anyone Deserve This More Than John Carpenter?
In short: not a chance. The horror auteur was instrumental in modifying the basics of the horror genre in the ’70s and ’80s. Before Carpenter, horror films outside the studio system didn’t always look good. However, the director used steadicam and panoramic shots like no other director, and incorporated them into the horror vocabulary. Suddenly, there was proof that low-budget horror could also look fancy. His legacy is unquestionable.
Today, John Carpenter does not indulge in anything related to making movies. He prefers to lie low, playing with his band and offering horror fans live renderings of his most important musical scores. Carpenter is usually seen relaxed, enjoying the royalties that his films provide, and playing video games. His relationship with the industry is not exactly the best, although we’re certain that the master of horror (as much as he doesn’t like the title) will give everyone a smile when he sees his name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well, we hope so.
