September 25, 2020
New Book on John Carpenter Films Includes Chapter on Carpenter’s Film Music
Musique Fantastique author Randall D. Larson was invited to contribute a chapter on John Carpenter’s film music to this Troy Howarth’s new book, Assault On The System: The Nonconformist Cinema Of John Carpenter. The hefty paperback, edited by Tony Strauss and illustrated by Jolyon Yates, has been published by WK Books, publishers of Weng’s Chop Cinema Megazine and Monster! Digest.
The book charts Carpenter’s trajectory from screenwriter-for-hire to director of low-budget oddities like DARK STAR (1974) to his meteoric rise and fall within the very system he came to distrust. All of Carpenter’s films are analyzed in detail, including his forays into made-for-TV fare, and his various sideline projects as a writer, a composer, and a producer are also examined. Also included are guest essays from Matty Budrewicz & Dave Wain, Lee Gambin, John Harrison, Robert Russell LaVigne, Francesco Massaccesi, Paul Poet, and Nick Smith. Brand new interviews with Carpenter, his wife Sandy King-Carpenter, and actor Keith Gordon also help to provide a glimpse into the man, his methods, and what makes him tick. In addition, there are hundreds of eye-catching images, including theatrical posters, stills, behind the scenes shots, and more. The end result is a comprehensive celebration of one of America’s great, yet oft-unsung auteurs, and a true independent spirit in his chosen medium.
The book is now available on Amazon in its color edition (a budget-minded black-and-white edition should be available within a few days).
