If you were building an "Essential" John Carpenter collection:

[F-N-S]

uhm .. Halloween 3 (Season of the Witch) is not a Carpenter Movie

Here's my list:
Halloween
The Thing
Assault on Precinct 13
They Live

 

[Apollo]

Same four for me BUT for an added bonus I will throw in Big Trouble In Little China!

Which FOUR movies would you include?

Here are my four [4].

Halloween
Escape from New York
The Thing
They Live


Please note the exclusion of any Carpenter's not listed does not indicate that the ommitted film is not extremely enjoyable.

 

[CB2001]

No one like Assault on Precinct 13?

No Ghosts of Mars?

I happen to have those two, and more of other John Carpenter's work, and enjoyed every single second of them!

 

[Larry Young]

Escape From New York doesnt seem all that great to me.

You are dead to me.

 

[outlander]

You are dead to me.

You're so retro, Larry. :lol

 

[Zykotec]

I allready have Dark star, Christine and The thing
EFNY isn't all that bad, but I don't consider it essential
(tbh, I haven't seen the original Assault on precinct 13, am I missing out on something?)

 

[Ttaskmaster]

Vampires
EFNY and EFLA (I liked it).
Christine
Big Trouble

I liked Starman and Dark Star too, but these four/five are those I actually went out of my way to own.

 

[rodneyfaile]

The Thing is one of my favorite movies. It would be on a short list of essential movies regardless of director.

 

[Clutch]

Assault on Precinct 13 is on Netflix streaming now. Totally not expecting the ice cream truck scene!!!!!! Wowzers!

 

[Jet Beetle]

Dark Star
They Live
The Thing
Escape from New York (or Prince of Darkness)

 

[JasonCash]

No love for Vampires?.... Valek is my all time favorite Vampire

 

[moffeaton]

In order:

Big Trouble in Little China
The Thing
The Fog
Escape From New York

 

[Cam McFly]

My Favorites:
The Thing
They Live
Assault on Precinct 13
Halloween
Escape From NY

Its funny I found this. When I'm done collecting all the Godzilla movies (3 LEFT!), I plan on getting all the carpenter movies.
BTLC

 

[dascoyne]

In order ...

Escape from New York
The Thing
Big Trouble in Little China
Halloween

if I'm allowed one more it'd be Dark Star, Assault on Precinct 13 or They Live

 

[PHArchivist]

Which FOUR movies would you include?

Here are my four [4].

Halloween
Escape from New York
The Thing
They Live


Please note the exclusion of any Carpenter's not listed does not indicate that the ommitted film is not extremely enjoyable.

What? You don't want The Fog...?

My god that was awful (sorry Jason! )... I do like your choices though!

 

[Solo4114]

Nobody's mentioning In the Mouth of Madness? I'd definitely add that.

 

[VilleLeskinen]

Nobody's mentioning In the Mouth of Madness? I'd definitely add that.

Indeed! One of the best 90's horror movies.:thumbsup

 

[CB2001]

If I were building an "essential" John Carpenter collection, I would included EVERYTHING. That includes The Ward (and any other films that many people would consider "bad" or "flops"), his two Masters of Horror episodes and the TV movies he's done (Elvis and Someone's Watching Me!)