"Director: John Carpenter"

• Christine | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £22.98   |  Saving you £-16.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  She can't (and won't) drive 55.... Stephen King's novel about the twisted love affair between a boy and his car gets transferred to the screen, courtesy of suspense master John Carpenter. Although lacking some of the more outré supernatural elements of the source material, this high-octane cinematic tune-up more than delivers the goods, horror-wise (Christine's midnight rampages will never be forgotten)--as well as being a sly exposé of the random cruelties within the high-school pecking order. Keith Gordon (who has gone on to become a stellar director in his own right, with films such as A Midnight Clear and Mother Night to his credit) gives a wonderfully controlled central performance. Carpenter's atmospheric original score is backed up by a well-chosen collection of rock classics, including George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" (the titular character's all-too-apt theme song). --Andrew Wright, Amazon.com

• The Fog | DVD | (04/08/2008) from £10.22   |  Saving you £5.76 (79.67%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A thick fog rolls into the sleepy town of Antonio Bay concealing the ghosts of murdered sailors desperate to seek revenge on the descendants of their killers. In one night the inhabitants of this town will pay the ultimate price for their forefathers' murderous greed...

• Assault On Precinct 13 | DVD | (28/05/2001) from £19.50   |  Saving you £-1.51 (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 is a riveting low-budget thriller from 1976, in which a nearly abandoned police station is held under siege by a heavily armed gang called Street Thunder. Inside the station, cut off from contact and isolated, convicts heading for death row and the cops must now join forces or die. That's the basic plot, but what Carpenter does with it is remarkable. Drawing specific inspiration from the classic Howard Hawks Western Rio Bravo (which included a similar siege on disadvantaged heroes), Carpenter used his simple setting for a tense, tightly constructed series of action sequences, emphasising low-key character development and escalating tension. Few who've seen the film can forget the "ice cream cone" scene in which a young girl is caught up in the action by patronising a seemingly harmless ice cream van. It's here, and in other equally memorable scenes, that Carpenter demonstrates his knack for injecting terror into the mundane details of daily life, propelling this potent thriller to cult favourite status and long-standing critical acclaim. From this Carpenter went on to make the original Halloween, one of the most profitable independent films of all time. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• John Carpenter's Village Of The Damned | DVD | (27/04/2015) from £6.95   |  Saving you £6.04 (86.91%)   |  RRP £12.99

  From the master of suspense, John Carpenter, comes a chilling new version of the sci-fi classic. Something is terribly wrong in the tiny village of Midwich. After an unseen force invades a quiet coastal town, ten woman find themselves pregnant. Local physician Dr. Alan Chaffee (Christopher Reeve-Superman) and government scientist Dr. Susan Verner (Kirstie Ally) join forces when the woman simultaneously give birth...and the reign of terror begins. The people of Midwich must try to find a way to stop the children in the Village of the Damned. Also starring, Mark Hamill (Star Wars)

• Vampires | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £6.40   |  Saving you £-0.41 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  By night, vampires rise from loamy graves in search of human prey. By day, vampire slayer Jack Crow (Woods) leads a contingent of Vatican mercenaries in a long-waged war against these enemies.

• They Live – Collector's Edition (4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray) | 4K UHD | (19/09/2021) from £34.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  This 4 disc limited Collector's Edition of John Carpenter's 1988 cult classic THEY LIVE has been stunningly restored in 4K. This release is beautifully packaged with a stylish, newly commissioned illustration on the cover. It contains a UHD of the feature as well as a Blu-ray feature disc, extra features disc and the original soundtrack on CD. It also contains 5 artcards, a newly illustrated theatrical poster and booklet containing behind the scenes stills, articles and an essay from celebrated film journalist Kim Newman. WWF wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper plays John Nada, a homeless, unemployed construction worker who discovers a pair of sunglasses that when worn, suddenly reveal a world run by capitalist, yuppie aliens intent on keeping the human race sedate and brainwashed with subliminal messages fed through advertising and the media. Luckily for us all Nada is a man of action and so begins the fight-back (including perhaps the longest fistfight in cinema's history) to save humankind. 4 discs (1 UHD, 1 Blu-ray feature, 1 Blu-ray extras, 1 CD Soundtrack) 1 poster 5 artcards 48 page book Extras: Subversion: Exposing John Carpenter's THEY LIVE - A brand new feature-length documentary featuring interviews with Associate producer Sandy King, cinematographer Gary Kibbe, actor Peter Jason, actor Robert Grasmere, composer Alan Howarth, stunt coordinator/Ghoul Jeff Imada, author Jonathan Letham, music historian Daniel Schweiger, Blumhouse editor Rebekah McKendry, and visual effects historian Justin Humphreys Original EPK: The Making of They Live (1988) John Carpenter profile - vintage profile of the director Meg Foster profile - vintage profile of the actress Roddy Piper profile - vintage profile of the actor Audio Commentary with John Carpenter & Roddy Piper Independent Thoughts with John Carpenter a 2012 interview with director John Carpenter Woman of Mystery: Interview with Meg Foster a 2012 interview with actress Meg Foster Man vs Aliens: Interview with Keith David a 2012 interview with actor Keith David Fake commercials in the film 2.34 mins TV spots Photo gallery

• The Ward | DVD | (17/10/2011) from £4.99   |  Saving you £11.00 (220.44%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The Ward tells the tale of Kristen (Amber Heard), a troubled young woman who is institutionalized. Shortly after arriving Kristen awakens with cuts and bruises on her body. When she turns to the other patients for help they have no answers. Soon enough Kristen begins to worry for her sanity as well as her well-being as she begins to hear strange noises and see harrowing visions. One by one the other patients start to go missing and Kristen soon realises she is being haunted by an evil ghost. But what does it want with her? And can she escape before it’s too late? Disturbing horror from iconic director John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York).

• John Carpenter's Ghosts Of Mars | DVD | (10/05/2004) from £5.89   |  Saving you £0.10 (1.70%)   |  RRP £5.99

  John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars attempts a productive combination of SF elements (a largely terraformed Mars with its long-lost civilisation) and horror (mass possession that turns the victims into rampaging, self-mutilating monsters that kill and burn). A police-force detachment turn up in a mining community to collect a bandit, whose last heist was uncharacteristically violent, and soon find themselves under siege from rampaging hordes who used to be solid citizens. This is a fairly simple set of variations on stock Carpenter elements--a hybrid between Assault on Precinct 13 and In the Mouth of Madness. However, there is some powerful chemistry between Nastasha Henstridge's icy, drug-abusing police lieutenant and Ice Cube's bandit, Desolation Williams, made stronger by the lack of sexual tension. Other characters, such as Pam Grier's tough commander and Clea Duvall's nervous rookie, are more or less defined by plot functions; the mobs never become more than faceless, or facially distorted, anonymous menaces. This is one for die-hard Carpenter fans only. On the DVD: Ghosts of Mars on disc comes with Dolby Digital sound and its original widescreen ratio of 2.35:1. A sparky commentary by Carpenter and Henstridge is included, which is informative, but otherwise there are uninspiring documentaries on the musical score, the special effects and the difficulties of shooting at night in the Mexican desert, as well as filmographies and the theatrical trailer. --Roz Kaveney

• Ghosts of Mars | Blu Ray | (30/01/2017) from £20.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars attempts a productive combination of SF elements (a largely terraformed Mars with its long-lost civilisation) and horror (mass possession that turns the victims into rampaging, self-mutilating monsters that kill and burn). A police-force detachment turn up in a mining community to collect a bandit, whose last heist was uncharacteristically violent, and soon find themselves under siege from rampaging hordes who used to be solid citizens. This is a fairly simple set of variations on stock Carpenter elements--a hybrid between Assault on Precinct 13 and In the Mouth of Madness. However, there is some powerful chemistry between Nastasha Henstridge's icy, drug-abusing police lieutenant and Ice Cube's bandit, Desolation Williams, made stronger by the lack of sexual tension. Other characters, such as Pam Grier's tough commander and Clea Duvall's nervous rookie, are more or less defined by plot functions; the mobs never become more than faceless, or facially distorted, anonymous menaces. This is one for die-hard Carpenter fans only. On the DVD: Ghosts of Mars on disc comes with Dolby Digital sound and its original widescreen ratio of 2.35:1. A sparky commentary by Carpenter and Henstridge is included, which is informative, but otherwise there are uninspiring documentaries on the musical score, the special effects and the difficulties of shooting at night in the Mexican desert, as well as filmographies and the theatrical trailer. --Roz Kaveney

• Christine | Blu Ray | (24/10/2016) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  She can't (and won't) drive 55.... Stephen King's novel about the twisted love affair between a boy and his car gets transferred to the screen, courtesy of suspense master John Carpenter. Although lacking some of the more outré supernatural elements of the source material, this high-octane cinematic tune-up more than delivers the goods, horror-wise (Christine's midnight rampages will never be forgotten)--as well as being a sly exposé of the random cruelties within the high-school pecking order. Keith Gordon (who has gone on to become a stellar director in his own right, with films such as A Midnight Clear and Mother Night to his credit) gives a wonderfully controlled central performance. Carpenter's atmospheric original score is backed up by a well-chosen collection of rock classics, including George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" (the titular character's all-too-apt theme song). --Andrew Wright

• Starman | DVD | (02/10/2017) from £11.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Director John Carpenter presents a romantic science fiction odyssey starring Jeff Bridges in his Oscar(R)-nominated role as an innocent alien from a distant planet who learns what it means to be a man in love. When his spacecraft is shot down over Wisconsin, Starman (Bridges) arrives at the remote cabin of a distraught young widow, Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen), and clones the form of her dead husband. The alien convinces Jenny to drive him to Arizona, explaining that if he isn't picked up by his mothership in three days, he'll die. Hot on their trail are government agents, intent on capturing the alien, dead or alive. En route, Starman demonstrates the power of universal love, while Jenny rediscovers her human feelings for passion.

• Village Of The Damned | DVD | (14/04/2003) from £12.94   |  Saving you £6.04 (60.70%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The original 1960 version of Village of the Damned is regarded as a classic of science fiction and horror, and it remains one of the creepiest movies of its kind. Directed with occasional flair by John Carpenter, this 1995 remake trades subtlety for more explicit chills and violence, but the basic premise remains effectively eerie. In the tiny, idyllic town of Midwich, a strange mist causes the entire population to fall asleep, and when everyone awakes the town physician (Christopher Reeve) discovers that 10 women--including his wife and a local teenage virgin--have mysteriously become pregnant. Their children are all born on the same day, with matching white hair and strange, glowing eyes, grow at an accelerated rate and thus raise Reeve's suspicion that they are not of earthly origin. These demonic brats can control minds and wreak havoc with the power of their thoughts, so of course they must be destroyed. Only Reeve knows how to get the job done, and his performance (the actor's last big-screen role before his paralysing accident in 1995) grounds this otherwise superfluous remake with enough credibility to hold the viewer's attention. But for the real chills, definitely check out the original version--it's 20 minutes shorter but twice as spooky. --Jeff Shannon

• Escape From New York | Blu Ray | (04/08/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  1997. New York City is now a maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane. Manhattan Island has become a maximum-security prison for three million criminals. When the American President's plane is hijacked and crashed on the island the President is taken hostage by gangland warlord 'The Duke'. Sent to the rescue is Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) a former war hero now a convicted criminal. To ensure safe return of the President the police commissioner (Lee Van Cleef) has had tiny time bombs implanted in Plissken's neck: if he gets the President out within twenty four hours he gets a pardon; if not he gets blown to pieces...

• They Live | Blu Ray | (02/03/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Professional WWF wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper plays John Nada, a homeless, unemployed construction worker who discovers a pair of sunglasses that when worn suddenly reveal a world run by upwardly mobile, capitalist, yuppie aliens intent on keeping the human race sedate and brainwashed with subliminal messages fed through advertising and the media. Luckily for us, all John Nada wants to do now is chew gum and kick ass, and he's all out of gum. THEY LIVE is one of John Carpenter's most accomplished films. An action packed, satirical, sci-fi adventure and socio-cultural critique on the decline of spiritual values and the rise of consumerism within modern society, it also includes one of the longest fist fights in the history of cinema. Bonus Features: Audio commentary: Writer/Director John Carpenter and Actor Roddy Piper Independent thoughts: An interview with Writer/Director John Carpenter Woman of Mystery: An interview with Meg Foster Watch, Look, Listen: The sights and sounds of They Live Man vs Aliens: An interview with Actor Keith David The Making of They Live Commercials TV Spots

• The Fog | Blu Ray | (04/08/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A thick fog rolls into the sleepy town of Antonio Bay concealing the ghosts of murdered sailors desperate to seek revenge on the descendants of their killers. In one night the inhabitants of this town will pay the ultimate price for their forefathers' murderous greed...

• Escape From New York | DVD | (17/10/2005) from £13.99   |  Saving you £6.00 (42.89%)   |  RRP £19.99

  1997. New York City is now a maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane. Manhattan Island has become a maximum-security prison for three million criminals. When the American President's plane is hijacked and crashed on the island the President is taken hostage by gangland warlord `The Duke'. Sent to the rescue is Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) a former war hero now a convicted criminal. To ensure safe return of the President the police comm

• John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. Limited Edition | Blu Ray | (21/02/2022) from £36.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Snake Plissken is back in the high-octane West Coast sequel to Escape from New York that returns Kurt Russell to the iconic role and filmmakers John Carpenter and Debra Hill for post-apocalyptic action. After a 9.6 quake levels most of Los Angeles, Snake is called to wade through the ruins to retrieve a doomsday device. Now, more explosive than ever on 4K Ultra HD, this outrageous thriller finds Snake surfing Wilshire Blvd., shooting hoops at the Coliseum, dive-bombing the Happy Kingdom theme park, and mixing it up with a wild assortment of friends, fiends and foes from a supporting cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Stacy Keach, Cliff Robertson and Bruce Campbell. This Limited Edition version includes 2 stickers, 5 art cards and a double-sided poster.

• Dark Star | DVD | (17/01/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  The crew of the spaceship Dark Star are on a 20-year mission to destroy unstable planets and make way for future colonisation by using smart bombs which zoom off cheerfully to do their duty. But unlike the orderly inhabitants of Star Trek's Enterprise, the nerves of this crew are becoming frayed to the point of psychosis. Their captain has been killed by a radiation leak that also destroyed their toilet paper. "Don't give me any of that 'Intelligent Life' stuff", says Commander Doolittle when presented with the possibility of alien life, "Find me something I can blow up". When an asteroid storm causes a malfunction, Bomb Number 20 (the most cheerful character in the film) has to be repeatedly talked out of exploding prematurely, each time becoming more and more peevish, until they have to teach him phenomenology to make him doubt his existence. And the film's apocalyptic ending, lifted almost wholly from Ray Bradbury's short story "Kaleidoscope" has the remaining crew drifting away from each other in space, each to a suitably absurd end. Absurd, surreal and very funny. John Carpenter once described Dark Star as "Waiting for Godot in space". Made at a cost of practically nothing, the film's effects are nevertheless impressive and, along with the number of ideas crammed into its 83 minutes, ought to shame makers of science fiction films costing hundreds of times more. --Jim Gay

• Assault on Precinct 13: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Box Set (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (28/11/2016) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 is a riveting low-budget thriller from 1976, in which a nearly abandoned police station is held under siege by a heavily armed gang called Street Thunder. Inside the station, cut off from contact and isolated, convicts heading for death row and the cops must now join forces or die. That's the basic plot, but what Carpenter does with it is remarkable. Drawing specific inspiration from the classic Howard Hawks Western Rio Bravo (which included a similar siege on disadvantaged heroes), Carpenter used his simple setting for a tense, tightly constructed series of action sequences, emphasising low-key character development and escalating tension. Few who've seen the film can forget the "ice cream cone" scene in which a young girl is caught up in the action by patronising a seemingly harmless ice cream van. It's here, and in other equally memorable scenes, that Carpenter demonstrates his knack for injecting terror into the mundane details of daily life, propelling this potent thriller to cult favourite status and long-standing critical acclaim. From this Carpenter went on to make the original Halloween, one of the most profitable independent films of all time. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

• Wolf/Vampires/Frankenstein | DVD | (02/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  John Carpenter's Vampires: In the blood-chilling tradition of Halloween and Village Of The Damned comes John Carpenter's unique vision of the ultimate killing machines vampires. ""Forget everything you've ever heard about vampires"" warns Jack Crow (James Woods) the leader of Team Crow a relentless group of mercenary vampire slayers. When master Vampire Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith) decimates Jack's entire team Crow and the sole team survivor Montoya (Daniel Baldwin) set out in pursuit. Breaking all the rules Crow and Montoya take one of Valek's victims hostage. The beautiful prostitute (Sheryl Lee) is their sole psychic link to Valek and through her senses they will track down the leader of the undead. As Valek nears the climax of his 600 year search for the Berziers cross Jack and the new Team Crow do everything humanly possible to prevent him from possessing the only thing that can grant him and all vampires the omnipotent power to walk in the daylight... (Dir. John Carpenter 1998) Frankenstein: It is the late 18th Century. After the death of his beloved mother young Victor Frankenstein leaves his father and Elizabeth the adopted sister he passionately loves to attend university. Here he becomes obsessed with the teachings of Professor Walman who believes that living creatures can actually be created from dead matter. One electrifying night Frankenstein's efforts are rewarded as his Creature struggles to life. Alone despised and driven by a rage of emotional agony it sets off to find its maker. And so begins the nightmare that will engulf Victor Frankenstein... (Dir. Kenneth Branagh 1994) Wolf: Driving through a stormy night a wolf runs in front of Will Randall's car. Checking to see if it is okay Will (Nicholson) is bitten and the wolf disappears into the night. From this moment on Will begins to change in subtle ways that he cannot explain his senses quicken and he becomes dynamic and adventurous in every aspect of his life. However Will's new-found lust for life has a price and he finds it increasingly difficult to contain the wild and predatorial spirit that is also growing within him... Starring Jack Nicholson Michelle Pfeiffer and James Spader Wolf is a supernatural tale with a delicious modern twist. Beware: the animal is out! (Dir. Mike Nichols 1994)