John Carpenter

Born: 16 January 1948
Where: Carthage, New York

Drawn to filmmaking at a young age after watching movies like It Came From Outer Space and Forbidden Planet, John has worked primarily in the horror, thriller and science fiction genres.

He formed his own production company while still in his teens, and by 14 had filmed three shorts, Gorgo vs. Godzilla, Terror From Space, and Sorceror From Outer Space.

While a graduate at the University of Southern California's film school, John produced, directed and co-wrote with classmate Dan O'Bannon, the sci-fi comedy short Dark Star, that was later expanded to feature length (on a $60,000 budget) and released in cinemas in 1974.

He turned to writing screenplays with some success, selling Eyes, Blood River and Black Moon Rising. Then in 1976 wrote, directed and scored his second feature, the crime thriller Assault on Precinct 13, a homage to his idol Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo.

John resumed screenwriting with Escape, High Rise and Prey, and 1978 marked his breakthrough with the "slasher" film Halloween, which he directed, scripted and composed the score for. Made for $300,000, the film has reportedly grossed over $75 million worldwide, making it one of the most profitable films ever made, and to date has spawned many sequels.

He followed by directing The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing, Christine, Starman, and Big Trouble in Little China, many of which he also scripted and scored.

Prince of Darkness was a return to low-budget horror, followed by They Live, and the $40 million Memoirs of an Invisible Man. John's next directing effort, Village of the Damned opened to mixed reviews before he returned with the sequel, John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. which wasn't received well by the press.

John continued to work in the movie business throughout the 90s, producing, directing and writing for film and TV. This resulted in him writing and directing Ghosts Of Mars in 2001.