John Carpenters Apocalyptic Trilogy

The Thing, released in 1982, set the tone for Carpenter’s “Apocalypse Trilogy,” which also included 1987’s Prince of Darkness and 1994’s s underrated, In the Mouth of Madness. At first glance, it may appear that there is little connecting these films besides their shared director. However, upon closer inspection, a common theme emerges that unites all of the images. In each film, the protagonists must fight not only an overt antagonist but also a hidden foe, one that may be impervious to the laws of reality as the protagonists know it. Moreover, in each film, the protagonists are physically isolated from the rest of society, with no obvious way home.

In The Thing, it’s a research facility in Antarctica, in Prince of Darkness it’s a church in the middle of abandoned downtown Los Angeles, and in In the Mouth of Madness it’s a small town… and maybe the protagonist’s mind.

Throughout the three films by Carpenter, the protagonists face off against creatures and ideas that aren’t necessarily supernatural, but are nonetheless alien to them.

Part of the fun of watching these films is seeing how the filmmakers twist the conventions and iconic characters of the horror genre. The alien invader in In the Mouth of Madness isn’t some monstrous creature, but rather a cloned human; in Prince of Darkness, Satan from the Bible isn’t from this world at all; and in The Thing, the alien invader isn’t even alien at all.

Although, many of John Carpenter’s films are highly regarded, the following three represent some of his most creative and groundbreaking efforts in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Movies that don’t just scare you, but also provoke thought, and keep you mulling over their themes long after the end credits.