Greg Trosclair

Introduction In part one of this retrospective, we looked back at the early years of John Carpenter’s career (you can read it here!). This included his directorial debut, Dark Star (1974), as well as his follow-up two years later, Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). We also examined the ‘bridge’ that Carpenter would take towards the world of horror when he wrote the screenplay for The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978).

Introduction When I think of my favorite directors, the list usually begins with easy choices like Spielberg or Scorsese before winding its way through directors like Tarantino. But one of my favorite directors of comfort-food cinema has always been John Carpenter. Comfort-food cinema? Absolutely. If I’m down in the dumps, stressed out, or simply looking for a movie I can sit back and watch for the hundredth time, I often turn to Carpenter’s catalog.

Introduction Wrong day, wrong time—I am not entirely sure—but I had a difficult time connecting with Leviticus. I had seen the trailer beforehand, and it looked like it might be a variation on Smile (2022), albeit with a heavy dose of religious and moral commentary mixed into the horror. Synopsis Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, Leviticus follows Naim (Joe Bird), a teenager whose mother has recently moved them to a new town after finding what she believes is a welcoming faith community.