Every Movie Directed By John Carpenter, Ranked (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

It's been a decade since John Carpenter released a film. After arriving on the scene in the '70s, Carpenter's name became synonymous with horror thanks to the release of influential films like Halloween and The Thing. As the Halloween franchise exploded into a cultural institution among scary movie fans, Carpenter continued to blend horror, comedy, and action with titles like They Live and Big Trouble in Little China.

Never a favorite of critics, Carpenter's films became even more derailed in the '90s - a vilification he never fully recovered from. However, Carpenter's influence on horror and sci-fi is undeniable. In recent years, some of his later films, especially those with large cult followings, have been reassessed. Others, though, still maintain their status as total flops.

John Carpenter's Ghosts Of Mars (2001) - 21%

Futuristic police officers battle alien spirits inhabiting mineworkers on Mars in what turned out to be a box office bomb. Ghosts of Mars features a diverse ensemble cast including Natasha Henstridge and Pam Grier.

While diehard fans find it an underrated gem, the vast majority of moviegoers see it as a total mess.

Memoirs Of An Invisible Man (1992) - 24%

Memoirs Of An Invisible Man (1992) by John Carpenter

Another flop, Memoirs of an Invisible Man stars Chevy Chase as a yuppie who becomes invisible after a freak accident.

Billed as a sci-fi dark comedy, the film co-stars Daryl Hannah as Chase's love interest.

Village Of The Damned (1995) - 29%

Carpenter remade 1960's Village of the Damned with stars of the '90s like Christopher Reeve and Kirstie Alley. In the film, an alien lifeforce impregnates all the women in a small town - who give birth to a legion of white-haired otherworldly tykes set up taking over.

While it failed at the box office, some horror fans stand by Village of the Damned's slow pacing, melancholy tones, and creepy kids.

The Ward (2010) - 33%

Carpenter's last feature film stars Amber Heard as a patient in an institution dealing with a lot more than mental illness.

Heard's character Kristen is terrorized by a ghost, and the result is a predictable, generic psychological thriller with supernatural twists and turns.

John Carpenter's Vampires (1998) - 40%

Vampires is a critically disparaged pulpy vampire western in line with Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk Till Dawn.

Why this movie starring James Wood, Daniel Baldwin, and Sheryl Lee isn't hailed like Rodgruez's film remains a mystery among Carpenter fans who love this brutal, albeit sloppy, feature.

John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. (1996) - 53%

Escape From L.A. is Carpenter's last collaboration with Kurt Russell, who stars in many of his films. This campy, over-the-top sequel to Escape from New York sees Russell reprising his role as Snake Plissken - the post-apocalyptic hero with an eye patch.

In the film, Plissken is tasked with traversing L.A. (now an island due to a cataclysmic earthquake) in search of a doomsday weapon acquired by a powerful resistance movement.

Prince Of Darkness (1987) - 58%

Computer age scientific inquiry meets ancient bizarre religious philosophies in Prince of Darkness, which follows a group of college research students asked by a priest to investigate a large, green cylinder whose contents turn out to be the physical embodiment of Satan.

Prince of Darkness divided critics, but the general consensus is this heady demonic flick sees Carpenter returning to his spooky, atmospheric roots.

In The Mouth Of Madness (1995) - 59%

In The Mouth Of Madness (1995) by John Carpenter

Sam Neill stars in this cinematic tribute to the works of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft.

Neill plays an insurance investigator in search of an elusive novelist named Sutter Cane whose stories seem to be coming to life around Neill's character John Trent - who becomes entrenched in Cane's cult of personality.