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The one movie genre John Carpenter was always too scared to try: “I would be pretty nervous”
John Carpenter says he has never made a straightforward western because he would feel nervous taking on a genre he loves. Best known for horror and suspense films such as *Halloween* and *The Thing*, he said he tends to work in the areas where audiences and the industry expect him.
In a 1998 interview, Carpenter gave two reasons for holding back: westerns had fallen out of favour, and he was typecast as a suspense, science-fiction and horror director. Although he grew up admiring westerns by John Ford and Howard Hawks, he noted that some of his own films have crossed into western territory.
In short
- Carpenter says he would be nervous about directing a western.
- He cited the genre’s waning popularity and his horror reputation.
- He grew up admiring westerns by John Ford and Howard Hawks.
Explained simply
A western is a type of film usually set in the American frontier, often featuring cowboys, lawmen and conflicts over land or justice. Directors John Ford and Howard Hawks helped shape the genre, which was especially popular in Hollywood’s early decades.
John Carpenter is an American film-maker best known for horror and suspense films, including Halloween and The Thing. In his 1998 interview, he described himself as being seen mainly as a director of suspense, science fiction and horror, at a time when westerns had become less popular.
Some films can draw on western conventions without being straightforward westerns. Knowing Carpenter admired the genre, but was associated with other kinds of film, helps explain why making one would have felt like a different challenge.