Why John Carpenter Should be Directing Batman v Superman
I should start by saying I have nothing against Zack Snyder; he's a fine director with a good eye for action and style. "Watchmen" wasn't a bad movie at all and "Sucker Punch" is pretty underrated, with a lot of excellent and creative action scenes. But I just don't think he's suited for a film like "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". You know who's perfect for it, though? Horror legend John Carpenter.
Carpenter is best known for movies like Halloween, The Fog, Big Trouble in Little China and Trash Mutant favourite The Thing. Despite being flops when originally released, his movies have gone on to be cult classics, making him one of the most influential horror directors ever. Horror isn't the only genre he's explored, of course; Assault on Precinct 13, considered one of Carpenter's best, is a classic action thriller while Starman is a romantic science fiction movie. This is a guy who can clearly do ANYTHING. We don't know too much about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but from the trailers alone we can tell that a better title for the movie would be Batman v Superman: Dawn of the Grumps. Everything is bleak and everybody is seriously upset about everything. Carpenter is a master at creating atmosphere. This goes beyond just the terror and paranoia you get from Halloween and The Thing. Carpenter also has a way of creating a lively atmosphere, with a joke in the right places or a lighter mood, which helps his movies seem more balanced and makes the characters seem more human. This would make things feel more like they're based on comic books. It would even give Superman the chance to shine, despite DC and Warner Bros. seeming to not want that to happen at all. Superman isn't gritty and serious all the time. He's pretty famous for being an optimist and a pretty happy guy! Things would seem more fantastical with Carpenter at the wheel, but they'd also seem more natural and interesting. I appreciate that things aren't going so well for the characters in this movie, but someone needs to smile at some point. Ben Affleck is currently playing Batman in Batman v Superman and he's going to do a great job of it. But there's someone out there who would make an even better Batman. Someone who's old enough to play a more accurate Batman from Dark Knight Returns. Someone who has worked with John Carpenter on several occasions. Kurt Russell should be Batman. Take a look at this and tell me why Kurt Russell shouldn't be Batman: That's an intimidating Batman. Henry Cavill's Superman is never going to stop him! But if you replace Cavill with Keith David, we can see a re-enactment of the fight from They Live. But maybe that's a bit too awesome for one film. We don't want people breaking down in tears. Best to stick with Cavill, just in case! He still makes a pretty great Superman. Superman would be in pretty great hands with John Carpenter. Very few other directors can make aliens so powerful! And sexy! And Superman has his Fortress of Solitude in the North Pole. Pretty similar to another alien in Carpenter's filmography, isn't he?!? Never trust an alien who spends too much time in the snow. But the relationship between Batman and Superman would be pretty perfect under Carpenter's direction. He has a knack for creating likeable on screen duos, as proven with Ethan Bishop and Napoleon Wilson in Assault on Precinct 13 and Jack Burton and Wang Chi in Big Trouble in Little China. Even when the relationship is strained, the characters are likeable and it's near impossible to choose a side. Look at Nada and Frank in The Live or R.J MacReady and Childs in The Thing. All of these characters are well balanced and interesting, thanks to Carpenter and his excellent directing, along with the choice of cast.
Not only would the movie look incredible and have a fantastic cast, but it'll also sound superb. John Carpenter has created the soundtrack for nearly every movie he has ever directed. The Thing is a notable exception, with Ennio Morricone in charge of creating the thumping, eerie music for that one. Assault on Precinct 13 and Halloween have two of the most iconic themes in movies, with Halloween's main theme being instantly recognisable to pretty much anyone. But do you remember any of the music that played in the Batman v Superman trailer? It's easily forgettable and overly dramatic, not the kind of theme you'd associate with any one movie. It's the kind of theme that sounds like it could be from any huge action blockbuster from the last few years. John Carpenter is so full of great movie themes, he went and made an album called Lost Themes, an album well worth checking out. With Carpenter in charge, we'd have something much more interesting! Imagine something along the lines of The Coupe De Villes' Big Trouble in Little China and Danny Elfman's Batman theme! That's movie magic.
With John Carpenter, we would get a movie that feels like it came from a comic book. That has the right mix of drama, action and light heartedness that made things like Batman: The Animated Series, Richard Donner's Superman and Tim Burton's Batman so iconic. I'm sure Batman v Superman will be a fine movie. I'm sure the cast will do a tremendous job and everyone involved will be proud of what they created. But it won't be a John Carpenter movie, which is always going to hold it back. Please your comment, so we can maybe get a petition started! It's not too late to hand this movie to Carpenter! |
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