Throughout his career, John Carpenter has directed 18 films. He’s known for two true classics: Halloween and The Thing. Beyond those, he’s created many outstanding movies in the horror and action genres, including Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York, The Fog, Christine, Big Trouble in Little China, and They Live. He also made the distinctive sci-fi romance Starman. Even his films that weren’t huge hits, like Vampires, In the Mouth of Madness, Village of the Damned, Prince of Darkness, and Ghosts of Mars, still have a special appeal.
Many of these films, no matter their style, have dialogue that’s either truly brilliant or hilariously bad – and memorably so (we’re thinking of Ghosts of Mars!). But what are the very best lines from his movies? Let’s take a look.
10) “A Reality Is Just What We Tell Each Other It Is.” from In the Mouth of Madness
Despite its imperfections, In the Mouth of Madness is a surprisingly overlooked film. It’s a bold tribute to H.P. Lovecraft that playfully messes with the line between reality and imagination. Around the middle of the movie, the character Linda Styles, played by Julie Carmen, explicitly discusses this very idea in a conversation with Sam Neill’s character, John Trent.
She stared intently at him as they drove towards the strangely named town of Hobb’s End. She explained that reality is simply a shared belief, and what’s considered normal can quickly become abnormal if enough people think differently. She warned that he could easily find himself considered crazy, questioning the world around him. This moment foreshadows exactly where Trent ends up at the movie’s conclusion.
Stream In the Mouth of Madness on The Criterion Channel.
9) “Okay…Show Me.” from Christine
The 1983 horror film Christine is ripe for a remake, and there’s been talk of one for a while. However, it’s difficult to picture anyone capturing the essence of Arnie Cunningham quite like Keith Gordon did. He flawlessly portrayed all sides of the character, from the shy, bullied student to the obsessed and ultimately terrifying puppet controlled by a malevolent force.
When Arnie is becoming fixated and vulnerable, he says, “Okay…show me.” This happens as he sees his cherished car, wrecked by bullies, in Will Darnell’s garage. It’s as if the car itself is challenging him, and he responds with a detached yet intense gaze, witnessing what seems like a miraculous restoration.
Stream Christine on HBO Max.
8) “I’d Rather Not Spend the Rest of This Winter Tied to This F***ing Couch!” from The Thing
Although The Thing wasn’t initially successful with critics or audiences, it’s now considered a classic film. Even then, the impressive practical effects were always praised. What wasn’t understood at the time was the strength of the characters. They were originally seen as stereotypical, but they actually feel like distinct and individual people.
Take Garry, played by Donald Moffat, for example. He becomes a suspect when a bag of blood is ruined, and from that moment on, he’s increasingly on edge. This builds to a powerful outburst where he starts speaking calmly but ends with a shout: “I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I’d rather not spend the rest of this winter tied to this fing couch!” It’s understandable, considering he’d just witnessed Palmer’s head split open, and then watched the two halves act like a mouth and eat poor Windows.
Stream The Thing on Peacock.
7) “Look for the fog.” from The Fog
Released in the 1980s, The Fog is a particularly spooky horror movie, largely due to its effective use of glowing fog and a quaint seaside town location. The story centers around Antonio Bay, and we experience it through the eyes of Stevie Wayne, a local radio DJ played by Adrienne Barbeau.
With the town’s hundredth anniversary approaching, the vengeful spirits of those wronged in the past have returned. Wayne is broadcasting on the radio, desperately trying to warn and save people. The actress delivers Wayne’s panic with convincing emotion, but it’s her final, serious voiceover that truly stands out: “I don’t know what happened to Antonio Bay tonight. Something emerged from the fog, attempting to destroy us. It disappeared quickly, but if this wasn’t just a bad dream, and we aren’t safe when we wake up, it could return. To any ships that can hear me, watch the water, look into the darkness. Watch for the fog.”
Stream The Fog for free with ads on The Roku Channel.
6) “It’s All in the Reflexes” from Big Trouble in Little China
Kurt Russell plays very different characters in his films. In Escape from New York, his character, Snake Plissken, is mysterious and doesn’t talk much. But in Big Trouble in Little China, his character, Jack Burton, is loud, funny, and thinks very highly of himself. Burton also has a quirky habit of referring to himself in the third person, often calling himself ‘ol Jack’ when he feels like it.
He often shares silly life lessons when talking about himself, as if they’re noteworthy. A perfect example of this happened when he was talking to Dennis Dun’s Wang Chi. He said, “I told my ex-wife, ‘Honey, I never drive faster than I can see. It’s all about reflexes.’”
Stream Big Trouble in Little China on The Criterion Channel.
5) “It’s Halloween. Everyone’s Entitled to One Good Scare.” from Halloween
Halloween is excellent at creating suspense from the very start. Once Jamie Lee Curtis’s character, Laurie Strode, realizes Michael Myers is nearby, she’s constantly catching glimpses of him and can’t seem to shake the feeling he’s watching her.
There’s this one scene that always gets me – Laurie Strode is so caught up in checking to see if Michael is following her that she literally walks right into Sheriff Brackett! She bumps into him and quickly apologizes, and he just gives her this knowing smile and says, ‘It’s Halloween. Everyone’s entitled to one good scare.’ It’s such a small moment, but it perfectly captures the tension and atmosphere of the whole movie.
Stream Halloween on Shudder.
4) “Call Me Snake.” from Escape from New York
The line “Call me Snake” is remarkably effective in its simplicity. S. D. Bob Plissken, who prefers to be called “Snake,” is a man of mystery who intentionally keeps people at a distance, and that aloofness defines his character.
The audience doesn’t need a detailed backstory for Snake. It’s clear he’s completely focused on finishing the job, particularly when his own life is at risk. He isn’t motivated by helping others – he simply prioritizes survival. As long as you don’t hinder his progress, he won’t bother you.
Stream Escape from New York on Prime Video.
3) “If We’ve Got Any Surprises for Each Other, I Don’t Think We’re in Much Shape to Do Anything About It.” from The Thing
There’s been talk of making a sequel to The Thing, but continuing the story could diminish the power of its already fantastic ending.
Man, the ending of The Thing is just brutal. It leaves you with MacReady, played by Kurt Russell, and Childs, and you’re constantly wondering who’s still human. We’ve been following MacReady’s fight against the creature, so I think he’s okay, but you can’t be sure. And with Childs, we haven’t seen him in ages, so he could be anything! The really unsettling part is they both know they’re probably doomed – if one of them is the Thing, they’re both going to freeze to death out there. It’s such a tense, ambiguous way to end the movie.
2) “I’ve Come Here to Chew Bubblegum and Kick Ass…and I’m All Out of Bubblegum.” from They Live
Among horror films with wrestlers, They Live is arguably the best. It also boasts the most memorable line from any John Carpenter movie: the iconic, playful threat, “I’ve come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum,” delivered as the protagonist enters a bank to fight alien invaders disguised as humans.
Roddy Piper’s character in the movie has some fantastic lines, all delivered brilliantly by the late wrestler. Some memorable examples include, “You look like your head fell in the cheese dip back in 1957,” and “formaldehyde-face!”
Stream They Live on AMC+.
1) “It Was the Boogeyman.” from Halloween
The ending of the movie Halloween is truly memorable. The final conversation is famous because it’s both brief and gets straight to the point.
Okay, so the film reaches a fever pitch when Dr. Loomis, after years of therapy, finally shoots Michael Myers – sending him tumbling from a second-story window. It’s Laurie Strode who truly understands what they’re dealing with, though. She doesn’t ask what happened, she simply states, “It was the boogeyman.” And Loomis, chillingly, confirms it: “As a matter of fact, it was.” The camera follows his gaze down to the lawn, where we just see the shape of Michael’s body… and then Carpenter’s iconic score kicks in. It’s a truly unforgettable moment, and a perfect setup for what’s to come.
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2025-10-31 18:14