Music part 3, John Carpenter

I could write forever about John Carpenter. Here is a man who really helped put independent film makers on the map as far as Hollywood is concerned. Halloween was the first mega success from the independent scene. Whether you liked slasher films or not, Hollywood could not ignore the bottom line. John Carpenter also proved he wasn't a one hit wonder like some other horror directors, yes I'm looking at YOU Tobe Hooper. Again and again, he not only made hits he made some pretty darn thought provoking movies pretending to be dumb entertainment. That John Carpenter has basically burnt out of late is sad, but I always hope that he'll come back to us.

But here, let's concentrate on his music. To say it's simple is an understatement. It's basically karaoke cassio time here. It's like the punk guitarist that knows like one and a half chords, but with a synthesizer.  I mean, I'm a musical moron and I learned to play the theme to Halloween.

Yet it works, and works so well.

I think the reason why it works is because John Carpenter the film maker and John carpenter the composer are in perfect synch here.  He knows he needs a beat here and here and here.  He knows where the music should be and doesn't worry about the rest.  It's like the difference between the Mona Lisa and a panel drawn by Jack Kirby.  The panel by Jack Kirby may seem simple compared to the Mona Lisa, but really it isn't because what Jack is doing is directing action from panel to panel so that it is the over all whole of the piece that makes it complex.