<P>John Carpenter is a seminal figure in the history of horror and science fiction filmmaking. His work in these genres has been highly influential in their ongoing development. This book gives Carpenter's output the sustained critical treatment it deserves. It comprises essays that address the whole of Carpenter's work, as well as others which focus on a smaller number of key films. Some essays take on wide-ranging issues such as Carpenter's approach to remakes and the question of genre, while others are organized around a specific theme or technical aspect of Carpenter's film-making. The text's key strength is that it draws upon an international group of scholars offering a variety of expertise. Films discussed include <i>Assault on Precinct 13</i> (1976), <i>Halloween</i> (1978) and its subsequent sequels, <i>Escape from New York</i> (1981), <i>Escape from L.A.</i>(1996), <i>The Fog</i> (1980), <i>The Thing</i> (1982), <i>Village of the Damned</i> (1995) and <i>Ghosts of Mars</i>(2001). The book also features an exclusive interview with John Carpenter.</P>