The first part of our interview with legendary scary movie director John Carpenter dealt with his latest flick The Ward, but the concluding part of our chat focuses firmly on his impressive career, his thoughts on the modern horror genre and possible future projects. As you can tell, Digital Spy has a massive fan of The Thing in its ranks!

We recently saw the release of Tron: Legacy - a sequel to a movie almost three decades old that didn't set the box office alight but ultimately gained a huge following thanks to home video and television. That could also apply to films of yours like The Thing and Big Trouble In Little China. Given the financial success of Tron: Legacy, are you tempted to get a sequel off the ground for one of those?

"Well right now, Universal has made a prequel to The Thing. They've already shot it. It's a prequel to my film and I didn't have anything to do with it. So I don't know what to say. That's their choice. Tron: Legacy... I guess the original Tron was not a hit, I don't really know."



I think it just about made it's money back at the box office, but since then home entertainment has put it into the hearts and minds of so many viewers. Big Trouble In Little China is hugely known and loved by many people of my generation thanks to regular showings on TV.

"That's very nice. It's really interesting, because it just didn't do it back then. It didn't make it in the theatres. But that's great - itâ€™s wonderful. I donâ€™t think they'll do a sequel to Big Trouble. I just have a feeling."



With The Thing - letâ€™s say hypothetically that the prequel takes off at the box office. That could lead to a studio being keener to finance a sequel to your movie - and its stars Kurt Russell and Keith David have reportedly said they're keen to make one. Have there been any recent discussions about this?

"No. No one's talked to me about it."



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That's a shame, as the ending is so well poised for a sequel - especially with the famous 'lack of breathing' theory about Keith David's character Childs in that final scene...

"Haha!"



You must get sick of this question!

"You know what Ben, I don't even know what people are talking about! I have no idea. We were sitting out in the cold and whether there was a lack of breath - I don't really know what people mean. The smaller characters didn't have any breath?"



Well, the conspiracy theory revolves around the fact that you can clearly see the breath of Kurt Russell's character Macready in the freezing conditions, yet alongside him Childs has none. Leading some to suspect that he is the dreaded Thing..."

"Ah I see, I see. Okay. Alright..."



How vindicated did you feel when The Thing eventually took on classic status - with even a highbrow BFI book on it - given that it didn't take off originally?

"Oh, I loved the book. There was a comic book on the further adventures which was also excellent. Hey Ben, it's nice. It's really nice and feels good."



Has there been any talk of a 30th anniversary re-release in 2012? It is still such a remarkable film.

"Never say never in this business. I just don't think it was enough of a moneymaker for them. I guess if the prequel does well, you never know. I never say never."



Jeff Bridges recently said he was keen on a Starman sequel as the original set things up so well at the end, with Karen Allen pregnant. Could you be enticed back?

"He and I have talked about it. We did a commentary for the Starman DVD and it's a favourite of his. I know he was riffing with Karen Allen on it. Well, as for what's happening in the future - no one's talked about that to me either. No one tells me anything. You're the only one."



Would you be interested in trying to kickstart the project?

"Oh, I donâ€™t know. I think not. I think those are good old films in the past and it's time to move on to other things."



Speaking how times change, your use of the Steadicam in Halloween was innovative and changed the filming techniques for the horror genre. Yet recent years have seen an explosion in the types of handheld shot horror movies like The Blair Witch Project, The Last Exorcism and Paranormal Activity. What do you think of that kind of style?

"Well, it's not just horror. Television, the Bourne movies - a lot of them were handheld and fast. It's easier because your camera operator with his handheld camera is really directing the movie. It's easier to do. The Blair Witch Project is a movie that I really don't think ever had a director. It's one of the few movies I've ever seen that didn't have one."



Maybe one could argue that the 'director' is partially the actual viewer in Blair Witch, given how much takes place out of shot and the imagination needed to picture what's happening?

"That's a ridiculous idea. You've got to put it on film in the first place. Somebody's got to do that, but whatever, it doesn't matter. Your idea is as good as mine. I've never been a fan of handheld. I've used it a bunch and tried to do close-ups with it - and it's fine. There are some guys in the movie business who can hand-hold and it doesn't move. So it depends on what style you're looking for. If you want it to look like news footage or cellphone footage then use shaky handheld. But something seems just so cheap about it. Cheap and easy. I think television pioneered back in the '90s, maybe the '80s because of the quick shooting schedules."



NYPD Blue used it a lot...

"Yeah. They're trying to give it a real feel. It's easier. They just light one direction and go ahead and shoot it out and cover a lot of pages, weave around and get things done. It can be very interesting."



But do you feel it reduces the craft and artistic element?

"Well, it's all in how you view it. That's movies for you. It's all in your aesthetic about film. I've just been a fan of tracking shots all my life. I love them. That's me."



You had huge success with your biopic of Elvis Presley with Kurt Russell in 1979. Are you tempted to do more work outside of the horror genre in the future, kind of like what David Lynch did with The Straight Story? Throwing a curveball...

"If a project comes along that somebody wants me to do that I like then sure. But the projects that find me aren't usually outside the curve. They're usually genre material."



Are you actively seeking projects at the moment? Your direction in The Ward shows that you've still got it.

"Well, thank you. That's very sweet of you to say. I'm developing a couple of projects, but right now we're in the middle of the NBA basketball season and that's very important. It's important for me to lend my support. So we'll see. You never know..."



What can you tell us about these projects?

"There's a comic book that was very popular called Darkchylde. It's a very interesting story and I've been working on that. I'm kind of working on a horror-western. I donâ€™t know if it's going to work or not. Here and there, this and that..."



Lots of your movies have recently been remade, such as Halloween, The Fog and Assault On Precinct 13 - but which remake has impressed you the most?

"I'm impressed with the remakes that pay me. In other words, if I've had a hand in creating the original I like it - because they have to pay me a cheque, which is the best remake of all. I can't judge, they're not my movies. They're somebody else's film. So God bless them."



John Carpenter's The Ward is currently in UK cinemas.

What are your favourite John Carpenter movies? Leave your comments in the space below!

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