View Poll Results: Which director's work do you you like better?
Voters: 90. You may not vote on this poll
Cronenberg or Carpenter?
#29
Banned by request
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
I think the biggest difference is that Cronenberg is more conceptual, Carpenter is more visceral. Carpenter couldn't have made Videodrome or Naked Lunch, but Cronenberg couldn't have made Halloween or The Thing. In the end, it comes down to which you prefer, the immediacy of Carpenter's films or the lingering concepts of Cronenberg's.
And both were great directors, but of the two only Cronenberg is still great.
And both were great directors, but of the two only Cronenberg is still great.

#30
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
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Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
Damn, that's hard, because both are favorites. I'm going to go with Carpenter. I really really viscerally love Carpenter's films, particularly those lean, early ones.
#31
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Mouth_of_Madness -kd5-
#32
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
Cronenberg
#33
Banned by request
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
While "The film pays tribute to the work of seminal horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, with many references to his stories and themes", John Carpenter's In The Mouth Of Madness was written by Michael De Luca, directed by John Carpenter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Mouth_of_Madness -kd5-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Mouth_of_Madness -kd5-
#34
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
Agreed. It really got a bum deal being released around the same time as The Matrix and dealing with similar concepts. Way, way, overlooked and underrated.
I voted Cronenberg, for many reasons, not the least of which is that he seems to be getting better, while Carpenter only gets worse. If Cronenberg had only made one film, Dead Ringers, I still would have voted for him.
I voted Cronenberg, for many reasons, not the least of which is that he seems to be getting better, while Carpenter only gets worse. If Cronenberg had only made one film, Dead Ringers, I still would have voted for him.
#37
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
I'll go with Carpenter. Overall, I've enjoyed his work more. But that wasn't an easy decision, as I love Cronenberg's work as well (except for the overatted Eastern Promises).
#39
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Cronenberg or Carpenter?
Carpenter.
I really love Videodrome and several other Cronenberg flicks that I've seen but I don't think his flicks have the re-watch ability as most of Carpenter's movies. I don't mean that in a bad way but Cronenberg's flicks are kind of draining for me, in a good way. Where as for Carpenter, I could watch Escape from New York on a loop.
Halloween, Escape from New York and The Thing are among my very favorite films so I had to go with John.
I really love Videodrome and several other Cronenberg flicks that I've seen but I don't think his flicks have the re-watch ability as most of Carpenter's movies. I don't mean that in a bad way but Cronenberg's flicks are kind of draining for me, in a good way. Where as for Carpenter, I could watch Escape from New York on a loop.
Halloween, Escape from New York and The Thing are among my very favorite films so I had to go with John.