shoutout to all the people that showed up to this midnight screening wearing sunglasses!

nothing could’ve prepared me for the one-on-one fight scene in the alley. the audience was roaring with the laughter of incredulity. what a joy to hear so many cheers and reactions from a crowd that almost filled out the theatre. there’s nothing quite like the collective experience you have at a movie. this is probably the most I’ve jaw-dropped at a Carpenter film. the twists and comedic bits and action moments are so primed that I couldn’t care less about how obvious the film is about everything. the shot of a helicopter rising over the edge of a building in the background of a closeup on Roddy Piper is a climactic achievement. also this film is so anti-establishment and shows cops/rich people as monsters but it hides behind the “people in power are actually aliens” plot to be Hollywood-friendly. as always the action sequences, one-liners, and Carpenter score make for prime entertainment from one of the greatest masters of the craft. 

watched on 35mm at Music Box Theatre