The Best Director Of The '80s Isn’t Spielberg Or Scorsese, It’s John Carpenter, And Here’s Why

Kurt Russell in Escape from New York.

I consider myself a cineast, so you know I’m a Scorsese devotee, and I appreciate much of Spielberg’s filmography. However, if we’re talking about the king of the ‘80s, then the best filmmaker of that era is John Carpenter.

Now look, I know what you’re thinking. If there’s any “John” who’s the king of the ‘80s, it’s Hughes. And while yes, I find Hughes funny, too, I wouldn’t put the crown on his head when it comes to the filmmaker who defined the decade, because Carpenter has that on lock. Yeah, his work in the ‘70s is nothing to sneeze at (I mean, hello, Assault on Precinct 13, freaking Halloween!), but the ‘80s is when Carpenter truly shone.