Top 8 heroes from John Carpenter films.

 Top 8 heroes from John Carpenter films. 

Lately I have been on a massive John Carpenter kick, re-watching his films over and over again. Tonight I'm listing off my top 8 favorite heroes or anti-heroes from his films. Carpenter has been known for writing extremely strong and memorable male characters, here are my favorite choices!

Napoleon Wilson - Assault On Precinct 13

- Played by the late Darwin Joston, Napoleon completely stole the show in Assault with his smooth delivery of his classic one liners. Being a convicted inmate that's forced to fight side by side with other police officers in order to survive the night, he shows not only the most humane performance in the film, but is the character you catch yourself rooting for the whole movie. What can I say? He has his moments. RIP Joston, you are missed.

Nick Castle - The Fog

- I may or may not have picked this character over Dr. Loomis in Halloween simply because Tom Atkins plays this part, and he is by far the most attractive silver fox to ever grace…well the silver screen. The character of Nick is your basic blue collar fisherman, he picks up a hitchhiking Jamie Lee Curtis, has a one night stand with her, drinks massive amounts of beer, and saves the day. My favorite moment with him is when he's standing in silence at the bar with Jamie when they decide to leave. When he notices she's leaving her beer, he tells her to take it with them. Classic. 

Snake Plissken - Escape From New York/LA

- The most famous anti-hero from all of Carpenter films. Snake is a complete and total badass. Not only is he forced to go into the island prison of New York to save the president, he also has to do it in record time or tiny bombs in his neck will explode. With his Clint Eastwood like delivery, and cool moves, Snake is the underdog in both films. He stands up for what's right, and gives complete zero fucks. He also shuts off the entire world in Escape From LA. I mean how awesome is that?

Childs - The Thing

- I'm sure some people are asking why didn't I pick the film's lead since he really is a great hero. Well, I've always liked Childs, who is extremely underrated as a character in this film. Not trusting anybody, he keeps going up until the very end. I love his reaction in the famous blood test scene "Cut me loose!" or him getting drunk in the snow at the end. Also for who are massive fans, pay close attention to his earring at the end. Looks like somebody wasn't taken over!

Dennis - Christine 

- Oh John Stockwell. Christine is one of my all time favorite movies and novels of all time. With a mixture of Stephen King and Carpenter in 1983 horror history was made. John Stockwell plays Dennis, the helpless best friend of Arnie who slowly becomes possessed by the haunted car which slowly begins to go on a massacre. Even tho the Dennis character is sorta taken out of play mid way thru the story after a football accident, he seems like the only person with an ounce of sense from the very beginning. Once he teams up with the girlfriend Leigh, both make a great team seeking to destroy the car. 

Jack Burton - Big Trouble In Little China 

- By far one of my all time favorite John Carpenter characters ever. Pretty much Jack is a total bad ass without doing anything. He's a wise cracking truck driver who is just too cool for school. I instantly fell for him the second he caught the bottle that was trying to be cut in half. Between him getting knocked out by firing the gun, arguing with his car insurance over the phone, sliding backwards in a wheelchair, getting lipstick all over him, and getting high in an elevator…the moments truly don't stop with him. In fact I sorta wish more movies would of been made with this character. 

Nada - They Live 

- The only hero that could make a comeback with bubblegum sound completely bad ass. Nada is one hell of a bad ass in Carpenter's most political movies. Between getting his ass handed to him over and over again, getting thrown thru windows, and getting into the greatest fist fight over wearing sunglasses, Nada gave zero fucks up until the very end. And yes, we all love him for it.

Lomax - Prince Of Darkness

- I bet everyone reading this is going…who? Well I down right love Prince Of Darkness, which was Carpenter's response after Big Trouble In Little China tanked at the box office. I love everything about this movie, most of all Lomax who is the uber attractive guy in the gray shirt that pretty much survives nearly up until the very end of the movie before hiding behind a door and getting demon spit sprayed in his mouth. Tragic...