Movies - TV
The Book That Started John Carpenter's Love Of Horror
By DEBOPRIYAA DUTTA
John Carpenter has directed horror movies that have redefined the genre in several ways, and the reason he has such an affinity for the genre is because of horror writers like H.P. Lovecraft. While Lovecraft still remains a key influence in Carpenter's understanding of the genre, the director credits one particular book that managed to ignite his love for horror.
In an interview with Vulture, where Carpenter talked about his favorite horror and sci-fi writers, he said, "There are a lot of science-fiction writers I grew up on and love: Harry Harrison and others. My dad gave me a book called Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural. That's where I got my horror tales started."
First published in 1944, "Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural" is a collection of 52 horror stories of varied tints. This horror anthology is the perfect starting point for anyone interested in what the genre has to offer, as it consists of stories by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Algernon Blackwood — and, of course, Lovecraft.