How To Watch John Carpenter's Secret 'Apocalypse Trilogy' In Order
When it comes to John Carpenter sequels and franchises, most people probably think of Halloween or Escape from New York. However, perhaps only hardcore fans know about the director's "Apocalypse Trilogy." The label comes directly from the mouth of Carpenter, who linked three of his otherwise unconnected films—The Thing (1982), Prince of Darkness (1987), and In the Mouth of Madness (1994)—together because of their shared themes.
With apocalypse in the title, you can bet the central theme is the end of the world and the breakdown of humanity alongside it. However, what I find so unique about Carpenter's take on apocalypses is how he can convey huge world-ending stakes within a rather contained story. Meaning, Carpenter's trilogy doesn't feature big, action-heavy set pieces that you'd see in something like World War Z (2013) or I Am Legend (2007). Instead, the horror focuses on groups of people battling their own issues while struggling to contain a bigger problem.
The result is incredibly effective, and if you want to see what all the fuss is about, then head over to streamers like HBO Max, Shudder, and more. Here's how to watch John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy in order.
What's the best horror movie of all time? Poll 1000 horror fans, and I guarantee the majority of us will rank The Thing pretty close to the top. Based on John W. Campbell's sci-fi novella and adapting the same basic idea presented in The Thing from Another World (1951), Carpenter's movie cranks the story's claustrophobic setting and paranoia to 1000. Here, a group of American researchers finds themselves isolated in an Antarctic base with an extraterrestrial organism that can assume the form of any organism.
As you can imagine, this results in distrust among the team, who never quite know if they can trust the person next to them. As far as special effects are concerned, The Thing is top-notch. Combine that with engrossing performances from Kurt Russell, Keith David, and more, and you've got yourself a certifiable masterpiece. According to its release date, you should watch The Thing first, but I'd argue it also works nicely as a way to cap off the Apocalypse Trilogy because of its sheer entertainment value.
Prince of Darkness has one of the coolest premises in the genre. It follows a group of quantum physics students who discover a mysterious cylinder beneath a monastery. The catch? It's filled with a sentient goo that is actually the "son" of the Anti-God. In a neat genre mash-up, Prince of Darkness gives you a proper apocalypse-feeling film with elements of body horror and possession.
I'd argue that Prince of Darkness might be the least effective film on this list (and I'd reckon a good chunk of horror nerds would agree with me); however, it's still a really unique watch. If you're an X-Files (1993) fan, then you'll likely appreciate the concept of religion/supernatural meeting science. If only the characters were half as likable as Scully and Mulder, although Donald Pleasence's presence is always a delight.
In the Mouth of Madness starts at the end. The opening depicts Sam Neill's John Trent entering an asylum while restrained and unhinged. In that sense, you always know where the story is headed once it shifts to the past. Still, it's an absolutely wild and engrossing ride to get there. How does an insurance fraud investigator find himself in this predicament? Honestly, just watch and find out because spoilers are no fun here.
If you're a fan of Stephen King's work, then you'll dig In the Mouth of Madness, which clearly pulls heavy inspiration from the author. At the same time, it also delivers a grand Lovecraftian-style cosmic horror story that balances those big, world-ending implications within a rather "contained" setting with a small number of characters. I'm not always the biggest fan of cosmic horror, but In the Mouth of Madness is the exception. It's a movie that anyone should be able to appreciate for its expert directing, unique story, and stellar performance from Neill in the lead.
