Any fans? I've heard some people claim this to be his masterpiece, and while I don't exactly agree (I maintain "Halloween" is his crowning achievement), I think it's one of his better later features. I know that some people have interpreted elements of it as mirroring the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and it also has the young male Asian student character who makes several references to being gay, and toward the end, is literally trapped in—and breaks out of—a closet as a gaggle of demonically-possessed women attempt to "infect" him. It's a strange film, but it has a lot of unusual things going on in it. The dream sequence footage that recurs throughout—a premonition from 1999, of Satan emerging from the monastery—is quite terrifying.
I love this movie but
[quote]I know that some people have interpreted elements of it as mirroring the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and it also has the young male Asian student character who makes several references to being gay, and toward the end, is literally trapped in—and breaks out of—a closet as a gaggle of demonically-possessed women attempt to "infect" him
who on earth is putting forth this bullshit? Carpenter is still alive. Just ask him
It was Satan coming back to earth and the future people trying to warn us. It is a very entertaining movie but not that complicated.
I always had a young gay crush for Jameson Parker from Simon & Simon.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | May 31, 2021 11:31 PM |
R1 it's film scholars. There is a fair amount of scholarly work written about this subject, and how they believe that the culture of the period—which was very impacted by AIDS—seeped into the films that were made in that time (mainly horror films). There are other movies made during this time that have had similar claims attached to them (like 1988's "The Kiss"), though I think the argument for "Prince of Darkness" has a little more weight given that there is an obviously gay main character and a literal "coming out of the closet" scene.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | May 31, 2021 11:58 PM |
This movie still creeps me out to this day.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | June 1, 2021 12:42 AM |
Carpenters' The Thing recognized the onset of the AIDs crisis years before. It wasn't specifically about it, but there were strong undertones in it.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | June 1, 2021 1:32 AM |
Interesting since The Thing is a remake.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | June 1, 2021 1:53 AM |
This movie is lame, unscaty GARBAGE.
No movie John Carpenter ever wrote himself turned out good.
He said on INTO THE DARKNESS that he was going for an Argento vibe in PRINCE.
It was crapola that didn’t work.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | June 1, 2021 5:17 AM |
[quote]it also has the young male Asian student character who makes several references to being gay
OP, I don't recall Dennis Dun's character Walter making any such references. To which statements are you referring?
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | June 1, 2021 8:32 AM |
This movie is screaming for a remake. With the Anti-God reveal...Donald J. Trump and his followers the homeless people affected by his telekinetic powers.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | June 1, 2021 1:09 PM |
Thought it was awful but may have to check it out again.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | June 1, 2021 2:15 PM |
"To which statements are you referring?"
Jameson Parker makes a comment about him dating a male attorney (as a joke).
And Dun makes reference to being treated for homosexual panic.
But on the other hand he makes a play for a couple of the girls.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | June 1, 2021 2:40 PM |
Love this film. It's my 5th favorite Carpenter film. The bluray looks great
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | June 1, 2021 3:03 PM |
Didn't think too much of it in the VHS days, but once I saw it in widescreen, it was like a whole different movie. Poor Carpenter had all his films mutilated for home video release. Those widescreen frames are part of his identity and style. The Blu-Ray does look gorgeous and I think it's one of his scarier movies.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | June 1, 2021 5:51 PM |
This is one of those movies that I know is probably considered bad but I love it anyway. There are just some great shots in it, I think, like the guy collapsing into a pile of bugs, Catherine behind the mirror and the devil walking out from the building.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | June 1, 2021 8:24 PM |
[quote]The dream sequence footage that recurs throughout—a premonition from 1999, of Satan emerging from the monastery—is quite terrifying.
Yes, that scene did scare me - along with the final scene of the woman trapped behind the mirror; Donald Pleasance as the hysterical priest is a scenery chewing masterpiece. I love it when the Asian professor basically tells him to shut it. I think the music goes a long way towards the mood & feeling of the movie.
It didn't really age well and as someone else said, it should be remade, at the very least for Netflix
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | June 1, 2021 8:31 PM |
R5, I've never thought about Carpenter's remake of The Thing that way, but it does have that creepy blood-testing scene, where you wait to discover who is "positive."
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | June 1, 2021 8:44 PM |
Evil Trumper & QAnon-er Jameson Parker.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | June 1, 2021 8:48 PM |
Of all the movies I watched as a kid and teen in the 80s, I thought about this one more than any other. Talking with friends and family about the story, various points of the movie, what the outcome was. It really was a pretty interesting story beyond most 80s slasher movies.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | June 1, 2021 9:47 PM |
I am a huge Carpenter fan. POD is not at the top of my list now but as a young gay boy I was really drawn to it for some reason.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | June 2, 2021 4:55 PM |