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CARPENTER-FEST 2 - At The Midway Drive-In!

Alright, this one is special. This one is really special.


If you know me at all (and I mean at all) you know two things: I love John Carpenter, and I love the drive-in. And when those two things come together? That’s not just an event. That’s heaven.


So I am beyond thrilled, honored, and honestly a little giddy to be hosting Carpenter Fest 2: Dusk-to-Dawn at the legendary Midway Drive-In in Dixon, Illinois on Saturday, May 16th.


This is a full-on, all-night celebration of John Carpenter, my favorite filmmaker of all time, under the stars, on the big screen, the way movies like this were meant to be experienced.


And let me tell you something right up front: John Carpenter is the reason I do what I do. When I was 13 years old, I saw Halloween in 1978, and it changed my life. That was it. That was the moment. I suddenly understood what a director was. I understood that someone was making these things, shaping them, controlling tone, music, fear, humor...all of it.


And from that moment on, I knew that whatever I did with my life, it would involve movies. Forty-plus years later, here I am, and it all goes back to Carpenter.


So to be hosting a full night dedicated to his work? At a drive-in? At the Midway, no less? It doesn’t get better than this.


Now, if you’ve never been to the Midway Drive-In in Dixon, you are missing out on one of the great moviegoing experiences anywhere. This place is magical.


It’s historic, it’s beautifully run, and it’s owned by my dear friends Mike and Mia Kerz (two of the best people on the planet) who also happen to run Flashback Weekend, the greatest horror convention in America, which I’ve been a part of for over two decades.


Carpenter-Fest is part of that whole Flashback universe, kind of a kickoff to the big summer celebration coming later this year, and it’s one hell of a way to start.


So here’s the deal.


Gates open at 5:00 p.m.—get there early, grab a great spot, bring your lawn chairs, your blankets, settle in.


There are going to be incredible horror vendors on site—LIX, Time Warp Collectibles, Kitley’s Krypt, Severin Films—selling amazing merchandise, memorabilia, shirts, movies, artwork, all kinds of great stuff.


The Midway concession stand will be open, loaded with all the classic drive-in food you want (dinner, snacks, drinks) and yes, you can bring your own food, but you’ll need a food permit, and they’re serious about that, so just be aware.


Then at dusk (around 8:15 p.m.) the show begins. And what a show it is.


We’re kicking things off with They Live, which is Carpenter’s brilliant 1988 sci-fi horror satire starring “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. A drifter discovers that the world is secretly controlled by alien forces and that only a special pair of sunglasses reveals the truth. It’s funny, it’s biting, it’s incredibly relevant, and here’s the kicker: we are showing it in 35mm. Actual film. Celluloid. Running through a projector. That alone is worth the price of admission.


Then we move into The Fog, Carpenter’s follow-up to Halloween, and one of the great ghost stories ever made. Moody, eerie, beautifully shot, with an incredible cast (Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins, Hal Holbrook) and featuring, in my opinion, one of Carpenter’s most elegant and haunting scores. This movie just feels like a midnight drive-in movie. It’s perfect for this setting.


After that, we crank it up with Escape from New York. Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken. Come on. One of the coolest characters in movie history. This is one of the greatest sci-fi/action films ever made, it is grimy, stylish, iconic. You’ve got Harry Dean Stanton, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau again, this is just an all-time classic.


And then we close the night (late, weird, and deep into the darkness) with In the Mouth of Madness. Carpenter’s Lovecraftian nightmare starring Sam Neill. This movie is wild. It’s surreal, terrifying, funny in weird ways, and one of Carpenter’s most underrated masterpieces.


A perfect way to end a dusk-to-dawn marathon when your brain is already fried and you’re fully inside that strange, dreamlike drive-in headspace.


Throughout the night, I’ll be your host. I’ll be introducing each film, talking between movies, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, doing trivia, and (this is something I’m really excited about) you’ll be hearing clips from John Carpenter himself from past interviews.


You’ll also hear some interviews I’ve done with Adrienne Barbeau, who appears in two of the films we’re showing. So it’s not just screenings, it’s a full-on immersive Carpenter experience.


And yes—this is also a BOOK SIGNING EVENT.


I will be there all night, hanging out near the concession stand, selling and signing copies of my book 40 Years, 40 Films. This book, from Eckhartz Press, is very personal to me (my journey through four decades as a film critic, one favorite film per year since 1985) and I’d love for you to pick up a copy. Come say hi, we’ll take pictures, talk movies, hang out. That’s what these events are all about.


This is going to be one of the most fun nights of the summer. Horror fans, Carpenter fans, drive-in lovers...this is your night.


Four incredible movies, great vendors, amazing atmosphere, classic trailers, vintage concession ads, a beautiful night under the stars, and a celebration of one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived.



So get your tickets HERE at: THE MIDWAY DRIVE-IN!


Saturday, May 16th. Gates at 5:00 p.m. Show at dusk. Carpenter Fest 2.


I cannot wait to see you there.


Let’s celebrate John Carpenter the right way.



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