He created one of the most iconic horror movie villains of all time, and he has roots in the Bluegrass State.

Horror Movies in Pop Culture

Horror movies have a very dedicated fanbase (myself included in that fanbase) and I think the reason for that is because horror movies are often seen as the "underdogs" in the movie world.  They're rarely given the attention and credit they deserve and are often written off as "weird" or "different."  And I think many horror fans kind of see that in themselves as well.

Horror movies may not get all of the accolades they deserve, but they have embedded themselves in pop culture over the years. The horror genre has given us some of the most iconic and recognizable movie characters in recent decades, like Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Ghostface.  However, one infamous slasher stands out as the most iconic and recognizable horror movie villain, and that title has to go to none other than Michael Myers.  Did you know the creator of Michael Myers was once a Kentuckian?

Today I Learned This Horror Movie Legend Had Kentucky Ties

While scrolling online earlier, I saw an article about John Carpenter finally receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (it's about time)! When watching his speech, John Carpenter talks about being a kid in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  He talks about his childhood dream of making it to Hollywood, I think it's fair to say he achieved his dreams!  But when he said Bowling Green I gasped! You mean THE horror movie living legend, John Carpenter, is from the Bluegrass State?!  

I can't find the exact years that he lived in Kentucky, but he talks about being a kid in Kentucky in his speech (the video is below), and according to his biography on his website, he went to Western Kentucky University, where his dad also worked as head of the music department.

John Carpenter was born in Carthage, New York. His family later moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where his father was the head of the music department at Western Kentucky University. He attended Western Kentucky University followed by the USC School of Cinema in Los Angeles. WKU awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2007. He lives in Hollywood, California with his wife, Sandy King, his frequent collaborator.

You truly do learn something new every day.

A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

John Carpenter has finally received his well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  In a ceremony on April 3rd, he was honored with his star, and a ceremony to celebrate the momentous occasion.

John Carpenter's breakthrough film was a little movie you may have heard of from 1978 called Halloween.  According to his website, Halloween remains the most profitable independent movie of its day and spawned one of the most iconic horror movie franchises.

Beyond Halloween, John Carpenter is known for his work with movies like The Fog,  They Live, Prince of Darkness, Big Trouble in Little China, Escape from New York, Escape from LA, Starman, and too many more to list!