Vampires:

The group blog 'The Vulgar Cinema' has been running a series of entries on John Carpenter and I was delighted to be asked to contribute a piece consisting of virtually anything I wanted. I chose to write a few words on what is, to my mind, the most under-valued of Carpenter's films. 'Vampires' pretty much disappeared immediately upon release, a fate that would also befall 'Ghosts of Mars' (and pity 'The Ward', not even granted a proper theatrical release in the greater Chicago-Land area). My piece is here, and I wholeheartedly endorse the other entries in the series, particularly Sara Freeman's interview with Carpenter's producer (and spouse) Sandy King.    

Carpenter's Landscapes, or, a formatting test:

Escape Plan (2013); Mikael Hafstrom; photographed by Brendan Galvin:

A few words for InRO; I like things about it, but the above image is more visually interesting than anything director Hafstrom can come up with.

'The Hand' (from 'Eros'); Wong Kar-Wai (2004); photographed by Chris Doyle:

another entry for InRO's 'Directrospective', this one on Wong's 'The Hand', a low-key, modest short that nonetheless remains one of the most sensual films I've ever seen.

Days of Being Wild; Wong Kar-Wai (1990); photographed by Chris Doyle:

a modest appreciation for InRO's Wong Kar-Wai 'Directrospective' here:

Drug War (2012); dir. Johnnie To:

photographed by Siu-keung Cheng

'Drug War'; or, Johnnie To's Mainland Western: