Everything you need to know about John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

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"Wizardtorium" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)
Music from filmmusic.io
"Dark Pad" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)

[@queendad]

What memories! I was the makeup artist on "Assault on Precinct 13". We went through gallons of makeup blood. It was a wonderful experience which I will always be thankful for. Without a doubt, John Carpenter was the most prepared director I ever worked for. Every single day, he already knew exactly what he wanted when he walked on the set. What a pleasure that is when working with many other creative people. I still have candid snapshots taken on the set. I remember that location shooting in South Central Los Angeles was a bit scary, but it was worth it.

[@JonnyBaak]

Wow 😮 Thanks for your wonderful insight.

[@homelesshannah50]

It seems certain parts of LA were ALWAYS shitty

[@jeffreybryson1075]

How fortunate were you to be there at that time in history and a part of that. Outstanding.

[@GathKingLeppbertI]

The little girl wasn't accidentally shot! I recently viewed the movie for the first time and that white-boy deliberately shot her at point blank range.

[@lv2465]

John Carpenter is without doubt amongst the top directors in cinema. I know he doesn't do much directing these days just producing and his music. But his legacy is top notch and way ahead of its time. Almost every movie of his has cult status added. A Genius.

[@johnny5805]

What a soundtrack !! All John's soundtracks are incredible.

[@lobsterwhisperer7932]

Escape from New York is one the best intros

[@bentramer682]

John Carpenter is one of my favorite directors i want to have the kind of career he had.

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

Kathy definitely was NOT gunned down accidentally!

[@parkpunk2]

I've always thought of Assault on Precinct 13, The Warriors, and Escape from New York as a trilogy.

[@thephantomproductions]

Clicked on this in a flash, You had Me at John Carpenter.

[@donaldbishop5320]

One of my Favorite John Carpender Films 👍🏻

[@coreythorne6936]

Love John Carpenter's films. Just watched The Fog yesterday such a classic!

[@paulhirst7602]

Excellent early flick from Carpenter, a living legend imo. His last two movies were somewhat disappointing but shouldn't taint what a fabulous career the great man has achieved.

[@mikesilva3868]

Agreed Paul 😎

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

My top favorite John Carpenter film and one of my Top 100 Favorite Films of All Time! This film was the one that set the tone and trademarks for all JC's works!

[@SmartCookie2022]

Only thing I have a niggle with is that Dan O'Bannon wasn't "hired" to write the Alien script. It was his own idea and script that he he wrote with Ronald Shusett, which he touted around every studio. Nobody hired him to do it. Otherwise this is an excellent video on Carpenter, who has always been a hot favourite of mine since Dark Star (1974) and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). Carpenter was always more popular in the UK than he was in the States. Even his Halloween (1978) first became a huge hit in the UK before it did in America.

[@lv2465]

Now that's something I didn't know, I've grown up on his style of filmmaking which I've loved.

[@lauradiaz-autin3178]

Now that's a piece of background info I certainly didn't know about as it pertains to the writers of Alien so thanks for that bit of soup for the brain but I'm not surprised as we know that there is so much more that goes awry in the background hustling of writers and producers and all the bs that money brings onto negotiations of these types of business deals. Sad that it's still very much like that.

[@MonkeyspankO]

John Carpenter is a pretty intense cat, given his diminutive frame. I swear the dude is tiny! Got his autograph at a con in the 2000s. Can't argue with his body of work though. He's made some of my all time favs

[@FrostedSeagull]

Anyone who uses the words 'intense cat' is super cool in my book. 👍💫👌

[@MonkeyspankO]

@@FrostedSeagull its the least offensive term I could think of, that gets the point across ;)

[@penhdog2207]

Lol! That Mel Gibson story is awesome. I'd never heard that one. Very nice video!

[@j.d.panalagao2167]

One of my favorite, if not my very favorite, films of all time. I watch it every couple of months, and can talk about it for hours on end.

[@kri249]

I watched this for the first time on netflix a few months ago. It was bloody brilliant.

[@manofaction1807]

One of his best movies.

[@jimd385]

Fantastic retrospective, loads of pics I’d never seen before.....and I didn’t know Dan O’Bannon had worked on the graphics for some of the Star Wars props. Amazing stuff. John Carpenters early output is classic ‘must see’ cinema.

[@mtrich8113]

The ice cream shot was definitely over the top but what smooth it out was the killer got dealt with. Overall a movie that stands the test of time.

[@garnettbrown]

No doubt. I don't think that a director would get away with that scene today. It was a good movie

[@191matrix]

Love this movie. Must have watched it the first time around 87-90. Remember that the killing of the little girl put a really dark tone to the rest of the movie.

[@lamarjohnson4985]

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Really captures the mood and the moment. Very dark 😳

[@rossbach451]

I saw this movie when I was 8 or 9 years old. I loved it. The action, the characters, the music. I also fell in love with Laurie Zimmer, sure wish she was in more movies. Regardless of her thoughts, I loved her performance, she is the perfect woman in that movie.

[@scoperbubba7023]

This is the film the got me hooked on Jc late night watching as a kid on the bbc video drome ! I am still obsessed with the soundtrack !! And got to see it performed live by John in Dublin incredible! Great video Jonathan 👌

[@backrowbrighton]

In the early Eighties this regularly played in a double bill with 'Halloween' at some weekend midnight screenings at the independent cinemas in London. It was always a great night and the film is an enduring favorite. It was also frequently shown in various seasons of movies at the National Film Theatre and was very much regarded as a fine example of the film medium as an art form. Pretty good for a low budget exploitation thriller.

[@chrishill899]

what ever happend to laurie zimmer?

[@56postoffice]

I first watched this in a film strand called Moviedrome, which came on BBC2 from 1988-2000. It featued rare, unseen cult films. The first six series was hosted by film director Alex Cox, of *"Repo Man"* fame. I was blown away by this film, which still shocks due to a kid getting shot dead. Still one of Carpenter's best.

[@vtbn53]

I can't work out whether I have seen this movie or not, if I have, it must be time to revisit it, if I haven't, all the better! Yep, John Carpenter is definitely the type of director followers of this channel would appreciate.

[@Backroad_Junkie]

This movie scared the piss out of me when I first saw it. Both this, and Play Misty For Me were the two standout suspense movies I remember from my teenage years...

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Saw on Max weeks ago. Perfect. Watch it before before you die. People forget the Night of the Living Dead influence.

[@surfshack2]

I saw this movie while on Easter vacation in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. in 1978 on cable , HBO i think. I was 11 yrs old and it was mesmerizing. Fantastic movie experience for an 11 yr old. It made a lasting impression. It was good against evil but so surreal because the evil gang were like zombies. I watched this movie whenever it came on cable through the years and i bought it on Demand and still watch it a few times a year. Great cast too....Darwin Josten was perfect for that film as well as Austin Stoker....it really was one of a kind.

[@johnashton4776]

I really liked both movies and yes the original did set a high standard and an African male lead amazing.

[@forceghostburtreynolds7597]

Dude!, I watched this yesterday. 👍 (best theme song)

[@p70581]

That theme song! That theme song!

[@spottydog4477]

Ok, so we all went looking for the 'ice cream' scene - right?

[@degitz]

I actually saw this in school when I was just 12-or 13. Yep, we had a couple of hours of "free activities" every week so we sat down and watched films like these. :) We had that ban on video violence in Sweden back then so it was shocking/refreshing that the icecream scene wasn't cut.

[@morgangallowglass8668]

Great vid about a GREAT movie. Thank you!

[@synthgroovesongs]

This movie is f'n awesome. I first saw it in the summer of 77 at a drive in theatre and it blew me away. I have watched it so many times since then and I will continue to watch it while I can. I love everything about it. One of the very best siege action films of all time imo.

[@MrPornoforpandas]

Really enjoyed your video. Carpenter was one of the earliest filmic influences on me and I've always loved his movies.

[@SuperOmnicronsj44]

Assault on Precinct 13 might've been one of the darkest things I ever saw ..cute little ..... Kim Richards ..and a drive by shooting ... at a ice cream truck??? WTF????

[@bentramer682]

They don't do that in anything now, hell you don't make a film for less than 5,000,000 dollars now.

[@IggyStardust1967]

I'm slightly younger than Kim Richards, and had such a crush on her back then(her, and Jodi Foster). Even so, I liked that scene, because it showed just how brutal that gang was. It really "set the tone" for what was to come. While there are times "less is more", and quite often it's more "brutal" to leave it up to the viewer's mind to create the scene, I think this one really drove it home. Her reaction to being shot in the heart was perfect. It was also a very significant scene, IIRC. Seeing his daughter murdered made the father flip out(as it should), and sparked the whole plot(again, IIRC).

[@williamporter7596]

Thanks for another informative video on a movie I had forgotten about having watched it last back in the 80s.

[@mik300z]

Excellent video, lots of little facts I never knew about this movie, JC is still one of my main influences composing music to this day, thankyou sir😊

[@kylecurry577]

I love this movie 🎥...!!! One of my favorites. A great action cult /exploitation classic of all time. I first saw it in 1978 on VHS, along with “Dark Star”, I was introduced to the great John Carpenter... my favorite director. Solid story ,acting, good pacing & intense. A must see! Not JC’s best movie...(The Thing), but definitely one of them, he made many in his career.

[@schizoidboy]

Is it me or is it wrong to try to remake one of John Carpenter's films, case in point the movie The Fog.

[@Destiny93134]

One of the best action thrillers made.it is perfection.

[@Tat2dDude67]

Thanks Jonathan, great content! Cheers 😎

[@MrPornoforpandas]

This movie also has riveting characters played by a great cast not to mention my favorite action movie heroine.

[@rtod4]

They Live is da bomb

[@CaminoAir]

Carpenter did get good reviews from time to time, but he had no critical or commercial momentum. 'Starman' and 'Christine' turned his fortunes around after 'The Thing', but then 'Big Trouble In Little China' began a slide. Roger Ebert considered him a very promising talent around the time of 'The Fog' (despite a mixed review of that film). William Goldman wrote in 'Adventures In The Screen Trade' that most major actors know that it can take only two unsuccessful movies for their careers to go awry and that's a constant fear in their lives. I suppose it's the same for directors/producers.

[@lazmotron]

A truly great review!

[@clarencebodicker3299]

Assault is just awesome guerrilla film making

[@rjsweda]

it's uncanny how you make videos on series and movies i'm fascinated with. and videos very well done.

[@sombojoe]

The ice cream scene was wonderfully horrible when I saw it as a kid. It would have had A visceral effect if was older and had already had children of my own. From time to time I actually searched out that KZbin clip since it was so impactful.

[@starclone4]

This, is surely one of the classics !!!!

[@laszlozoltan5021]

Assault on P13 is a comic book movie - iconic characters larger than life frank doubleday aka romero in escape from NY highlights what an actor can do with a bit part.

[@rossegan7244]

He became an acting coach in L.A.

[@cobracommander8133]

This movie is awesome, I love it

[@oskar_oskarewicz]

Amazing movie, amazing cast, amazing score, love it!

[@perdomot]

Its amazing to think that we were seeing this play out in real life last year in Seattle and Portland. Wonder what Carpenter thought when he saw the riots out west.

[@marianotorrespico2975]

Perdomot --- Given the socio-economic themes presented, explored, and discussed in "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976), it is likely that Mr. Carpenter disliked seeing, in the 21st century, the continuing oppression-by-poverty and social decay imposed by King Richard the Nixon in 1968.

[@perdomot]

@@marianotorrespico2975 As a young Cuban American who grew up during those years, I remember the crime, violence and drugs very well. We were very cautious around cops but the idea of attacking them in the streets or their stations was not something we ever talked about or likely even imagined. I also remember other movies like Dirty Harry and Deathwish because people were tired of dealing with crime. Some things have changed and not for the better.

[@blampfno]

Great movie. Thanks!

[@robertdraper5782]

I saw Assault on Precinct 13 at the cinema it was a double bill with Dark Star, it's still probably the best afternoon I spent in a theatre. I've always suspected U2 ripped off the bass line for New Years Day from the Assault on Precinct 13 soundtrack.

[@chrisshanks4934]

Always look forward to these trips down memory lane. Prince of Darkness next pls!

[@jondstewart]

The movie is a very interesting one of a kind. Yes it’s a B movie with actor’s nobody’s heard of unless they’re a hardcore movie buff, the acting is amateurish and wooden by some critics and great performances by others. BUT, in terms of action, tension, and life in inner city 1970’s LA, it scores at the top. And Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, and Laurie Zimmer will go down for great one hit wonder performances. Stoker is an honest, mellow, and reasonable man that’s in his 30’s and a newly promoted Lt who’s first night on the job is more than he bargained for, Joston as a dry-humored prisoner sent to death row, and Zimmer as an equally dry-humored plainsclothes policewoman. Which is why she and Wilson had a crush on each other.

[@graemewright7386]

So Awesome!!

[@downrightme6811]

The film including the death of the little girl was a president of the time. It was displayed as close to the era as could be. It was a film showing the demise of the human spirit

[@erikramaekers63]

I wish that he would make one more movie.

[@beastlyidiots9232]

I'm sorry but Dan O'Bannon wasn't hired to write the screenplay for Alien. He wrote an original draft which in turn was re-written by the producers at FOX. He only got credit for it after taking the producers to court.

[@bonniescott6470]

Love this movie 👍🏻💜

[@TwoTonePictures]

Is this version available on Blu-Ray in Australia??? I want to see it

[@MeBeTheDB]

'John Carpenter's ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13' ... opened on Hollywood Blvd. in the Fall of 1976 at the Hollywood Pacific Theater. I know this because I was one of three Assistant Managers at that once grand lady of movie houses. Most all of the cast came in to screen the finished film. I personally let Darwin Joston ('NAPOLEON') and Austin Stoker ('BISHOP') in gratis having recognized them on the day of the sleepy Wednesday opening. With Joston, there was the line he's asked over and over in the film, 'Hey, why do they call you 'Napoleon' ..?' and he'd reply, 'I'll tell ya later ...' then -- -- within minutes, the asker would be dead. And so -- there was one of the stars at the ancient Box Office, ready to plop down some bucks to purchase a ticket for the first evening show. Feeling my then 18 years and cocky -- I leaned down to the porthole and said, ''Hey, why do they call you 'Napoleon' ..?' Darwin Joston scooped up the free tickets and with a wink, whispered, 'I'll tell ya later ....' Yikes. lol D.A.

[@surfshack2]

Haha! Classic!

[@surfshack2]

Got a smoke?

[@jonowens460]

"Left out again; life just seems to pass us by" one of my favorite lines from this movie.

[@christermyrberg3661]

You should do Escape From New York

[@mikesilva3868]

Good movie 📼

[@kevincampbell9526]

Fun fact: Kyle Richards is Paris Hilton's aunt.

[@mikesomes2951]

A cool cool movie. The guy was a bloody genius.

[@caeserromero3013]

Spielberg could never score his own films. Carpenter does it all on a 10th of the budget....

[@johnnynoirman]

I like all his films accept this one.

[@DuxRyuPro]

" Gotta smoke? "

[@MarkTheMorose]

Dan O' Ban-On. No 'i'. And I don't think the little girl was shot accidentally. Other than that, most interesting.

[@SIKE01]

the dead girl's father was the real hero of the film.

[@RobinJohnstonphotography]

Amazing he made it for 100000!

[@Joepacker]

Carpenter's movies have a way of sticking in your mind which is why they have become cult classics.

[@TheDriveInGuys]

"musical score"? as opposed to box score?

[@michaeljames4904]

Got a smoke?

[@wotdoesthisbuttondo]

Why does Carpenter like to show children being killed? that was the plot of Halloween 3 as well.

[@crassbandercoot4343]

I'm leaving this comment to say the title has shown up in the KZbin app as "everything you need to know obout John Carpenters Ass"

[@peterroberts7684]

Great Casting by JC👏👏👏👏..Don’t Know Why Laurie Zimmer hated her performance,I thought it Awesome,I had Never seen a Woman play Such Cool Character before,and a Naturally Strong Woman,because Sigourney Weaver[Aliens] wasn’t a name yet,Quite forward thinking at the time,NO woke SJW BS Needed.....The Music Drives the film👏👏👏

[@caeserromero3013]

The remake was awful and shouldn't have been made. It was clear the situation wouldn't work in modern times because of mobile phones. So they wrote in a 'mobile phone Jamming truck' which was such a WTF moment, the film lost all credibility.

[@gabrielcarter7900]

Stop calling him unsung or underrated. It is a grotesque sentiment that has been disproven through decades.

[@TNHFPRODUCTIONS987]

The remake was more exciting The original was ok but when the cops showed up at the end all the bad guys just ran away WTF!

[@jefferysteen1041]

I hated this movie