On Set with John Carpenter

by Kim Gottlieb-Walker

John Carpenter’s producing partner Debra Hill hired photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker to be the unit photographer on Halloween , and Kim soon became part of Carpenter’s filmmaking family, going on to shoot stills on the sets of some of his most iconic  

Halloween
The Fog
Escape from New York
Halloween II 
Christine


Collected together here for the first time is the best of that on-set photography, with iconic, rare, and previously unseen images. All accompanied by exclusive commentary from those involved, including John Carpenter himself, and other key crew and cast.

From production stills, to candids of the stars between takes, and the crew in action, alongside portrait shots of the actors who would eagerly pose for Kim, this book gives an unprecedented glimpse into the action on set with John Carpenter.

Genres: Media Tie In, Photography, Nonfiction, Art, Film

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 2014

Reviews

[Joe Aguiar · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Carpenter is perhaps my all time favorite filmmaker and, as my favorite of his works are those from the 70s and 80s, this book was an amazing trip down memory lane and an incredible glimpse behind the scenes at some of Carpenter's early classics as told through the talented camera lens of Kim Gottlieb-Walker with some comments and anecdotes from Kim, John Carpenter and some of those involved. The photography is not only breathtaking but, captures a side of the productions of Halloween, The Fog, Escape From New York, the Carpenter produced Halloween II and Christine that we've never seen before. Gottlieb-Walker was hired by Carpenter and Debra Hill as his unit photographer and as such, she captured some wonderful behind the scenes shots of cast and crew from these classic films. Add the commentary and some delightful stories from the photographer, Carpenter himself and others such as Adrienne Barbeau, DOP Dean Cundey and many, many more, and this book becomes a trip back in time to a long-gone era and a side of these productions that we have only barely glimpsed previously. It chronicles the rise of a legendary director and some other now very established filmmakers, as well as, shares tales of some sadly gone talents such as Lee Van Cleef, Issac Hayes, Donald Pleasence and pioneer producer Debra Hill. As a Carpenter fan or simply a fan of filmmaking this is a must-have book with some simply amazing photos that will take us back to the days when a group of young filmmakers and actors were making their dreams… and some of our favorite films… a reality. A simply beautiful book and instantly one of the most cherished in my collection… and it doesn't hurt either that the largest section of the book is dedicated to Escape From New York, my favorite Carpenter flick and one of my all-time favorite films. I.Love.This.Book!

[Horror DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim Gottlieb-Walker's On Set with John Carpenter chronicles the six-year period in which she was the on-set photographer for five Carpenter productions, including Halloween, The Fog, Escape From New York, Christine and Halloween II (which he only wrote and produced). Her camera provided all of the promotional images and behind-the-scenes stills for these movies and this collection tells quite the story. The book is a beautiful, glossy, 176-page time capsule that captures the energy and talent that filled these productions through a collection of rare photographs, many never previously released. Each movie receives its own chapter in chronological order, with shots in both color and black and white. The layout presents individual stills from the features, but also includes a series of images taken in rapid succession to capture candid moments among the cast and crew. There are brief comments from the photographer as well as many of the subjects present, with members of the production team reflecting on their time together.

You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Paul Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pics and interesting tidbits about the cast and crew on these productions. Love Carpenter.

[I. · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s some nice photos in here but the majority are just cast and crew having a good time. Probably more fun for them than us. You don’t really get any insight into Carpenter’s work beyond “he ran a fun set” and you don’t really learn the stories behind the movies either. For hardcore fans only.

[Brandon Forsyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very fun behind the scenes photos and stories collected here. A nice little slice of nostalgia, and wild to see young James Cameron working on matte paintings for ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK! Definitely made me want to rewatch the films.

[Jilles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of images of my past and my dream to become a filmmaker.