John Carpenter performs at Aragon Ballroom on November 9, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by ... [+] Daniel Boczarski/Redferns)

In late December, filmmaker and composer John Carpenter moseyed around his Los Angeles home, fielding calls to discuss his new music. A few days before Christmas, the Master of Horror was in good spirits. It turns out the iconic scary-sci-fi aficionado has a soft-side for holiday cheer, family time and gathering around the tree.

While anticipating a conversation with one of the greatest purveyors of the abnormal, its easy to romanticize where the chat might go. Would it be an off the rails dive into the supernatural? Surely, at the least, it must be a psychoanalytical dissection of the mirroring themes from his cult-classic films and the sociopolitical climate of the Trump Era? Maybe hed lay into the film industry for what its doing wrong, explain why the economic elite deserve to be dethroned and confirm how prescienthis foreshadowing of class warfare in America actually was?

John Carpenter at Paramount Studios, 1996. (Photo by Bob Riha Jr.)

Somehow Carpenter completely subverts those expectations, but leaves you feeling satisfied.

Despite a chaotic 2020, the 73-year-old creator of epics like Big Trouble in Little China and Escape from New York prefers to discuss the mundanities of everyday life, the weather or make small-talk about your hometown. But, hell also interject with a tidbit perfectly suiting his storied personality.

Franklin Graham is on the television right now, telling me that Im a sinner, the Halloween (1978) director announces, scoffing at the Evangelical figurehead.

While Carpenter may have strong feelings about current events, the Hollywood veteran couldnt care less about sharing them. He tends to agreein an exhausted sighwith sentiments regarding outlandish politics and religious fanaticism, but doesnt care to pontificate in detail on such matters. Its common for him to throw some rhetorical questions as a caveat, too, when broaching a controversial subject. Hell sarcastically discredit himself or charmingly ask, Now, why would we want to talk about that?

Perhaps the director prefers to avoid making outrageous headlines at this stage in his career. In fairness, no one wants to become the personification of the old man yells at cloud! meme. Or maybe, at this stage, he just doesnt give a crap.

Daniel Davies, John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter

One thing Carpenter does make clear, is that hes grateful to be breathing and creating. And while the moviemaker turned touring musician doesnt know if or when hell return to the road, hes excited to share his bands newest album, Lost Themes III: Alive After Death, out February 5 via Sacred Bones Records. The synth-heavy group consists of Carpenter, his son, Cody, and godson, British multi-instrumentalist Daniel Davies. Davies father, Dave Davies, played guitar and sang in The Kinks.

Below, Carpenter discusses Lost Themes III, the delayed release of Halloween Kills and his unfamiliarity with The Mandalorian. And in his own ambivalent way, The Horror Master addresses conspiracy theorists, the concepts of Simluation Theory, the Multiverse, the Technological Singularity, and for good measure, UFOs and aliens.

Fans and critics have connected the themes from your films like They Live and The Thingto the current state of the world. I think one angle that hasnt been addressed is how there are all these anti-science right wing people who claim theyre the antithesis of the sheep. They believe they suddenly have their own all-seeing sunglasses.

But, instead of believing in Big Brother or the Powers That Be, many are just jumping on a similar bandwagon of blind-faith conspiracy. Do you see that irony? A few years ago you knocked down conspiracy theories about They Live and Judaism, in the time since conspiracy theories have become totally mainstream.

I do. Some of these conspiracies its weird. These conspiracies about Jewish people, have been around, since, forever. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion was a Russian hoax! Now its being regurgitated by these fools. God, really? I dont understand, man. The anti-science, the anti-vaxxers, I dont get it! Thank God Im old.

If I may make one more nod to They Live, I was recently driving on a highway between Tennessee and North Carolina and I saw a big billboard that basically said that Jesus would save us from the pandemic. To me, that seemed like the quintessential OBEY sign.

[laughs] Of course it is!

Ignore the doctors, ignore the science! Jesus has this under control!

I know, I know. That stuff never goes away.

Film director and composer John Carpenter (C) performs with scenes from the movie "They Live" in ... [+] support of his album "Anthology." 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

Lets talk about music. Lost Themes III: Alive After Death isnt a film score, but youve got the word themes in the title there. Do you always see a cinema-esque quality to your music?

This is what I do. I make this kind of music, Im gonna put it on you. You have to come up with the story, but I will provide the soundtrack.

There must be some difference between going in to record a super synthy record like this as opposed to scoring a film. Whats the former like?

Its all instinct and improvisation. Nothing exists when we start. Were creating out of whole cloth. Whats the sound? Sometimes you take a long time just getting the sound right. Sometimes it comes quickly. Its all different. If were doing a soundtrack, we have a visual image to guide us and thats easier. That goes quickly.

Did you record the album in 2020? Was it born during the pandemic?

It was born right as we were finishing the [2018] tour. We had a couple of tunes that were rattling around, then it began to grow a little. It took a while. It wasn't like we have to do this. And we did the score for the first Halloween (2018) remake, that came in the middle. Actually, the score to the second, Halloween Kills (2021), came right at the end. So we did two scores while we were doing this album.

The release date of Halloween Kills is now pushed back to October of this year, as opposed to being released early on a streaming platform. Have you heard that Warner Bros. decided to place their 2021 films with HBO Max? Are you familiar with the blowback from some directors? What are your thoughts on the whole situation?

In general, not real specifically. This is what worries me, that this is the future here. These theaters are closing! Thats really bad. Ay! It seems like this business is changing once again.

Are you happy theyre holding Halloween Kills until people can see it in theaters? [Carpenter scored the film and is credited as original creator]

I dont know. They have to make business decisions. But theres nothing to say thats gonna last. Theres nothing to say that everybody wont be putting their slates of films on television. But what do I know? I worry about it. Theaters are important to the movie experience. Theyre communal.

I know youre into video games and basketball, but have you watched anything good lately?

I just saw the Herman Mankiewicz movie with David Fincher, Mank. Its good! Its good. Its not great. But, its good! I like David Fincher a lot.

Are you into the Star Wars world at all?

No, not really.

Can I spoil something for you? [Warning: Mandalorian spoilers ahead]

Hell, I hope you do.

They just finished the second season of The Mandalorian on Disney+, its meant to take place after the original Star Wars trilogy. In the final episode, they brought back your buddy Mark Hamill, who appeared in a few of your productions, like Village of the Damned and Body Bags.

At the conclusion of The Mandalorian, Hamill appeared as a young Luke Skywalker. They did some sort of deep fake CGI thingMark Hamill was on set, but hes portrayed just as he looked in 1977. What do you think about using technology to deage or bring people back from the dead?

Most of the time it doesnt look real. Most of the time you can tell. You can tell because you know the person doesnt quite look like that or is no longer with us. But theyre just servicing the story. So, I dont know. I have nothing against it nor do I think its the greatest. Im not gonna complain about a thing. Im a happy guy.

Mark Hamill and John Carpenter at the 22nd Annual Saturn Awards for Science Fiction excellence. ... [+] Century City, CA, 1996.

I was wondering what implications it has for the business side of film and likeness. In 50 years, when someone decides to cast a young De Niro or Pacino, whats the legality of that?

I dont know. A person has the right to their own image, I think! You would have to get permission and all that s***, but I dont know! What the hell? [laughs]

Lets make a turn here. Are you familiar with Simulation Theory?

No, whats that?

Its the concept that we could all be living in a simulation. The idea is that the Earth could just be a fabrication in someones video game in another universe...

Im not quite sure if I grasp it yet Ive heard of the timelines business before in physics. Its an explanation for a lot of things that they dont understand. But, Simulation, they call it?

Alternate timelines are connected to Multiverse Theory, right? Do you think theres any possibility that could be real?

I dont know. Theres no evidence for it. But, I guess its possible!

Is the Technological Singularity near?

Have you heard of the concept of The Technological Singularity?

Whats this Singularity business?

Futurists embrace the idea that man and computer will form and be one sentient being. With exponential technological growth, The Singularity could help you live forever and have access to the internet in your brain. That type of thing...

It sounds like bulls***, but okay.

If given the chance, would you live forever as half man and half robot?

Hell yes! Are you kidding, of course? Sure!

1978: Carpenter on 'Halloween' set. (Compass International Pictures/Sunset Boulevard)

Youve mentioned that you believe Contagion is a great film. Do you think that any director could make a good film based on COVID-19 or the year 2020?

That depends on the story. If youre talking about, Okay, here we are in a civilization and we get a virus, contagion, and we get a pandemic going.

Okay, well, were living it! So, what else is there to the story?

Plus, its been done. So, how does that work?

Many sci-fi and horror fans watch films as a momentary escape from reality. Ive noticed that now, outside of film, everyone seems to be living within their own version of the real world. You could go door to door, and people might believe a completely different list of truths about what is going on in the world. Do you think its always been like this or are things getting way trippier?

Its a crazy time, man! I dont know. What scares me is maybe this just revealed whats going on and its always been like that. I mean, I always knew there was racism, I didnt think that ended. I grew up in the Jim Crow south. I know how deeply that belief is ingrained in people. But some of this nutball stuff, its unbelievable.

But, there are people who believe theres a satellite orbiting the Earth and it controls our thoughts. People believe crazy crap! They always have. Theres always been stuff that, if you do some critical thinking, you realize that its horse s***.

Have you found that as a director of science fiction and horror films that people expect you to believe in absurd stuff? Do you ever have to explain that youre a filmmaker and you dont believe that people like Starman exist?

Well, I have to differentiate. I know what you mean. Look, the supernatural exists in the movies but not in real life. Look at it that way. In the world of directing and telling stories, thats where all the ghosts and goblins are. But not in real life.

Have you kept up with all the new UFO footage and stories being reported by places like The New York Times? Many legitimate sources are beginning to give credibility to the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Well, now did you see the footage that they released? Wow! I dont know what that is! I have no idea what that is! You can usually tell a fake. But that doesnt look like a fake to me.

Would you like to live in a world where alien life could exist?

I dont know. I suppose. I dont want to live in a world where the aliens that I depicted in The Thing are real. I dont like that idea. Thats bad. That means the end.

Whats in store for John Carpenter when the world restabilizes?

Ill go back on the road again when its safe, maybe, or maybe not. At my age, you just take it one day at a time. If I wake up, boy, Im doing great.

Thats a great outlook to have.

I have no choice!

Follow me on Twitter at@DerekUTG.

Originally posted here:

John Carpenter Ponders It All: Conspiracies, Simulation Theory, The Singularity, UFOs And Aliens - Forbes