MovieChat Forums > Big Trouble in Little China (1986) Discussion > Kurt + Carpenter: like Scorsese + DeNiro...

Kurt + Carpenter: like Scorsese + DeNiro?


Hi Friends,

A buddy & I got into a nerd debate about Kurt's collaborations with John Carpenter. The notion emerged that both are very cool on their own, but together they become more than the sum of their parts. Like Robert DeNiro & Martin Scorsese. Like Clint Eastwood & Sergio Leone (who helped redefine young Clint the way Carpenter did with Disney child-actor Kurt). Like Toshiro Mifune & Akira Kurosawa. Like Robert Redford & Sydney Pollack.

Do you think we're making too much of Kurt & Carpenter's creative synergy? Or do their combine credits tell you anything special: ELVIS (TV movie), ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE THING, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, their often rumored intended collaboration on THEY LIVE, and finally ESCAPE FROM L.A.

Love to hear what your favorite of their films was, when you first discovered them as a team, or even if you disagree and think they do better work without each other. ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK was my first experience with them. When that came out, I remember reading that Carpenter had written the script in 1974, with the dream of getting Charles Bronson to play Snake. Driving home from the theater, my Dad said "Kurt's no Bronson, but he's pretty damn cool!"



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To answer the last question: The Thing, hands down.

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The Thing is the best, BTILC is the most fun though, IMHO.


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Big Trouble in Little China was my first exposure.

I'm not sure what there is to argue on this. I suppose it may be a stretch to say that together is greater then the sum of their parts though. Kurt Russell is an amazing actor and truly one of the most underrated. He's done some great stuff outside of Carpenter collabs and he's delivered some downright incredible performances outside of that as well. Of course the same holds true for Eastwood and Deniro as well with their respective common director teamups.

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Watching btlc right now with the commentary and I'd have to say these guys really enjoy each other and Like john c says they're movies were way ahead of they're time!!! Great collaboraters!!

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I first seen The Thing- not too big of fan. But then Escape From New York- which I LOVE LOVE LOVE, and a few years ago Big Trouble- and Big Trouble is my favorite movie- it's just so much fun.

Escape from LA was a real let down with the first one being so cool- I mean I like Carpenter and Russell- they obviously can do some sweet action comedy together- but Escape From LA was bad.

It'd be interesting to see Russell in They Live, but I love that movie how it is. Just a great story and the rapport the actors have together is irreplaceable. I mean, that fight scene with Piper and Keith David was legit (actually- a real fight) and it was just down right entertaining.

If you play any video games- the game Saints Row IV has an entire sequence that's a homage to They Live- Keith David and Piper do the voice actiing- but the entire ending of They Live is basically playable- pretty fun stuff.

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One of my first thoughts was Eastwood/Leone as well. I suppose you could also say George Lucas and Harrison Ford maybe? Tim Burton and Johnny Depp definitely.

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I think THEY think more of themselves as Leone and Eastwood.

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I think THEY think more of themselves as Leone and Eastwood.


... ha. Of course, there is an explicit Dirty Harry reference in Big Trouble in Little China (not that Leone directed any of the Dirty Harry movies, but Russell is parodying the kind of modern antiheroism that Eastwood pioneered with Leone and director Don Siegel, although not in a manner that could be deemed remotely "Eastwoodian").

I haven't seen their other collaborations; I wish that Cinemark would have shown Escape from New York, given that it is a more talked-about film, rather than something lightweight and irrelevant such as Big Trouble in Little China.

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"The Thing" is their best collaboration imo





so many movies, so little time

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