What If: John Carpenter's Return to Directing Was a Supernatural Tinged Noir?
Written by Cameron Geiser
Recently, John Carpenter teased that he may return to the directing chair in the near future, and that he's been "kicking around a few ideas". This led me to speculate — some might say too much — as to what that first project would, or could, be. Lately, I've been gorging on many of the cinematic noir films of the twentieth century, from The Naked City to Touch of Evil, and most recently Chinatown (just to name a few). One of the chief aspects of any good noir film is the visual atmosphere of the film, and John Carpenter is often one of the first directors that comes to mind when considering the crafted atmosphere or tension of any given film world. His style and direction is always one I return to, and since all of this has been on my mind lately, I figured “hey, this is a perfect ‘what if’ scenario”.
So, here we are. I've gathered together a cast for most of the major players of the story, even if some are just loyal nods to the crime genre of noir; all help to layer this world and story with a level of immersion perfectly poised to (hopefully) keep the audience engaged, as noir plots can tend to get a bit twisty at times. Generally, films noir come from the perspective of the working class, and, while the detective, or private eye, character archetype can work in tandem with a police force, the character usually works independently from any overarching group. This allows our lead deep introspection, which occurs as narration in some films, and other various methods of showing our lead character's inner thoughts.
Though we can also allow our characters to be blank facades that seemingly only reflect outward what your assumptions put inward. Blade Runner and its sequel do this excellently. Here, though, our lead would be less of a sounding board and more of a curious investigator who tracks down leads and presses his queries with charm and a dark, dry, and sarcastic, wit. I've given a title to each character which mostly reflects how they operate within the story, given them character names as well (though this is less relevant), and I've cast each role twice, with my number one choice of actor, and an excellent substitute if the first is unavailable for our imaginary casting call. I have also included choice and substitute pick of cinematographer, because that decision carries a lot of weight for this sort of film.
Cast And Crew
Cinematographer: Roger Deakins
Substitute: Bill Pope
My only two major visual choices that I feel could make the film homage its cinematic predecessors in style, and step out from the crowd would be to shoot the film in traditional black and white, and that the only color that should creep into the film over time is a neon green, associated with the MacGuffin (listed below) and the undead! Onto my picks though! If only Roger Deakins could be the cinematographer on every film, then the world would be, perhaps, a better place. Whether through his work on Blade Runner 2049, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, or the recent Oscar-winning 1917, Deakins has an eye for excellent atmosphere, creative visualization of ideas, and inventive camera movements. On the other hand, if he's on the wish-list of every other director and screenwriter west of the Mississippi River, then my second pick would be Bill Pope. Pope has worked with Edgar Wright, Sam Raimi, and The Wachowskis, all resulting in a body of work that suggests an electric sense of movement and momentum. I think that perspective could gel so weirdly with everything, and everyone else that the result would be downright mesmerizing.
Detective - Mark Ruffalo
Substitute: Robert Downey Jr.
Character Name: Oliver Murphy (Works alone. World weary. Known in the business for allowing people to over-talk themselves into trouble. Somewhat of a drunk, but keeps it together).
Oliver Murphy is our audience surrogate. An everyman whose better days are behind him; he's got a personality and a past that he's not always proud of, but he still remains internally hopeful despite his outward snarky demeanor that occasionally gets him into trouble. When he's not filing his cases he's a regular patron of Honest Abe's Bar and Inn. His regular order is of two hard boiled eggs and two Scotch Highballs. While Murphy relies on an informant dubiously named "Cliff" for his more rigorous cases, he keeps his ears open at Abe's to hear the talk of the town as well. Murphy is a character I could best describe as a combination of the tired and despondent nature of Humphrey Bogart, the quieter and observant style of Henry Fonda, and the affable charm of J.K. Simmons.
While both actors submitted for the lead role would certainly fit the bill in their own ways, I believe Mark Ruffalo would have the edge here. Between the two, I think Ruffalo has a better sense of curiosity paired with an open vulnerability from previous experiences in films like Zodiac (yes, both actors were involved and played excellent roles, but the point stands), Shutter Island, or simply his role as Bruce Banner in the Marvel movies. Robert Downey Jr. could absolutely knock this role out of the park with a memorable performance, though I think he's just a hair too confident in many of the roles I've seen him in. Admittedly, I'd quite enjoy seeing him in this role as well though.
Rival Detective - Dave Bautista
Substitute: Thomas Jane
Character Name: Isaac Jones (He's the muscle AND the brain in his lean & mean Detective agency).
Tough, but funny, Isaac Jones also frequents Honest Abe's Bar and Inn. When he's not putting down Mojitos like it's his day job, Jones is Murphy's number one competitor in the private eye business. They even share the same informant, a development that is new at the beginning of the film. Even though Cliff goes to great lengths to assure Murphy that he doesn't share the same information with any two clients, Murphy's suspicions remain. Jones is willing to get close and personal with his cases, a notion that Murphy disagrees with. Whereas Jones has a jocular and friendly demeanor, Murphy likes to keep his professional distance. I would go to bat for Bautista to get this role, he's got the perfect presence for it (See Blade Runner 2049) and after The Guardians of the Galaxy movies, we know he can be quite funny! Though, if he is unavailable, I bet Thomas Jane could fit the bill of this character quite nicely! He would bring something altogether different to the character, and the joy/challenge of configuring this character to Thomas Jane could be surprisingly rewarding! After his Punisher movie years ago and the more recent Netflix horror film 1922, I have faith in Thomas Jane's ability to make this role his own.
Informant - Daniel Radcliffe
Substitute: Donald Glover
Character Name: Cliff (We don't know his real name, he's paranoid and a hoarder).
Cliff lives in a labyrinthian apartment that is filled with filing cabinets, stacks of papers and folders, and vaults. Cliff sells valuable information to those seeking the truth. I can see Cliff being shot (as in during film production) entirely in shadows with eerie dramatic lighting. I imagine the character to be knowledgeable and a bit otherworldly, like he's defying some universal rule by living in a big city on Earth. Nothing sci-fi about him in nature, just as character notes.
He provides Murphy with a file on Wade Ward's Soda factory after Murphy's visited by Harper with a query to look into the voting records of the dead. Daniel Radcliffe has been on a strange acting journey since his days in the Harry Potter movies, and I love the weird roles he has picked in that time. Whether in Horns, Swiss Army Man, or Guns Akimbo, Radcliffe has shown an interest in delightfully bizarre films and stories, and I think he'd be perfect for the role. That being said, I think Donald Glover could make this role something truly weird and oddly cool. I would not be disappointed with Glover in this character's shoes, and I think he could have a blast with it.
Bartender - Greg from Youtube show How to Drink
Substitute: Oscar Issac
Character Name: "Honest" Abe (Abe owns "Honest Abe's Bar and Inn". Sarcastic and talkative, but a good guy).
Okay, this one may be a stretch, but I'm going with it. I suppose it's not a stretch to have a YouTuber who's known primarily for making a litany of drinks and cocktails playing a role as a bartender- though casting a YouTuber among celebrities in a well known director's return to the medium, I acknowledge, it's weird. However, Abe, as a character, is a talker. He's affable and calm even when a fistfight may erupt in the bar, and even though he looks younger than forty, he's got an "I'm too old for this shit" attitude with ruffians or obtuse bar patrons. Honest Abe's Bar and Inn exists as a comfy home for the characters to interact in, but it also provides a place to see the reach of McGillicuddy and Ward's antics within the community.
This is where we first see the adverse effects of Ward's new soda product as people seem to get horrifically addicted to it. Near the end of the film, Abe wheels the vending machine to the curb with glee — Abe views soda drinkers as punks, anyway. Greg from How to Drink could definitely play this role, I think casting him would bring a bit more authenticity to the world, Hell, he could even start a song among the patrons (Greg singing drunkenly is a recurrent thing on some episodes of How to Drink). That being said, I could see Oscar Isaac doing a hell of a job in this role, due to characters like the one he played in Inside Llewyn Davis.
The Misdirection - Kurt Russell
Substitute: Mel Gibson
Character Name: Wade Ward (Big Business magnate in town, his money flows through every nook and cranny in town).
While none of the evil being committed in town would be possible without our Wade Ward, he is ultimately not the true villain of the story. He is outwardly egotistical, bombastic, and overbearing. He chews the scenery of every moment onscreen. He sounds, looks, and acts like a villain, but he's really only doing any of it for financial gain. He does indeed go into back room business, behind closed doors with Mayor McGillicuddy, but he's actually just another pawn in the politician's plan. He's not even aware of his imported secret ingredient's true nature, only using flakes of the compound to get people addicted to his sodas.
He is unaware that McGillicuddy's men are taking and using the excess sludge for weapons manufacturing, he thought he was making a financially sound move by having the politician's associates take the potentially toxic material off his hands at virtually no cost! While I would love to see what Mel Gibson could do with a character like this, the role, in my mind, belongs to Kurt Russell. Besides, it's John Carpenter's return to directing! Russell should be involved if he's interested.
Big Bad - Harrison Ford
Substitute: Gary Oldman
Character Name: Mayor Martin McGillicuddy (running for re-election).
Mayor Martin McGillicuddy is the lynchpin of the whole story, much like how John Ford's character was utilized in Chinatown — though not as outright disturbing as that film's villain. During the course of the film, McGillicuddy is running for re-election as Mayor of the city. His presence is felt throughout the film even though he has possibly the least screen-time of all major characters. His campaign ads, flyers, and buses with his face are everywhere. McGillicuddy uses people for his personal gain in as many ways as possible. He pushed Wade Ward to build his latest soda factory and warehouse on the unmarked graves of former citizens that McGillicuddy had been using to fluff his vote totals and win. He also has dealings with black market weapons manufacturing because, in his opinion, if the streets are flooded with guns (or worse!) and rising crime rates, his campaign message of cracking down on crime will always gain traction.
As unlikely as it may be, I believe Harrison Ford could turn in a monstrously good villain here. It goes against most of his major roles, though I believe he has it in him to be downright disgustingly evil as a politician willing to sell out anyone to stay his grip on power. In the case of Ford not being interested, Gary Oldman has decades of practice playing villains, politicians, villainous elites, and his role as Mayor McGillicuddy would just be another notch on his belt of chameleon roles!
Bruiser - Sterling K. Brown
Substitute: Aldis Hodge
Character Name: Frank Bell (He's his own man, brutal, but efficient in his work).
When we meet Frank Bell, it's as an enforcer sending our lead a message. "Stop digging into my boss' affairs". Think Chinatown for this scene. We initially suspect that he's sent by Wade Ward, but he's not. It’s revealed later that he was actually sent by McGillicuddy. When he tosses a business card at a visibly-in-pain Murphy, its only insignia is a MM, but Murphy just had it upside down, reading it incorrectly as WW. Frank Bell also has aspirations of starting his own business as well. Perhaps something comically simple, like an ice cream shop. From what I have seen these two actors in, both Sterling K. Brown and Aldis Hodge can convey multitudes with ease. Though, admittedly, this is one of the only first and second choices that I could see working together, with one being Frank Bell, and the other a side character working with Bell for McGillicuddy. Maybe they work as a team with entrepreneurial aspirations? Either way, both actors would absolutely kill it with this role.
Femme Fatale - Charlize Theron
Substitute: Carey Mulligan
Character Name: Harper (a mysterious corporate spy who pops in and out of the story throughout).
Harper is the character who is most shrouded by mystery, besides McGillicuddy obviously. We initially see Harper when she comes to Murphy's office to set up a case to look into her dead relative's voting record for the last few elections. She's actually looking for info on Ward's Soda production warehouse as it was built next to the cemetery in the last year, and she's been digging into any incongruities in Ward's files. This is because Harper is actually a spy from Ward's rival soda company who later assists Murphy in discovering the volatile secret ingredient. Her goals aren't motivated by morality, if it's a loss to Ward and his fortunes — this would be regarded as a win for her company. Her goal is the financial ruin of Wade Ward, or at the very least, to give her company the competitive edge. Charlize Theron and Carey Mulligan would both be excellent choices for this role, however I do give Theron the edge for a woman-on-a-mission character archetype based on films like Mad Max Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, or even Prometheus. Though Carey Mulligan gets a lot of credit for films like the recent Promising Young Woman for this type of character.
The MacGuffin
Not every noir needs to have a MacGuffin. However, if you have one that's intelligently used in relation to the story at hand, a good MacGuffin can go a long way. I must point out though that it has to be story relevant first, coolness factors, or thrilling scenes that incorporate said item come after it's development within the script and how it affects our characters. That being said, the MacGuffin in this story is a 1950's "B Movie" style Ray Gun. Barely bigger than your average pistol, this little guy can fire a neon-green energy beam from it's nozzle when the trigger is pulled. The fuel source for the ray gun doubles as a flavor enhancement additive that Wade Ward claims is the secret ingredient to his fortunes. Truly, that's just a cheeky lie to cover the legalities of shipping the radioactive sludge into American Shores with nary a peep from gilded officials.
The Plot
At the macroscale of the story, it's about two powerful men in the city whose actions unfurl the events of the film. Wade Ward, the soda magnate, funnels his money through SuperPACs like those that fund Mayor McGillicuddy's re-election campaign. He wants fewer regulations on his product and he has a huge new factory and warehouse brewing sodas next to the old cemetery. On the flip side, McGillicuddy also happens to be using the names of the dead in that same graveyard as "his loyal constituents'', they vote for him every election. Eventually the two points intersect when the newest ingredient from an "undisturbed, nutrient-rich land far away from here" starts leaking into the tombs of the dead, from which they rise and take vengeance! Obviously, the truth has to be opaque to the viewer from the beginning of the film. We learn things roughly the same time that our lead detective does, as our journey is, mostly, through his lens of this world.
By the time Murphy, Jones, and Harper discover together that everything ties back to the cemetery, they arrive to see the graves unearthed, bodies removed. When they eventually get to McGillicuddy's office, the characters witness him being devoured by decrepit zombies oozing neon-green fluids. It's gross and over the top in presentation. The trio shoot their way out of the building with the prototype ray gun to explosive effect, killing the remaining zombies they encounter. After also discovering Ward's body, evidently taken by undead surprise, Harper ties everything into a nice bow at the end by taking the recipe with the secret ingredient and promising to destroy the evidence and secure her company's future as the top soda brand in town.
In terms of the world building within the film, there are two of Carpenter's films that I believe make excellent arguments as to why he'd be an excellent choice for such a project, namely, Escape from New York and They Live. Similarly to Escape from New York, the world would be exaggerated and unrealistic. I think making the world feel and look old but have the characters maintain a generically modern sensibility would apply to this scenario. Big old cars, suits and ties, brick alleyways, and dirty city streets with sewer fog lifting up and away. However, anything done to make the film appear timeless, like how Twin Peaks does it for example, would be an added plus in my book. As for They Live, I would borrow the moral messaging and scale of the threat introduced in that film and attempt to apply a similarly appropriate aesthetic. At its core, this film's heart is in a working class struggle against the horrors of the Wealthy and their soulless grind for more money and power. A tale as old as time really.
*Oh and obviously, Carpenter would score the film himself. I highly suggest listening to "Vortex" from his Lost Themes album. For me, that song plays over the opening credits to this film.
Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.