It’s Official: John Carpenter is a Sonic the Hedgehog Fan

What do you think the legendary horror movie director John Carpenter does to unwind and relax? Well, as it turns out, the visionary behind Halloween, The Thing and They Live has one major vice that he’s been unable to shake off for twenty years straight – Sonic the Hedgehog games.

While being interviewed for a profile piece on FACT Magazine, Carpenter revealed that he is a huge fan of the blue blur, having been hooked on the original Mega Drive game since it came out in 1991 and following the adventures of SEGA’s mascot ever since. “I even like the one where he turns into a werewolf,” he told FACT – referring to 2008’s Sonic Unleashed.

John Carpenter

As he explains in the interview; “Back in the early ‘90s, I got hooked on Sonic The Hedgehog for Sega Genesis and I just couldn’t stop playing it… I loved the game. I loved everything about it. I especially loved the music. There was something about the whole sound and feel of the Sonic games and suddenly I’m so much younger and it’s the ‘90s.”

The Big Trouble in Little China director told FACT that the 16-Bit classic was originally purchased for his son at the time, but ended up becoming engrossed in the game himself. Although he loves the games, he also lamented how difficult the early games were. “It didn’t have a memory card so I’d have to start over every time. Those games were HARD, man.” His most feared level? Labyrinth Zone, of course; “I’d die every time,” he said, humming the five-second underwater warning jingle and laughing to himself.

Carpenter has recently played (and beaten – although “it took a while, these things are hard to beat”) Sonic Mania, and told FACT that he was very eager for a sequel. “I just keep wanting to play Sonic games — because they’re fun. I hope they keep making them.”

Well, Sonic Forces is out now to hopefully scratch that itch. In the meantime, let’s all just take a moment to appreciate the fact that one of the most iconic cult directors is a blue blur fanatic. One of us, one of us…

Source: FACT Magazine

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Dreadknux

Founder of The Sonic Stadium and creator/co-organiser of the Summer of Sonic convention. Loves talking about Sonic the Hedgehog in his spare time. Likes Sonic Colours a little too much for his own good, apparently.

10 Comments

  1. John Carpenter should be the one directing the Sonic movie, he clearly has the talent and passion to pull it off. He’s surely more qualified to do it than Jeff Fowler who by comparison is a joke since Jeff hasn’t made any movies.

  2. Likes Unleashed eh? I suddenly feel like watching Halloween and The Thing now, he’s got my respect. Maybe there’s a werewolf/werehog movie in his future? lol X)”

  3. This will probably inspire the Sonic Mania 2 developers to make an original horror themed level in the next game!

  4. “One of us, one of us…”
    That part made me laugh out loud XD
    Been some time now since I watched a scary movie. Maybe time to do it! 🙂

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