THROWBACK THURSDAY – John Carpenter’s inspiration, reminding us of those close to home references in scary movies

Following our spooky and scary thrill path this month, we thought we would remind
viewers that scary movie master John Carpenter spent many of his early years in
Bowling Green. His Western Kentucky university upbringing inspired many
downtown Bowling Green and Warren County references in some of his most
famous films, like Halloween, The Fog, and Halloween 2.
In fact, our Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau has put together a
“Reel Sites, Reel Scary” driving tour of all the Warren County references found in
John Carpenter horror movies. The visitors bureau’s website has a map of all the
locations and even a timeline of every reference in each film. Tour takers will find
street and community names throughout—like a fictitious Smiths Grove sanitarium,
Chestnut Street, Clay Street, and over a dozen others. Bowling Green has received
national media attention from MSN, Savoteur, Trazee Travel, and other media as a
Halloween town of sorts, given the city’s ties to John Carpenter.
Carpenter was actually born in Carthage, New York in 1948. His family moved to
Bowling Green in 1953, where his father led the WKU music department. The family
lived in the Felts Log Cabin that still sits behind the Kentucky Museum on campus.
Carpenter attended WKU until 1968, when he transferred to University of Southern
California’s Cinematic Arts program in 1968. His two big films mentioning southern
Kentucky were made during the late 1970s and into 1980.
Film critics have noted Carpenter’s ability to invoke raw emotions and thrills, some
dubbing him the “Prince of darkness” and “horror film master.” While you’re
watching those thrilling films this season, listen closely for those awfully-close-to-
home references.