The Chevy Chase Movie That Made John Carpenter Want To Stop Directing

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In 1978, the film “Halloween” marked John Carpenter‘s arrival as a prolific horror director, and throughout the 1980s, he refined his craft as a leading creator of economical genre films. His works such as “Escape from New York,” “The Thing,” “Starman,” “Big Trouble in Little China,” and “They Live” demonstrated his versatility beyond horror, showcasing his abilities in action, science fiction, and comedy genres as well.

In the 1990s, his filmmaking journey encountered a significant setback with the production of “Memoirs of an Invisible Man” starring Chevy Chase in 1992. At first glance, this fantastical comedy-drama about a San Francisco stock analyst turning invisible after a factory accident seemed like it would be perfect for Carpenter. However, he was very open about how problematic the movie was for him.

In 2023, Carpenter shared with Variety that he directed “Memoirs” as it offered him an opportunity to create a somewhat serious film. However, he also revealed that the movie’s production was nightmarish. He described it as a “horror show,” and admitted that he contemplated leaving the industry following its completion. Carpenter hinted at difficult personalities on set, though refused to name them explicitly, stating that they needed to be dealt with harshly – not necessarily killed, but perhaps set on fire. Despite the hardships, Carpenter managed to persevere.

Chevy Chase was notoriously difficult on set

It’s not surprising that Chevy Chase can be difficult to manage, given his rise to fame as one of the original cast members on “Saturday Night Live” and his successful transition to Hollywood with movies like “Caddyshack,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and “Fletch.

As a gamer, I’ve always admired Chevy Chase for his hilarious roles, but his reputation for challenging behavior is hard to ignore – from the infamous fist fight with Bill Murray in an SNL dressing room to the fallout with Dan Harmon on Community. These incidents often overshadow his comedic genius. In fact, during the making of “Memoirs of an Invisible Man,” screenwriter William Goldman and director Ivan Reitman even left the project due to disagreements with Chase. It seemed like he was yearning for more than just being known as a comedy star, and saw “Memoirs” as a chance to prove his dramatic prowess.

Despite not explicitly criticizing actor Chevy Chase during an interview with The Guardian in 1994, director John Carpenter subtly suggested that there were issues behind the scenes. When asked about the production of “Memoirs of an Invisible Man,” Carpenter said, “The studio wanted ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation.’ ‘Invisible Vacation,'” hinting at a potential disagreement with Chase’s desired direction for the film. Additionally, Carpenter mentioned that Chevy had done well in certain scenes but wanted to work elsewhere and had different ideas about the film’s tone, which was darker than Chase preferred.

John Carpenter eventually retired from filmmaking

Despite his best efforts, John Carpenter struggled to make “Memoirs of an Invisible Man” successful, and its poor critical and financial reception almost marked the end of his career. Even though he was very productive during the 1970s and ’80s, directing 11 films in a span of 14 years, his pace significantly decreased after “Memoirs,” as he only directed six more movies over the following 16 years.

Following its initial flop at the box office, “In the Mouth of Madness” is now recognized as a classic. On the other hand, films such as “Village of the Damned,” “Vampires,” and “Ghosts of Mars” still have their advocates. Unfortunately, his last film, “The Ward,” which came out in 2010, was met with negative reviews and modest box office returns. Interestingly, despite not immediately leaving the industry after “Memoirs of an Invisible Man,” Carpenter didn’t stay active for long following its decline.

After retiring, a carpenter has seen his prestige amongst film enthusiasts increase significantly. Many of his movies have undergone critical reevaluation and developed cult fanbases (although “Memoirs of an Invisible Man” hasn’t quite made the cut). These days, he appears to be happily engaged in activities like playing video games, watching basketball, and composing music, even contributing scores for David Gordon Green’s latest “Halloween” remakes. When asked by Variety if he would consider making another film, he replied, “I’m open to the idea, as long as it comes with a reasonable budget, there’s ample time for production, and they take into account my love for basketball during the season and playoffs.

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2025-07-28 13:30