John Carpenter's 'Cathedral' project blends graphic novel, album, and AI concerns
IN SHORTFilmmaker John Carpenter, along with his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies, has released "Cathedral," a graphic novel and accompanying album. Carpenter expressed concerns about AI's potential to replicate human art, particularly music, while his collaborators discussed AI's potential to assist in music production.
Who's Involved
John Carpenter
Director of "The Thing" and "Halloween," creator of "Cathedral" project
Cody Carpenter
Son of John Carpenter, collaborator on "Cathedral" album and graphic novel
Daniel Davies
Godson of John Carpenter, collaborator on "Cathedral" album
Sandy King
Wife of John Carpenter, comic book publisher involved in "Cathedral" graphic novel
Larry Bird
Subject of a dream experienced by Cody Carpenter
↳ Why This Matters
The "Cathedral" project highlights John Carpenter's continued creative output and his exploration of alternative media beyond traditional filmmaking. His commentary on the corporate nature of the film industry and his concerns about AI's role in art reflect broader discussions within the creative fields.
Key facts
- John Carpenter, his son Cody, and godson Daniel Davies collaborated on a graphic novel and album titled "Cathedral."
- The project was inspired by a dream Carpenter had about an abandoned church with an elevator to hell.
- Carpenter expressed skepticism about AI's ability to create meaningful music, emphasizing its human origin.
- Davies and Cody Carpenter discussed AI's potential to aid music production and its rapid progression.
- Carpenter noted the shift in the movie business towards corporate structures, preferring alternative creative outlets.
Filmmaker John Carpenter has released "Cathedral," a new project comprising a graphic novel and an accompanying original album, created in collaboration with his son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies. The inspiration for "Cathedral" stemmed from a dream Carpenter had about an abandoned Los Angeles church with an elevator leading to hell. Carpenter, known for his iconic horror film scores, described the current movie industry as overly "corporate" and prefers less expensive, alternative avenues for creative expression.
The album features spooky instrumental tracks reminiscent of Carpenter's classic scores, while the graphic novel was developed with his wife, Sandy King, who owns a comic book company. Carpenter noted that his usual creative process involves directing a film first and then composing music to support its narrative, a departure from the genesis of "Cathedral."
During an interview, Carpenter shared that this dream was his first significant source of inspiration for a project. He also voiced concerns about artificial intelligence, particularly its potential to create music. "Music, I think, is the greatest art form... And you’re telling me a machine can do that? I don’t believe it. That bothers me. This is a human thing. I want it to come from us," Carpenter stated.
Davies expressed a desire for AI to handle more task-oriented aspects of music production, such as predicting new tracks, while Cody Carpenter acknowledged the rapid advancements in AI music and its potential to disrupt creative jobs. The collaborators also touched upon personal dreams, with Cody recounting a dream involving the ghost of basketball player Larry Bird.