Halloween (1978)

Halloween (1978)

1978’s Halloween is the definitive horror film. Without this classic, there wouldn’t be the 80’s slasher flicks we come to know and love today (or do we?). There would be no Nightmare on Elm Street. Genre films are important in today’s cinematic world, but would they be if John Carpenter decided not to direct this little tiny horror film? This film went on to spawn endless amounts of sequels and reboots and they practically all failed quality-wise when compared to this film (although the 2018 sequel that ignored the previous movies was very good).

Honestly, it amazes me how John Carpenter was able to create one of the scariest movies ever made. The movie was made on such a low budget, $300,000 to be exact. The movie ended up grossing 47 million dollars domestically and an additional 23 million worldwide thus making the movie the most successful independent movie of all time. The film was well-received when it first appeared onscreen. In fact, esteemed critic Roger Ebert placed the movie in this top ten films of 1978 and he is often a vocal critic of slasher films.

The movie itself is very scary and it works just as well as a psychological thriller as a slasher movie. There is very little gore and hardly any blood, which absolutely surprised me. The majority of the violence takes place offscreen. It is a testament to the uncanny craftmanship of director/screenwriter/composer Carpenter, lead actress Jamie Lee Curtis, screenwriter Debra Hill, and among others to create a franchise that made Michael Myers a forever legend.

I mentioned earlier that Halloween was a movie that popularized the genre, thus creating similar slasher films in the 1980’s and beyond. Besides that, this movie made many horror movie tropes we see today popular. For example, this movie had the final girl trope, it made a daring movie killing off any characters with a hint of promiscuity or substance abuse, and also Carpenter had scenes showing murders from the killer’s point of view. The whole opening sequence involving 6-year old Michael Myers killing his sexually active sister was shown through the little peephole eyes of Michael’s costume. Perhaps the most important is the portrayal of women. Critics are vocal how later slasher films are misogynistic and they blame Halloween. Even so, women are given a more stronger stand in this movie and in later movies. Prior to this film, women were helpless people that were saved by the strong male character. Here, Jamie Lee Curtis was able to fend for herself mostly without the help of any male character.

It’s a cold night in Haddonfield, Illinois in the year 1963. Michael Myers, a 6-year-old boy, murdered his sister in cold blood. He was taken away to the Warren County Sanitarium and placed under the care of Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance). Dr. Loomis was able to see the pure evilness of Michael Myer’s soul when no one else could. 15 years later, Michael escapes and Dr. Loomis witnesses the escape. Loomis heads to Haddonfield to warn the town because he knows that is where the villain is heading. Teenager Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her friends may be the next victims of Michael Myers. Can they do anything to save themselves?

The performances are excellent. Jamie Lee Curtis was an unknown at the time, although she happened to be the daughter of Janet Leigh, the star of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Hitchcock was one of Carpenter’s idols when it came to the making of this movie. Anyhow, Curtis was a revelation and ultimately gave a convincing portrayal of a quiet, small-town girl turning into a badass warrior in a way. Donald Pleasance added veteran poise to the movie as the male hero, and he had some fantastic scenes and memorable lines of dialogue. His quote, “I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this... six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and... the blackest eyes - the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil,” may be the best quote of the movie as he describes what we are dealing with.

Overall, Halloween is one of the best films of 1978 and it is the horror movie that set the ground for future horror/slasher films. The tropes we see in today’s horror films were introduced in this film. The movie does not rely upon gore or blood as it more wants to play tricks with your brain. It’s scary, visceral, and suspenseful. The acting, the direction, and music are what made this movie so good. The ever-famous score by Carpenter gave much suspense to the movie just like John Williams did with 1975’s Jaws. Before Freddy Kreuger or Jason, we got Michael Myers. If you like horror films, this should be at the top of your list. If you do not like being scared, give this movie a pass.

My Grade: A-