The second movie on our Spooky Season Adventure is John Carpenter’s Halloween ( 1978). This movie is iconic because it is one of the first mainstream slashers in cinema history. The score by John Carpenter enhances this movie into a cinematic masterpiece that haunts many of the audience’s minds to this day. The concept of how you would respond to the idea of a serial killer coming after you and memorable scores have made this movie Hollywood royalty.
Halloween follows Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, on the night of Halloween in 1978. That night, she is hunted down and followed by an escaped asylum inmate named Michael Myers. The movie depicts the cat-and-mouse game between Laurie and Michael as Michael tries to make Laurie his next victim on Halloween night. Throughout this feature, Michael Myers also prays upon the teenagers of Haddonfield, Illinois, and makes these teenagers his next victims.
John Carpenter shows his talent throughout this film by developing the score and directing. Deborah Hill wrote the film. This movie spawned the slasher film genre for the next half-century. The iconic lines written in this movie and the menacing look of Michael Myers leave imprinting memories for all the viewers. The acting styles of Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence leave the viewers in awe of their talent—especially Jamie Lee Curtis, who solidifies herself as one of the original scream Queens.
Personally, this was the first horror movie I ever watched by myself. I remember seeing this movie on AMC during the Halloween season in 2006. I was nine years old alone due to me having the flu. This was my first time seeing any film of this sort. I was amazed by the ability of a movie to make me so scared but also so captivating I did not take my eyes off this feature. Since seeing Halloween (1978), I have become an avid horror fan. Still, when I hear the iconic theme of Halloween, chills roll down my spine, and I begin to think of how scared Michael Myers made me as a child. Every time I see a child wearing a Michael Myers mask on Halloween, I give them extra candy due to the nostalgic feeling associated with this film.
However, this iconic film does have its flaws, such as the dialogue and other actors falling flat in many scenes. Therefore, I must give Halloween(1978) seven movie projectors out of ten. I highly recommend that you watch this film only during the Halloween season to embrace its nostalgic feel.
I want to know what my viewers think of Halloween (1978) and how you feel when you hear the iconic theme song playing during Halloween?
- The Nostalgic Film Critic
