“Halloween” Review
Now one of the most iconic killers in the movies, Michael Myers (Nick Castle) was born in 1978’s classic slasher “Halloween.”
Every October as the leaves start changing colors and Halloween night approaches, I really love to gorge myself on horror. But while I love horror films and other assorted fall flicks, very few of them have anything to do with Halloween night itself. There are, of course, exceptions like “Trick ‘r Treat,” “Hocus Pocus” and especially “Halloween,” a slasher that spawned so many copycats and is beloved by many, including myself, around October 31st.
Within the first ten minutes, we are taken aback when, on Halloween night 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers (Will Sandin) murders his older sister Judith (Sandy Johnson) for no reason. 15 years later, while on route to be evaluated by a court, a grown up Michael (Nick Castle) escapes and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again, this time donning the iconic white mask. While Michael stalks a babysitter named Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), his psychiatrist (Donald Pleasance) tries to hunt down his patient before any more innocent blood is spilt.
Written in just 10 days, director John Carpenter’s script, co-written with producer Debra Hill, is very barebones with a serial killer stalking young women, which is very similar to the unknown killer in 1974’s “Black Christmas.” But, not only was “Halloween” one of the frontrunners of this kind of story, it also has effective direction and a powerful sense of atmosphere.
One thing that all of Carpenter’s work has in common is that the worlds he creates feel tangible which is especially effective in the horror genre. Despite being shot in southern California, Carpenter manages to make the fictional town of Haddonfield feel real and captures the spirit of a Midwestern Halloween perfectly. There’s an effort to create a serene atmosphere that is shaken by Michael’s brutality which pays off extremely well.
Every frame of “Halloween” is dripping with the holiday because Carpenter understands what happens on the holiday: there’s trick-or-treaters, jack o’lanterns, monster movie marathons and tales of boogeymen.
And at the heart of it is Michael Myers who is one of the greatest horror villains of all time. Part of what makes him so creepy is how, not only does he commit his first murder as a child, but we have no idea why. For the brief time we see him as a child, Michael seemed like an ordinary six-year-old which makes his actions all the more disturbing. But when he grows up and escapes, it seems that nothing can stop him even though (in this film at least) he’s not a supernatural killer like Freddy Krueger or Jason Vorhees.
Donald Pleasance adds a great deal of atmosphere to the film as he builds up Micheal Myers as a monster instead of a man.
While he may not speak, building up how scary he is Dr. Sam Loomis. Donald Pleasance was really the only well-known actor cast in this film, having starred in “You Only Live Twice” and “The Great Escape,” and his performance is magnificent. As he hunts down Michael and tries to convince people to help him, Loomis’ monologues about what is motivating Michael is chilling, especially when he tells Sheriff Brackett (Charles Cyphers), “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.”
The film also gave us the magnificent Jamie Lee Curtis who, after establishing herself as a “scream queen,” has now become one of the most versatile actors of the last few decades, starring in hit films like “A Fish Called Wanda,” “True Lies,” “Freaky Friday” and “Knives Out.” Seeing her first performance in this film is fantastic because, while she is playing the stereotypical “final girl” in a horror film, she gets to work with it and actually makes smart decisions.
Some horror films have their protagonists behave in a stupid manner but Laurie Strode is proven to be very smart, not only in the classroom, but also when she is facing Michael Myers. In the final climax of the film, she fashions weapons and delivers what should be killing blows to Michael, only for him to get back up. And, even when threatened with death, she puts the safety of the children she’s babysitting over her own. You might think that these decisions seem like anything a decent human would do but you clearly haven’t seen enough horror films.
But while Laurie and Dr. Loomis are reasonably well-developed, Laurie's friends Lynda (P.J. Soles) and Annie (Nancy Kyes) are very run-of-the-mill (take a shot of bourbon every time Lynda says “totally”) and are clearly meant to increase the body count of the film. This could be due to the short time the script was written. I mean, what’s more important? Flushing out the main characters who play a pivotal role of the film’s finale or working on the side characters. If Carpenter could have done both, that would have been great, but everything about “Halloween’s” production was a race against time.
Jamie Lee Curtis’ performance as Laurie Strode (Left) is iconic as she tries to survive against the unstoppable Michael Myers.
Because the film had an exceptionally low budget, estimated to be around $325,000, Carpenter was often working with limitations like a short shooting schedule of 20 days and having a small crew with the cast helping move equipment. But, as is the case with great filmmakers, limitations lead to ingenuity. Michael’s iconic mask was a William Shatner mask that was purchased for $1.98 and spray-painted white and, despite not having a lot of money, the film looks amazing.
Using the new invention of the Steadicam, Carpenter and cinematographer Dean Cundy, who would go on to shoot “The Thing,” “Back to the Future,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and “Apollo 13,” were able to get smooth shots with no dollies and were also able to make realistic POV shots. Cundy’s use of lighting to slowly reveal Michael’s mask was magnificent and has since inspired many moviemakers.
John Carpenter’s score is one of the most iconic in the history of horror and, despite Carpenter not being good at writing sheet music, is what film composers have spent decades being jealous of. Without Carpenter’s intense involvement, “Halloween” would not have succeeded as most of the films in the franchise have shown us. While jump scares are sometimes used, Carpenter is much more focused on the creation of an atmosphere and keeping the audience in a state of wondrous suspense.
While “Peeping Tom,” “Psycho” and “Black Christmas” may have laid the foundation for slashers, “Halloween” was the film that got the ball rolling and inspired franchises like “A Nightmare on Elm Street”and “Friday the 13th.” But “Halloween” is so much more than a landmark in horror. It still manages to frighten all these years later and, whenever you see that white mask on screen, you want to check all the rooms in the house to make sure the boogeyman isn’t with you.
