Directed by:
John CarpenterCinematography:
Dean CundeyComposer:
John CarpenterCast:
Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Kyes, P. J. Soles, Charles Cyphers, Kyle Richards, Brian Andrews, John Michael Graham, Nancy Stephens, Arthur Malet (more)Plots(1)
John Carpenter's highly influential modern horror/suspense film set the trend for two decades of re-makes and sequels. Six-year-old Michael Myers is confined to an insane asylum after stabbing his sexually active teenage sister to death on Halloween night 1963. Exactly fifteen years later Michael escapes, returning to his home town of Haddonfield with psychiatrist Doctor Loomis (Donald Pleasence) in hot pursuit. Bookish babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), all alone in the house on Halloween night, soon discovers that she is Michael's next target. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (11)
At the beginning, Carpenter dives headlong into it, without much hesitation, immersing himself in a suspenseful theater with murderous interludes. However, as he initially steps on the gas in all directions, unfortunately, halfway through, he takes his foot off the pedal, and with a slowed pace comes an undeniable feeling that what was originally supposed to be suspenseful (and it really could have been) starts becoming boring. While the absence of a plot may be forgivable, especially in the case of masterful formal execution, Carpenter failed to handle it here. If only the scenes had a slightly better flow, giving it a perfect review wouldn't be a problem. In this way, Carpenter's attempt at a perfect slasher film with one of the most mysterious and psychopathic killers in cinema remains slightly unfinished. However, considering the relative perversity of the audience and the acting skills of some of the performers, it is possible to become a fan of the film.
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A few years later, I have to add that fifth star, because Halloween is a unique film. The unsettling atmosphere escalates to a heart attack ending, John Carpenter does not take it easy on the characters or the viewer, uses edgy long shots from Myers's point of view and shows him as sheer evil, which you have no problem believing. That there is strength in simplicity is 100% true here. And Jamie Lee Curtis is amazing.
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The moment you hear that iconic melody, you know peace is out the window. This is the pinnacle of 70s horror. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a katana. John Carpenter had an uncanny knack for orchestrating cinematic murders — taking just long enough to make you want to tear your hair out in suspense.
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The cornerstone of the slasher genre and its best representative to this day. At times I had trouble with the plodding pace, but otherwise this is a masterpiece; Carpenter revels in point-of-view shots, unpredictably placing the masked gorilla in a carefully staged and photographed environment, and impressively delaying the climax in favour of a moment of surprise and a crescendo at the end. And there is no need to add anything about the music, no one will ever compose a better horror main theme.
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It's admirable the simple means John Carpenter employs to create a convincingly eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. The first pillar is his own soundtrack and the second is the seemingly unremarkable shots of empty sidewalks with falling leaves. In Carpenter's hands, however, this is an immensely impressive spectacle that is pure mastery from a creative standpoint. One of John Carpenter's most accomplished (and commercially successful) films ever, it floats right in the middle of the A- and B-grade waters. This is perhaps its greatest strength, since it can seem too simple and cheap at first glance, while the opposite is the case.
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