Halloween (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Halloween' (directed & scored by John Carpenter) opens with a creepy prologue that takes place on Halloween night, 1963. A young Michael Myers watches as his older sister, Judith, creeps upstairs for a quickie with a boy from school. After the guy departs, Michael takes a knife from the kitchen, climbs the staircase, & stabs Judith to death! This lengthy sequence employs the subjective point-of-view, a stylistic approach that writer/director John Carpenter showcases throughout the film. Only after the killing do we, the audience, learn that Michael is only in elementary school! The crux of the film takes place some 15 yrs. later. Michael, having been confined to an asylum for 10 yrs., escapes on the evening before Halloween.
His doctor, Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance), believing Michael to be evil, tracks him back to his hometown of Haddonfield. From there, it's a race against time as Sam seeks to find & stop Michael before he goes on another spree. Michael's main victims are Laurie Strode (Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis) & her 2 BFFs, Annie & Lynda. Throughout the movie, Michael is shown closing in on the girls, until, in the last act, Laurie is involved in a 1-on-1 fight for her life. Much has been made of the fact that the key to survival in 'Halloween' is being a virgin. 'Halloween' sets a standard for slasher films that sexual promiscuity leads to a bloody end.
Michael is presented as almost inhuman. Because he wears a painted white mask, this makes him all the more frightening. He kills without making any noise, & his movements are often zombie-like. Carpenter chooses his camera angles wisely. For most of the film, Michael is always concealed by shadows, shown far away, or presented in a vague fashion. This approach makes him quite ominous. And the lack of a clear motive for Michael's actions makes him all the more terrifying.
Another element of Halloween's success is that John Carpenter establishes a rapport btwn. us & the 3 main female characters (who speak with smart, realistic dialogue). For Annie & Lynda, the most important thing about Halloween night is finding a place to have sex with their boyfriends. For Laurie, it's making sure the child she's babysitting is having a good time. Annie & Lynda are unaware of their danger until it's too late, but Laurie sees/feels it right away.
While there are many memorable scenes, 3 really stand out. The first is that long, unbroken opening sequence where the young Michael murders his sister. The 2nd occurs when Michael escapes from the asylum during a storm ... truly chilling stuff. And thirdly, there's the scene near the end where Laurie is banging on a locked door while Michael slowwwwly approaches her from behind. Gah! See, 'Halloween' is built on suspense, not gore. And every scene, grisly or not, drips with atmosphere. Halloween's music is one of its strongest assets, as well. Carpenter's jarring themes provide the perfect backdrop for Michael's stalking. I can hear those chilling chords right now. This is the kind of eerie, dread-inducing, yet perfectly crafted horror flick that burrows deep into our psyche.
His doctor, Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance), believing Michael to be evil, tracks him back to his hometown of Haddonfield. From there, it's a race against time as Sam seeks to find & stop Michael before he goes on another spree. Michael's main victims are Laurie Strode (Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis) & her 2 BFFs, Annie & Lynda. Throughout the movie, Michael is shown closing in on the girls, until, in the last act, Laurie is involved in a 1-on-1 fight for her life. Much has been made of the fact that the key to survival in 'Halloween' is being a virgin. 'Halloween' sets a standard for slasher films that sexual promiscuity leads to a bloody end.
Michael is presented as almost inhuman. Because he wears a painted white mask, this makes him all the more frightening. He kills without making any noise, & his movements are often zombie-like. Carpenter chooses his camera angles wisely. For most of the film, Michael is always concealed by shadows, shown far away, or presented in a vague fashion. This approach makes him quite ominous. And the lack of a clear motive for Michael's actions makes him all the more terrifying.
Another element of Halloween's success is that John Carpenter establishes a rapport btwn. us & the 3 main female characters (who speak with smart, realistic dialogue). For Annie & Lynda, the most important thing about Halloween night is finding a place to have sex with their boyfriends. For Laurie, it's making sure the child she's babysitting is having a good time. Annie & Lynda are unaware of their danger until it's too late, but Laurie sees/feels it right away.
While there are many memorable scenes, 3 really stand out. The first is that long, unbroken opening sequence where the young Michael murders his sister. The 2nd occurs when Michael escapes from the asylum during a storm ... truly chilling stuff. And thirdly, there's the scene near the end where Laurie is banging on a locked door while Michael slowwwwly approaches her from behind. Gah! See, 'Halloween' is built on suspense, not gore. And every scene, grisly or not, drips with atmosphere. Halloween's music is one of its strongest assets, as well. Carpenter's jarring themes provide the perfect backdrop for Michael's stalking. I can hear those chilling chords right now. This is the kind of eerie, dread-inducing, yet perfectly crafted horror flick that burrows deep into our psyche.