Film Review: Halloween (1978)

Michael Myers is evil personified. After murdering his older sister Judith on Halloween night when he was a young boy, he is sent to a mental asylum where is he kept for 15 years until he escapes and heads home for his younger sister Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis). A baby at the time of her sister’s murder, she has since been adopted and has no idea about her birth family’s bloody past.

Loomis (Donald Pleasence), Myers’ doctor, traces him back to his hometown. He swears more violence is imminent, but is somewhat ignored by local police who think he’s overreacting. But sure enough Myers begins to stalk Laurie and her two closest friends Annie (Nancy Kyes) and Linda (PJ Soles).

Halloween paved the way for the countless horror movies, some good, some (very) bad. It sets horror rules, such as sex being a huge no-no and if you indulge then you’re sure to die in a horrific manner. Laurie was established as the virtuous and studious young woman, so it’s no surprise she’s the film’s protagonist.

Director John Carpenter’s camera work is superb, creating a tense POV for Myers throughout. His establishing shots ensure audience fixation, scared to watch but also scared to look away in case they miss something. Myers’ stoic mask is perhaps the scariest in horror movie history, we never see his expressions or features (bar once, briefly, towards the end of the film), making him even more frightening. What is he thinking when he commits these awful killings? Do his facial expressions change, or is he as emotionless underneath the mask as he appears on the outside?

It’s incredibly easy to create violence and terror on screen, but it’s even more challenging to scare your audience without these factors. There isn’t an abundance of violence or gore here, Halloween is all about the stalking and chase which makes it truly terrifying. With so much suspense and built up tension that by the time Halloween reaches its climax it’s going to explode.

And there’s no forgetting that score in a hurry.

★★★★☆