Great classic horror. Simple but effective. The score is really well done and sets the tone perfectly. You don't know much about Michael Myers and that kinda makes him even more scary.
Watching this for the new one coming out and it still is great. There are some great shots of seeing Michael for a second that are really scary. You don't know if he is really there or if you're seeing things. There are some great pov shots, including the oner to open the movie. Again the score is really good. That main theme is so iconic and instantly recognizable.
When I heard good things about Scream (2022), I decided that it was probably time to go back and watch the original, which somehow I have never seen. However, I also knew that the original Scream was very influenced by and possibly included direct references to many classic slasher films; all of which I have also not seen. So, in order to fully appreciate whatever nuances may exist within the slasher genre, I must first catch up on all the classics, starting here, with John Carpenter's Halloween.
If I had seen this movie back in 1978, when it was considered a groundbreaking entry in the horror genre, perhaps I would have been more impressed and generous with my rating. Alas, here we are 44 years later, and what was once groundbreaking, is now a poster child for overused tropes and clichés. Of course, I understand this film likely invented some of those tropes/clichés, but at the end of the day, for a modern audience watching this movie for the first time, that doesn't really matter. Large swathes of the movie felt familiar because I've seen a dozen newer films that followed the same formula.
Now, that doesn't mean the movie isn't effective. It's a lean story with a simple set-up that very much accomplishes it's goal. Michael Myers is a truly creepy character; his heavy breathing and iconic mask an ever effective way to amp up the tension (especially when combined with the signature soundtrack). His overbearing presence throughout almost every scene in the movie does a good job of keeping the viewer on their toes, trying to anticipate how and when the next victim will meet their end. I will say, the violence is quite tame by modern standards, which somewhat deflates the payoff moments. Additionally, the ending was a letdown, providing an excellent example of one of my least favorite tropes: when the protagonist doesn't confirm that the villain is dead or at least restrain them, which happens, not once, but twice. I'd also say that the acting was rough in many places.
Ending on one positive note, I think it's crazy that a movie this iconic was still able to take me by surprise with it's opening scene: somehow I wasn't aware of Michael Myers' origin story and so I was not expecting a child to be the initial murderer.
I'm not at all sure what the big deal was with this movie, even when it was first released. I suppose expectations for a good horror movie were much lower...and it probably helped if you were toking a joint while watching this. I only watched it because (1) of the upcoming new film and (2) this is one of the few horror franchises I haven't watched in entirety. I did watch the original many, many years ago but remembered nothing about it other than the ending...sort of. Watching it again - sort of for the first time - it was really, really lame. And as someone pointed out, the editing was absolutely atrocious; in one scene (and I honestly don't even know how this made it past the cutting floor), Myers is tailing two of the girls in his (stolen) station wagon, it's mid- to late-afternoon, plenty of sunlight, yet they turn a corner and suddenly the street is completely dark like it's late night with only the porch lights and street lamps to illuminate the scene?!! Seriously? (Right around the 35-minute mark; it was 00:34:45 for the online version I watched.) There were numerous other total disasters throughout the entire movie that just made this absolutely not scary at all. It stopped short of "campy" (because at one time, I think it was viewed as actually being scary) but still...I'm not sorry I watched it (I was bored and now I can add it to my list), but it certainly fell far far short of any expectations of it being even an older "horror" movie. Not sure why Donald Pleasance got top billing for this movie because his role was almost a bit part...and another part of this movie that made absolutely no sense. In all, this was just a movie that left you staring at the screen wondering what all the hoopla was about so many years ago.
Update 09/15/2023 This trainwreck of a movie somehow made its way (proving Redditors have absolutely no taste in movies) to the #1 spot on The 20 Best Horror Movies Ever Made, According to Reddit. I have been working my way from the #20 entry all the way to the top - skipping a select few that either (1) I've watched recently and remember enough that I don't need to watch them again this soon or (2) that I've watched and remember enough even now to know they're not worth my time. Sadly, this film falls into the latter category, although it's been two years since I watched it the last time. This marks the last on that list but as I mentioned, this (along with several others on that same list) prove that my taste in "horror" movies is vastly different than apparently most Redditors, as there is no way this smelly stinkpot would have ever made it on to such a list, and especially not the #1 spot. My previous review still stands and remains unchanged. It may have been good back in its day but it hasn't aged well at all and today, the original Halloween movie is a combination of laughable and horrendous…but certainly not "horror".
It starts pretty interesting. Then it gets boring. Then it gets freaking annoying.
Just watched Halloween for the first time and... it’s okay. Obviously I’m sure it was more revolutionary when it came out, but it does not stand the test of time. The directings okay, the acting is subpar, the plot is shallow, and, in my opinion, it wasn’t scary. 5/10 for me.
The whole movie survives on the fact Myers is creepy and the tension builds slowly. It's really simple but well made. Yes it's ridiculous at times but forgivable for the atmosphere. The jumps are well placed. The music may be OTT for some. This may feel slow but the story is paced well at the start and it's usually the horror that slowed right down.
The silly things:
After 15 years locked away, and presumably since a kid after the murder, Myers gets in a car and drives first time. The only time a door is locked in the town seems to be when Mike is after you. He pins someone to a wall with a knife whilst using super human strength. He survives a neck stabbing, eye jab with wire, multiple knives slashers, six bullets and high fall through a window onto the floor landing on his back. The Dr doesn't want the police to be aware of the insane killer Myers... for what reasons again? So on one level Myers is this very real escaped patient who preys (scary) and on the other level he's an almost invisible super human (not scary and takes away from the horror but I understand the need to flesh out the story). Is this movie full of cliches of did it create them? Killer never runs. Victims always fall over or hide in the closet. Always take your eye off the killer when you think he's dead... again.
I think the small world Carpenter creates is just good enough to not make the movie bad. I enjoyed it and I was forgiving but I don't know how may times I could watch it again.
Pretty frustrating how Laurie puts down the knife right next to Michael and sits and waits next to him instead of … idk maybe getting the fuck out of that house already
One of the very best slashers of all time that manages to capture your mind and attention. This movie makes you feel like your part of the horror and truly picture the kills. A lot of people probably would be surprised to go back and see just how little gore is seen in this movie but how many kills you swear you can remember seeing in full gruesome detail. Michael Myers movements and expressionless behavior just adds to feeling of no remorse to a level where it could even come across as supernatural. Overall I love this movie and feel like it was always be a timeless classic for the horror genre. 10/10
I've seen this so many times and I never tire of it. Carpenter and Cundey shot an amazing looking film. They were so patient in setting everything up and not afraid that their audience would lose interest. Love the tributes to Howard Hawks's "The Thing" and to "Forbidden Planet".
Horror movies WERE better back then.
I've seen "Halloween" many times and it's endlessly re-watchable. John Carpenter is absolutely Hitchcock-ian in his delivery of an evil entity's return to his hometown of Haddonfield. Maybe it was seeing it for the first time in High-Def that made me notice Carpenter's use of widescreen and extended camera shots. No fan of today's tasteless gore fests would have the ability to sit still and marvel at the way Carpenter glides the camera through the small town neighborhood. The way that the Shape (Michael Myers) lurks around corners and hides behind trees stalking Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) is truly creepy. Later, he pops out of the shadows and dark spaces and relentlessly pursues her.
The music is so scary and is so representative of the horror that occurs on screen. It encourages the way you react to the film as much as the visuals do. The story itself is so simple yet entirely engrossing and somehow Carpenter gets you to really care about Laurie her friends and even Dr. Loomis. Dr. Loomis, played by the awesome Donald Pleasance, intensifies the danger of the Shape with his retelling of his psychiatric struggles with Michael.
This is easily one of the greatest examples of how to make a scary movie without slicing and dicing the cast into a bloody mess. In fact, "Halloween" is practically bloodless in its telling of pure walking evil.
Theme- 8.5/10
Rewatchibility- 9/10
Acting- 9/10
Kinematography- 8.5/10
Time- 9/10
Total - 44/5 = 8.8
"Death has come to your little town, Sheriff." So it begins... the long and splintered story that is 'Halloween'. What I loved about the first installment is the greatness of its simplicity. There is no motive, only evil; there are no rules, only chance; and there is no man, only monster. Laurie Strode is an excellent survivor girl, an evolution of the archetype in the right direction. She has the capacity to make smart choices, but as the fear increases the decision-making may be less effective. Donald Pleasence as Sam Loomis, a driving force and heart of the movie and franchise as a whole. It doesn't take a third of the movie to set the stage either, it just goes immediately and fills in blanks along the way while hoping you don't get left behind. That's not to say it's fast-paced as it is as methodical as Myers himself, but Carpenter is simply utilizing every single minute of his runtime efficiently. John Carpenter's original, in my estimation, is a cornerstone of horror movies and a fundamentally must-see film.
Fans of modern gorefest horror franchises like Final Destination and Saw will probably find the pacing of the original Halloween to be slow and maybe even boring, but fans in 1978 were no doubt sufficiently freaked out by the suspense and creep factor of Michael Myers' eerily stoic stalking and murdering campaign, but even for current viewers, the film has a truly gripping payoff near the end as the last survivor among her friends uses her tenacity and toughness to stay alive with an assist from Dr. Loomis. I also enjoyed the psychological angle and, as a first time watcher, I'm curious to find out what happened to Myers to make him go off the rails at such a young age. Finally, John Carpenter's choice of music and cinematography added a lot to the suspense and general eeriness of what was playing out on the screen. It's a slow burn, but well worth a watch. I'm looking forward to part two.
There's no need for me to say why I rate Halloween so highly. Most of the people that has seen it agrees with me anyway. I'll say this though...
Halloween is the quintessential slasher from one of the best horror directors out there.
If you require more incentives to check this one out, there's something profoundly wrong with you...
NOTE FOR MYSELF SO I REMEMBER SOMEDAY, ONLY REPRESENTS MY OPINION/THOUGHTS FOR MYSELF NOT A “REAL REVIEW“, SO YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH IT
(also its not my 1st language)
how did that movie get a 7.7 imbd rating???
movies like this are the reason why I dont like the horror genre, its just so dumb.
Ofc the kid only starts screaming after the Killers gone so she can say theres no one there, not turning on the lights and rather walking in the dark when hearing a weird noise, her only stabbing him once and not making sure hes dead/tie him etc and turning her back to him and just sit there so he can dramatically rise from the dead and all that stupid shit are reasons why I cant with horror movies, its always the same. Sure there a a few good horror movies but for me those are the exception.
Very boring movie, apart from the typical dumb behavior it also has no real story or substance, dont understand how this turned into a kult franchise, maybe with 45 years after release Im just too late.
I'm definitely not a fan of slasher movies, but John Carpenter's Halloween is just incredible in my eyes. It's one of those movies I can rewatch constantly and never get bored. I feel that much of it has to do with how fantastic the direction is. Carpenter uses plenty of long shots and slow transitions, and there's almost always some chilling detail daring the viewer to find it. The villain feels especially scary because of how quiet and foreboding he is. The iconic music and sound effects just seal the deal. Despite how many times I've seen this, it always surprises me with how effectively it can build tension and how firmly it can grab my attention, despite my adversion for the genre. It doesn't do that by being original (I mean, it is one of the most quintessential examples of the genre) but by just being a damn good movie.
The only good thing of this movie is the theme song (and I think P.J. Soles nipples too) but that song begin to annoy when you heard again and again and again and again and again and again in every scene of this trash shitty film.
“Some men just want to watch the world burn, Master Wayne.” – Alfred, The Dark Knight.
Yes, some men just want to watch the world burn because there’s not much to them other than a truly evil soul. That’s the general idea and consensus behind Michael Myers. He doesn’t need a reason to kill because he is simply put…evil. Except, I felt like I needed a reason because it wasn’t giving us much of anything else as an alternative. There’s no motive, there’s barely any violence, when there is actual violence, there’s no gore or any real idea of where the victim was even struck. Even the acting is atrocious. As a member of an audience, I would have no idea of what’s even happening. I get it, they just want to give you an idea of what’s happening, which is fine most of the time…but if I don’t know what’s happening or where, I rarely care why.
The movie does do something right – it created a memorable looking villain. That may be because this movie is nearly 40 years old, but even so, it is what it is. It also had a good idea of how to present general creepiness based solely on the location of the camera – which helps when Michael Myers is stalking his victims. The music, I could have done without, but who cares. That being said, this is a movie that, in a way, changed the way horror films are presented. For that reason alone, I respect this movie, but I don’t like it – there’s too much about it that goes wrong in my opinion, and that comes down to the completely absent storytelling.
So here’s how it is…Halloween feels like a classic horror film. A part of that may solely be reputation and simplicity, but it feels how it should. That being said, its biggest weakness lies with storytelling. The reasoning behind Michael Myers doing what he does is as cheap as the movie…he’s evil – which means these victims are suffering from a random selection…they mean nothing…how can you care about their lives? There is barely any violence, which in and of itself is fine, but when there IS, it doesn’t show anything…so I’m left wondering how they died…apparently they were stabbed…which I guess doesn’t matter where. If you get stabbed anywhere on the body…you die. Apart from that, the acting is atrocious and it is downright weird towards the end – mainly the tombstone and ghost costume. Those are things you’d expect with a 8th or 9th installment running out of ideas…not the first movie ever.
So there it is. I wasn’t a fan, and I tried to list why. What is your opinion on this film?
A milestone movie in slasher genre.
8/10
Well thought I'd pull out the unrated special edition
blu ray boxset and do a re-watch of the lot ready for Halloween Ends
On October 14th 2022
Plus it is October anyway so I'm making it
X Month Of Horror Movies.
Grown up on these and I have a great love for the fab 3
Jason, Freddy, Michael
I actually forgot how good Halloween 1 was and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would especially with what's come after with the new trilogy, which is super frickin awesome by the way, done by my favourite production company of all time,
BlumHouse.
Seeing and remembering how it all began back
in 78 was a genuine pleasure and the way they shot it and had Michael having his way and going where he pleases and they old, Now you see me
Now you don't was just so creepy and so cool and clever. I love how he is now where he literally walks through anyone as he rips their throat apart while pulling their head off but it was great to remember how he operated before he evolved into an unstoppable killing machine that will never ever stop. The Shape.
Doc Loomis and Laurie are amazing also and along with Michael are the pillars of this franchise.
Next up H2
this movie is so creepy at times.. so much better than the recent films from the franchise
First time seeing this one ever and gotta say kinda liked it. Sure the acting and the plot weren't the best but considering in age its still fairly decent. I do however like Laurie's character. She didn't just sit back and scream like a helpless child. All in all fairly decent. Definitely going to watch the next one
It is just an old classic. Don't go in and watch it expecting anything incredibly amazing and unexpected. At this time of year, it won't be anything chilling and out to shock you, leaving you in disbelieve as if you have watched something incredibly new and original. Don't. Just no.
One of, if not THE best, old-school horror flick! Every horror movie buff has to watch Halloween, even though it looks a little outdated today. The score however passes the test of time, its a perfect match for the movie and still gives me goosebumps.
I think this is John Carpenter's best (horror) movie, which is sad, because if he could have repeated what he did with the original Halloween movie, I would have loved his later horror flicks, too!
One of the best horror movies of all time. Halloween established the tone and cliches for a whole sub-genre, if I were in the 80s making movies this would definitely be one of the main movies to get inspiration. The scene with the pumpkin during the initial credits is awesome and it is complemented by the score so perfectly and the score is amazing not only in the beginning but throughout the entire movie. It is a tremendous job from John Carpenter in every aspect of the film.
I love Michael Myers' characterization, that emotionless pale mask is disturbing. I can see why some people would find this film boring or something like that, but for me it takes just the time it needs to set the story and the tone. The movie doesn't have a lot of kills nor are the kills gory, but they're definitely effective. My favorite part has to be the stalking by Mr. Myers, what a creepy dude, damn, poor Laurie and her friends.
PS: The scene that shows The Thing from Another World (1951) being watched by Tommy and Lindsey is super cool when you realize that this movie was going to be filmed again by Carpenter and become his masterpiece.
Just Rewatched This Great Movie.. Writing Coulda made a more detailed Plot.. but I still enjoyed it... the Pacing suffered it was too quick. But Still a Very Great Film.. I love The Score and Cinematography Blend that in With a Thrill Ride and u got ur self a Great Slasher Film. My final Rating 3.5/5
I like this movie and I've watched it a few times and I'll probably watch it a few times more in the future but the score throughout this movie is so annoying. The shrill high pitched noises, the repeating synths, very irritating.
Is it a superb movie in today's definition? Absolutely not. Some characters become annoying, there's about 2 minutes of back story on Michael Myers that doesn't explain anything at all really, and the story is pretty predictable.
But put yourself in small town 1978, not that I'd have any idea being born 7 years later, but I can imagine. Kids walk to and from school, are running around the neighborhood past dark and no one locks their doors. It's possible to think that a killer could move in and out of houses around the neighborhood stalking teenagers having premarital sex. But in the current sense of a good movie, one could argue (and a lot of people have) that it's not a good movie.
But this movie holds a near and dear place in my heart. It's one of the first horror movies I saw as a kid while handing out candy on Halloween and it sparked the horror movie obsession I have today. The soundtrack, while simple, is something you'll never forget. And I look forward to sitting down with my kids, when they are old enough, and keeping the first horror movie tradition alive.
The original and still the best of the Halloween franchise, it’s the template of so many horror films since. Sure the impact may be lessened by repeat viewings but what is still striking is how good the first half is at building tension and the film does not just rely on its jump scares to work. The opening sequence sets the tone straight away and the score still gets under your skin regardless. Myers remains a force of nature, relentless and silent and Pleasance hams it up brilliantly.
I get the reverence people have for the character, the franchise, the history of it all, etc. But I could not believe how bored I was. Scenes drag on and on. Michael being unkillable is scary, but the dude is pretty slow, and reckless. Back in the late 70's, early 80's I could see how a stalker killer portrayed like this with long drawn out shots could increase the tension of the movie because that's just how scary things used to scare people but it just falls so flat in comparison to the horror of today, (and let's face it, the short video ADHD brain rot killing us all).
I ain't watching this again, and I won't be recommending it either. Felt like I wasted my time. Could have just read a synopsis and called it an evening. Would have been just as scary.
Really simple, elegant premise that’s instantly captivating because it feels like something that could happen any day. Fantastic synth score (that main theme is instantly iconic) and there’s even some really great use of pov camerawork & sound effects. Yet I think the end result is just fine. I’m not even sure if it’s due to aging like milk, because it’s one of those movies where the cracks should’ve been pretty visible on release. It’s a surface level watch, in terms of story and character there’s not a lot going on. Simplicity can be a great tool, but this one only barely holds my attention throughout. Compare that to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (which is equally as basic on the surface), where there’s a lot going on in terms of ideas and concepts, and this feels very plain. The dialogue and acting are nothing to write home about either, in fact I’d argue anyone besides JLC comes across as fake. The horror scenes are pretty effectively done, though it tends to really hold your hand emotionally by the way it uses that score (e.g. jump scares, obvious dramatic chords for a reveal). Overall, I’d say this still resonates because of the creepy atmosphere that Carpenter builds through the small scale setting and technical choices, but when looking at it without any nostalgia goggles, it’s hard not to call this thing extremely overrated.
5.5/10
First time watcher. I didnt like this at all. Nothing happens. Every scene is so long an boring. The extra loud lounds to try and force a jumpscare is lazy. The characters an acting is terrible. The screamin and moaning of jlc is also annoying.
The first escape scene at the start is nothing. Just a dark scene with a car. I dont understand, what am missing here. Why is the a 'classic'?
And why is no one switching on the lights?
There’s not much to say about this film that hasn’t already been said. It’s easily MY favorite horror movie all time. It’s nearly 45 years old, shot on a tiny budget, and it still holds up. It’s still shooting out sequels, with the main character at that. I’ve watched this movie more times that I can count at this point, and it’s surely to remain a staple to watch every October. This year it’s a privilege to be binging before the new movie on Thursday!
Rating: 5/5 (:star:) - 10/10 - Must See
Halloween is an absolute must watch for any horror fans. Despite being done in the 70s it's not horribly cheesy like a lot of movies were, although it does have its moments.
I honestly prefer this one to the others, especially the more modern ones.
"Halloween" is an all-time classic in the Horror Movie genre with one of the creepiest killers and a solid protagonist with Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie. There’s also Dr. Loomis who is so out of it, it can be unintentionally hilarious.
And let‘s not forget John Carpenter’s fantastic eerie soundtrack.
If you haven’t watched the original Halloween in a while and instead focused on countless sequels and reboots, you might be surprised how different Michael Meyers‘s first appearance was. The kills were not as frequent or over the top, there was no deeper more attached to him and he wasn’t an unkillable entity that hilariously survived being hit by an axe a few times.
No, the original Michael Meyers was build up slowly, first point of view shots, glances from the shadows and only really appeared fully fleshed in the third act of the film. He truly was treated like some point of Boogyman.
And while the film takes its time, and is maybe even a bit slow for today’s frantic standards, it works perfectly well.
It’s a film that still holds up even decades later and is just as effective around Halloween.
THE classic October slasher flick. Kids nowadays don't get it, I guess.
I've seen "Halloween" many times and it's endlessly rewatchable. John Carpenter is absolutely Hitchcockian in his delivery of an evil entity's return to his hometown of Haddonfield. Maybe it was seeing it for the first time in High-Def that made me notice Carpenter's use of widescreen and extended camera shots. No fan of today's tasteless gore fests would have the ability to sit still and marvel at the way Carpenter glides the camera through the small town neighborhood. The way that the Shape (Michael Myers) lurks around corners and hides behind trees, stalking Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) is truly creepy. Later, he pops out of the shadows and dark spaces and relentlessly pursues her.
The music is eerie and is so representative of the horror that occurs on screen. It encourages the way you react to the film as much as the visuals do. The story itself is so simple yet entirely engrossing and somehow Carpenter gets you to really care about Laurie, her friends and even Dr. Loomis. Dr. Loomis, played by the awesome Donald Pleasance, intensifies the danger of the Shape with his retelling of his psychiatric struggles with Michael.
I've seen this so many times and I never tire of it. Carpenter and Cundey shot an amazing looking film. They were so patient in setting everything up and not afraid that their audience would lose interest. Love the tributes to Howard Hawks's "The Thing" and to "Forbidden Planet".
This is easily one of the greatest examples of how to make a scary movie without slicing and dicing the cast into a bloody mess. In fact, "Halloween" is practically bloodless in its telling of pure walking evil.
Horror movies WERE better back then.
A small group of teenage girls are stalked and bludgeoned by a masked psychopath with a lifelong vendetta against promiscuous babysitters. Planted right in the middle of slasher tentpoles The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and Friday the 13th (1980), Halloween is distinguished by its dense, creepy aura and selective restraint. Its bursts of violence are brief and final, more potent for their scarcity.
Much of the film is dedicated to a pair of chases: the notorious killer's clandestine search for suitable victims and the worried psychologist's hunt for his escaped mental patient. Stalking through suburban bushes and staking out abandoned houses may not sound like particularly intense material, especially compared to the more viscerally-rewarding exploits of Leatherface and Jason Vorhees, but in John Carpenter's hands, both manage to reach peak intensity. Through patient storytelling and effective cinematography, not to mention a shrill, unforgettable score (also composed and performed by the director), Carpenter weaves a masterpiece of suspense that pays dividends when chaos finally explodes in the climactic final act.
Jamie Lee Curtis, soon to be well-known for her lungs, really shines as the key figure: a studious, responsible bookworm who discovers her friends in various states of dismemberment and quickly descends into fight-or-flight desperation. That sudden, essential transition tightly mirrors the film's relaxation from a simmering, eerie piece of '70s filmmaking to a wild exhibit of pure, reckless chaos. My only real complaints revolve around the killer's blatant, unexplained invincibility and the psychologist's near-total detachment from the main storyline.
It's a nice movie to watch. I ended up with more questions lol. Curious how the other movies are going to end up compared to this. Nice to see Jamie Lee Curtis young.
“Halloween” is one of the first slasher films and probably the first one to be centered around the night of October 31st. It’s essentially a B-movie with clunky dialogues and terrible acting, but was enough to show off John Carpenter’s excellent camerawork and unsettling score.
Even though they might have been necessary to show Michael Myers’ voyeurism and build tension, the first half is honestly quite boring. The real fun starts when Michael finally comes to get Laurie. Despite the absence of special effects or anything more complex than a girl being chased by a masked guy with a knife, the last few scenes have so much suspense that I almost found myself holding my breath. I liked how you can feel Michael’s presence the whole time, his heavy breathing consistently freaking me out.
This film got interpreted in several ways but I always thought he stalked and killed babysitters who neglect their children because they are just like his sister. After all, she got murdered the night she was supposed to take care of him but decided to fuck around instead. It’s so weird that no-one seems to have parents in this film, accentuating this feeling of children and young adults being completely neglected by their families. I still don’t get how a child who grew up in a sanitarium could get driving lessons and even find his way to Haddonfield though.
"Death has come to your little town, Sheriff."
Could there be a more classic Halloween film than THE Halloween film? Everything from the music, Michael Myers' silence, his presence.. is great. I remember watching this as a kid and being petrified of him. I think I still would be if it weren't for all the sequels. Knife deaths > gun deaths.
When you strip horror down to its basic elements, you get Michael Myers. Save for some of the acting, this movie is flawless.
A bona fide classic of the horror genre, but by no means the best of the genre. The original Halloween has impeccable direction and sound design, a staple of John carpenter's work. The film is subtle and creepy, preferring to let you do a lot of the guesswork when it comes to it's villain and his motives. The score has since become iconic and for good reason, as it is masterfully composed and utilised well throughout the runtime.
Whilst I would argue that by today's standards the film is not particularly scary, I would level that same criticism at the slasher genre as a whole. This films remains in my eyes the best the slasher genre has to offer, and a must-watch for horror fans.
The horror is measured... until it becomes a slasher. I think it is OK, it was 1978. The feeling of someone lurking is terrifying. But the music... oh the music. That piece of music is great, it has everything to become iconic, which it did, but it is used until tired. I really would've liked it better to be used only in key moments, not in the entire movie.
From writer/director John Carpenter comes the horror classic Halloween. The story follows the pursuit of escaped mental patient Michael Myers, who returns to his old neighborhood on Halloween night and goes on killing spree. Featuring Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, and P.J. Soles, the cast has some good performances. Carpenter’s directing is also especially good; particularly at building suspense and tension. Additionally, the minimalist score by Carpenter is remarkably effective at creating an eerie, atmospheric tone. There are some problems with the storytelling, but overall Halloween is a chilling horror film.
This is one of those horror films everyone has probably seen and for a reason. It's a great film and great to re-watch. The music and story compliment eachother. There were some great kills (especially the scene were Michael kills the boyfriend of the girl who says totally all the time). The ending scene was great as well. Definitely a horror film you need to see at least once.
As for begining of the slasher movie series even after 40 years it still watchable. It makes it some sort of classic. :)
Great classic horror film the score is fantastic in this film and really sets up the tone quite nice. Movie isn't too scary but you do feel for the charcters and not want them to be killed, probably not one of the best horror films ever made but a classic you should see.
Absolute classic. My favorite movie. Was the template for a whole generation of horror that followed.
For me it's was so annoying the music, but the movie is good for 1978. We had to admit that slayer movies couldn't had strong scripts, because nobody cares to do it.
I thought the plot was pretty basic but somehow illustrative of something that you could imagine that could have happen in the real world, It goes like this, fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night of 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield to start killing again. His motivations? We don't know. His life as a child or anything that could make us get inside his head? Nothing... Maybe that's what did this film so terrifyingly scary back in in '78, yes, back then, because the film I saw did not scare me at all. But I imagine back then It would have been scary in a somewhat conservative American society, where there was a real life pandemic of the most notorious serial killers we still talk about today.
Regarding the most technical aspects of the film, I really enjoyed some parts of how the film was shot, maybe I enjoyed too many of them to name them all, but one I can point out is how the camera was set in the Michael Meyers point of view a good amount of times, and even when It wasn't, the film was still beautifully shot, same thing I can not say about the editing though, I believe there were some times that the editing really ruined what It could be a perfect experience for the eyes to see.
Talking about senses the sound design really stood out, and I thought It was good, at least at the beginning, by the end of the film It kind of started to feel a bit repetitive, so I had to ignore that to have a better film experience.
The acting was mediocre in general, and I'm being nice here ;)
Don't go see this film expecting a blood fest that's for sure, for a (slasher?) horror film this has the least amount of violence that I think this genre could have, and we could say the pacing is kind of slow as well.
The end ruined the film for me, I mean, It made no logical sense in a straightforward interpretation of it.
People call this a classic horror film, well the characters had no depth really, and for me Its hard to call It a classic when I had no empathy or got attached to any of them.
But no matter what, you should see It by yourself and take your own conclusions. I will not extend any further, happy watching ;)
A teen babysitter named Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) gets stalked by an escaped mental patient. After making a delivery to the house he once lived at. Once he sees her with her friends he goes after them as well.
It’s that simple. This original classic isn’t an over-stuffed and disturbing film filled with random kills, like the remake. Which helps it be more effective.
Jamie Lee Curtis gets a lot of credit as a Scream Queen after this film. While she’s solid. I think Donald Pleasance steals the show. As Michael’s shrink who’s obsessed with stopping him. He’s over-used in every sequel but here he’s quite intriguing.
Still so good, still so much fun and EVEN BETTER ON THE BIG SCREEN!
Yes, I watched Halloween in all its glory on the big screen today! And boy did I like it! The soundtrack sounds even better! And I love this film more the more I watch it! And I think I'm not the only one!
The Michael Myers mask, Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Blue Öyster Cult, that amazing soundtrack, the ending, the POV shots in the beginning, everything just clicks. This is Carpenter at his almost best (best being the Thing). So glad that this film inspired so many other films.
I can recommend everyone to watch Halloween on the big screen. It really adds to the experience!
Halloween is one of the best slasher films of all time! Rob Zombie did a great job with the the 2007 reboot and hopefully the 2018 reboot won't disappoint. Honesty John Carpenter's Version will always be the best.
This movie is at Jon carpenters best as this movie had a brilliant concept ,a some how impenetrable antagonist, none other than Jamie lee the scream queen , chilling music, a little drizzle of jumpscares , a bit of required nudity because that is where the story reveals on and that is why the antagonist starts killing teens in the first place.The opening scene was in my opinion a great sequence where he seen a his sister with a boy in a sexual relationship and kills her though seems over the top but that leads us to dwell into the psychotic nature of Our very own antagonist The deadly ,fearless, mask wearing who walks in a single posture ., the infamous 'Micheal Myers'
My personal favorite horror film. From the lengthy first tracking shot to the final story twist, this is Carpenter's masterpiece.
The best of the Michael Myers films, especially better than the over-stuffed, brutally violent and depressing Rob Zombie remake.
I actually thought it was pretty bad. I dont mind the lack of gore, in fact I liked it, but I guess it had to be seen at the time. Does not pass the test of time
Cinema Paco 3: Image 3.5/5 Sound 4.5/ 5. Ideal for today (31/10). J. L. Curtis scream queen, it is okay and a clasic
"it's halloween, i guess everyone's entitled to one good scare!" the best classic slasher. totally.
Breaking into the Scream Factory boxset for the 31 Days Of Horror.
This was my first time watching this classic horror film. I was already familiarized with the well known story of Michael Myers so it was no surprise to me. I had once seen one of the most recent remakes of Halloween but it didn't stopped me from enjoying the film anyway.
Great camera work, great atmosphere and one of the greatest soundtracks and intimidating characters in the history of horror films.
Review by d2freakVIP 4BlockedParent2017-10-28T13:46:06Z
Well, so I just saw this movie for the first time yesterday. Almost 40 years after it was released. A bit late yeah, but it never really seemed interesting enough to check out. And what can i say? To be honest, I expected the movie to be pretty bad considering how much praise it gets (usually in horror that's a sure sign it's only trendy to like it somehow). But I never expected it to be this bad.
The characters are just a big mess. The acting is atrocious and the casting choices are very weird. Everybody looks way to old for the role they play, and the dialogues are just some of the worst I've ever heard. My favorite being Laurie saying "was that the boogeyman?" which had me burst out in laughter. Great stuff. Anyway, none of the characters ever sound realistic in any way. And there is NO chemistry with any character and I mean zero. Michael Myers himself is just nothing special at all. The opening scene with him is pretty great tbh (when he's a little kid), but after that, it's all downhill, and we don't get to know anything about him at all whatsoever. He's truly lacking any character whatsoever. He doesn't speak or even have motives. He just goes around strangling people. Yeah very creative.
The story is among the worst I've ever seen. Almost not a single thing makes sense, and it becomes very slapstick at times. It is the perfect example of all the archetypes everybody hates in horror movies like "go randomly into the closet" and "stab the killer and toss the knife away afterwards and sit and wait for him to get up" or my personal favorite "just give him the car". The main storyline itself is extremely narrow and it truly feels random. For like 70% of the movie there are no real interactions of any kind between anyone and some overgrown babysitters just sees spooky things and gets killed in (extremely) predictable and stupid ways. There is a doctor too, but that part is so ludicrous that it almost seems to be for comedic relief. He's sure funny when he breaks out his doomy and gloomy speeches, I'll give him that. Especially when he's peeking on the kids from behind the bush. That was hilarious. The ending is atrocious too. Worst end sequence I've seen in a while. And that brings us to...
The directing is simply awful. Some shots drag out for a laughable long time, so much that it gets really awkward. And there is so much repetition too, and some parts that (I guess) is supposed to be scary just looks very funny. Like the times when Michael collapses. Or when they are being tailed by a car accompanying the "creepy music" for like the 5th time in like 10 minutes. The editing is poor also, like when Michael cracks the car window. And the movie is shot in such a way that not many scares are unexpected. It's a very predictable movie. Like the music will always let you know well before hand when something creepy is about to happen. Which brings us to...
The score is very amateurish and very often plain bad. Yes the main theme is kinda good, but not after you've heard it slapped on like 50 scenes. It starts to get funny after a while to always hear that tune. Not very scary.
Overall, the movie felt like a very bad low budget horror of it's time. But would it have been better back in the days? Hell no. It's a bad movie, no matter what time period it's from. It's just a very trendy movie, and now that I've finally seen it, I can safely say that I wasn't missing out on anything. Phew.