| Halloween: By: Matt Russell |
| Ahhhh, yes! The immortal classic, HALLOWEEN!!! The film that revolutionized the horror/slasher genre, inspiring such genre films as FRIDAY THE 13TH, SLEEPAWAY CAMP, TERROR TRAIN, and PROM NIGHT. This film has been my favorite movie of all time since a VERY young age! I can remember continuously going to the video store to rent this puppy! It scared the living shit outta me yet I could not stop watching it! |
 |
| The film begins with the very memorable long steady-cam shot, acting as young Michael Myers' POV (Point Of View) letting us see through his eyes as he brutally murders his sister. It is one of the most brilliant uses of the camera in a film and has been used repeatedly in many later slasher films of the 80's. Afterwards, we're just sucked in as we witness the Shape stalk Laurie Strode. We're then given a fantastically written dialogue by Dr. Sam Loomis as he tries to explain to Sheriff Brackett his history with Michael and why he so desperately is trying to stop him. From the creepy opening credits to the chilling finale, HALLOWEEN is just one huge scare fest that will force you to want to sleep with the lights on for the next month! |
| Acting wise, the film is flawless with its leads actors. Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie) does the role of the stalked teenager perfectly, and is without a doubt, the supreme scream queen! Donald Pleasence (Loomis) , like Curtis, is dead on! He releases the great dialogue perfectly and makes the film scarier. He makes us know that he's either crazy, or Michael Myers is something none of us want to meet face to face! Nancy Loomis (Annie) and P.J. Soles (Linda) do the self-centered teenage girls well and they definitely give you the feeling that they're only friends with Laurie so they can feel pleased with themselves. I'm not sure if it's the acting or Debra Hill's writing. Probably both! Nick Castle, (The Shape) does Michael perfect and set the standard for Dick Warlock, George Wilbur, Don Shanks, Chris Durhand, and Brad Loree. (John Carpenter, Debra Hill, Tommy Lee Wallace and some other crew members played Michael in certain shots) The soundtrack is what makes the movie as scary as hell! John Carpenter's classic chords will never be forgotten and is what makes HALLOWEEN what it is! Whenever Michael Myers or the title of the film is mentioned, the theme is the first thing that pops into your brain. John Carpenter said that he showed the film to a female executive before he composed the music and she didn't like the film, telling him it wasn't scary. Carpenter was then determined to save the picture with the music. A few months after the film's release, Carpenter ran into the same executive who congratulated him telling him the film was VERY scary, and that he had done a good job on. All he had done was add the music to it. |
 |
| John Carpenter's directing of this film is perfect. The shooting locations are perfectly used, the lighting during the day is used quite well, showing you that this normal little town of Haddonfield, Illinois does have a dark secret in it. Overall HALLOWEEN is just an unforgettable horror classic that continuously scares the hell outta you, yet makes you want to come back and watch it again! And with it's fantastic plot, scare factor, acting, direction, and music, what else could you possibly want in a horror film! |
 |
 |