Got into an argument with a couple of 16 year old students of mine about how most of them have the attention span of fruit flies with ADHD and that most modern media seems to cater to their sugar rush needs causing them to lose appreciation for the power of simplicity.

They disagreed.

I showed them the opening scene of Halloween.

That shut them up.

The iconic horror legend Michael Myers is born thanks to the sick and twisted mind of John Carpenter!

Pure genius taking something as simple as a mask to enhance terror by stripping away his humanity! Donald Pleasence was the sledgehammer that drove home the message that Michael Myers was evil incarnate and we swallowed it hook, line and sinker!

The soundtrack fueled our fears and cranked up the adrenalin coursing through our veins til we were frightened out of our ever lovin minds!

What made it even more horrifying was this was small town USA the last place you'd expect evil to wreak havoc! The girl next door played brilliantly by Jamie Lee Curtis allowed us to live and scream vicariously through her throughout the whole terrifying ordeal!

The landmark horror flick that launched careers and pulses into the stratosphere of legend territory!

Naughty Approved!

What can you say about it? It's one of the most classic and beloved horror movies of all time. I mean, it's John carpenter.

I enjoyed this movie the same way I enjoy turning appropriately into the nearest lane on either a left or right turn. It’s nice. I wish I could have seen this in the theater in 1978 because I think I would have liked it a lot more but I don’t hate this movie at all. It’s a fun watch. I can’t wait to see David Gordon Green remake this :):):):):)):

Halloween is not a technically perfect movie.

The acting is bad, the story is predictable and formulaic (which I forgive, since this was the film that created the formula), and at times the film drags.

BUT - the score is absolutely incredible, John Carpenter's direction and Dean Cundey's cinematography are absolutely top notch, and damn it's fun! This would be the perfect movie to watch with a couple friends late on Halloween night - perhaps that's this year's plan!

I can already tell, I'm going to be re-watching this one a lot!

74/100

Michael Myers scared the shit out of me as kid and he still does now but I can still appreciate the movie

"Death has come to your little town, Sherrif"

That opening one-shot of Myers' haunting descent into madness might just be the peak of camera and tone utilization in the history of horror cinema, and Carpenter only elaborates on those chilling tones from that point on. Almost insane that this hasn't become dated yet, contemporary cinema has evolved and been warped in so many ways that it's truly astounding to see that Carpenter can face the revolution with a shimmering smile.

1. Aside from a few interesting shots in the film's first half, Halloween was almost exactly what I expected it to be. This is not because I was familiar with the plot; in fact, I kept myself from spoilers and synopses. Just from knowing a little about slasher films was enough to make Halloween more a matter of going through the motions than being on an unnerving horror romp.

2. The cinematography is very nice, particularly the suburban late afternoon glare in the car ride and the long shots of the house where Michael Myers is doing his dirty work.

3. One surprising turn is the baroque presentation set up in the neighbors house. The tombstone on the bed was an unexpected touch, even after the graveyard scene.

First time viewing this last night.
Opening sequence + Micheal lingering in the background + wide lurking camera shots + every other god damn thing about this movie. I went into this with it super hyped up and it lived up to it. Can't wait to revisit.

Halloween has scared millions for 30 years thanks to horror legend John Carpenter. Carpenters work here is legenary. He turned Jamie Lee Curtis into a star and has a film aspiring filmmakers must watch when it comes to mastering their craft, especially if it's horror. Incredible!