HALLOWEEN
 |
Considered one of the most pivotal Horror films of all time, Halloween not only saw incredible success during it's stay at the box office 20 years ago, but it also spawned an entire series based on the same maniacal murderer, Michael Myers. The film in a sense introduced mainstream America to slasher films, making way for the eventual release of such films as the Friday the 13th and the Nightmare on Elm Street series'. Of course, many would debate that Halloween is responsible for the blossoming of the genre, what with The Exorcist (believed by many to be the most terrifying movie of all time) being a predecessor, but to me, Halloween capture's it's audiences in an entirely different way. Nothing supernatural about it, Michael Myers was a human being. |
| The epic begins early in Michael's childhood. For unknown
reasons, the little boy 'snaps' and with zombie-like lack of emotion, murders his sister
Judith after seeing her entangled with her boyfriend only moments before. He stabs her
over and over, then leaves the house to meet his parents on the sidewalk - still holding
the knife and looking confused and lost. From that day on, Michael spent his days locked
up in a maximum security mental institution. Then, a terrible storm, baleful figures in white gowns, standing in the rain - Michael has broken free, bringing down the entire institution with him. His doctor, Sam Loomis (the late and great Donald Pleasance) pulls up to the gates to find the grounds in chaos. |
|
 |
The only person in the world to attempt to break through that evil, unfeeling exterior to see if anything existed beyond, Loomis immediately feared the worst. He feared Michael would return home, to Haddonfield, to finish what he had started that Halloween night so many years ago. Now a grown man, however, Loomis knew the extent of the havoc Myers could create would be far greater than that of Myers the boy. Rushing to warn the police and residents of Haddonfield, he soon learned that it would take a lot more to convince the town of what was coming to them, for them, |
| Meanwhile, the lives of three young friends were about to be changed forever, although unbeknownst to them. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends Annie (Nancy Loomis) and Lynda (P.J. Soles of Carrie) lived like any other high-school aged girls: talking about dances and football games and their boyfriends. Laurie saw Myers, noticed him watching her on several occasions, but passed it off as paranoia due to the nature of the holiday. After all, we all see a man or two lurking amongst the trees at Halloween, don't we? Somewhat hesitant to spend Halloween night babysitting while her friends were out getting laid, Laurie would soon know the true meaning of terror. |
|
 |
Halloween is not only a remarkable Horror film, but should be thought of as simply a remarkable film - no genre attachments. The incredibly effective use of such building blocks as musical score blended with silence and the incredible amount of suspense is built, makes this a great film to mold others after. Although at times the acting talent is questionable (I don't think Laurie's "friends" were chosen for their acting abilities) Halloween remains, to this day, a superior example of filmmaking excellence. Of course, what else could be expected from John Carpenter, who also brought us such films as The Fog, The Thing, Body Bags (Tobe Hooper guest-directed in one of the short films) and In the Mouth of Madness. |
H A L L O W E E N I M A G E G A L L E R Y
Buy HALLOWEEN from:
|
Buy HALLOWEEN
poster from:
|
