Halloween (1978)
A girl spends Halloween babysitting her neighbor, hoping to have a quiet night with some friends. Having been spooked earlier by a strange masked-figure who seems to be following her, she’s hoping a quiet night will help her get over her fears- unaware that her fear has only just begun.
I am pretty sure I knew of Michael Myers before I was born. He is one of the big 5 when it comes to horror figures of the slasher genre and it is hard not to see him every year for Halloween. It also helps that the Halloween franchise has had its fair share of reboots and re-quels. Though I knew the man, the myth, the legend- I didn’t get around to watching Halloween (1978) until the 7th grade. This was kind of late in the game for me, as I was already hooked on horror for a couple years by this time. But I figured I should be bout it-bout it and pay my dues when it came to one of the greats of the slasher genre. And I saw why it was considered a classic right away.
The movie starts off POV style, as viewers learn that it is Halloween night and much of six year old Michael’s house is empty- except for his older sister and boyfriend. While they fool around a little, Michael decides to have his own fun- and murders both of them. He then spends the next 15 years in a sanitarium under the care of Doctor Loomis, who has deemed his rehabilitation a lost cause. While being transported for a court case, Michael escapes and returns to his home of Haddonfield. And he has his sights on Laurie, the young scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.
This movie, when looked at by itself, is a work of art. John Carpenter made Halloween very early in his career full of gems. The score does a great job of creating suspense throughout the movie, and this includes the iconic piano riff that everybody hums as they playfully stalk their prey. Jamie Lee Curtis plays her role wonderfully, a young babysitter attempting to escape from ‘the boogeyman.’ Michael’s ensemble is iconic, as I have mentioned, and it is his emotionless face and non-descriptive outfit that add to his spookiness. The whole movie (outside of the very beginning scene) takes place over a single day, allowing viewers to feel the tension build in almost real-time. And there are so many scenes that live in my heart forever (when Michael is scene watching Laurie by the bushes?!?!?!? *Muah*).
About this single movie, I have no criticisms or issues. It was beautifully done and excelled for its time. For the franchise, that’s a whole other thing. The lore of Michael gets pretty messy as you look at the whole franchise, which can make you not even want to touch it. But there are some solid entries that should be considered before you brush the whole thing off.
Rating: I give this movie 11 out of 10 DUN-dun-dun-DUN-dun-dun-DUN-de-DUN-DUN for several reasons. The man is an icon, the woman is a scream queen, the suspense is a killer, and the theme is a banger. It is a movie that should not be ignored and enjoyed at least once a year.
If you are looking for a movie similar Halloween (1978), there is a whole slew of them within the franchise. If I had to suggest one or two, I would suggest Halloween Resurrection (because Busta Rhymes kicks Michael through a wall, FFS) and the Halloween (2018) re-quel (because it was penned by Danny McBride and axed off much of the chaos from previous entries in the franchise). Outside the franchise, I suggest checking out Trick ‘r Treat. It is an anthology that covers many of the traditions followed on the blessed hell-iday, providing insight on why they are followed. The stories all loop together and teach all of us the most important lesson of the holiday- always follow the rules of Halloween.
When it comes to books, Nightshift by Stephen King comes to mind. A collection of King’s early short stories, it is filled with spooky stories to keep you on the hook from cover to cover. You’ll recognize some of these stories, as they have since been adapted in one way or another (“Jerusalem’s Lot,” “Trucks,” “Children of the Corn”). You can also check out the anthology Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez. It’s stories, though not as well-known as Kings, left me terrified of the things that go down in Argentina. It is full of stories that will keep you up at night- and pull you slowly towards the hauntings of Argentina.
When was the last time you were terrified by someone in a Michael Myers outfit? If it hasn’t been recently, feel free to pull up this Halloween and see yours truly.
Until next time…
-M