Halloween ---------> (7/10)

[Cyclonus]

Halloween (1978)

Director: John Carpenter

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance, Nancy Loomis, P.J. Soles, Charles Cyphers, Nick Castle

Screenwriters: Debra Hill, John Carpenter

Producer: Debra Hill

A Compass International Pictures release


http://www.joblo.com/arrow/arrowimages/arrowhalloween1-3.jpg


For the past twenty years, the horror genre has been in a quagmire of extreme disrepute. Since the early 1980's, there have been a seemingly endless number of slasher movies, the vast majority of which were nearly unwatchable exercises in nihilistic gore. It seemed as if the directors have forgotten what a good scare truly is, or have never known it. Nonetheless, there are a handful of good efforts that stand out from the mire. One of them is John Carpenter's Halloween.

It's a rare animal indeed, one of the few horror films to receive positive reviews from professional film critics. Time has been kind to it; Halloween still holds up nearly a quarter-century later. The basic plot is nothing special; in terms of structure, it's very much the same as any other slasher. What makes it different? Simply put, the level of skill that was invested in it elevates the material. This movie's no hack job; it's clear that for once, the filmmakers actually put some time and effort into crafting a good, scary movie.

The object of the film is not to show an excessive quantity of gore, but to frighten the viewer. The film succeeds in doing just that, establishing an atmosphere of dread. Even when it’s light out, you are keenly aware that no one is truly safe. The gore factor is practically nonexistent, but the human imagination is capable of imagining things that are much worse than can be visibly portrayed. The director usually acts as composer for most of his films; this project has yielded his best work in that area. The "Halloween theme" is simple, yet elegant and chilling, resonating in the mind long after the credits have rolled.

Another noticeable quality is the fact that its teenage characters are not nearly as annoying as they came to be in most of its clones. They may not be model citizens, but they come across as realistic human beings for once. The solid performance of Jamie Lee Curtis helps to make the proceedings more credible, its effect is to put the audience in her shoes instead of making us root for the killer.

Do I consider Halloween a masterpiece? No, I personally feel that the film is somewhat overrated by horror fans. However, no one can dispute that it is one of the most influential genre films ever. Donald Pleasance does a fine job in the lead, lending a gravity and reality to the situation that it otherwise may not have had. When he says that Michael Myers is not quite human, we believe him. Subsequent installments may have linked him to the occult, but even without a supernatural explanation, we just know there’s something otherworldly about him.

7/10.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by Cyclonus
it's clear that for once, the filmmakers actually put some time and effort into crafting a good, scary movie.

Good point. I feel that Halloween has received way too much exposure, and I favor the second, third, and fourth installments to the original, but I simply can't deny Carpenter's directorial prowess here. I respect him for trying to deliver something above a cheap thrill. This could have been a gratuitous flick, but everything is restrained. Usually, it takes the requisite gore and nudity to keep me conscious during a slasher, and while the pace often lags, I was kept relatively in tune with the suspense until the finale. I just wish that the finale wasn't so illogical. The "evil never dies" symbolism feels out of place in a simplistic slasher that, for the most part, is grounded in reality.

[myersfan31]

7/10? Eh...LOL, I think differently:cool:

PLOT: After murdering his sister Michael Myers is taken to Smith's Grove Warren County Sanitarium where 15 years later he breaks out on HalloweeN...

REVIEW: This movie, is to me the greatest movie ever. Blows by Star Wars, Indiana Jones and all those other "classics." This movie, started the horror genre. Psycho I really don't think did, more like opened the door, then HalloweeN blew the door open. Spawning ripoff such as Freddy Krueger and Jason among others.

The movie has great music. My favorite score in all movies and one of the best theme songs ever. Who doesn't get chills when you hear the HalloweeN theme?

The characters you care for. All of them. You rooted for say Laurie running across the street being chased by Michael. Or yelled at Lynda to turn around when Michael came over to strangle her.

It also spawned one of the BEST villians in cinema history. Darth Vader, has nothing on Michael Myers. He is nothing but pure evil. Still just as scary since the original. Never sold out and started cracking jokes about everything.

To me this is the greatest horror movie, and best movie period to me:)

RATING: 12/10

[Boogeyman]

Originally posted by myersfan31


To me this is the greatest horror movie, and best movie period to me

RATING: 12/10

I have to agree completely.

later

[myersfan31]

:cool: Were going to get along just fine then...

[Boogeyman]

Originally posted by myersfan31
:cool: Were going to get along just fine then...

I have a feeling we are. :)

later

[Jason Voorhees]

Suppose I'm the only one who didn't enjoy it eh?

I personally just found it to be lethargic and suspenseless; but that's just me (and me alone apparently).

[doggyboyuk]

I think this reviews score was a tad too low i also agree this sparked off the Horror genre and should be respected for doing so. 10/10

[The Claw]

Originally posted by Jason Voorhees
Suppose I'm the only one who didn't enjoy it eh?

I personally just found it to be lethargic and suspenseless; but that's just me (and me alone apparently).

JASON! how could you forget about me, i hate it for those reasons, and the fact its so loved, maybe i just got so hyped up. i will admit the last half n hour is good, but the movie is just blah. very blah.

[Jason Voorhees]

Originally posted by The Claw
JASON! how could you forget about me, i hate it for those reasons, and the fact its so loved, maybe i just got so hyped up. i will admit the last half n hour is good, but the movie is just blah. very blah.

Haha, I didn't forget you man, I just wasn't sure if you were gonna post here; I'm glad you did though, I need the support.

[Kastman]

I give Halloween an 8/10

First off the main thing i didn't like was that bitch that said totally every fuckin two seconds, and i only agree that laurie strode was the realistic teenager in the movie. However i agree with you on pretty much everything else. The stalk sequences, or where its leading up to something went on for too long sometimes, but that wasn't much of a problem.

The score is the best ever. That halloween theme is the creepiest music ever and it is perfect.

Donald Pleasence was great.
Jamie Lee curtis was okay, although she looked a little stupid sometimes (not the way she dressed although that a bit too, but the way she acted)
Those other two friends of hers were below average, the totally-saying-alot one was annoying.
The two kids were fine, no problems there.


That might seem like i dislike the movie more, but no.

Myers was great.
Those parts where all of a sudden there was that loud screeching sound were good to.
The last stalk sequence with Laurie is a classic.
The kills were pretty good.
Donald Pleasence scaring off those little kids was funny as hell

[Whiggles]

I do consider Halloween to be pretty overrated, but at the same time I accept that it is one of the key reasons why the genre is where it is today. In my opinion, the subsequent imitators (especially Scream) are superior movies. Yes, it's true that Halloween started it, but giving Halloween 10/10 because it spawned modern horror is akin to giving Scream 1/10 based solely on the grounds that many crappy rip-offs are based on it.

At the end of the day I can't really give Halloween a rating. It is a product of its time, much like The Exorcist, and it doesn't have the same power today that it did when it was released. In light of the horror movies released after Halloween (Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street and so on, and even Jeepers Creepers), I don't think Halloween is really that big a deal.

[Downfall]

Lets see I know that Halloween is not full of blood and guts the deaths are not the best but there is still something about this movie that is awesome and I can watch it over and over again. I don't think Halloween is over-rated this movie stands on its own and is great horror film to be watched for years to come.

[Gluttony]

I must say that John Carpenter is a good director and yes the film should be respected. But I don't think it should alter the rating we give it. I enjoyed the film but not as much as most and I believe that if it was really not a 10 at the end, it shouldn't get a 10. I thought it had plenty of flaws like most Carpenter offerings. The Fog is a good example which was as Jason put it: lethargic and suspenseless. But anyway, I agree that it is overrated because it was supposedly the first slasher. What about TCM and black Christmas? I thought they were out before... I might be wrong though.

6/10

[Boogeyman]

Gluttony...no one said it was the 1st slasher. It just influenced the genre greatly! Black Christmas and TCM did come out years before Halloween but none had the influence that Halloween had. Even though they were all great films.

later

[Gluttony]

Really, Boogeyman it's good that you recognize the movie for it's key to the horror genre. Yes, it is a real stepping stone but the film is flawed. It has quite a few and I still think that it shouldn't alter the score people give it.

But that is just my opinion.

[Jason Voorhees]

Originally posted by Gluttony
Yes, it is a real stepping stone but the film is flawed. It has quite a few and I still think that it shouldn't alter the score people give it.

But that is just my opinion.

I agree. As Whiggles said earlier: "Yes, it's true that Halloween started it, but giving Halloween 10/10 because it spawned modern horror is akin to giving Scream 1/10 based solely on the grounds that many crappy rip-offs are based on it."

It's a good line of reasoning, in my opinion.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by Boogeyman
Black Christmas and TCM did come out years before Halloween but none had the influence that Halloween had.

Actually, Black Christmas had just as much influence on the genre than Halloween did. I mean, if Black Christmas influenced Halloween (which it did), then it influenced every film after Halloween. Granted, it's an indirect influence, but it's an influence nonetheless. The same goes for any film that influenced Black Christmas.

[Michael_myers]

Originally posted by myersfan31

REVIEW: This movie, is to me the greatest movie ever. Blows by Star Wars, Indiana Jones and all those other "classics." This movie, started the horror genre. Psycho I really don't think did, more like opened the door, then HalloweeN blew the door open. Spawning ripoff such as Freddy Krueger and Jason among others.

RATING: 12/10

I tend to agree and disagree. If you are talking slasher, I'd say yeah, the only true slasher befopre Halloween was Black Christmas, (which I didn't like, but I'll give it the respect it deserves) TCm was more psychological, and Psychoi had a drama. Think horror, uh no. The Universl Classics, PSycho, Alice Sweet Alice, texas Chainsaw, Black Christmas, Eaten Alive, Night of the Living dead, last house on the left and the hills have eyes, amongst dozens others. So I tend to agree. Freddy kreuger wasn't a MM rip-off, but Jason on the other hand was.

[Duke Nukem]

"Halloween" was one of the first horror films to get me invested into this genre. I saw it when I was a kid, and was somewhat frighted by it. Not many horror films can do that. Not even a handful of it's own sequels. Before this, there was "Black Christmas" and others, but it was "Halloween" that got true regognition from a wide majority of critics/fans/buffs/etc and gave birth to the horror genre that plagued the 1980's. It doesn't totally hold up today, but there's always something about that keeps you watching it. This Halloween, I got a chance to see this film theatrically at my local theater for an allnight horror movie marathon, and there, I saw the true scare power it had back in 1978!

[Duke Nukem]

So true!

[Crazy Fool 21]

12/10 as well...pure masterpiece

[Gluttony]

Halloween

Release Date: 1978

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween 2, Halloween: H2O, and The Fog)
Donald Pleasance (Halloween 2-6)

Directed by: John Carpenter (The Fog, Ghosts of Mars, and Christine)

Rating: (6/10)

Sequel(s): Halloween 2, Season of the Witch, Return of Michael Myers, Revenge of Michael Myers, Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween: H2O, Resurrection

Nudity: yes, gore: little.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plot Summary: Psychotic killer, Michael Myers, murdered his older sister when he was young, fifteen years later on Halloween, he comes back to kill his last living sibling Laurie Strode. Of course the man who tried to help Myers is after him and is out to warn the happy town of Haddonfield about the maniac.
To start it off, I am not a big fan of the original Halloween, I do like how John Carpenter worked with his material, Carpenter was able to make this above average with some very nice imagery and tricks. He goes all out with a POV shot, lighting tricks, and he keeps the majority of the film in the dark, that is the key to the film in my opinion, the film still gets a rise out of me because the film is effective in delivering scares and building up stalk sequences.
Carpenter isn’t the only one working either; Jamie Lee Curtis is able to establish herself as the first great “Scream Queen” and for good reason. She is by far one of the better actresses to come out of the horror genre, she plays her character with no confidence and it is effective. The other big help was Donald Pleasance, he takes his character seriously and he was the one I was rooting for. His charismatic delivery and hard on attitude sparked something that got me addicted to the character Dr. Loomis. The rest of the actors play it safe and aren’t all that bad but I didn’t care about them, I found none of them overly likeable, none of them felt like I could relate to them and they play such an important part that I got agitated by them very easily.
Michael is creepy, he reminds me of evil, I thought he looked perfect and he performed that way. His kills were bloodless but gore isn’t everything, we do get some good stabbings, strangulations, and he gets his eye poked so I was still entertained by this section of the movie. It was to bad that I knew who was going to die when they walked on screen though, made some of the stalk sequences a little pointless.
What I like is that the film is focused on characters; the deaths were secondary to seeing the likeable (and the unlikable unfortunately) characters live and react to the situation. I don’t regard this as a good movie, but it’s a decent watch and worth the time for horror fans.

[Fisting Ackbar]

It's an excellent horrorfilm but not one of my favorites. I love the approach of it, but it's not "the first true slasher ever made" and it never actually scared me considering it's reputation.