Anyone else think HALLOWEEN is overrated?

[movieguy1021]

I just saw it for the first time about a week ago, and I didn't find it scary at all...I don't think blood is necessary for a movie to be scary, but it was just so dull and lifeless. It's the least out of the three pivotal teen slasher (FRIDAY THE 13th-5/10, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET-7/10)

[Misery]

Anyone else think HALLOWEEN is overrated?
No.

[XpatrickX]

no. remember the date it was released. and there wasn't much blood invloved. and yes it was still good.

[countchocula]

Yes. It's not without its merits, but the characters are mostly nondescript, the pace is comatose, and it's not quite as pioneering as some would lead you to believe. If only Black Christmas and a few of Bava's giallo efforts had achieved commercial success.

[TheDeadWalk]

I didn't feel it was nearly as good, or as suspenseful as it's sequel, and much loved by me: Halloween 2.

The first had some dull, and embarassing moments, such as...


******* SPOILER FOR A FILM ALMOST THIRTY YEARS OLD NAMED HALLOWEEN!! BEWARE!!! **********************



Myers takes six shots to the chest, falls off of a two story balcony, and is up and moving around by the time Loomis gets to the window and looks down at the ground. However on the contrary, a sewing needle or coat hanger can wipe his ass out for a good five minutes.

Also noteworthy is after stabbing Michael with a sewing needle, Lori just feels that compulsive urge to say in her mind: "Fuck getting out of the house, I'll just take a breather here on the couch. Woo! That boy put me through a workout! Maybe when I get the strength I'll see if Night of the living dead is on Monstervision."

My freshman Science teacher used to poke fun at this film so much to us in class, and every "Friday the 13th" he would leave coat hangers lying around, telling everyone to take one before they went home incase some serial killer decided to stalk us.

[XpatrickX]

yeah halloween 2 rules. it's by far the best.

[BorderEevilIII]

Come On! Give this 1978 a break here....
Yeah the pacing of the movie is ho hum.
Do you think Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing who were offered to play Dr. Loomis before Donald Pleasance got the part would have done better?
This was an independant movie to start off with before it became the buzz at the theaters when it came out. Also, the original title was "The Babysitter Murders"....

[countchocula]

Originally posted by BorderEevilIII
Do you think Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing who were offered to play Dr. Loomis before Donald Pleasance got the part would have done better?

I'm not sure if you're just asking a question or if you're implying the Lee and Cushing are inferior to Pleasance. In any event, they would have been just as effective in the role, if not better. All three actors are on the same tier of acting prowess, though.

[Romero&Juliet]

yeah, its pretty overrated. The pace is shite, the violence is totallly muted..

just another slasher..

[Freddy Krueger6]

Nope dont think its overated ...depends on what type of movie u like if u want alot of gore your not gonna get it in this one.But if you would like a movie that'll give u alot of suspense (and i think its has some good scares)...then this movie lives up to every expectation in my view...and like veryone else says gotta rememberits release date aswell

[TheDeadWalk]

I'm not worried about the release date. Dawn of the Dead was released in the same year, and remains one of my all-time favorite horror films.

I just thought there was some non-sensical parts, while a few other parts drug on a wee bit too long while trying to be suspenseful. Overall, the film was good, but I don't rank it as a high classic that I ooze over.

Halloween 6.5/10

Halloween 2 - 10/10

[Freddy Krueger6]

the release date doesnt bother me i love tons of old movies most of my all time favs are old...im just sayin it depends or ur taste some people dont really like some movies cuz the out dated or sumtin ...but others like my self love them ...

[BorderEevilIII]

*MILD SPOILER*

I just relived the movie on FX's Festival of Fright. I am kinda amazed that when Michael kills "Bob" and leaves him hanging, the camera pans and you see him hanging.:eek: I figured showing that would be too extreme for regular TV.... I guess not. Maybe I am not accustomed to seeing that yet, but I aint worried. I kinda laughed at the campness of the movie.
BTW, my comments earlier about Christopher Lee/Peter Cushing......
WHat I was trying to illustrate is that if either actor played Dr. Loomis the movie overall would NOT have been so overated as claimed?

[The Claw]

This movie is dated as fuck. the pace is slow as piss. I did enjoy these movies as a kid, but I can't seem to get into any of them now. they are all just ho-hum. On the Claw's cool scale this movie is cooler then Full House but not as cool as He-Man and The Masters Of The Universe. Mer-Man rules. On the boring 1-10 scale this movie would get a 3. Yes, that's right a 3. This movie can blow me.

[Sin Eater]

Originally posted by The Claw
This movie is dated as fuck. the pace is slow as piss. I did enjoy these movies as a kid, but I can't seem to get into any of them now. they are all just ho-hum. On the Claw's cool scale this movie is cooler then Full House but not as cool as He-Man and The Masters Of The Universe. Mer-Man rules. On the boring 1-10 scale this movie would get a 3. Yes, that's right a 3. This movie can blow me.

You're my hero, Claw.

:).

I pretty much agree with Claw's "badass" post. I didn't find this flick to be very suspenseful or even very interesting when I saw it.

Sorry, but I've seen better horror flicks.

[Haddonfield]

Is Halloween Overrated?



























Fuck No!

[CamaroMatt1996]

I really like 'Halloween.' I find to be a well thought Slasher Flick. Carpenter did an excellent job directing, and the scenery and score etc. are all good. Of Course there are slow spots, but overall a kick ass flick. The Second one was good too, but kinda dull, being almost the whole time in the Hospitial,

Word
Matt

[Jason13thh]

Halloween 4 over Halloween.
I have always prefered Halloween 4, sorry but that is the truth.

[madness295]

I can't believe so many posters here are actually saying HALLOWEEN is overrated, but to each his own, I suppose.

The date of the movie (1978) CANNOT be left out...audiences nowadays are just desensitized and don't appreciate a slow build-up. The pacing to HALLOWEEN is much of this classic's charm.

[RogueSpear]

In a word: no

I can see how people would find it dated, slow-moving, and even boring, but that's not how I see it.

Halloween has the distinction being the only movie to ever really, truly frighten me. I can still remember watching in my living room and being aware of every single noise in my house. Hell, I can even remember looking out my front window and seeing a man across the street in a white mask. Of course, it was only my mind playing tricks on me.

I love everything about it. I love the characters, the story. The pace was perfect, in my opinion. And to top it all off, Carpenter's score was the creepiest I've ever heard. I still get goosebumps when I hear that music to this day.

So yeah, I don't think it's overrated one bit. In fact, Halloween is the only horror movie that graces my Top Ten. It just had that big of an effect on me.

[BorderEevilIII]

SPOILERS


When Jamie went to the house across the street to check on Annie, she finds her on the bed along w/ her two friends in various states. Very horrofied as she backs up against the wall you see Michael appear and strangles Jamie. She falls over and lands down the stairs, and from then on and so forth.............

I just get the chills each time I watch that movie. Hey! I grew up w/ this movie! And noticing a couple of flub flaws but thats not what were talking about in this thread.

[movieguy1021]

The release date doesn't bother me. One of my favorite horror movies is from 10 years earlier and has NO blood-the original Night of the Living Dead. I just think that blood helps makes a movie more realistic if done correctly.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by madness295
The date of the movie (1978) CANNOT be left out...audiences nowadays are just desensitized and don't appreciate a slow build-up. The pacing to HALLOWEEN is much of this classic's charm.

Don't group all of the naysayers together into one convenient little lump. I've seen more potent films that were much more methodical than Halloween. It has less to do with outdated filmmaking and more to do with blemished filmmaking. Case in point, Nosferatu – a film that predates Halloween by roughly 55 years and is twice as haunting. I dig Carpenter, but he wouldn't hone his craft until The Thing.

[Psyco Chick18]

Very! Now don't get me wrong, i really enjoy this movie. But it's not as good as everyone says it is.

[Cushing]

Of course it is'nt overrated . I'm curious ........ did any of the naysayers out there see it on its initial release ?
Not many I'll bet . This film had a huge impact and was the most successful independant horror movie until the Blair Witch came along .
It stands as the grandady of all slashers .F13 was a simple rehash with none of the suspense . Trends in horror change through the years as do peoples expectations but its a shame that so many on this site feel the need to even ask this question . It's redundant ........ regardless of personal opinions which everyone is entitled to , HALLOWEEN IS NOT OVERRATED !

[BorderEevilIII]

Originally posted by movieguy1021
I just think that blood helps makes a movie more realistic if done correctly.

That statement I draw the line on. Not every Joe wants too see that.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by Cushing
It stands as the grandady of all slashers .

How so? I see it as the nephew. It only kickstarted a latent subgenre because it was slightly more accessible than its direct influences.

[ERIN_LoJ]

Halloween isn't all it's made up to be in my opinion either. Sure, it's a good movie, has a killer ending, great soundtrack, Curtis can definitely act, and some of the shots focusing in on Michael were creepy enough.

But the age doesn't matter on how slow the movie is, or the blood shown, if you compare older horror to it.

I don't need a "fast-paced" movie; I did find it enjoyable but not all it's cracked up to be. Like some other schmoes, I found the second superior.

[Thrill Me]

No! Underrated if anything. :D

[Misery]

Wow guys... quiet frankly I'm shocked... I realize this is opinion but I have to say Halloween is one of the best movies ever... and all the sudden everyone is putting it down?

I'm ashamed.

[DaRkToOtH]

i admit it is better than friday the 13th...but it really dosnt offer anything new to the table..weve got a killer whos pretty...well...boring..and characters that r stupid as can be...and weak and bloodless kills. it is kinda over rated on these boards., but not neccesarily a bad movie, good for its time

[madness295]

countchocula -

I'm not trying to group ALL naysayers into a convenient little lump. Most of them?....yes.

Of course, I realize there are plenty of educated horror fans who may not like HALLOWEEN but still appreciate slow-building movies.

Your NOSFERATU example was indeed a good one. However, I doubt such a list could continue much further before HALLOWEEN would be added to it. As far as films that are methodical and haunting, very few can come before HALLOWEEN.

[Cronos]

no, its a classic and not many slashers beat it, part of the reason its great IMO is the lack of blood and gore (sure i love the stuff) but a film doesnt need to rely on that (although i like it when it does :D )

[MyClone]

HALLOWEEN FOREVER!

[Richard Stuart]

Originally posted by movieguy1021
The release date doesn't bother me. One of my favorite horror movies is from 10 years earlier and has NO blood-the original Night of the Living Dead.

But the original Night of the Living Dead has got zombies eating people's innards and stuff!! OK, it was in black and white, but I would disagree that it has "no blood".

[Jack_Cheze]

Halloween is a subtle horror movie. So it's easy for me to see why some people think it's boring. I love the opening scene, it really sets the mood. Yes there are some logic issues... but dumb choices are what start almost every horror movie.

I'll admit it, I'd never be in a horror movie because I'd never:
-pick up a hitchhiker
-read from a book bound in human skin
-take a job at a summer camp that has had multiple homicides spanning decades
-investigate a run down house decorated with bones and teeth in the middle of nowhere

[ManiacJack82]

Halloween is definately not overrated. If anything, its underrated :D

The only sequels I enjoyed were 2, H20, and 8. I liked 8 just for dumb fun. Technically, it is a bad movie.

[Boogeyman]

We all have different tastes but I think that if someone spends years of hearing its the best film ever, and never sees it, it will be a dissapoinment (as would any other film). But, to me, Halloween is definately NOT overrated. I think its the best horror film ever.

later

[Haddonfield]

Originally posted by Boogeyman
We all have different tastes but I think that if someone spends years of hearing its the best film ever, and never sees it, it will be a dissapoinment (as would any other film). But, to me, Halloween is definately NOT overrated. I think its the best horror film ever.

later



Agreed...Hype has a way of "killing" a movie.

Halloween will always be, the movie that started the "slasher", regardless of whatever movie came before it (Psycho, Black Christmas) Halloween started it all and for that...good or bad, it is NOT underrated,

[Rib Eye]

A bad movie? No (despite the California liscence plates and all the leaves on the trees - it's October in Illinois, hello?). Overrated? Yes. TOF13 was much scarier IMHO.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by Haddonfield
Halloween will always be, the movie that started the "slasher", regardless of whatever movie came before it (Psycho, Black Christmas) Halloween started it all and for that...good or bad, it is NOT underrated,

Regardless of what came before it? If not for the slashers that came before it, Halloween would be a much different film. It didn't "start" anything. It introduced a subgenre to the masses, but I don't see why that should be commended. It didn't create the subgenre. It didn't transfigure the subgenre. It was merely a product of the subgenre that was propelled into the limelight.

[myersfan31]

Halloween is not overrated at all. You may not like it, but I don't see how you can call it overrated. I may not love The Exorcist, but I would never call it overrated.

I don't know where people claim Halloween is a rip off off of Black Christmas. "Oh look! Halloween has POV shots, look at that copycat!" Has it ever dawn on anyone that it's easy to think of something that simple to make a POV shot.

But yeah, Halloween is a masterpiece, unlike any slasher that's ever or will ever exist.

[HeavyK]

Halloween was a great film in it's time but it has lost some of it's power over the years. Overrated, No but it's not a good as it used to be.

[blurofserenity]

Overrated no. Sure it's lost something over time, but that doesn't change how ambitious and well executed it was when it first came out.

[Gluttony]

Originally posted by madness295
Your NOSFERATU example was indeed a good one. However, I doubt such a list could continue much further before HALLOWEEN would be added to it. As far as films that are methodical and haunting, very few can come before HALLOWEEN.

I disagree, many films have slow building atmosphere from as far back as the twenties until now. To say that the list is so finite that Halloween is a mandatory qualifer is debunkable.

I thought Halloween was a decent movie, I for one didn't like it enough to say that it is not overrated. Many movies are better at the craft of "methodical and haunting" than Halloween. Sadly, this based on my opinion and what I list could be completely contradictory to many others.

[HeavyK]

Originally posted by blurofserenity
Overrated no. Sure it's lost something over time, but that doesn't change how ambitious and well executed it was when it first came out.

Yay i know, but i'm just saying most kids these days wouldn't find it gory enough or that terrifying these days. I personally thought it was great and deserves all the credit it receives but it's not my favorite or even one of my all time favorite horror films.

[movieguy1021]

Originally posted by HeavyK
Yay i know, but i'm just saying most kids these days wouldn't find it gory enough or that terrifying these days. I personally thought it was great and deserves all the credit it receives but it's not my favorite or even one of my all time favorite horror films.

If I'm one of those kids, I disagree. I'm 14 and as much as I need my gore fill, I think true horror can be done without blood. As I said in my original post, the reason there was no violence made it worse not because I wanted it to be gratitous, but because it wasn't realistic. Maybe it gets better on second viewings

[myersfan31]

You didn't find Halloween realistic? That's like as realistic you can get in a horror movie..

[ilovemovies]

I like Halloween. But a masterpiece? No, not in my opinion. So do I think Halloween is overrated? Yes, but only slightly.

[poopontheshoes7]

I think the problem with your average horror movie viewer is they realy on big name actors, huge special effects, big bugets, and gore by the gallon. If HALLOWEEN were to come out today just like it is now it would fall flat on its ass. You know why because the kids that go see it will be like its to slow, weres all the blood at, that could have been done better with CGI, I know this because i've done it myself myself and later learned that if i wasnt realying on that stuff i might have actually injoyed it. HALLOWEEN is noy overatted by any means what so ever, its the simple fact that horror films have become to main stream. HALLOWEEN does not need huge actors, big buget, and lots of gore, thats what makes it so effective. And you have to consider the buget it was made in and the days they shot it in, 21 days. And for a film that was shot in 21 days to have a huge classic impact like this film did is a huge feat all in its own. 10/10

[the night watchman]

I think it's a matter of perspective. Halloween did scare the crap out of me when I was 11. It doesn't anymore, but I still take it out and watch it from time to time because it's a well-made movie. Far from being slow or boring, it's actually quite well-paced, has a nice sense of mood and atmosphere, and a slyly wicked sense of humor. And anyway, Jaws doesn't scare me anymore, NOTLD never did, but I still like them a lot for the other good qualities they possess.

By the way, what exactly is meant by "overrated"? I've asked this before but never really received any concrete answers. By saying Halloween is overrated, are you implying that it is in fact not a good movie, it never was, and the people are actually somehow wrong to like it or hold it in high regard?

[ParileseMonster]

The crappy word Overrated needs to be stricken from speech and dictionaries nation wide. It is among many overused and missused words.

[RogueSpear]

Originally posted by ParileseMonster
The crappy word Overrated needs to be stricken from speech and dictionaries nation wide. It is among many overused and missused words.

Yeah, use of the word "overrated" is so overrated.

Originally posted by the night watchman
By the way, what exactly is meant by "overrated"? I've asked this before but never really received any concrete answers. By saying Halloween is overrated, are you implying that it is in fact not a good movie, it never was, and the people are actually somehow wrong to like it or hold it in high regard?

I can't speak for anyone else, but when I claim that something is "overrated" I just mean that I didn't find it to be as great as a lot of people make it out to be. For example, I absolutely hate Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. I don't think it deserves any of the recognition that is bestowed upon it because I think it's a bad, bad movie. Do I think people are wrong for praising/liking it? No, not at all. I just don't like it.

Hope that answers some of your question. I know I rambled a little.

And just to reiterate the topic at hand. No, Halloween is not overrated. It deserves all the praise and recognition it gets.

[movieguy1021]

Overrated is when you don't especially like a movie that everyone else does.

In response to everyone else, I think I was just probably in a crappy mood when I saw Halloween and wanted to dislike it for the hell of it...I'll try to watch it again soon.

[Rib Eye]

"Overrated" simply means that the general praise this film has received has somehow grown be all out of proportion that the film deserves on its own merits.

[normanbatesjr]

Originally posted by ParileseMonster
The crappy word Overrated needs to be stricken from speech and dictionaries nation wide. It is among many overused and missused words.

True. It's like some sixteen-year-old who only listens to Punk Rock calling the Beatles over-rated. Just because one person might not like that kind of music, but that doesn't lessen the impact the band had on Rock N Roll.

It's the same with movies. Citizen Kane isn't the greatest movie ever IMO, but I can't deny it's influence. I'll even give credit to Hellraiser. Even though it bored me and I thought it had been watered down from the book.

Halloween, to me, is still fun to watch. I give it all the credit in the world for it's impact.

[DaRkToOtH]

finally! im not alone. halloween is way too overrated. we got one of the weakest killers to ever grace the screen (i mean cmon, hes boring), weak characters, stupid and cheap dialouge, and a very boring story that dosnt do much! how can it be praised! i mean i saw it the other day and enjoyed it better than i thought. but this film gets too much credit, its just another copycat of whats out there

[DaRkToOtH]

and btw...with the excepton of 2...this movie spawned the worse sequels EVER!!!

[XpatrickX]

Originally posted by DaRkToOtH
and btw...with the excepton of 2...this movie spawned the worse sequels EVER!!!


2 is a continuation of the original...how can you like one and hate the other? Myers acts the exact same way in both of them.

But yeah this movie is not over rated at all. Different people find different things fascinating and scary. The fact that this movie is probably the first horror movie a lot of people saw is why so many people love it. It's really not that big of a deal. The fact that it's still around and being argued about makes it pretty obvious to me that it's worthy of the attention.

[madness295]

Well, I liked part 1 and didn't care for 2. And that's mostly because Myers DOESN'T act the same way in the sequel. So I guess you can like one and not the other, although the continuation of the same night was an awesome idea.

However, I don't see how anyone could enjoy part 2 over the NOT OVERRATED original.

[ERIN_LoJ]

Originally posted by Boogeyman
We all have different tastes but I think that if someone spends years of hearing its the best film ever, and never sees it, it will be a dissapoinment (as would any other film). But, to me, Halloween is definately NOT overrated. I think its the best horror film ever.

later

I can see your point, but in my case it wasn't true. I saw it as a kid, after hearing about it from only one person, and hearing it was stupid. I was a pretty cut off teen from everyone else at the time, so I didnt go in with high expectations. Low either, as the other persons opinion didn't mean shit to me since they hated horror anyway.

[DaRkToOtH]

sure u can like one and not the other! i liked part 2 ok but thought 1 was just basically a rehash of everything else that ive seen. it brought NOTHING new to the table besides ur typical slasher, and a boring killer. thats all IMO of coarse and i have a feeling im gonna get flamed for it but hey, a mans gotta speak his mind

[ParileseMonster]

If a movie or anything else has such a huge following, no matter what the reason may be, cannot be called overrated. You just do not like it. This is called personal preference.

I hate Scream

It has a huge following

I do not understand why

But I would never call it over rated

That would be incorrect.

[madness295]

Darktooth-

I'd like to know what slasher movies you're referring to that came BEFORE Halloween that brought something new and refreshing to the table.

And please, don't use the obvious PSYCHO, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, or BLACK CHRISTMAS in your response.

[Rib Eye]

Having a huge following without DESERVING one is the very definition of being overrated.

Something can be popular and overrated.

Something can be influential and overrated.

It's all about the context within which the popular evaluation of the object of discussion (in this case the film "Halloween") resides at a given time.

At the time the movie came out it was considered to be a scary film and a good example of the emerging slasher genre.

Today, partly because we have seen so many of the things done in Halloween done again and again since and often more effectively, we can say that this film no longer has the impact it once had. Sure it was influential, hugely so. But for so many people to continue to say this film is "one of a kind" or "still scarier than other horror movie ever made" is just hyperbolizing. By saying these things it means that the film is, today, still coasting on the huge intial impact it had, but in reality and in modern context is overrated.

That takes nothing away from the impact and influence the movie had and continues to have.

[the night watchman]

I'm sorry, but it should be possible to assess a movie for what it is, without comparison to its clones or what course cinema in general took after its appearance. All movies would become "overrated" if we think of their divergences from later movies as failures. A greater perspective is need to assess the worth of a movie than the fickle opinions of the modern movie-watcher.

[countchocula]

Originally posted by madness295
Darktooth-

I'd like to know what slasher movies you're referring to that came BEFORE Halloween that brought something new and refreshing to the table.

And please, don't use the obvious PSYCHO, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, or BLACK CHRISTMAS in your response.

I'm not Darktooth, but why are those films exempt from being referenced? They fit the criteria – they came before Halloween and brought something new and refreshing to the table. But apart from the "obvious" choices, we have...

Blood and Black Lace
Twitch of the Death Nerve
Torso
Don't Torture a Duckling
Blood Feast
2,000 Maniacs

...and I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

[DaRkToOtH]

thanks for the help count :)./...but yea ur right, halloween was one of the first and should be respected. i think what matters the most is that i saw alot of films BEFORE i saw halloween, so in some ways my claims arent really justified, but in some ways they are.

[ERIN_LoJ]

Originally posted by XpatrickX
2 is a continuation of the original...how can you like one and hate the other? Myers acts the exact same way in both of them.


I disagree. There were countless differences in the sequel. More blood, violence, detail. Different directing, more people thrown into the mix. And more of Michael was shown.

[ERIN_LoJ]

Originally posted by ParileseMonster
If a movie or anything else has such a huge following, no matter what the reason may be, cannot be called overrated. You just do not like it. This is called personal preference.


Alright, since the word overrated seems to be bugging so many people, this is how I see it. I call a movie overrated if millions of people hype it up and I don't find it to be a big deal at all. I consider it overrated by the publics opinion versus my own.

Maybe this isn't the right definition for overrated, but how I always figured it.