Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Nick Castle, Donald Pleasence, Nancy Kyes.
Synopsis: Halloween is the ultimate predecessor to the 80s slasher films and the perfect film for this time of year. At it’s heart, John Carpenter’s Halloween is classic horror at its best.
The story of Michael Myers, and the narration of the film, begin on the Halloween of 1963. The opening scenes depict a young Michael Myers in a clown costume. He’s wielding a knife and wearing a vacant stare. This stare is best described by the words of his doctor, Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis: “what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply evil.”
Once again wielding a knife, he has escaped from Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, the mental institution that he has been trapped in for 15 years. He wants revenge. This is a chase that Michael will undertake relentlessly, with unwavering focus. His teenage targets include Laurie, a babysitter determined to outrun the ‘boogeyman.’
Why is Michael Myers such a chilling villain? Maybe it’s because something about him seems supernatural. Maybe it’s because John Carpenter’s classic musical scores punctuate the film’s most tense moments.
Give it a watch and decide for yourself, if you’re feeling brave enough.
Watch if you liked: A Nightmare on Elm St, Friday the 13th, Scream.
Rating: 9/10. A genre defining masterpiece.
Words by Lily Blake