Reid Webb
“John Carpenter’s Halloween” is considered one of the greatest horror films of all time and is regarded as one first and most influential slasher films.
“Halloween” is most likely John Carpenter’s most famous film, and though it may not be his best, there is good reason for its popularity, such as the film’s eerie score and the fear factor of Michael Myers (also known as The Shape).
“Halloween” is a 1978, slasher film directed and scored by Carpenter. The scripts was written by Carpenter and his producer Debra Hill.
The film and the lingering Michael Myers follow Laurie Strode and her friends on Oct. 31, Halloween. The film shows The Shape as he stalks and kills Strode’s friends until he is temporarily stopped by Dr. Sam Loomis after getting shot and falling out of a window.
From personal experience, I can say that The Shape is one of the only slasher villains to ever scare me and was one of the first I was introduced to. I think “Halloween” is one of the greatest slashers of all time and is one of the few that actually feel scary.
Fun fact: In John Carpenter’s “Halloween,” there is a scene where the opening of “The Thing from Another World” is playing on a TV. Carpenter would later direct “The Thing” in 1982, a remake that is closer to the book “Who Goes There.”
“Halloween 2” is an 1981, slasher film sequel to “John Carpenter’s Halloween” that continues the story of Strode as she is rushed to the hospital after the events of “Halloween” and The Shapes continued efforts to kill. This film also reveals that Strode is Myers’ sister.
While some seem to not like “Halloween 2” a whole lot, I did enjoy the movie and think that the kills beat what the original film had, namely the hot tub scene.
Some may criticize Laurie being The Shape’s sister (even Carpenter regrets adding it to the script, and it was removed from the “Halloween 2018” continuity). However, I think it’s a fairly good twist, and given that Myers became The Shape when he killed his older sister, it would make sense to go after his younger sister too.
I think “John Carpenter’s Halloween” and it’s first sequel are both great slashers. However I feel other slasher films, such as “Friday the 13th” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” did expand the genre to a point where “Halloween” can come off as a little bland.
However, “Halloween” is quite scarier than other slasher films, which just goes to show how Carpenter’s amazing directing and the overall impact of this one film (so much so that it was added to the United States National Film Registry in 2006) makes it a must watch for horror fans and movie enjoyers alike.