My favorite horror suspense film would have to be Halloween written and directed by John Carpenter. The Edinburgh University Film Society said, “Perfect entertainment for the night of October 31st in any year”. The lead role was played by then unknown actress Jamie Lee Curtis, the daughter of Janet Leigh who starred in Psycho. Curtis otherwise known as Laurie Strode is accompanied by her friends Nancy Stephens and P.J Soles just to name a few. The story began in Haddonfield, Illinois 1963 Halloween night with a young boy by the name of Michael Myers and his older teenage sister Judith Myers. The boy’s twisted mind leads him to stab her sister to death. The knife he stabbed her with would be his signature. Laurie Strode has not even a faint memory of the mishap. In the same town exactly fifteen years later high school student Strode is portrayed living a normal teenage life; settled in a quiet family-friendly neighborhood, loving parents and many friends, and intelligence giving her a bright future. Strode experiences bizarre encounters with a man wearing dark blue overalls and a white mask, but they never verbally communicate. The masked killer was her estranged brother Michael Myers who has returned to capture his sister, the only family he has left. Later that evening startled and unnerved Strode went to a friend’s house to help baby-sit. Myers slowly began to hatch out his plan murdering her friends. Vulnerable Strode fought for her life and survived, however her killer had survived as well. The movie ended with Strode alive but living with the succumbed uncertainty of Myers still lurking in the dark. The film was released in theaters October 25, 1978. Little did we know the film would become a franchise. The Halloween classic that was made with a $325,000 budget, grossed about $70,000,000 worldwide. In 2008, Empire magazine chose the movie as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time. Halloween received a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
When October sets in and Halloween comes around, this film is a must see. I love this film because it captures the essence of everything that makes us fear and the danger of what is lurking in the closet. The first scene showed a long shot of the Myers’ house. I also noticed how much of mis en scene was used to help objectify the Myers’ house. The late night wind flowing through the trees and the lighting really helped set the mood. The camera lens made me feel as though I was the killer because his eyes were like the camera hiding behind the mask. I loved that effect because I felt like I was in the killer’s mind; Stepping into his shoes provided me with a whole new outlook. Sinister music played after Myers stabbed his sister which reinforced the mood. The strong use of sound, music, lighting and camera view lead me to believe this was a movie worth watching and I was correct. I thoroughly enjoyed Halloween and it satisfied my craving for fear and that adrenaline rush. The next scene showed Laurie Strode walking to Haddonfield High School. I was impressed by how real the scenery looked as far as the fall leaves and gloomy skies because the entire movie took place in the spring. I also enjoyed the rawness of the characters. Although this movie was made over 30 years ago I can relate to those teenagers. In one hand I experienced being in the eyes of the killer as well as feeling like the victim Laurie Strode. There were times in the movie I felt as vulnerable as her. I felt like I was right beside her. John carpenter did a phenomenal job choosing the main character. In this role, Jamie Lee Curtis was likeable, relatable, and charming. In the ending there was a major sound bridge. This effective tool helped to restate the fact that the killer could be hiding anywhere and may come back. The sound of Myers breathing as scenes transition from the living room to the bedroom to the street, etc. complement the sense of mystery and suspense. Overall this timeless classic engaged every molecule in me which is why I give this film a five. If you want a good scare, watch Halloween!
