The epitome of horror cinema.

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2003)

The story is simple. Three babysitters are stalked by a madman who has escaped from a mental hospital. The plot is the stuff of cliche nowadays, but in 1978, the concept was still fresh, and even today, the simple plot is the thread which holds some of the most frightening horror setpieces commited to film, using little to no graphic violence or gore. Comparable to Alfred Hitchcock's classic, PSYCHO in many respects, the film also borrows the cinematic style of Italian suspense guru Dario Argento (even the unforgettable score borrows from some of his films) with the anamorphic wide shots that tighten throughout, killer POV camerawork, and lush cinematography. All style aside, the film truly does scare, not only with the suprises, but the feeling of dread and anticipation (as Hitchcock said, is the scariest part of horror cinema). The setting which is familiar to many and all-too-perfect (the quiet suburb of Haddonfield, Illinois) adds to the scares, as this could happen anywhere, and even to you! The film is not without it's problems, though. Although character development of Laurie Strode and Sam Loomis are excellent, some characters (Laurie's friends) seem pretty one-dimensional and annoyingly typical. Simply put, they're knife fodder. However, the acting is top-notch for such a low-budget production, especially first-time lead Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode) and seasoned vet Donald Pleasance (Sam Loomis). To give away any of the scares or plot developments would be unfair to Halloween virgins. A truly scary movie, with tons of style and not a single dull moment. A perfect 10.