The Slasher Movie that Taught the Rules

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 2003)

SPOILERS AHEAD...
Inspired by Hitchcock's classic Psycho (1960), Dario Argento's giallo shockers, Bob Clarke's 1974 hit, Black Christmas and a morbid fascination with the supernatural, John Carpenter created what is ultimately one of the most successful independently made horror films of all time. Despite its lack of backing the film looks glorious with its dreamy camera movement within the panavision frame. Definitely one of the greatest Slasher movies of all time, which still influences filmmakers 25 years later.
At the tender age of 8, Michael Myers brutally stabs his sister for over indulging in a heavy petting session with her boyfriend. He is commented only to escape 20 years later to stalk the promiscuous teens of his old town until he is supposedly defeated by the hard studying virgin of the baby sitter group, Lourie Strode (a young Jamie Lee Curtis).
The story seems simple and straight forward but Carpenter, already famous for his classics Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) and Dark Star (1974), mixes elements of the supernatural, tales of an urban bogeyman and places it all in the harmless location of the suburbs. There are also may references to Psycho, granddaddy of the Salsher genre  frequent point of view shots, casting Janet Lee's daughter as the lead and Donald's Pleasence's character is named after John Gavin's storekeeperetc.
Debra Hill and John Carpenter worked as partners for further projects, including The Fog (1980), Escape From New York (1981) and Escape From LA. Unfortunately they were only involved with the first sequel that continues immediately where the original ends. Seeing the lucrative opportunity to imitate and profit with low budgets, many leapt on the Slasher bandwagon. Perfunctorily, Halloween was followed by many sequels, the third not having anything to do with the other entries.