Good fright flick

Rating: 7/10 (13 May 2002)

For the past twenty years, the horror genre has been in a quagmire of extreme disrepute. Since the early 1980's, there have been a seemingly endless number of slasher movies, the vast majority of which were nearly unwatchable exercises in nihilistic gore. It seemed as if the directors have forgotten what a good scare truly is, or have never known it. Nonetheless, there are a handful of good efforts that stand out from the mire. One of them is John Carpenter's "Halloween."
It's a rare animal indeed, one of the few horror films to receive positive reviews from professional film critics. Time has been kind to it; "Halloween" still holds up nearly a quarter-century later. The basic plot is nothing special; in terms of structure, it's very much the same as any other slasher. What makes it different? Simply put, the level of skill that was invested in it elevates the material. This movie's no hack job; it's clear that for once, the filmmakers actually put some time and effort into crafting a good, scary movie.
The object of the film is not to show an excessive quantity of gore, but to frighten the viewer. The film succeeds in doing just that, establishing an atmosphere of dread. Even when it's light out, you are keenly aware that no one is truly safe. The gore factor is practically nonexistent, but the human imagination is capable of imagining things that are much worse than can be visibly portrayed. The director usually acts as composer for most of his films; this project has yielded his best work in that area. The "Halloween theme" is simple, yet elegant and chilling, resonating in the mind long after the credits have rolled.
Another noticeable quality is the fact that its teenage characters are not nearly as annoying as they came to be in most of its clones. They may not be model citizens, but they come across as realistic human beings for once. The solid performance of Jamie Lee Curtis helps to make the proceedings more credible, its effect is to put the audience in her shoes instead of making us root for the killer.
Do I consider "Halloween" a masterpiece? No, I personally feel that the film is somewhat overrated by horror fans. However, no one can dispute that it is one of the most influential genre films ever. Donald Pleasance does a fine job in the lead, lending a gravity and reality to the situation that it otherwise may not have had. When he says that Michael Myers is not quite human, we believe him. Subsequent installments may have linked him to the occult, but even without a supernatural explanation, we just *know* there's something otherworldly about him.
*** (out of ****)
Released by Compass International Pictures