The Creation of One of the Greatest Slashers of All Time

Rating: 9/10 (29 October 2011)

Back in 1978, John Carpenter was hired to Direct a horror film with one of the simplest plots ever-- crazy escaped maniac escapes from the nut house and stalks babysitters. It's as simple as that. It's a simple plot, and yet it is held today as a film that you almost have to watch on Halloween night every year. Unlike other slasher knockoffs that came after it, or even before it, most of the characters are likable and you can actually be in suspense and hope that they get away. It's not just a bunch of stupid annoying teens. They're regular people just going about there business. The best part of the movie, of course, is the cat and mouse chase between Michael Myers and Sam Loomis. Donald Pleasance delivers some of the best dialogue in horror film history, which gives the character of Michael Myers more depth than he probably would have had otherwise. I also have to commend this movie for being able to be suspenseful without gore. I love gore, but I like when you can entertain me without is and there isn't much blood to be seen here.
The only bad thing I can find about the film is some of the acting. Especially the parents and Judith Myers in the beginning. And Laurie's friends were pretty bad, too. If I hear the word "totally" one more time, I'm going to jump on screen and stab her myself.
All in all, it's a fun slasher film in it's campy elements (mostly brought on by the passage of time) and its horror elements.
9/10