A landmark of horror cinema ...

Rating: 10/10 (27 September 2001)

John Carpenter's "Halloween" is a film that single-handedly created an entire horror-movie movement, and it is a film whose place within the context of popular cinema cannot be underestimated. Created on a shoestring budget and released in 1978, "Halloween" would go on to become the most financially successful independent film of all time--until, of course, 1998's "The Blair Witch Project." Many consider it to be the Mother of all slasher films, and, to the degree that it has influenced horror cinema over the past twenty-three years, that can be seen as a statement of fact. However, what many have failed to notice is that, beyond the obvious fact that "Halloween" is a stunningly effective horror movie, it is also a highly accomplished piece of film making. John Carpenter's economical direction is faultless, as are his use of light and shadow to subtly create an ominous atmosphere so insidious that it transforms the mundane trappings of a Halloween night in suburbia into nightmare incarnate. From the very first frame, the viewer is introduced into a darkly suggestive world where ordinary objects and settings take on a twisted new reality. It is this masterful evocation of impending doom and normalcy gone amok from which "Halloween" derives its tremendous impact. Added to this unsettling aura are outstanding performances from a hugely talented cast (not the least of which are Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence) and a nerve-shattering finale that serves not only as a highly rewarding climax, but also as a thematic confrontation between the forces of good and evil. "Halloween" descended upon an unsuspecting viewing public over twenty years ago and has emerged as one of the most important, influential, and respected horror movies in history. And it can safely be said that, all these years later, its spellbinding power has not diminished.