A Horror Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (10 May 2000)

Halloween is truly a horror classic which set the mold for many cheap imitations as well as many inferior sequels. The story revolves around a six-year-old boy named Michael Myers, who murders his older sister on Halloween night, 1963. He is placed in an asylum out-of-town under the care of Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance). He escapes from the asylum 15 years later on Halloween Eve, and returns to his home town of Haddonfield, IL, donning a frightening mask (hence the tagline: The Night He Came Home). He stalks three high school girls, Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis), Lynda (P.J. Soles) and Annie (Nancy Loomis), two of whom are babysitting on Halloween night. The acting by all is above average, with the exception of Nancy Loomis, whose performance often plays out on a subpar level. The score by John Carpenter adds to the suspense and terror of the film. I highly recommend this film to those few who haven't seen it. If you're looking for lots of gore, this isn't for you. It's simply horror and suspense at its finest. I also recommend the best way to view this movie: the DVD widescreen version with the lights off and the sound turned up. You won't be disappointed. It wouldn't hurt to watch it on Halloween night, either. My rating: 10.