One of the scariest movies ever made - a real classic!

Rating: 9/10 (16 March 2006)

One of my all-time favorite fright flicks!! I was 13 when HALLOWEEN was released in 1978 and the local film critics here in my area, the late Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert, praised it highly. The movie poster itself was scary! Of course, being the 13-yr old that I was, I pestered my older sister just enough for her to give in and take me to see it. To this day, I'm glad she did - my love for horror films had started!
The story is simplistic in itself - on Halloween 1963, 6-yr old Michael Myers murders his older sister with a large butcher knife. For 15 years, Michael is kept institutionalized until one night - October 30, 1978 to be exact - he escapes and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois to relive his crime again and again. Hot on his trail is Dr. Loomis, who tries to 'stop the evil'.
Until THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, HALLOWEEN was praised as one of the most successful independent films produced. One does not notice that the film was shot on a shoestring budget, nor does one care. While there is much talent in front of the camera (Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis), it is the behind-the-camera talent that really stands out. Dean Cundey's photography is incredible and really sets the scary mood Carpenter creates. Using blue light to simulate moonlight in the night scenes was just a stroke of genius! Ray Stella's use of the Panaglide is great - the stalk/chase scenes when seen in their original widescreen format are tense!! Yes, many ripoffs and sequels came and went in HALLOWEEN's wake, but the original is the best!! I wholeheartedly suggest that viewers watch this film in its widescreen format and not in alternate pan-and-scan versions!