Stylish Horror

Rating: 8/10 (2 October 2008)

Though Halloween can be said to be the grand-daddy of the modern teen-slasher, its actually its lack of gore and an emphasis on stylish, cinematic execution that makes it stand out. John Carpenter's cinematography and music make this movie just a pleasure to watch.
Jamie Lee Curtis stands out as young actress who really can act. Her character seems real and the sympathy for her character is only enhanced by the light-hearted comedy in her interaction with the film's two main child-actors. It's a cheap trick, but it works. Her line delivery definitely deserves credit as many old horror-films of the 70s are rather notorious for featuring young incapable actors which really just makes you want them to get killed even more.
Donald Pleasence, who has earned my interest for his performance in the George Lucas art-piece THX-1138, is the film's true male-lead and adds a gravitas to the film. Between him, Curtis and the masked Shape lies the dramatic core of the film which keeps you watching even when you can already begin to suspect the ending.
The only thing this movie lacks is a finishing touch with some profound meaning knitted into the film's slasher-formula. The sequels obviously tried to build on this (some more successfully than others), but even with the slight void Halloween just stands out in the field of slasher-films by being a stylish film.