It's good, but is it really THAT good?

Rating: 4/10 (2 November 2002)

HALLOWEEN, the infamous stalk 'n slash flick about an escaped lunatic bent on brutally murdering random teenagers, has often been hailed as the "scariest movie of all time". It has been compared to (and sometimes even held above) PSYCHO, THE EXORCIST, and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. It was, until recently, the most successful, most profitable independent movie in cinema history. It helped launch the careers of several young, struggling actors and filmmakers. And as of 2002, it has spawned seven big-budget sequels.
Okay, so we've established the fact that John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN has received a lot of attention and critical acclaim. But honestly, is it really deserving of all of this praise? Was it really worth all the hype surrounding it? As a devout fan of not only horror movies, but of the art of filmmaking in general, I'm going to have to say no.
I strongly feel that HALLOWEEN, although stylish, horrifying, and generally well-made, should not be ranked among such classics as PSYCHO, T.C.M., or ROSEMARY'S BABY. These films were far ahead of their time and broke new ground. HALLOWEEN, despite singlehandedly popularizing the slasher subgenre, was really nothing new, even for 1978. Why didn't films like A BAY OF BLOOD (1971), I DISMEMBER MAMA (1974), ALICE SWEET ALICE (1976), or SUSPIRIA (1977) get this much credit? They all had a formula similar to that of HALLOWEEN's, and in many ways, they were much better*...And they were made just a few years before!
Even in Italy, birthplace of some of horror's most talented filmmakers (Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Ruggero Deodato, Lucio Fulci, etc.), HALLOWEEN is still considered a cult classic! You'd think that a country that has been responsible for some of the most horrifying motion pictures ever made would've seen the fad for what it was, and not have given in. But I suppose trends like these are often international, especially when they originate from a nation as influential as the United States. Again, keep in mind that I'm not trying to say that HALLOWEEN is a bad movie; only that it has been done many times before 1978--and better.
* This particular comment does not apply to "I DISMEMBER MAMA", which --ahem-- is not really what I'd consider a "good movie".