Frightening

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2004)

I first saw John Carpenter's Halloween on television as a ten-year old. I had been left alone by my parents for the afternoon and, scanning the channels, I came across the scariest music I've ever heard. I did what every ten-year old would; I sat there and watched every last bit of it.
Scared, terrified, afraid, etc. Those were my feelings as I sat there watching a seemingly supernatural madman slash teenagers.
The movie wasn't gory, really, but my mind, racing, supplied many gallons of blood and numerous flesh wounds.
Watching Halloween now, I'm so very impressed that it still has the ability to prickle my skin and give me enough heebies that I have to run from the living room to my bedroom after watching it.
But why is Halloween so frightening? Certainly part of its horror derives from the hulking, evil Michael Myers, but other movies, like Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th, have similar monsters and lack Halloween's ability to terrify absolutely. What truly makes Halloween scary is it's appearance. It looks real. The cinematography and direction feel more like cinema verite than most horror movies (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has a similar feel). The "realistic feel" does not seem contrived (as it did in Blair Witch) nor does it feel forced (as it did in Night of the Living Dead (an excellent movie, but please let's be honest - that movie's realism felt like the result of fiduciary limitations.) It feels like the director wanted to shoot the movie in exactly that way.
John Carpenter has not topped himself, but he should still be remembered for making one of the finest and one of the few perfect horror movies.