a true classic of the horror genre. 10/10

Rating: 10/10 (29 August 2016)

john carpenter's Halloween is a genuine classic of the genre. anybody who loves slasher movies or horror movies in general will tell you that Halloween is an outstanding film. the direction is excellent. a lot of the cinematography is done off of the tripod or crane and is held in hand. which adds a sense of realism and intimacy to the film. the pov shots also add a great sense of disorientation. we are not always sure whether or not we are looking through the killers eyes or another characters, so it really creates suspense, tension and disorientation. this excellent camera work is accompanied by an equally excellent score written by john carpenter himself. I think the score in this film speaks for itself. it has been engraved in the minds of countless viewers since the films release. not many scores can leave you with such an uneasy and creepy feeling, but this one certainly does. the actors all do an excellent job. nobody is by any means worthy of an Oscar but they definitely work well for this film. especially the two leads, Jamie lee Curtis and Donald pleasance.
now, on to what makes this story work so well. the antagonist Michael myers is nothing short of truly menacing and scary. the dark and mysterious nature of the character are what makes him work so well. his unexplained origin, the mask that leaves him seemingly without emotion, the fact that he is explained as a purely evil person and the lack of motivation makes the character unpredictable. therefore he becomes much more scary. we no longer look at him as a human being but a shape, a dark menace. the manner in which is kills the teenage babysitters in the film are also very effective without being to gratuitous and graphic.
in short the film is excellent. a 10/10 and a must see for every film fan out there.