Moustapha Akkad
Influenced by the French New Wave's "Eyes Without a Face" (1960), science fiction thriller "Westworld" (1973) and "Black Christmas" (1974), "Halloween" was directed, composed and co-written by Carpenter, who co-wrote it with his then-girlfriend and producing partner Debra Hill on a budget of $300,000 provided by Syrian-American producer Moustapha Akkad. To minimize costs, locations were reduced and time took place over a brief period. Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Janet Leigh, was cast as the heroine Laurie Strode while veteran actor Donald Pleasence was cast as Dr. Sam Loomis, an homage to John Gavin's character in "Psycho". "Halloween"'s opening tracks a six-year-old's point-of-view as he kills his older sister, a scene emulated in numerous films such as "Blow Out" (1981) and "The Funhouse" (1981). Carpenter denies writing sexually active teens to be victims in favor of a virginal "final girl" survivor, though subsequent filmmakers copied what appeared to be a "sex-equals-death" mantra.