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Halloween (1978) — Film Review
Michael Myers kicked off the campy horror trend of the 80s. Halloween, released in 1978, was so popular that it spawned its franchise and several others. In a way, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kreuger have Michael Myers to thank for their existence. Halloween is one of my favorite horror films; it took the genre to a new level. This level may not always be great, and many viewers think campy horror is a waste of time, but no one can deny it is a horror staple.
Halloween tells the story of six-year-old Michael Myers, a troubled young boy who grabs a kitchen knife and murders his older sister. Fast forward 15 years, it’s October 31 in the town of Haddonfield, and high schooler Laurie Strode (introducing Jamie Lee Curtis, horror legacy) prepares to babysit that night instead of committing evil with her friends. Towns away, Michael Myers escapes from the asylum and heads back to his hometown, setting his sights on Laurie and stalking her and her friends.
Halloween is a quiet horror; its villain never speaks, and the film benefits from its simple soundtrack. A low-budget film, John Carpenter himself scored the movie to save money. The plot is friendly and straightforward: a troubled boy returns to haunt his hometown. The audience doesn’t know anything about Michael or why he needed to murder his sister, so they don’t feel bad for him. One of my favorite aspects of campy…
