Halloween 1978 is a true classic

When people look back at certain genres they all have instant classics that come to mind. Horror is no different as the slasher era has gone on to redefine what it means to be a horror film. A few films had inspiration over that change but perhaps none more than Halloween in 1978.

From the mind of John Carpenter we are treated to one of the most classic movies of that generation. It opens on a first person POV shot of 6 year old Michael Myers murdering his older sister Judith. Fast forward 15 years and Michael breaks out of prison to return home to Haddonfield to finish what he started.

That first person scene to begin the film just begins the tension and never lets up. Following that we are introduced to the main protagonist Laurie Strode who becomes the target of Michaels obsession after leaving a key on at the Myers residence. It is not until later films that we learn the true motivation as to why Michael pursues Laurie. However for the original film she truly is just an object of his affection who has the worst night of her life.

While of course Halloween is dated now in terms of visuals and flare it remains a true iconic film in which many story tellers try and emulate. That is the beauty of a film like this, it truly stands the test of time. We have seen countless sequels, retcons, remakes, what-if scenarios out of this franchise but this film truly stands on its own merits. There was nothing else like it at the time. It scared an entire generation into believing that the boogeyman could get them at any time.

Halloween was produced on a small budget of only 325K and went on to make 70 million dollars which truly makes it one of the most profitable independent films even to this day. It launched the career of Jamie Lee Curtis who has played Laurie countless times over the years and even recently came back for another trilogy. Her face goes hand in hand with Halloween legacy as does the iconic mask and Donald Pleasance as Loomis. The character of Samuel Loomis truly helps highlight just how evil Michael is. He believes there is no redeeming this monster who has pitch black eyes and is lacking a soul.

If you consider yourself a fan of horror it is likely Halloween is on that list of classics you rewatch every year. Along with the sequels and whatever films you enjoy from this vast franchise. It works as a franchise because it is a simple yet effective story. Michael is the human embodiment of evil. Pure unhinged evil. At times it is doubted whether or not he can truly be killed. That's how much this one man can endure. Michael Myers truly is a fascinating character study because there are no real motivations given for his actions. That's where other versions failed him. They tried to provide more context for Michael and his reasons for killing Judith and wanting to kill Laurie.

Why the original works so well is because we know nothing about the Myers family. We don't learn anymore about their lives as a family. They are just a small town family with a son who snapped and killed his older sister. That's the truly creepy thing about Michael. Something sinister overcame him and the boy that was once there is gone. Everything about what modern film tries to do by over explaining everything, Halloween opted not to do. That is what makes it one hell of a scary film and a timeless classic.