The King of Horror

Why do you fear the dark? It may seem childish, but everyone has that gut wrenching feeling in the dark, like you're being watched or something is creeping up behind you as you go up the basement steps. I personally have this feeling at times and I have no one else to thank but Michael Myers. He is the horror icon everyone fears. What makes him so terrifying? Is it his mask, or his giant kitchen knife? It's his persona.

You all know the story—at 6-years-old Michael, wearing his favorite clown costume, crept into the back door of his childhood home and stole a knife. He silently made his way up the stairs looking for his sister Judith. He walks into the room. Judith is startled, but seemingly annoyed more than frightened. He stabs her multiple times, and she collapses to floor dead. He makes his way outside where his parents catch him with a blood stained knife. Little do they know what surprise is waiting for them inside.

He is the embodiment of evil. He is ruthless and will stop at nothing to catch you. He almost seems supernatural. The creepiest part about him is that he is human.

What is chilling about Michael is this could happen to anyone. Anyone could look harmless, but that person could be the most dangerous person in the world. When his mask came off in Halloween (1978), you almost expected him to look deformed and maddening. He is just a young man. He looks like a decent human being, but deep down he is pure evil. He plays with your mind. Psychologically, he makes you think the worst and you feel as though he is right behind you.

He is a mental patient that feeds on fear. He will hide in the shadows, and he will watch and study you. Your gut tells you to look the left, and he sneaks around you to the right. You feel someone is watching you. You check the front door, but down the hall behind you, there is nothing but his iconic white mask staring at you. After watching any Halloween film, you always have a chill run down your spine. He is silent and effective in the way he hunts down his prey.

Here's an example of Michael's stalking his prey. He is following Tommy Doyle after school in Halloween (1978):

In another example of how mysterious he can be, Laurie shuts her window and she sees something in the backyard (Halloween 1978):

In this scene, it is ten years later (Halloween 4). These kids are playing a prank on the Sheriff and Michael's niece Jamie Lloyd—until the end of the scene when he comes out of nowhere.

He is an icon in Haddonfield because of his murderous rampage ten years before. This scene proves Halloween will never be the same and his presence will always be known.

Dr. Sam Loomis once said, "He isn't even remotely human." He is emotionless and fearless. He almost seems lost as a human being. He grew up in a mental institution; he sat and waited for his chance to take a leap and attempted an escape just to get home and continue his rampage. The time and patience it takes for a human being to have that inner rage buried inside them for 15 years is terrifying.

In closing, why do you fear the dark? This is enough to prove that he is the infamous being that we all fear when we are lost in the dark. You never know when he will get you. Watch your back this Halloween. He will be waiting.