Horror-October 2024: #45

John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’ (1978). What more is there to say about this film than it is an utter masterpiece. My requisition about this film is that there would be no slasher movies today if ‘Halloween’ (1978) was not made the way it was. This is a truly suspenseful and thrilling film that has the upmost salubrious delivery. Everything from the visual feast we are served to the cast of almost nobody’s, all the way to a score that makes almost every other one weep. ‘Halloween’ (1978) devoutly cements itself as one of the finest structural films to ever have been released, and it is always a must around the Halloween season.

If you want to talk about suspenseful films from the 1970’s, look no further than this cultivating classic. ‘The Exorcist’ (1973), ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (1974), and ‘Jaws’ (1975) are all up there with ‘Halloween’ (1978) as some of the most thrilling and nail biting pieces of cinema. ‘Sorcerer’ (1977) of course takes the cake, but ‘Halloween’ (1978) gives the rest of the films a run for their money. The tonality of each scene is daunting with luminous tension creeping all around. Even when no action is occurring, and the score is drowning out the scene, that’s where all the intensity is built up. Carpenter truly knows how to deliver a suspenseful picture with a well fleshed out conclusion.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly who was the first slasher in cinema. Leatherface had a strong start. Norman Bates even lied out plenty of groundwork. Or perhaps it was a Dario Argento killer who should not be named. We can pontificate about this topic all we want, but I truly feel, of the traditional slashers we know now, Michael Myers was the first. The silent killer who masks up and doesn’t need to move quickly. The tropes we see today in so many slasher films were all created by Myers. I’m sure there is plenty more debate to be had, but as I see it, Michael Myers helped create one of the most lucrative genres around. 

Now if you want to talk about a grindhouse picture that wasn’t afraid to have visual flair, take a look at Carpenter’s work. There are so many iconic shots throughout this film, where each decision was made as a specific choice. Everyone behind the camera understood the importance of angling the camera, where to focus and not focus, the over exposure of light for the first half of the film, then the contrast of dark shadows on the ladder. There are so many details to absorb from a filmmaking standpoint, and it’s just simply remarkable. Even outside of that, there are so many iconic shots that are quite frankly lighting in a bottle. This is the type of stuff I stay up for, because I know this is what makes movies cinematic. 

This has to be one of if not the most iconic scores in cinematic history. Perhaps only second to Ennio Morricone’s ‘The Good The Bad And The Ugly’ (1966), John Carpenter’s synth heavy score accompanies this film beautifully. John Williams’s ‘Jaws’ (1975) and John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’ (1978) scores helped prove that simplicity in rhythmic storytelling is sometimes more impactful than a bombastic orchestral piece. This score is simple, but it’s effective, and it provides just the right amount of tension for each scene, for when the climax is ready to hit, the music delivers all the tools to prepare. 

When I say “almost nobody’s” for the cast, I mean in a more contemporaneous time for the films release. Of course Donald Pleasence was well known for his work on the James Bond Films, and other massive projects. Everyone else was mainly unknown. Now we look back and see a future Oscar winner in Jamie Lee Curtis, but somehow it all seemed so grounded back in this film. Her enthusiasm flourished, and she became one of the most iconic final girls to ever grace the screen. Her ability to emote every emotion in an hour and a half helps provide a charismatic narrator for us. The casting was spot on, through and through, and I wouldn’t ask for it any other way.  

John Carpenter is one of the more consistent and direct filmmakers to have come out of the Hollywood system, and he did it all for money. For someone who was so open about wanting to make blockbusters, his craft and ingenuity is still one of the best. Outside of ‘Halloween’ (1978), he would go on and make ‘The Fog’ (1980), ‘The Thing’ (1982), ‘Prince Of Darkness’ (1987), ‘They Live’ (1988), and ‘In The Mouth Of Madness’ (1994). All of which are incredibly diverse and creative horror films that help shape cinema. He would also make some of the most fun action films around like ‘Escape From New York’ (1981) and ‘Big Trouble In Little China’ (1986). Carpenter’s flexibly and diversity with his work just goes to show how masterful the man is with filmmaking. 

‘Halloween’ (1978) genuinely is one of the most profound horror films to ever have been released. This film starts a wave of cinematic interpretations that has never even stopped today. John Carpenter proved how exact he was when it came to every aspect of directing and composing and creating. This is the type of film I always look forward to rewatching. This is the stuff I look at when I watch schlock. This is what horror movies are made for. If you haven’t seen this film already, I’m not really sure what’s going on at home for you, but that’s needs to change as soon as possible.