Death has come to your little town...
It's October, and that means that Halloween is just around the corner. What better way to lead up to this year's celebration (and prepare for the upcoming re-sequel) than to review my all-time favorite horror film, John Carpenter's Halloween. There isn't much I could say to put into words the love I have for this movie, but I will try my best here by going over what makes it great, and what doesn't:
UPS
- The music. Fitting that my favorite horror movie has my all-time favorite horror soundtrack ever. It is just so creepy and unsettling that it really helps set the mood for the film going forward. Bravo, John Carpenter.
- The setting. What makes a huge chunk of this movie work is that it uses a simple neighborhood as the place where most of the events transpire, and having it take place during Halloween night makes the entire situation a lot scarier. One moment that sells this is when Laurie calls for help and it seems like her cries have been answered, only for the man to completely ignore her, all while Michael is in hot pursuit!
- Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis. Carpenter could not have picked a better duo to lead his film. Pleasence is great as Dr. Samuel Loomis, a man so desperate to put a stop to the madness that it almost takes hold of his sanity, capping it off with one of the most memorable monologues, dare I say it, in all of film history. Meanwhile, Curtis is the scream queen, perfectly capturing a sweet, innocent girl who finds herself in the worst possible situation imaginable yet still manages to best all odds and put up one hell of a fight. While Pleasence has sadly passed away (God rest his soul,) it is a true blessing to see Jamie return for the new movie after a long and convoluted franchise that never quite realized her potential.
- MICHAEL, FREAKING, MYERS! The Slasher genre is populated with a whole host of colorful killers, including Freddy, Jason, Chucky, Leatherface, and Ghostface among many others, but Michael is the one that stands out the most to me. In this first outing, we know next to nothing about him, and that somehow manages to make him much more disturbing. Combine this with the way he stalks his victims and how he just won't stop, and you have a slasher who shows no mercy, no limits, and may never be truly defeated. Can't wait to see what he does next in the new one.
- The concept of this movie is ridiculously simple, but the execution more than makes up for it. Carpenter utilizes everything at his disposal to make this movie unique, and from the music to the atmosphere, he more than delivers.
DOWNS
- Lynda didn't have enough screentime, while Annie had too much. Not that Annie is a bad character per say, but she really just comes off as a more promiscuous Laurie and it kinda gets old fast. Lynda, however, was far more entertaining and memorable. Overall, I totally would kill for more Lynda.
OVERALL
Halloween is a classic, pure and simple. I hope this new movie can prove itself to be a true return to form for Michael and this franchise, and with Jamie returning, the madness from most of the sequels being discarded, and John Carpenter himself voicing his approval, I am sure that it will, but until then, I have a real treat that I can always look to for every All Hallows' Eve, so at least I can find solace in that.
And that is it for this post guys! Tune in for more coming your way, soon :)
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