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Director: John Carpenter

Release Date: 25 October 1978

Tagline: The Night HE Came Home!

Main Cast:

Donald Pleasence … Dr Sam Loomis

Jamie Lee Curtis … Laurie Strode

Nancy Kyes … Annie Brackett (as Nancy Loomis)

P.J. Soles … Lynda van der Klok

Ah… The quintessential horror film and, arguably, the daddy of all stalk & slash movies (see my review of Black Christmas for a comparison between these two films).

Halloween is a masterclass in how to make a truly scary horror. It’s power comes not only from the increasing tension but also from the score (I only need to hear the first few bars and I get  the chills!) It’s not a gruesome film (barely a drop of blood is spilled) but this just makes it even better. There’s an eerieness about the whole thing. The streets and houses seem to be largely empty and this adds to the feeling of isolation and helplessness that Laurie finds herself in.

If you were to watch it for the first time now, you may be tempted to think of it as rather clichéd. Please bear in mind though that the modern clichés come from somewhere, and that somewhere includes Halloween.

For the ultimate experience make sure you watch it alone on Halloween night with the lights turned off. It just can’t be beaten!

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