Halloween
Over twenty years after its initial release, John
Carpenter's Halloween remains one of the most viscerally frightening motion
pictures ever conceived. Written, produced and filmed on a shoestring budget,
it was a huge financial success and is still considered one of the best
independent film success stories in the history of the movies. Many sequels and
more recently modern remakes by musician/director Rob Zombie have not been able
to match the original's perfect blend suspense and unrelenting terror. The
sequels in particular proving that simply upping the violence and gore do not
make for a more horrifying experience. The third piece of the puzzle is
the film's direction itself. This movie made Carpenter a household name and
with good reason. Carpenter's work is a large part of the movie's success. His
steady-cam work would lends an eerie vibe to even the most normal scene. His
use of long, wide shots make the audience unwilling participants in the
voyeurism. Contrary to some criticisms of the time, it does not make one
sympathize with the killer. The viewer is made nervous to be in such proximity
to the viewpoint of the antagonist. Halloween is the rare horror movie
that gets better with repeated viewings. Long after you have memorized every
line of dialog and know every scene by heart, the movie is still immensely
enjoyable to view. Its concepts and craftsmanship still have the ability to
send chills down the spine. When the last sounds of Myers breathing and the
final frames of his old house close, the viewer is left with a feeling of
complete dread and despair that "The Shape" is still out there, able
to take form. The viewer is also left with a feeling of admiration for quality
film-making rarely seen today.
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