Halloween (1978)

Directed by John Carpenter.  Written by Carpenter and Debra Hill.  Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, PJ Soles, Nancy Loomis, Charles Cyphers, Brian Andrews, Kyle Richards, Tony Moran (as “the face”) and Nick Castle (as “the shape”).

Plot: Michael Myers escapes a mental institution and comes after Laurie Strode and her friends on Halloween.

There is nothing quite like this creeptastic classic. I love it, clearly. I’d love it even more if Michael had love for dogs. That poor, poor German Shepherd. He’s in the wrong place at the wrong time with an ignorant babysitter on the clock. Perhaps it isn’t fair, but I subtract points for animal deaths.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past EVER, I’ll tell you the story. Michael Myers is just 6-years-old when he stabs his own sister to death. He winds up in a mental hospital that he escapes from 15 years later. On Halloween. He steals a car that he somehow knows how to drive and goes all the way back home to stalk some teenagers. Enter Laurie Strode (Curtis), a good and reasonable babysitter, watching Tommy Doyle (Andrews) for the night. Of course, her friends, Annie (Loomis) and Lynda (Soles), aren’t nearly as reasonable or as responsible, so Laurie ends up watching Lindsey Wallace (Richards) for the night as well. And everyone just has a nightmare of a time.

Everything is done so simply. There is no gore. There is no blood. The music is also simple, yet highly effective. The tune stays with you forever. My brother feels like it was used way too much though. There were several scenes where Laurie is just staring at children in costumes and the music is playing as though it’s supposed to be some sort of shocking event.

And can we talk about the lighting?  The lighting is the greatest. Everyone who has ever seen this movie remembers when Michael’s face slowly comes into view behind an already terrified Laurie. But why was she standing next to an open doorway anyhow? She knew there was a killer!

The movie has a very talented cast, creepy effects, a legendary opening and a memorable ending (with the Boogeyman and the breathing it’s classic!). There’s boob shots, too. That’s a win. It’s also highly quotable. To no end, it is quotable, with the words coming mainly from Donald “The Pleas” Pleasence. He is always fantastic though, so that’s no surprise. He’s my absolute favorite part of many of the things I’ve seen him in.

For the love of all that is holy, if you haven’t seen this, see it now. We recommend it oh so fully. Even though DJ did not love it like I love it, he still wants you to watch ASAP.

My score: 90. DJ’s score: 80.

I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply… evil.

The Pleas