Halloween (1978)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John Carpenter (screenplay) and
Debra Hill (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The Night HE Came Home!

Plot:

A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood escapes on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets.

Plot Keywords:

Burglary | Gun | Bare Breasts | Car Theft | Skirt

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

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
Charles Cyphers	...	Sheriff Leigh Brackett
Kyle Richards	...	Lindsey Wallace
Brian Andrews	...	Tommy Doyle
John Michael Graham	...	Bob Simms
Nancy Stephens	...	Marion Chambers
Arthur Malet	...	Graveyard Keeper
Mickey Yablans	...	Richie
Brent Le Page	...	Lonnie Elamb
Adam Hollander	...	Keith
Robert Phalen	...	Dr. Terence Wynn
Tony Moran	...	Michael Myers (age 23)
Will Sandin	...	Michael Myers (age 6)
Sandy Johnson	...	Judith Margaret Myers
David Kyle	...	Judith's Boyfriend
Peter Griffith	...	Morgan Strode
Nick Castle	...	The Shape
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barry Bernardi	...	Dead Mechanic (uncredited)
John Carpenter	...	Paul, Annie's Boyfriend (voice) (uncredited)
George O'Hanlon Jr.	...	Mr. Peter Myers (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
John Carpenter		(screenplay) and
Debra Hill		(screenplay)

Produced by
Moustapha Akkad	....	executive producer
Debra Hill	....	producer
Kool Lusby	....	associate producer
Irwin Yablans	....	executive producer
John Carpenter	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Carpenter

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Charles Bornstein
Tommy Lee Wallace		(as Tommy Wallace)

Production Design by
Tommy Lee Wallace		(as Tommy Wallace)

Set Decoration by
Craig Stearns

Makeup Department
Erica Ulland	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Don Behrns	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack De Wolf	....	second assistant director
Rick Wallace	....	assistant director

Art Department
Dick Girod	....	set painter (as Richard Girod)
Randy Moore	....	assistant art director
Craig Stearns	....	property master

Sound Department
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator (as Joe Brennan)
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer (as Tommy Causey)
William L. Stevenson	....	supervising sound editor (as William Stevenson)
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Lee Strosnider	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Conrad Rothmann	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
James Winburn	....	stunts (as Jim Windburn)

Camera and Electrical Department
Reed Freeman	....	electrician
Kim Gottlieb	....	still photographer
Walt Hill	....	grip
Steve Mathis	....	best boy
Josh Miller	....	best boy
Krishna Rao	....	second assistant camera
Dylan Shephard	....	key grip (as Dylan Shepard)
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator (as Ray Stella)
Raymond Stella	....	panaglide (as Ray Stella)
Fred Victar	....	assistant camera
Mark Walthour	....	gaffer
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beth Rodgers	....	wardrober

Music Department
Peter Bergren	....	music mixer
Peter Bergren	....	music recordist
Bob Walters	....	music coordinator
Dan Wyman	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Barry Bernardi	....	production assistant
Paul Fox	....	production assistant
Louise Jaffe	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Compass International Pictures
• Falcon International Productions

Distributors

• Compass International Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Mid-America Releasing (1979) (USA: Midwest) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1979) (France) (theatrical)
• Joy Pack Film (1979) (Japan) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Arte (2005) (Germany) (TV)
• Astral Films (Canada)
• Astral Video (Canada)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Blockbuster Entertainment Group (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Future Film (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Future Film (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Kabel 1 (199?-200?) (Germany) (TV)
• Kabel 1 (????) (France) (TV)
• Media Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• Odyssey (laserdisc)
• Pro 7 (????) (Germany) (TV)
• Reserva Especial (Brazil) (VHS)
• Vídeo Ban (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1979) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  re-recording
• Sound Arts  music recording
• The Bowling Green Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's Halloween (USA) (complete title)
The Babysitter Murders (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

91 min | USA:101 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (original release)

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | South Korea:18 | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Canada:R | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) (original rating) | Brazil:16 | Canada:AA (Ontario) (video rating) (1982) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) (2001) | UK:18 (video rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (re-rating) (2003) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 (re-release: 1999) | France:-16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (re-release: 1999) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/16 (re-rating) | Portugal:M/18 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

1000 Mission Street, South Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Compass International Pictures

Trivia:

Yul Brynner's robot character from Westworld (1973) was the inspiration for the character of Michael Myers.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Laurie is trapped in the kitchen, you can clearly see which pane of glass in the door is fake glass.

Quotes:

Lindsey Wallace: I'm scared!
Laurie: There's nothing to be scared of.
Tommy Doyle: Are you sure?
[Laurie nods]
Tommy Doyle: How?
Laurie: I killed him...
Tommy Doyle: [shouts] But you can't kill the boogie man!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Purgatory House (2004)

Soundtrack:

Don't Fear The Reaper

...but you cannot kill the boogeyman!!!

I must admit, this is one of my favorite horror films of all time. The unique way that John Carpenter has directed this picture, opening the door to so many mock-genres, it will chill you to the bone whether it is your first time watching it or your fiftieth. The sound, the menacing horror of Michael Meyers and the infamous scream of Jamie Lee Curtis gives this film instant cult status and a great start for the independent era. I love the music, I love the characters, the familiar yet spooky setting, the simplistic nature of the villain, and the random chaos of it all. There is no really rhyme or reason to the killing in this first film, giving us a taste of Michael's true nature. Is he insane, or in some way just a very brilliant beast? That question may never be truly answered, but Carpenter gives us his 100% and more devotion to this amazing masterpiece.

John Carpenter is the master of horror. While lately his films have not been the caliber that they once were (see Ghosts of Mars), Halloween began his powerhouse of a career. This is his ultimate film. While he did release other greats, I will always remember this one as the film that caused me to turn on all the lights, beware when babysitting, and check behind closed doors, because you never knew where the evil would appear next. Carpenter has this amazing ability to bring you into the world in which he weaves. With the power of his camera, he places these images of Meyers in places you least expected while giving you the perception as if the murderer is right next to you. I loved every scene in which we panned back and there was Michael, watching from the distance, without anyone the wiser. That was scary, yet utterly brilliant. I loved the scenes in which Carpenter pulled your fright from nearly thin air. There you would be, minding your own business, when suddenly that horrid mask would appear out of nowhere. Like the characters, you too thought it was just a trick of the eye, but that is where Carpenter gets you, it isn't. Michael isn't a ghost, he is a human being (or at least we think), yet he has a stronger mental ability than most of the main characters. This leads into some really dark themes and unexplored symbolism, but even without that, this is a spooky film.

Then, if you just didn't have enough of Michael just vaporizing in the windows of your house, Carpenter adds that chilling theme music. I still have that tapping of the piano keys in my mind, constantly wondering if Meyers is looking at me through the window. Carpenter has found the perfect combination of visual frights and chilling sounds to foreshadow what may happen to our unsuspecting victims next. It is lethal, and it is done with refreshing originality and more unique thrills than anything released by today's Horror Hollywood could muster. Carpenter's Halloween is a breath of fresh air in the midst of what could be a rough horror year, with actual scares being replaced by Paris Hilton, you know that the quality isn't quite the same.

Finally, I would like to say that even the simplistic nature of the opening murder in this film is terrifying and chilling. The use of the "clown" mask sent shivers up my spine. The way that it was filmed with that elongated one shot using the child's mask as if it were our own eyes is still one of the best horror openings ever! It completely sets the tone for the remainder of that film. You have the babysitter theme, you have the childish behavior which carries with Michael throughout the film, and you have the art talent of Carpenter all rolled into one. I could literally speak for hours upon hours about this film, but instead I would rather go watch it again. It is worth the repeat visit many times!

Overall, I think this is one of the most outstanding films in cinematic history. Skip all those foreign films that think that they are going to chance the face of movies leave it to a budget tight Carpenter and the slasher film genre. This singular movie redefined a whole generation of horror films, and still continues to be an influence on modern-day horror treats. The lethal combination of a genuinely spooky murderer, the powerful cinematography of the events (which normally doesn't amount to much in horror films), and the beauty of Jamie Lee Curtis is exactly what makes Halloween that film above the rest. Sure, Freddy is cool and you feel sympathetic for Jason, but Michael is real, he is troubled, and he is on the loose lusting for the blood of babysitters. What can be better?

Grade: ***** out of *****