Horror Classics Revisited: Halloween

This review will contain full spoilers for Halloween. Seriously, if you have not seen this movie yet, go watch it!

Considering that Halloween is often classified as a "slasher" film, it is remarkable how little onscreen violence is shown. The movie is actually very subtle and would just as soon imply violence, rather than show it in gory detail. Unlike many horror films that came after it, Halloween scares largely with ideas and imagery.

Director John Carpenter cites Alfred Hitchcock as one of his inspirations for Halloween. Like Hitchcock, Carpenter understands that the scariest part of a movie is often what remains unseen.

For instance, Dr. Loomis and the town sheriff find the half-eaten body of a dog while exploring the Myers house in one scene. The dog is never seen, but the idea that Michael Myers has eaten the dog is disgusting enough and tells us a lot about his character.

A lesser director might show Michael Myers murdering people in graphic detail or try to explain his psychosis (cough, Rob Zombie). Instead of throwing gore and exposition at us, Carpenter wisely gives us as little information as possible about Michael Myers. All we need to know about him is given to us through dialogue from Dr. Loomis, played brilliantly by Donald Pleasence.

When the sheriff doubts that a man would eat a dog, Dr. Loomis replies that "this isn't a man." Later, Loomis describes his first encounter with Michael, in one of the film's best scenes. Fifteen years ago, Loomis met a child with "...the blackest eyes...the devil's eyes" and a "blank, pale, emotionless face."

Michael's mask is very similar to Loomis' description of his appearance as a child. The bright white mask starkly contrasts the shadows that surround Michael as he lurks around every corner. It is appropriate that Michael wears a mask when we meet him in 1978, as he murdered his sister while wearing a clown mask as a child.

When Michael returns to Haddonfield fifteen years later, he comes across Laurie Strode and begins to stalk her. It is likely that Michael was reminded of his sister when he first sees Laurie. Laurie Strode is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, in her first film role. Curtis gives a quietly nuanced performance as the shy babysitter Laurie Strode, whom we follow for most of the movie. Laurie is a quite relatable and sympathetic character, which is important to have in a horror film.

Too many slasher films have disposable characters that were created simply to be killed. One of Halloween's greatest strengths is its memorable characters. Laurie Strode is a refreshingly strong female character who does a good job of fighting back against Michael Myers. Dr. Loomis is an intense man determined to find and stop the evil that has come to Haddonfield.

All of the film's ominous images and convincing acting would be almost nothing without John Carpenter's score. The score is one of the best pieces of music in movie history. It is quite simple, but it manages to increase the tension tremendously, even during scenes where it appears that nothing is happening. Carpenter's score makes scenes that are already scary into the stuff of nightmares.

For those who have seen Halloween and appreciate it as much as I do, there are scenes and images that stick with you forever. One of the most unnerving scenes in movie history takes place when Dr. Loomis and a nurse drive up to a mental hospital to check on Michael. As the car drives through a torrent of rain, a burst of lightning illuminates the asylum's grounds and we see patients standing around and walking freely.

Another moment that I will always remember seems to be an homage to Hitchcock's Psycho. Young Tommy Doyle, whom Laurie is babysitting, looks out the window for the "boogeyman." As he looks across the street, he sees Michael Myers in silohouette, standing motionless in front of someone's house, watching people as they walk by. Michael is evil itself, he is the "boogeyman." This scene is very similar to one from Psycho where Norman Bates stands outside the Bates motel after his mother has committed murder.

Halloween has one of my favorite endings of all time. After stabbing Michael with a hanger from the closet, Laurie slumps against a wall and leaves him for dead. The movie is so full of tension, that at this moment, we are just as exhausted and frightened as Laurie.

In a silently chilling moment, Michael rises back up and turns his head towards Laurie. From here, Carpenter's score begins and the movie becomes as suspenseful as ever. Michael attacks Laurie and begins to strangle her. Laurie tries to defend herself and pulls off Michael's mask. For a second, we see Michael's face in the light. His face is not that of the devil, but rather a confused and angelic looking young man.

As Michael hastily puts his mask back on, Dr. Loomis arrives and shoots him six times. Michael falls off the balcony and we see him lying on the ground. A wimpering and traumatized Laurie asks Loomis, "Was it the boogeyman?" Loomis answers, "As a matter of fact, it was."

Loomis then walks to the balcony and looks down, to discover that Michael's body is gone. According to John Carpenter, Loomis face seems to say "I knew this would happen." The Halloween theme plays as the camera cuts to various places Michael has been. Michael's deep breathing can be heard as we view the staircase, the couch, the hallway and the Myers house. Michael Myers is out there somewhere and not knowing where he is means that he is everywhere. Evil is everywhere and nowhere is safe, not even the small little town of Haddonfield.

Halloween is a great day to catch up on horror classics and I've enjoyed watching some of my favorites this October. I encourage people to watch some of their favorites tonight, preferably in the dark. Remember, today is Halloween and everyone is entitled to at least one good scare.