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One of the reasons the architects of the 1978 movie Halloween wanted Jamie Lee Curtis so badly for the part of babysitter and damsel in serious distress was because she was the daughter of Hollywood actress Janet Leigh, who after Psycho never dared step into a shower again in her life. The then 20-year old Jamie Lee wore her own clothes and make-up due to budgetary restrictions and was unknown at the time. And, although it’s apparent Curtis could have spent some money on acting lessons and, despite a large sense of amateurism, Halloween is pretty enjoyable.
It’s set exactly 15 years after kiddo Michael Myers brutally slaughtered his topless sister and managed to escape from the mental institution he has dwelled in ever since. And he has only one goal: killing everyone who doesn’t walk on four legs and pee in the gutter. His final victime, of course, is teenager Laurie (Curtis) ‘ who finds new meaning in the concept of babysitting.
With Halloween I watched the DVD extras before I actually watched the movie itself and the great thing about it is that in makes you become more aware of the quality of the movie considering its very humble budget. Actors wore their own clothes and director John Carpenter wrote the haunting (mainly in 5/4 timing) piano score due to lack of money. The entire movie was shot within 3 weeks.
The way tension is built up is rather impressive and, although we all know how things are going to end, Halloween is a pleasant horror movie. The story and dialogue are predictable (but maybe not at the time it was released because of lack of precedents) but Carpenter gets away with it fairly easily. And Jamie Eeee Curtis is a good screamer and does everything a normal panicked person wouldn’t do in the kinds of situations she finds herself in. Thumbs halfway up!
Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Plaesance
‘Halloween’ runs 91 minutes and is available on VHS and DVD
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* Filmed in just 21 days with a budget of $ 300,000
* The makers had just one day to shoot the scenes with the actor playing the 6-year-old Michael Myers at the beginning of the movie. All other shots where he was needed (like in the opening scene in which his hand with knife is shown) were done by using Debra Hill (producer and screenwriter) as a stand-in.
* Has had 7 sequels so far, with the 8th: Halloween 9 or Hall9ween scheduled for an October 2004 release.
Arjan Welles (213 posts)Arjan Welles - law graduate. I work at a bank, I work as a film critic for Dutch and English media. My favorite directors are David Lynch, David Fincher, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino. I love arthouse over blockbusters.
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Jamie Lee Curtis is by far the best screamer (screamerette?!) in the business. But my guess is that her curves have helped as well…
Comment by punkmachine — Mon January 5, 2004 @ 14:43Hmmm another great nonsensical comment
What I always thought was so good (and scary) about this film is that it really could happen – a psycho, a murderer… in a small town… but then it gets ruined at the end when Michael survives all sorts of fatal accidents such as falling off balconies etc. I thought that was shame, but then, they needed 7 sequels it seems…
Comment by suzero — Tue January 6, 2004 @ 14:48In which he survives countless other fatal accidents. He reminds me of the coyote in the Roadrunner cartoons
Comment by reisneus — Tue January 6, 2004 @ 15:56I used to love Halloween when I was younger, and to be honest I still like it. Carpenter creates some wordefrful moments of suspense in the film, but you just have to laugh at how stupid the kids are, especially Jamie Lee Curtis. I mean, you’ve stabbed the guy – you don’t check to see if he’s dead and then you get up, walk away – and LEAVE THE KNIFE NEXT TO HIM!!!!!! Some people deserve to be slashed! Still, top little film and one all serious Horror fans should know by heart. As for the sequels, you can forget them all – although I do have a bizarre preference for Halloween 3 : Season of the Witch. But perhaps that’s ’cause it has sod all to do with Michael Myers and lots to do with mad scientists and evil man eating masks. (I kid you not)
Comment by damian — Wed January 14, 2004 @ 10:11Being an old man now
born in the 60’s and remembering the 70’s (maybe naively) as a somewhat ’safe’ era,compared to what seem a rather violent ,aggressive era now, i can always remember the first time i saw Halloween 1. It seemed then that those things could potentially happen (hence the creepiness) but generally did not, and therefore i was pleasantly spooked out. However, nowadays it does happen, regularly, therefore Halloween released today i feel would probably be a non entity. Will always love halloween though for giving me my first and regrettably only genuine screen scare(s). The acting was mediocre, trees in autumn (fall) generally colour up and lose their leaves 
as opposed to staying green accompanied by spring bird song, but what the hell? At the end of the day a classic which has brought many people a lot of pleasure. Great website by the way. Cheers, Andy, UK
Comment by Andrew James Lee Curtis (i kid you not :-) — Mon July 5, 2004 @ 20:49I have no idea why I like these movies. I started watching them when I was 13. I’m 14 now. I’m not a bad girl watching rated R movies, I just like to scare myself to death. Its fun. hehe. The first Halloween will always be my favorite. I like the second Halloween but I think they got a little creative with the digital effects. I watched all excet for h20, 6 and 3. I have 1 and 2. The Halloween series are the only horror movies I watched. Well, I gtg. God bless you all. Julia, VT
Comment by Julia — Fri April 29, 2005 @ 0:14