John Carpenter’s Halloween is a horror classic, quite nearly
my favorite film ever produced for the genre. Interestingly enough, upon revisiting it this past weekend, I found myself most taken
with its modesty. For being such a groundbreaking film, it really went about
achieving its terrors in a rather subtle way. I hope you enjoy my thoughts
Halloween, do be sure to share your favorite aspects of the film as well.
Let’s begin with a question. When was the last time you saw
a really good horror film that didn’t use any special effects whatsoever and
showed very limited blood?
“The Theme” is something that’s lost on modern horror films
(and most films in general). Still to this day, when we hear the first few
bars of John Carpenter’s score for Halloween,
we know exactly what film it’s from. This theme will outlive us all.
The slow pan that reveals house. The sound of kids playing
on the soundtrack, the tilting of the camera, the cold color that consumes the
house – it’s all so instantly unsettling.
Some fun movie math: Michael’s sister and her boyfriend go
upstairs to have sex, and the boyfriend comes back downstairs just 80 seconds
later. Kid’s got quite a few things to learn.
I wrote about this recently on my list of the best underpraised long takes, but contrary to popular belief, the opening scene of Halloween is not one long take. If you
look at the changing position of the sweater after Michael puts on his mask,
you can see that the film has cut to a different take. Still, it’s a remarkably
disquieting opening scene.
The scariest thing about the reveal of young Michael’s face
is that we expect to see a monster. Instead, he’s just a normal kid. Young,
innocent, confused. The fact that he’s so real
is fucking terrifying.
Halloween opened
on October 25, 1978. When people saw the film during its opening weekend, this
title card meant that the events in the film were just about to happen. Pretty creepy.
This has always been one of the freakiest parts in the film
for me. Seriously, what the hell is scarier than watching a bunch of patients
from a mental institution wander around in the dark?
I love this shot. Few things are creepier than a guy who’s
willing to fuck with you in broad daylight.
Pay attention to this brief scene. Laurie walks to her
bedroom window, and when she looks outside, she sees Michael standing in her
neighbor’s yard looking up at her. We cut to Laurie’s point of view, then back
to Laurie’s face, then back to her
point of view, which reveals that Michael is suddenly gone. Now, because Laurie
never looked away, it means that she actually saw Michael rush off quickly. The
fact that Carpenter denies the audience the sight of Michael walking away is
simply ingenious. It makes him that much more elusive.
I’ve always thought the hole for Judith Myers’ grave seemed
oddly small. So eerie. (Note: I've since been corrected – this is the hole for the gravestone not the grave itself. Duh.)
I absolutely love Donald Pleasence’s speech about his time
with Michael Myers. The way he feverishly delivers his lines let’s us know that he is really, truly terrified. It’s also a monologue packed with
otherwise standard expository dialogue, but Pleasence’s urgency makes it necessary for us to hear what he’s
saying.
I know people have talked about this a lot, but I adore this
subtle bit of career foreshadowing.
I’m usually not a fan of the music in horror films, because
it is used as nothing more than a device to evoke a cheap jump scare. Yet here,
Carpenter’s music is so bizarre, that it creates a lasting tension. We’re
almost afraid to keep hearing those BRUUUUMMMSSSS
whenever Michael pops out.
Seriously, this is something we never seen in American
horror films: the killer out in the open, carrying one of his victims for anyone to see. The camera, still
and detached and removed. It let’s us know that there is nothing Michael is
afraid of, and all we can do is sit and watch.
This is a perfect example of why the music works in this
film. Here’s a scene of Sheriff Brackett
coming up and surprising Dr. Loomis. In most any other horror film, the music
would swell up as we see a hand creeping up behind Loomis. The music would peak
with a sharp noise right as Loomis turns around and sees Brackett. That’s
cheap. That’s false. That’s bullshit. In this scene in Halloween, there is no music. Basically, Carpenter knows exactly
when to use his score, and exactly when to leave it out.
Like a dog who tilts his head out of curious amusement.
“What have I done? I’m not sure, but I need to do it again.”
The slow walk, the tense moment of The Final Girl trying to
get into a locked safe heaven. No, Halloween
may not have been the first movie to do this, but it certainly popularized it.
And I absolutely love it.
Such simple but stark and evocative lighting. For a moment,
Laurie thinks she’s won. If only it were that easy.
What do we have here, really? Two actors, a camera, simple
lighting and a modest score. No visual effects, no rapid cutting, no bombastic
sounds. Simple, effective, terrifying.
Arguably my favorite moment from any horror film. Again, no
music while Michael sits up. Instead, the silence is deafening.
Sure, his eye is swollen from getting stabbed with a coat
hanger, but for all intents and purpose, Michael Myers is not a physical
monster. He’s just a man.
Laurie crying based solely off of Loomis’ stunned reaction
is such a perfect moment. She just knows Michael
is gone.
The closing montage of places Michael has previously
stalked, with Michael’s heavy breathing growing louder and louder over the
soundtrack… it’s such an unforgiving way to end such a chilling film.
More “No One Talks About” lists:
I've always loved the shot of the patients wandering around outside. That scared the hell out of me when I was a kid and has never lost its effect.
ReplyDeleteSo goddamn creepy, right? They look so aimless and lost. It's like those experiments of letting a domesticated, institutionalized animal out into the open, and they just hang out by the front door. They have no idea where to go.
DeleteLove that 2.35:1 widescreen format. The investment in scope really pays off. The lighting in Halloween is another outstanding attribute. There's also lots of master shots and it really shows Carpenters confidence in his filmmaking.
ReplyDeleteYou also wisely pointed out how Carpenter knew when to use his score and when not to. Good stuff.
Thanks man. I've owned the 4:3 DVD for years, but I finally bought the latest Blu-Ray a few months ago. Looks pristine. And yeah, for a relatively new filmmaker, Carpenter's score and use of master shots is really quite impressive.
DeleteThis is a film I've been dying to see as I hope to see it for next year as I had been on a John Carpenter kick as of late. The man doesn't get enough admiration for his work as a filmmaker.
ReplyDeleteOh man, it's one of the great all-time horror films. Very important to take into context too. I mean, this flick singlehandedly popularized so many modern horror film cliches. Which I mean as a compliment.
DeleteWhy not a Top 10 Non-Traditional Haloween Films?
ReplyDeleteFor me : Young Frankenstein(1974), Shaun Of The Dead(2004), The Nightmare Before Christmas(1993) and a short film Thriller(1983)
Next year!
DeleteI can't believe a year passed already. Anything planed for this Halloween? A Halloween Marathon or a Top 10 special?
DeleteI know right, the year flew by. Didn't have time for a Halloween marathon this year. Too busy with real life stuff.
DeleteThis is not just my favorite horror movie, but one of my all time favorite movies overall. I try to watch it every year around Halloween and i always find something new to love about it. One very small moment i always enjoyed in the movie that is not horror related is that moment where Dr. Loomis spooks the kids away from the Myers house and is really pleased with himself afterwards. I just really like that smile he has for a small moment in this otherwise very bleak movie.
ReplyDeleteI love that scene too. Shows that he has a sense of humor, that he's human. I agree, a fun little moment in an otherwise dead serious horror film.
DeleteGreat post, thanks! Just watched this film again and loved it (again). A note about your comment on Judith's gravesite: I always thought that linear (small) hole was where her gravestone (not grave) used to stand before Michael ripped it out. Her grave would be in front of that notch.
ReplyDeleteDUH. Haha, jesus, of course it's just the hole for the gravestone. Stupid error on my part. Great catch!
DeleteLove these posts you always point out things I've missed. I'm not the biggest fan of Halloween, but can't deny it's influence. This reminds me why so many horror flicks took their cues from it.
ReplyDeleteThanks man, glad you dig the post. I also appreciate that while you may not like the movie all that much, you're aware of what it "did" for the genre. Such an influential film.
DeleteHalloween was one of my first loves in the horror genre. I'm not sure when I was introduced to the film, but I am sure I was too young to be watching! ha... Great post
ReplyDeleteThanks Tanner! I saw this one when I was very young too, and I've also been freaked the hell out by it. So good.
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ReplyDeleteHaha, I know right. But that guy is gonna have a hard life if he keeps finishing up under a minute flat. Can't see too many women calling him back after that.
Delete" I love this shot. Few things are creepier than a guy who’s willing to fuck with you in broad daylight." - this reminds me of Winkies scene in Mulhoplland Drive. Scariest scene I've seen.
ReplyDeleteI saw Halloween on Halloween night for the first time last year, I think there is actually a "cheap" use of music there when a young kid bumps into Michael early into the movie but it was insanely effective, I jumped so high.
You're gonna love American Horror Story: Freakshow - they've done at least 5 homages to the movie already, some to the moments you featured here!
That Winkies scene does have a sort of Halloween vibe to it. The understated music, the fact that you expect something to be there, but it scares the ever-loving shit out of us anyway. So good.
DeleteI fell behind on the third season of AHS. Do I need to see all of that one to "get" Freakshow? Because I want to start in on Freakshow ASAP.
Oh no, it's a stand alone season :) It's much more coherent than Coven so far, as fun as Coven was it has really....lazy script.
DeleteAhh that's great news. Yeah, I liked Coven, but that was ultimately the reason I tuned out. Glad to hear Freakshow is different!
DeleteLOVE this post and LOVE what you said about the movie theme. It will outlive us all man, it really will. So damn effective and such a rare thing to see in this day and age, this instantly recognizable theme that can haunt you forever. Creepy as hell as well.
ReplyDeleteFor sure! I just find that "The Theme" is an increasingly lost art. At least memorable ones. Kind of a shame. Most scores sound so phoned-in and generic.
DeleteI know, it's such a shame indeed.
DeleteThere really is a lot to love about Halloween, isn't there? It's an excellent achievement in atmosphere. I love the silence in the film, and you have a good eye (ear?) for those soundtrack moments. Right on! I never noticed how simple of a film was. I guess it just goes to show that less really is more. And Michael Myers, man. For all the copycats since then, no one's ever really come close to how freaky Myers is. He may not be a physical monster, but he sure as hell is a spiritual one. Pure evil, through and through. And it's such a disturbing concept that there are people like that.
ReplyDeleteAs I was writing that last sentence, I had an interesting thought. I thought of the shot of the mental patients at night, and then thought, "how many of them are like Michael? Or perhaps they've experienced some deeper, Titticut Follies-esque horrors at the hospital." I'm not sure if that was Carpenter's intention, but damn, that's some profound stuff right there.
Love this comment. Titicut Follies, man... that's such a brutal movie. I still can't believe they let Wiseman film all that, and try to deny that it all happened. Jesus. But yeah, there's just something about those white uniforms, and the patients' slow movements, that makes that scene in Halloween so freaky. Definitely a profound scare.
DeleteOoo, lots of great things you pointed out here, Alex! The one you mentioned about 80 seconds of sex had me laughing - I never thought about it, ha. I think the theme is one of the best things about the film, and I agree it's simple and effective, like most of the major things you mention about why the film works. It's one of my favorite Halloween films, naturally. Great post, Alex!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kristin! Yeah, that kid is quick in that movie. It's like, dude, shape up. But I suppose if he had hung around any longer, he would've been toast as well. Ha.
DeleteYES to all of these! It's my favorite horror film for all the things you pointed out. So simple, so well-executed. Love it!
ReplyDeleteAwesome man. I don't know if I knew that this was your favorite horror flick, but I LOVE hearing that it is.
DeleteGreat post it's cool seeing a horror film that as a lot of scares set during the day. Great post
ReplyDeleteThanks man! Really appreciate you reading. And I agree, I love that we're still talking about this movie.
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