Halloween (1978)
Another review, another homicidal psychopath stalking nubile young teenagers – professional help is being sought. As part of the aforementioned ‘Psycho: A Classic In Context’ season one other film leapt out at me to see on the big screen, if Psycho was the proto-slasher then John Carpenters 1978 classic Halloween was the film that invented and cemented the defining ingredients of the genre that have been ceaselessly stolen and butchered over the intervening thirty years, not only in similar franchises but also in no less than 10 spawn of the Halloween cycle, the last of which was the execrable Halloween 2 which coincidently I saw last week – safe to say that it’s widely held position as one of the worst films of 2009 is justified. Filmed on a shoestring budget of $300,000 the original film took in over $80 million dollars in domestic takings alone, making it the most profitable independent movie until the release of The Blair Witch Project twenty years later – funny how it’s always horror movies that steal these financial accolades eh? It seems we all like to be scared…
It was the night he came back, October 31st, Haddonfield Illinois. In a bravura opening Carpenter introduces the first of the genre tropes, in a smooth, single, hand-held Panaglide take (the Steadicam system was still a couple of years away) we are taken into the killers perspective as he stalks and eventually butchers a young girl, a design that makes us complicit in this horrendous act which concludes with the shocking revelation that *gasp* the culprit is a young boy – the legendary Michael Myers has begun his reign of terror. Fifteen years later during a stormy and menacing evening Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is travelling to the local Sanitorium to escort his patient to a legal hearing to discuss his case for parole. Michael clearly has alternate plans and breaks free from captivity, making his way back to Haddonfield with Loomis in hot pursuit. Meanwhile the young Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis in her breakthrough role) is preparing for a quiet Halloween with her friends, babysitting the local kids whilst the adults all make their way to various parties, it will certainly be an evening she will not forget…
Well, it has to be said that the film has not aged like a fine Bordeaux throughout its compact 91 minutes. It is unquestionably clunky in places and some people, me included, were cracking up at some moments that have not aged well. That said however it still retains a powerful sense of anxiety in other moments, even when you know where and when the scares are coming some nervous laughter would echo round the venue which was swiftly punctured with yells of shock from some of my fellow compatriots – I of course remaining resolutely stoic throughout. Retrospectively speaking the films strengths lie in its nervous atmosphere, unlike its misbegotten kindred, those Friday the 13th or Nightmare On Elm Street franchises the film does benefit from it’s All Hallow’s Eve setting, those autumnal hues recreating a more realistic small town world that seems to operate on the cusp of a fairy tale with those Jack O’ Lanterns and seasonal decorations discreetly populating the imagery, the embedded references to older horror and SF movies being viewed by the young kids prior to the attacks suggesting a rich seam of genre film-history that Halloween was aiming to continue. This is all heightened by perhaps the most memorable aspect of the movie, what else but that unrelenting score which along with Carpenters masterful manipulation of the diagetic sound elements contribute to much of the films gruesome success.
It’s difficult to watch seriously considering all the clichés – the POV shots, the doubled ‘false’ scares, the indestructible maniac – but you do have to bear in mind this was the film that invented all those clichés, it’s not the first US slasher, that dubious honour probably goes to the inferior Black Christmas, (well that’s a Canadian production but you know what I mean) but it’s certainly the most influential I’d argue and probably the most fun. I’ll also add in a love of Donald Pleasance in the film who is catastrophically over the top to a hysterically funny degree, it somehow fits though as he elucidates the presence of Michael Myers as evil personified, a nightmare with all human dimensions expunged, an almost elemental force of nature which is a much more chilling prospect than the redundant introduction of an abused background in the woeful Rob Zombie remakes which I stress again really should be avoided at all costs. Lets close with a couple of documentaries, one specifically on the film and one on the great Mr. Carpenter himself, one prays that his return to the screen, The Ward which is currently in Post-Production will be worthwhile but I ain’t exactly holding my breath.
The Thing prequel started shooting in Canada last month and the Escape From New York remake has moved on so whilst we’re on the subject of revisits and sequels let’s take this opportunity to tackle some recent developments. Would I prefer it if they just left the whole fucking thing alone and preserved some sense of mystery and ambiguity around the original and best entry to the franchise? Yes. Will I be queuing up to see on opening day? Of course I fucking will, although I stress I did avoid, wisely as it panned out, seeing any of the Versus Predator abortions at the cinema. Years ago I’d be in a fan-boy rage about this sort of thing, these days I just don’t care and with Ridley involved the project might have some redeeming qualities, however it still sounds pretty lame at this point. Now, if they revisited the once mooted Weyland Yutani manufactured infestation of Earth by the ravenous Xenomorphs, well then you could be on to something….
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