47 Years Ago, One of the Greatest Horror Movies Ever Was Released (And Now Is A Perfect Time to Re-Watch)

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John Carpenter directed just two films that many consider flawless. While he might direct again someday, it’s been a long time – since The Ward and even longer since a movie truly felt like a classic Carpenter film, Ghosts of Mars. He’s best known for The Thing, which wasn’t initially well-received but has since become a celebrated sci-fi horror masterpiece. And then there’s Halloween, the film that instantly established him as a leading horror director.

The original Halloween was a huge hit in theaters and launched a series of sequels, including several well-regarded ones. It was considered a landmark horror film when it first came out – even by people who later criticized similar movies – and it’s still highly praised today. But what makes it so exceptional? Let’s take a closer look at what makes it work.

Michael Myers Makes His Presence Known to the Audience Without Even Striking

The brilliance of John Carpenter’s original Halloween is that it scares people without relying on gore. It stands apart from remakes by Rob Zombie and David Gordon Green, which contain much more blood and violence, because it barely features any at all.

The original Halloween film introduces Michael Myers, simply known as “The Shape,” as a patient who escapes from a mental institution and returns to his childhood hometown. For much of the movie, he doesn’t immediately attack; instead, he quietly observes and stalks Laurie Strode – watching her at school, near her home, and even following Dr. Loomis while Loomis discusses the case with Sheriff Brackett at a hardware store that’s been burglarized.

Even without the shocking opening scene showing young Myers murdering his sister, we’d still sense he’s a threat. Carpenter’s unsettling music warns us of his danger, but it’s also in his empty, detached behavior. He simply observes, and that’s what makes him so terrifying – anyone could appear that way.

The Mask & the Benefits of Simplicity

Many horror movies feature iconic masks, like the one from Curtains, Ghostface from Scream, and the animal masks in You’re Next. However, the only mask that rivals Michael Myers’ famous white mask in terms of how memorable it is is Jason Voorhees’ hockey mask.

The white mask worn by Myers was a surprisingly effective idea – simple, yet brilliant. It blurred the line between him being a ghostly figure and a real person, which fits his character perfectly. Like everything else in the original 1978 film, the mask’s enduring popularity highlights how flawlessly all the elements came together.

Just as the simple idea of a white mask proved effective, everything that makes the film work stems from the fact that it was one of the first of its kind. John Carpenter and Halloween didn’t have to compete with existing slasher films, because the genre was still new, with Psycho and Peeping Tom as its main predecessors.

Although films like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre helped create the slasher genre, John Carpenter’s film truly defined it. It established key tropes: if you use drugs or alcohol, or engage in premarital sex, you’re likely to be killed. These became defining characteristics of the slasher subgenre, and they all started here.

The Casting

Let’s be real, Jamie Lee Curtis is a huge part of why Halloween works so well. It’s not just that the movie made her famous – she really became known for horror for a reason! She just has this naturally reassuring presence on screen. No matter what terrifying thing is happening – whether it’s a boogeyman, a vengeful ghost, or a killer on a train – she feels like the ultimate relatable hero. Laurie Strode is a pretty well-written character on paper, with her own agency and thankfully avoids a lot of the tropes you see in other ‘Final Girls.’ But it’s Curtis herself who brings Laurie to life and makes you genuinely care about her. You really want her to make it through the night, and honestly, before knowing about all the sequels, you’re not even sure if she will! She makes the character feel so real.

The supporting actors are fantastic too. Nancy Kyes is genuinely funny as Annie, P.J. Soles is charmingly clumsy as Lynda, and Charles Cyphers perfectly portrays the kindhearted, but soon heartbroken, town sheriff. We really connect with the people of Haddonfield, Illinois, just as much as we love the movie’s iconic autumn aesthetic and the terrifying sight of Myers stalking its streets. No other Halloween sequel has ever quite measured up, and it’s often because the original doesn’t feel like a typical movie at all. It feels like experiencing a truly frightening night, and we’re simply along for the ride—safely tucked away on our couches, far from Myers’ chilling gaze and deadly knife.

Stream Halloween on AMC+.

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2025-10-26 01:48