Nonetheless, carpenter however dismisses such analyses, as it. John carpenters halloween of 1978 and its seven sequels and two remakes. Theoretical issues in the horror film halloween essays. It was largely responsible for the popularization of slasher films throughout the 1980s, and helped define a number of. Its not an entirely successful film, and it wont provide an easy template for a new generation of revitalized slasher flicks. Halloween isnt just a good horror movie, it is a good movie, period. Nevertheless, john carpenters 1978 film halloween bears remarkable similarities to classical hollywood cinema, as well as some noteworthy differences. Each halloween night, i remember back to 1978, when halloween came out. John carpenters halloween, which was released more than 40 years ago, will always be required viewing for. Posted by louisabroadheadmediablog on december 15, 2011. Final thoughts next year will be the 40th anniversary of halloween, and a 2018 reboot called, well, halloween, will be released.
So, for my first piece of analytical work, my group decided that we would analyse the opening scene to halloween, and try to identify the genre conventions that were shown. Sep 10, 2018 the new halloween is gory, thoughtful, and surprisingly funny. John carpenters halloween is one of the best, scariest. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Halloween 1978 is a genuinely scary, stylistic and tasteful, extremely wellcrafted slasherhorror classic from young film director john carpenter who had previously directed two cult cinema classics, the scifi film dark star 1974 and the riveting crime genre film assault on precinct 1976 a modernday film often compared to howard hawks rio bravo 1959. On a cold halloween night in 1963, six year old michael myers brutally murdered his 17yearold sister, judith. After being institutionalized for 15 years, myers breaks out on the night before halloween. The film and our analysis flash forward fifteen years to october 30th, 1978, the night before halloween in smiths grove, illinois, some 150 miles away from haddonfield. John carpenters halloween is unleashed upon an unsuspecting public and, in no time, becomes a horror movie phenomenon. Upon its release in 1978, john carpenters nervefrying. Oct 27, 2012 the third, the hugely influential halloween made in 1978 and revived for the forthcoming trickortreat fest is the ultimate refined slasher movie, a style of exploitation picture spawned by. When i think of halloween some things that come to mind are decorations, pumpkins, costumes, and parties.
The boogeyman, fear, and responsibility a close analysis. Dec 15, 2011 opening scene analysis halloween 1978. The plot tells about a mental patient who was committed to a sanitarium for murdering his teenage sister on halloween night. The 1978 version of halloween is a classic in every sense of the word. Yablans subsequently suggested setting the movie on halloween night and naming it halloween instead. Whether the reboot captures the spirit of the original is yet to be seen. Halloween is a 1978 american slasher film directed and scored by john carpenter, cowritten with producer debra hill, and starring donald pleasence and jamie lee curtis in her film debut. Halloween is an american slasher horror film released on the 26th october 1978, it was a non hollywood production and was shot on a very low budget. John carpenters halloween movie facts mental floss. When the story returns to haddonfield, its halloween morning in 1978 and were introduced to two characters that are the core of both the film. The plot tells about a mental patient who was committed to a sanitarium for murdering his teenage sister on halloween night when he was six years old. Someone begins walking toward it, and sees a 17yearold judith margaret myers sandy johnson through the front door, kissing her boyfriend david kyle passionately.
Not only did it give birth to the slasher film genre, it seemed to encapsulate all thats mysterious and eerie about the october 31st holiday. Shot on a low budget with a mostly unknown cast and limited resources, halloween became an iconic piece of cinema that influenced generations of horror films that followed. Expertly directed and filmed, tightly scripted with believable characters, and nicely acted even by the younger cast members. In the middle of a street stands a twostory white victorian house. There are so many great and scary horror films out there you can watch to get in the halloween spirit, but there is only one halloween. The new halloween is a slasher movie with an actual. In haddonfield, illinois, sixyearold michael myers kills his teenage sister judith with a kitchen knife without explanation. John carpenters halloween 1978 is one of the most profitable independent films ever produced. Oct 12, 2017 rob zombies halloween ten years later. It was one of the first films to be classed under the slasher subgenre. A six year old child michael myers murdered his 17yearold sister. The original halloween 1978, cowritten and directed by john carpenter, tells the story of michael myers as he stalks and kills teenage babysitters on halloween night. In this paper, vincent canby wrote that the movie aimed so low, analysis has no place. Halloween is a 1978 american slasher film directed and scored by john carpenter, cowritten.
Halloween is an american slasher horror film released on the 26th october 1978. May, 20 nevertheless, john carpenters 1978 film halloween bears remarkable similarities to classical hollywood cinema, as well as some noteworthy differences. Its villain michael myers caused countless nightmares, and. John carpenters 1978 classic halloween is one of the most iconic horror pictures of all time. But on october 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21yearold michael myers steals a car and escapes smiths grove. Many sites put up lists of scariest movies of all time, or of the last ten to twenty years. Please note, i will be outlining the entire plot in my analysis. An analysis of the 1978 classic and how it used our universal fears to create one of the greatest horror films of all time. A 1978 independent horror film directed by john carpenter who also wrote the screenplay with producer debra hill, halloween serves as the trope codifier for the slasher movie formula halloween night, 1963. Halloween 1978 bloopers, mistakes, errors in continuity, plot holes, anachronisms, spoilers and more. He knows michael is coming back to haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, itll be too late for many people. Although bob clarks 1974 film, black christmas, is arguably the first slasher film, carpenters halloween defined the genre and set the gold standard.
The film begins on october 31, 1963, a cold halloween night in haddonfield, illinois. Halloween is a historical holiday that dates back to several thousand years ago. Set in the fictional small town of haddonfield, illinois, the story capitalizes on the sleepy nature of this agrarian american paradise, where. Halloween the film retains a stature apart from halloween the franchise and the empire, and its presence in the national film registry is a testament to its singular and continuing power. It also established carpenter as one of the most groundbreaking filmmakers of the 70s and 80s.
Halloween ii was distributed by universal pictures, and premiered in the united states on october 30, 1981. Myers is supposed to be age six when halloween begins in 1963. Its a terrifying and creepy film about what one of the characters calls evil personified. The boogeyman, fear, and responsibility a close analysis of halloween 1978. Oct 31, 2016 halloween isnt just a good horror movie, it is a good movie, period. Michael myers is the perfect horror character as portrayed by carpenter. Halloween continues to entertain with its enclosed spaces and creepy background. It goes without saying that it should be at least slightly better than that horrible rob zombie remake. Opening scene analysis halloween 1978 louisa broadhead. Find out about all the goofs from halloween 1978 on imdb. Our film begins on halloween night in 1963 in the town of haddonfield, illinois. Halloween a screenplay by john carpenter and debra hill shooting draft rev. Little michael myers is 6 years old, and he kills his older sister judith with a butcher knife. John carpenters halloween the night he came home 1978.
The film is also a favourite among theorists in both categorisation and conventions of the horror genre, and gender issues in film. Characters who appear in the original 1978 halloween. A critical introduction bloomsbury, forthcoming and the modern supernatural and the beginnings of. The suspenseful pacing of john carpenters halloween 1978. The original halloween wasnt meant to be a feminist. In order to better frame the analysis, a summation of halloween will be necessary, as well as a brief look at the peculiar nuances of the horror genre itself. Jun 30, 2018 although bob clarks 1974 film, black christmas, is arguably the first slasher film, carpenters halloween defined the genre and set the gold standard. The third, the hugely influential halloween made in 1978 and revived for the forthcoming trickortreat fest is the ultimate refined slasher movie, a style of exploitation picture spawned by. For those like myself, this month marks a time of movie. Spectators have drawn sundry conclusions about its meaning and symbolism since its. Fifteen years after murdering his sister on halloween night 1963, the psychopathic. So there is plenty of available reading and research available to me, making it an ideal choice for analysis. Tzvetan todorov was a linguist and philosopher from bulgaria.
What tropes and themes did halloween help introduce to. The film begins with sixyearold michael will sandin killing his older sister judith sandy johnson on halloween night 1963 in the fictional town of haddonfield, illinois. Although, some halloween traditions have come and gone, there are. He is subsequently hospitalized at warren countys smiths grove sanitarium.
He was locked away at smiths grovewarren sanitarium for 15 years, but on october 30, 1978, things were about to change. I want to also add that the movie has just a great overall feel from the soundtrack, to the way it. He is not well known and he is driven by pure evil. Financial analysis of halloween 1978 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. Find donald pleasence movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. In our new halloween analysis, we examine how director david gordon green has broken the slasher mold with his new movie.
The opening scene of john carpenters halloween 1978. Although, some halloween traditions have come and gone, there are many that we still celebrate today in the united states. It also became the highestgrossing slasher film of alltime. Oct 29, 20 halloween 1978 whole film case study slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Halloween is an absolutely merciless thriller, a movie so violent and scary that, yes, i would compare it to psycho 1960. We then had to present this to the rest of our media class. In our new halloween analysis, we examine how director david gordon green.
While being transferred, a now 21 year old michael myers escapes smiths grove and returns to his quiet hometown of haddonfield. I think of the young scared child that i was and how good the first halloween movie really was. In my opinion, a movie should stay with you long after the movie is over. The new halloween is gory, thoughtful, and surprisingly funny. This movie is played over and over every halloween season, and its a required. Oct 26, 2016 when the story returns to haddonfield, its halloween morning in 1978 and were introduced to two characters that are the core of both the film and this analysis laurie strode and tommy doyle. When considering john carpenters halloween, discussing it is unoriginal, but also unavoidable. No one knows, nor wants to find out, what will happen on october 31st 1978 besides myers psychiatrist, dr. Notice agerestricted video based on community guidelines category.
1025 193 11 964 231 429 681 492 1473 1067 1442 196 873 315 1454 916 806 1336 815 366 1119 1343 971 600 313 117 1554 1393 1424 546 383 1511 879 40 110 1071 349 1293 442 925 320 126