Critic Reviews
Halloween (1978) Rank 5 Reviews
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based on (156) reviews
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Arrow in the Head ("The Arrow")
From the dark "pumpkin" opening credits, I knew I was in for something special. The first 10 minutes where the director puts us behind the eyes of the killer are sheer brilliance and what follows is an atmospheric, simple, subtle thriller with ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Arrow in the Head ("The Arrow")
The World's Greatest Critic! (J.C. Maçek III)
Let's face it... John Carpenter has made a few stinkers in his long career! He's had his ups and downs, but heed facts, for every Starman there's a Vampire$ and for every Memoirs of an Invisible Man there's a Dark Star! He's also had some real winners, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The World's Greatest Critic! (J.C. Maçek III)
Mike Bracken's Horror Films (Mike Bracken)
Twenty-one years after it exploded onto the horror scene, John Carpenter's seminal slasher flick, Halloween, still stands as one of the most vital and terrifying films ever made. Forget the lame sequels that came later, forget the weak and imitative ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Mike Bracken's Horror Films (Mike Bracken)
Jason Overbeck
Halloween is as good a film as Psycho, if not a better one. They are both terrifying, both caused many rip offs - none of which were as good, and both invented the mad slasher films. Halloween builds tension so wonderfully and keeps it so well that you ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Jason Overbeck
B-Movie Film Vault (Jordan Garren)
Apollo Movie Guide (Scott Weinberg)
The film that started one of Hollywood’s longest running horror series stars Jamie Lee Curtis as a young woman trying to stave off death at the hands of the lunatic Michael Myers. John Carpenter wrote and directed. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Apollo Movie Guide (Scott Weinberg)
MovieJustice (Pablo Hernandez)
eFilmCritic
John Carpenter's well done scare ...read the complete Halloween movie review at eFilmCritic
Dustin Putman
I have probably seen John Carpenter's horror masterpiece, "Halloween," more times than any other film (the first time being when I was all of 4-years-old), and it will always be the best horror film ever made, in my eyes. None of its six sequels (and ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Dustin Putman
Tail Slate (Horror Guru)
Only a handful of films are able to almost single-handedly jumpstart an entire genre. In horror, many experts feel Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho fits this description. George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead in 1968 actually created an entire sub-genre: ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Tail Slate (Horror Guru)
Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips Jr.)
John Carpenter's Halloween was one of the first and the flat-out best of that ghetto of the horror film genre, the slasher movie. It is also arguably the best horror film ever made, and it is also a great movie on any scale. It causes an agonizing ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips Jr.)
eFilmCritic.com (Dr. Isaksson)
One hour and eight minutes. That's how long it takes -- more than two-thirds of the way through a 91-minute movie -- before we finally get a clear, unobstructed view of the killer. He's wearing a mask, of course, though that comes off near the very end, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Dr. Isaksson)
B-Movie Film Vault (Jordan Garren)
Jamie Lee Curtis! Young babysitter who's savagely attacked by Myers at the movie's climatic ending. She gives the seemingly unstoppable killer a run for his money though. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at B-Movie Film Vault (Jordan Garren)
Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
flawless for what it is: a completely immersive, visceral dynamo of stylistic belly-jiggling and spine-shivering. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
A nearly flawless thriller. Everything a film in this genre should be: intelligent, stylish, and horrifying. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
Dustin Putman
I have probably seen John Carpenter's horror masterpiece, "Halloween," more times than any other film (the first time being when I was all of 4-years-old), and it will always be the best horror film ever made, in my eyes. None of its six sequels (and ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Dustin Putman
The Digital Bits
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
John Carpenter�s Halloween is a stripped down, primal horror movie. Made on a shoestring budget in the late 1970s before �slasher movie� was a worn-out derogatory phrase, Halloween went on to become the most economically successful independent ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
DVD Authority.com (Shane Martin)
My original thoughts going into the movie were that a movie this old can't be scary, it is just another slasher flick with crummy music and bad acting. I guess I had remembered the last time I watched a "scary" movie (Blair Witch) and came out bored. Was ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Authority.com (Shane Martin)
Tail Slate ("The Horror Guru")
iAfrica.com (Andrew Burden)
The message in ‘Halloween’ is simple — evil is inexplicable and can find you in the safest place you can think of — the home. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at iAfrica.com (Andrew Burden)
Film Freak Central (Walter Chaw)
very possibly no other seminal seventies film--not The Godfather , not Star Wars , perhaps not even Jaws --has had a greater influence on popular culture. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Film Freak Central (Walter Chaw)
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
From a shock-and-suspense point-of-view, Halloween is the rival of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." With only a few arguable exceptions (such as "The Exorcist"), there isn't another post-1970 release that comes close to it in terms of scaring the living hell ...read the complete Halloween movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Deep Focus (Bryant Frazer)
John Carpenter scored major points by nailing the essence of middle American terror. Halloween's Michael Myers struck fear in the hearts of moviegoers with an embodied Evil that made short work of suburban serenity. Responsible for jump-starting Jamie ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Deep Focus (Bryant Frazer)
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
John Carpenter directed this movie on a low budget, patterned after Psycho and other great horror movies, and made a fortune. Halloween brilliantly uses its widescreen frame, a lot of hand-held camerawork, and scary foreground and background action. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Empire (Chris Hewitt)
Turn off the lights. Put on the widescreen version, showcasing Carpenter’s masterful framing and chill-inducing, Michael Myers-concealing use of shadows. Crank up the sound, and be scared witless by horror’s greatest director. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Empire (Chris Hewitt)
LivingCorpse.com (Ron Hogan)
The little movie that could, John Carpenter's classic Halloween is one of the most profitable movies of all time, and that's before you count up all the money the massive array of sequels have pulled in amongst themselves. Moustapha Akkad is one rich ...read the complete Halloween movie review at LivingCorpse.com (Ron Hogan)
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
In late 1978, a small horror film opened in Bowling Green, Kentucky (before moving on to Chicago and New York City) that would change the face of the genre. Initially dismissed by many serious critics as unworthy of attention or praise, the motion ...read the complete Halloween movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Critic Doctor (Herb Kane)
When I think of a scary movie, my thoughts take me back to the year 1978, sitting on the edge of my seat in a movie theatre watching John Carpenter's "Halloween." It was the first movie (as a teenager) to startle me from beginning to end. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Critic Doctor (Herb Kane)
Eccentric Cinema
Halloween night, 1963. Michael Myers, a disturbed little boy, murders his sister after catching her flagrante delecto... A judge declares the boy legally insane and he's locked away in a mental institution. Fifteen years later, Michael escapes and ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Eccentric Cinema
Brandon Herring
In other words I am completely and utterly obsessed with the film. It has changed horror movies forever and spawned six sequels with only 2, 4, and 7 being truly good. It also spawned several cheap imitations of the film that were offensive in some ways ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Brandon Herring
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
So does John Carpenter. “Halloween” is an absolutely merciless thriller, a movie so violent and scary that, yes, I would compare it to “Psycho.” It's a terrifying and creepy film about what one of the characters calls Evil Personified. Right. And ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
DVD Up Close (Bill Treadway)
It is hard for some people to grasp what a landmark film Halloween really was. Back then, the type of horror films that were popular relied on some type of gimmick, such as a moldy castle or horrific monster. What made John Carpenter’s film so ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Up Close (Bill Treadway)
Raging Bull (Matt White)
If there were one thing about Halloween that separates it from all the other "slasher" films, I would say it is the cinematography. This movie is almost an exercise in widescreen terror. Even more than most films, it really should not be viewed in pan ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Raging Bull (Matt White)
KQEK DVD Review (Mark R. Hasan)
John Carpenter's iconic horror classic returns in a new incarnation from Anchor Bay, replacing the label's two older full screen/widescreen flipper discs, and the THX-mastered 1999 edition (released separately, and also as a limited edition set, with the ...read the complete Halloween movie review at KQEK DVD Review (Mark R. Hasan)
Joe Bob's Ultimate B Movie Guide (Joe Bob Briggs)
First slasher flick, and most profitable independent film in history. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Joe Bob's Ultimate B Movie Guide (Joe Bob Briggs)
Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)
That is the way John Carpenter opens his horror classic Halloween -- with an entire stalking and murder done through the eyes of the killer up to the revelation of his true identity. Halloween has become a monument of horror/suspense in the slasher age ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)
Mutant Reviewers From Hell
easily one of the best horror films ever made. And notice how William Shatner is tangentially involved? Shatner rules! ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Mutant Reviewers From Hell
Entertainment Insiders
John Carpenter's "Halloween" is a classic of American cinema. The low-budget film has scarred audiences for a quarter century. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Entertainment Insiders
Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
John Carpenter's Halloween was one of the first and the flat-out best of that ghetto of the horror film genre, the slasher movie. It is also arguably the best horror film ever made, and it is also a great movie on any scale. It causes an agonizing ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)
This is the film that started the era of slasher films. The story is about a serial killer named Michael Myers, who killed his sister, when he was only six, and has now escaped from his mental institution and returns to his home town to wreak havoc. He ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)
BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
As one of the most imitated and influential horror films ever made, "Halloween" has struggled in recent years to retain impact. It's familiarity, coupled with horrible tired old prints used for TV and video releases, have dated the film badly. If any of ...read the complete Halloween movie review at BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
Popcorn Pictures Review
Halloween stands the test of time and is one of the most defining and influential films in horror in modern cinema. Wrongfully brandished as one of the cheap splatter films of the time, Halloween quickly grew to become the most commercially successful ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Popcorn Pictures Review
Modamag.com - 25th Anniversary Edition DVD Review (Kage Alan)
What’s this? How can I give “Halloween” an “A” when I just gave “The Hours” an “A”? Easy. Each is a very different film and falls under different genres, so I rate them based on how well they perform as a whole within their genre. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Modamag.com - 25th Anniversary Edition DVD Review (Kage Alan)
Stomp Tokyo
Every once and a while a movie comes along that is so successful, both artistically and financially, that it creates a new genre. With the current mini-renaissance that slasher films are experiencing, now is a good time to reassess the movie that started ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Stomp Tokyo
Film Threat (--)
Film Threat (--)
"Halloween" is a creepy and terrifying film experience. For anyone who hasn't seen it, the description of the villain above is all that should be said. There is a boy, yes, with an angelic face, and back in 1963, he stabbed his sister to death, then was ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Film Threat (--)
Time Out
A superb essay in Hitchcockian suspense, which puts all its sleazy Friday the 13th imitators to shame with its dazzling skills and mocking wit. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Time Out
IndependentCritics.com (Richard Propes)
The film opens innocently enough. We see a young teenage girl and her boyfriend. It is rather obvious they have just had sex and then, suddenly, out of nowhere her six-year-old brother enters the room and stabs both of them to ...read the complete Halloween movie review at IndependentCritics.com (Richard Propes)
Apollo Guide (Scott Weinberg)
There’s a reason why you’ll rarely see a review of Halloween with fewer than four stars attached to it: it’s a freakin’ classic. As The Godfather is to gangster movies and Star Wars is to sci-fi, the original Halloween is much more than just a ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Apollo Guide (Scott Weinberg)
DVD Authority.com ("Fusion3600")
Fifteen years ago, a young Michael Myers murdered his older sister on Halloween night, and has been locked up in a mental institution ever since. The tale of the young Myers is well known, but has pretty much become part of the legend of the town, as if ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Authority.com ("Fusion3600")
DVD Authority.com ("Fusion3600")
Fifteen years ago, a young Michael Myers murdered his older sister on Halloween night, and has been locked up in a mental institution ever since. The tale of the young Myers is well known, but has pretty much become part of the legend of the town, as if ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Authority.com ("Fusion3600")
Justin Felix
A challenge was made to me: watch and write a film review for a movie that's actually good. I decided that this movie couldn't be something too obvious, like an epic that won a billion Academy Awards, but it still had to be a genre classic of some sort ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Justin Felix
Matt Dalton (--)
Member Reviews - 99% ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Matt Dalton (--)
Jerry Saravia
Just as the original "Psycho" sired the slasher genre, John Carpenter's "Halloween" solidified the genre that became more shock for your buck than genuine scares. Amazing that so few directors followed Carpenter's model - atmosphere to spare and a ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Jerry Saravia
HorrorWatch
Michael Myers is a six-year-old boy who kills his sister on Halloween for no apparent reason and gets committed to a mental institution. Fifteen years later he escapes while en route to a hearing where his shrink is trying to have him locked up for good ...read the complete Halloween movie review at HorrorWatch
SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
In 1974 director John Carpenter emerged with Dark Star (1974), made while he was still only a student at USC, an hilariously snide take on the whole “boldly going” space exploration rhetoric of Star Trek (1966-9). Carpenter then bummed around ...read the complete Halloween movie review at SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)
So tight is the stranglehold which John Carpenter's 'Halloween' has on our culture that if you watch it for the first time, you will be convinced that you have seen it before, and if you watch it again, it will still seem as relevant as when it first ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Movie Gazette (Anton Bitel)
DVD Times- Halloween 25th Anniversary SE
Halloween is, hands down, the greatest exploitation film ever made. I hope the use of the word â€exploitation’ doesn’t sound pejorative because I certainly don’t intend it to. Exploitation cinema frequently throws up some of the very worst trash ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Times- Halloween 25th Anniversary SE
DVD Net (Paul Dossett)
I've had the luxury of listening to the commentary track of the Criterion SE laserdisc of Halloween, and Carpenter states that his intention was to emulate Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, but draw the key moments of suspense out for the entire film. For the ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Net (Paul Dossett)
DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
I have the feeling that if you looked up the words "Halloween" and "DVD" on Yahoo, you'd find about a gazillion matches. Why? Because as of this writing Anchor Bay has released what seems to be dozens of editions of the horror classic on DVD, laserdisc, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
Movie-Vault.com (John Ulmer)
You can thank William Shatner for "Halloween." It is his face, after all, that the infamous Michael Myers (Nick Castle) wears in the shadows of "Halloween," spray painted white and its hair frizzled up in all directions. Michael is always in the shadows, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Movie-Vault.com (John Ulmer)
Chicago Reader (Dave Kehr)
Carpenter displays an almost perfect understanding of the mechanics of classical suspense; his style draws equally (and intelligently) from both Howard Hawks and Alfred Hitchcock. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Chicago Reader (Dave Kehr)
Boxoffice Magazine
A full quarter-century after it was made, "Halloween" still ranks among the best of its genre. As Freddie and Jason have now drifted into self-parody, Michael Myers is as menacing and fearsome as ever. Much of that, admittedly, has to do with now famous ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Boxoffice Magazine
movie reviews
I saw this movie for the first time only this year; I'm still a surprisingly big chicken when it comes to horror movies. It was so good I had to resee it, and I can easily imagine myself seeing it again before the end of the year. 20 years after it came ...read the complete Halloween movie review at movie reviews
DVD Journal
You've heard it all before: a mute, faceless maniac stalking sexy teenage girls. The reason you've heard it all before is John Carpenter's Halloween, the 1978 slasher flick that launched a new sub-genre of horror — one that quickly grew to define it. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Journal
Video Graveyard
This horror classic was the highest grossing independent film of all time (and rightfully so) until The Blair Witch Project took the title twenty years later. Along with Friday The 13th this was reponsible for the slasher movie glut of the early 80s yet ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Video Graveyard
AIN'T IT COOL Movie Review
Amazing, I've seen this film about 40 times now in my life. I know every twist, every shadow, but the movie can still hold my mind enthralled at 2am. I'm pretty sure it's because of two characters you never see in the film. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at AIN'T IT COOL Movie Review
DVDork.com (Ryan Keefer)
John Carpenter had a wacky idea, filming at night, using the daughter of a star of one slasher movie, and putting her in her own slasher movie, against a guy who doesn’t talk, and wears a Captain Kirk mask that’s spray painted white. Made for ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVDork.com (Ryan Keefer)
David Wilcock
In this likeable slasher movie, a seriously disturbed boy (who, although he's called Michael Myers, has nothing to do with the Mike Myers of Waynes World's fame!) kills his sister, gets locked up in a mental home, and, thirty years later, escapes, ready ...read the complete Halloween movie review at David Wilcock
Fulvue Drive-in
In the late 1970s, there was once a fine film magazine called Cinemonkey. Yes, Cinemonkey. Their spring 1979 issue was focusing on the films of 1978, including remarkable films like Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter, Paul Schrader’s Hardcore, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Fulvue Drive-in
Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
"One of the more successful indie forays into the slasher/horror film ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
There’s no more appropriate movie for Halloween night than this John Carpenter original. They should have broken the mold when they released Halloween, for when it comes to escaped-maniacs-on-the-loose films this one’s the real deal. If nothing else, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Cinema Laser (Derek M. Germano)
All through his career Carpenter has taken a beating from critics for being associated with the most maligned of all cinematic genres- namely horror. Well, as far as I am concerned both John Carpenter and horror movies have been treated unfairly by ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Cinema Laser (Derek M. Germano)
The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
Donald Pleasence's performance is calculated and chilling, and I like it. Jamie Lee Curtis doesn't do much but scream (though not as much as she's famous for -- only three real screams in this film), and it's hard to get behind a main character who's ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
Daily-Reviews.com (Chuck Dowling)
Not Coming to a Theater Near You (Leo Goldsmith)
Halloween, arguably, might have given birth to the slasher genre, but I have never felt it to be of that genre. John Carpenter’s role models in filmmaking were (and still are, for that matter) Howard Hawks, John Ford, Orson Welles, and other masters of ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Not Coming to a Theater Near You (Leo Goldsmith)
Crazy for Cinema (Lisa Skrzyniarz)
One of John Carpenter's best films, I first saw HALLOWEEN when I was 13-years-old and it scared the bejesus out of me. I was not and am not a big horror movie fan because I relish my sleep far too much. This is the ultimate "bogeyman" flick and I've ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Crazy for Cinema (Lisa Skrzyniarz)
Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
“Damn, this is one great ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
The Greatest Films (Tim Dirks)
Halloween (1978) is a genuinely scary, stylistic and tasteful, extremely well-crafted slasher/horror classic from young film director John Carpenter (who had previously directed two cult cinema classics, the sci-fi film Dark Star (1974) and the riveting ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Greatest Films (Tim Dirks)
Doug Skiles
Alright, here's the deal. Back in October of 1997, a nice little theater here in the St. Louis area, the "Mid Rivers 6" (one of those little mall theaters) decided to show the original HALLOWEEN film on one of its big screens - you know, like they say ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Doug Skiles
PreViewed DVD
When looking back on a movie that has spawned, directly or indirectly, dozens of bad imitators, the tendency may be to dismiss the original movie. After all, if it caused the creation of so much crap, isn't it likely to be crap in the first place? But ...read the complete Halloween movie review at PreViewed DVD
Kult Movie Maximus
Probably the best of all slasher films with the exception of Hitchcock's Psycho. Those uninitiated into horror films probably don't recognize the Halloween series as well as Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street. In fact, many think that Michael ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Kult Movie Maximus
Filmtracks
(John Carpenter) Unequivocally one of the most renown and effective horror movie theme, the simple-yet-unsettling Halloween main title theme composed by John Carpenter for his third feature film has remained to this day unsurpassed. It is funny that our ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Filmtracks
Appreciating Great Trash
BeyondHollywood.com
The rule of thumb in every Teen Slasher film is that the promiscuous characters die first. Sex is the kiss of death and taking your clothes off is like characters in a vampire movie taking off their cross. Our Fair Hair Lead is guaranteed survival ...read the complete Halloween movie review at BeyondHollywood.com
DVD-Dweeb.Com (Oliver Korioth)
When John Carpenter’s “Halloween” was shot over 20 days in South Pasadena during early 1978, no one thought they were crafting a classic. Certainly not many students at USC, Carpenter’s alma mater; many were repulsed and walked out of a campus ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD-Dweeb.Com (Oliver Korioth)
DVD MovieGuide
Would we still have witnessed the explosion of "slasher" movies during the late 1970s and early 1980s if 1978's Halloween never existed? Probably not. That creates a muddled legacy for the film; for every good horror movie of that era, there were about ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD MovieGuide
DVD MovieGuide
Halloween has been fully restored under the supervision of Lucasfilm’s THX Digital Mastering Services. The video was transferred by the award-winning colorist Adam Adams (Terminator 2, Titanic) from a new 35mm interpositive (mode from the original ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD MovieGuide
ToxicUniverse.com (Lee Chase IV)
John Carpenter's Halloween is a revolutionary film for several reasons. First, it proved the success of independent film and, second, it gave birth to the slasher genré. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at ToxicUniverse.com (Lee Chase IV)
And You Call Yourself a Scientist! (Liz Kingsley)
With the single possible exception of the Italian cannibal film – and there are so few of those by comparison – no movie genre has been greeted with such universal loathing and hostility as the slasher film. To an extent, this reaction is ...read the complete Halloween movie review at And You Call Yourself a Scientist! (Liz Kingsley)
filmcritic.com gets spooked on Halloween
Considered by many to be a modern horror classic, Halloween succeeds through simplicity. This thriller -- a veritable kickoff for 25-plus years of slasher films -- works because director John Carpenter keeps the story neat and the presentation basic. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at filmcritic.com gets spooked on Halloween
The Melancholy Eskimo Review -- Reviews & Essays
Halloween has come and gone, in the manner of all holidays, only to make dark hints that it may return, like certain genre movies which attain the status of belonging to a “franchise”. (I remember when this word first entered the popular vocabulary ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Melancholy Eskimo Review -- Reviews & Essays
Hysteria Lives! review
There must be more sites dedicated to it than to any other single movie. Even though I would argue that it certainly wasn't the first slasher movie, it is, after-all, the flick that was the catalyst (albeit unintentionally) for the tidal wave of teenage ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Hysteria Lives! review
Movie ram-blings (Ram Samudrala)
Any fan of horror movies is intimately familiar with Halloween even if they've not seen the actual film itself. The movie has been mimicked and parodied extensively and the cliches present have become embedded in pop culture. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Movie ram-blings (Ram Samudrala)
Shade.ca
One Halloween, a psychopathic child murders his sister with a knife. Fifteen years later, he escapes from the asylum where he was locked up. He grabs a mask and returns to his hometown, Haddonfield. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Shade.ca
FireBlade Coffeehouse DVD Reviews
have never been a fan of horror movies. Most of them seem to rely heavily on stupidity, either the characters’ or the writers’ or the directors’. The horrible things only happen because someone was really, really, unbelievably stupid. Probably ...read the complete Halloween movie review at FireBlade Coffeehouse DVD Reviews
The Onion A.V. Club (Keith Phipps)
With slasher films back in the public consciousness following last year's excellent Scream, what better time to take a second look at the film that ushered in the disreputable genre almost 20 years ago? With a new widescreen transfer that finally does it ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Onion A.V. Club (Keith Phipps)
Kinocite
Imitated, ripped-off and stricken with sequelitis, Halloween made its mark as the original slasher movie back in 1978 when it scared audiences silly and, as word-of-mouth spread, went into the record books as "the highest grossing horror movie ever". ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Kinocite
UpcomingDiscs.com (David Annandale)
In 1963, little Michael Meyers stabs his sister to death (the scene shown in a justly famous continuous POV shot). Fifteen years later, Michael escapes from the asylum and returns to his home town of Haddonfield. On Halloween night, he stalks Laurie ...read the complete Halloween movie review at UpcomingDiscs.com (David Annandale)
TV Guide (Staff (Not Credited))
There's nary a drop of blood on screen in this rollicking funhouse of a movie but there is enough sheer cinematic ingenuity on display to coax screams out of the most jaded gorehound. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at TV Guide (Staff (Not Credited))
Austin Chronicle (Mike Emery)
Not entirely without some laughable or dated scenes, Halloween remains an original that continues to inspire a genre and probe middle America's fears about what's really lurking in the laundry room after midnight. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Austin Chronicle (Mike Emery)
Diabolical Dominion
DVD Review e-zine
"Halloween" is the first movie I ever remember seeing. I walked in on my parents watching the movie with friends during the 'closet scene' towards the end of the movie. The horrific image of Michael Myers' white mask stuck with me even after I was rushed ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Review e-zine
Monsters At Play (Lawrence P. Raffel)
I don't know about you folks, but I'm getting pretty tired of discussing the same old flicks here. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Halloween (along with a select few of its sequels), but I'd much rather sit back and just enjoy what should be the ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Monsters At Play (Lawrence P. Raffel)
DVD Review e-zine
Originally titled "The Babysitter Murders" but renamed before its release in 1978, "Halloween" is the primordial of all slasher flicks.
No matter which stalker film you watch today, each and every one of them builds upon the recipe established by ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Review e-zine
Horror Express (Jonathan Stryker)
The first thing that struck me about HALLOWEEN was John Carpenter’s amazingly effective minimalist score. To think that he directed and wrote the music to this film astonished me. The music is so simple, yet so scary and fits the film like a glove. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Horror Express (Jonathan Stryker)
Worldwide DVD Forums
Well, I guess I should make a start and I could only think of this genius film to review. John Carpenters low budget film, Halloween. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Worldwide DVD Forums
Edinburgh U Film Society (Keith H. Brown)
One of the most profitable and influential films ever, Halloween has now spawned two generations of imitators, from Scream and company in the late 1990s. Although one would have to acknowledge that Halloween itself rips off its seasonal title and its ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Edinburgh U Film Society (Keith H. Brown)
DVDBeaver
Halloween is one of those films where the attention to detail is evident in every frame. While there are many memorable moments, three scenes stand out above the rest. The first is the long, unbroken opening sequence where the young Michael dons a clown ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVDBeaver
Entertainment Weekly (Bruce Fretts)
Carpenter's brutally efficient exercise in tension and release. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Entertainment Weekly (Bruce Fretts)
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Jay Scott)
This low-budget horror film, sophisticated far beyond its budget, is the work of John Carpenter, an authentic prodigy whose style recalls both Martin Scorsese and the Brian De Palma of "Carrie," but who has a metaphysical, sophomoric sense of humor both ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Jay Scott)
DVD Savant review
Twenty-five years later, Halloween still looks impressive. The horror content is now on the tame side, but the film wasn't all that explicit even in 1978. What we remember, as in most Carpenter films, is the assured, professional build-up that interests ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Savant review
Crazy for Cinema
One of John Carpenter's best films, I first saw HALLOWEEN when I was 13-years-old and it scared the bejesus out of me. I was not and am not a big horror movie fan because I relish my sleep far too much. This is the ultimate "bogeyman" flick and I've ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Crazy for Cinema
Off-screen
Halloween night 1963: una bella casa bianca con veranda, una zucca illuminata sulla destra, una vecchia filastrocca di bambini: …chi non paga presto piange…
C'è un occhio curioso e invadente, è l'occhio della strega forse, oppure il ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Off-screen
Joe Chamberlain
I first saw Halloween when I was in junior high, which was more than a decade ago. To this day the theme song still gives me chills. By far, Halloween has the best soundtrack of any horror film ever made, with the possible exception of Psycho. Much like ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Joe Chamberlain
Celluloid Dreams
John Carpenter´s Halloween was first released in 1978 and can be credited with sparking the run of "slasher" films, which were to prove very popular throughout the eighties. Michael Myers was the original masked killer, silent, icy and intent on killing ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Celluloid Dreams
not coming to a theater near you (Rumsey Taylor)
Psycho supplies a tremendous influence for Halloween. Jaime Lee Curtis is, firstly, the daughter of Janet Leigh. Michael Myer’s hunter is named Sam Loomis after the boyfriend in Psycho (there is also a Marion in the credits, speculatively after Marion ...read the complete Halloween movie review at not coming to a theater near you (Rumsey Taylor)
Andrew Hicks (Andrew Hicks)
review at "metamovie.de"
CultureDose.net (Lee Chase IV)
Horror DVDs Review
In 1978 Director John Carpenter and Producer Debra Hill collaborated on a film for the second time. The film originally titled "The Baby-sitter Murders" would later be known to countless fans as "Halloween". Written by both John Carpenter and Debra Hill ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Horror DVDs Review
Shivers Of Horror
Raging Bull Movie Reviews
DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
If at first you don't succeed.... Anchor Bay's initial DVD issue of "Halloween" did not come off too well visually, the picture quality often looking faded and washed out, especially in nighttime sequences, and sometimes accompanied by instances of ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
DVD Review
After 21 years “Halloween” is still one of the most impressive horror films that never seems to lose its appeal, and is widely considered John Carpenters best film to date - although I personally prefer some of his later films over ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVD Review
digitallyOBSESSED.com (Dan Lopez)
By now, John Carpenter's Halloween is practically an American institution. It's not only one of the most instrumental horror films ever made, it's also one of those iconic movies that never dies in the public conscious. I feel rather insignificant ...read the complete Halloween movie review at digitallyOBSESSED.com (Dan Lopez)
FearScene
What is it that is so terrifying about Michael Myers? Is it the blank white mask, the black bottomless eyes, the relentless killings? Or is it something more...Pure Evil. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at FearScene
DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)
Classic Horror
It's a dark, autumn night. You're alone in the house, and the wind is playing all sorts of tricks on your mind. You hear a noise. Sitting bolt upright, you check for a presence. Nothing. And then, in the corner of your eye... SOMETHING! If there was ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Classic Horror
Classic-Horror.com
It's a dark, autumn night. You're alone in the house, and the wind is playing all sorts of tricks on your mind. You hear a noise. Sitting bolt upright, you check for a presence. Nothing. And then, in the corner of your eye... SOMETHING! If there was ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Classic-Horror.com
Ain't It Cool Movie Reviews (Harry Knowles)
Cold Fusion Video Reviews (Nathan Shumate)
Halloween is almost impossible to watch with a straight face now -- not because it's bad (quite the opposite), but because of what I call the "Casablanca effect": every line, theme, plot point, musical cue, etc., has been imitated, homaged, ripped-off, ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Cold Fusion Video Reviews (Nathan Shumate)
MovieEye.com (David Litton)
I first saw "Halloween" nearly three years ago in December of 2000, in the haze of pharmaceutical drugs given me by my dentist after having my wisdom teeth ripped from my mouth. Were it not for that incident, I probably would not remember my first ...read the complete Halloween movie review at MovieEye.com (David Litton)
Weekly Reviews (Nathan Weinbender) - Capsule
The Terror Trap
If the criteria for a horror classic includes how well the film holds up after repeated viewings, the scare factor, the acting, the effectiveness of the score, its directorial style and photography, etc., then this baby has it all.
Director John ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Terror Trap
ZombieKeeper.com
HOLLYWOOD'S C LIST
This film is still one of John Carpenter’s best. His direction is perfect, especially for such a low-budget movie. The suspense is wonderful and still very capable of generating chills in today’s audiences. The soundtrack, also composed by ...read the complete Halloween movie review at HOLLYWOOD'S C LIST
Choking on Popcorn (Arjan Welles)
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 ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Choking on Popcorn (Arjan Welles)
DigitalVD.de (Mike Borrink)
John Carpenter erschuf 1978 einen ganz besonderen Film: Packende Spannung und Stars wie Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies) und Donald Pleasance (Die Klapperschlange) machen diesen Gruselschocker zu einem besonderen Klassiker der Filmgeschichte, der bis heute ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DigitalVD.de (Mike Borrink)
DigitalVD.de (Oliver Anter)
John Carpenter erschuf 1978 einen ganz besonderen Film: Packende Spannung und Stars wie Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies) und Donald Pleasance (Die Klapperschlange) machen diesen Gruselschocker zu einem besonderen Klassiker der Filmgeschichte, der bis heute ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DigitalVD.de (Oliver Anter)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Although Black Christmas predates John Carpenter's film by four years, Halloween is the one that popularized the formula for almost every slasher movie that followed it, from Friday the 13th to A Nightmare on Elm Street to I Know What You Did Last ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Icons of Fright
The documentary itself is so extensive, that it’s mandatory viewing for even the most casual Halloween fan. Over the course of 84 minutes, we go into the entire history of the Halloween franchise, starting with John Carpenter’s classic and going ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Icons of Fright
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Although Black Christmas predates John Carpenter's film by four years, Halloween is the one that popularized the formula for almost every slasher movie that followed it, from Friday the 13th to A Nightmare on Elm Street to I Know What You Did Last ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
iofilm.co.uk
Imitated, ripped-off and stricken with sequelitis, Halloween made its mark as the original slasher movie back in 1978 when it scared audiences silly and, as word-of-mouth spread, went into the record books as "the highest grossing horror movie ever". ...read the complete Halloween movie review at iofilm.co.uk
DVDnett.no
DVDnett.no har tidligere anmeldt "Halloween - 20 år etter" (sone 2), den siste Halloween-filmen så langt. Nå tar vi altså for oss den aller første filmen, som til nå har avlet hele seks oppfølgere, og som har vært prototypen til en endeløs rekke ...read the complete Halloween movie review at DVDnett.no
At-A-Glance Film Reviews
The movie does one key thing right: it puts the emphasis on suspense rather than gore. There's almost no gore in this movie, actually -- nor is any needed. Carpenter builds all the atmosphere and tension he needs from what is not seen. What's lurking ...read the complete Halloween movie review at At-A-Glance Film Reviews
Variety (Staff (Not Credited))
After a promising opening, Halloween becomes just another maniac-on-the-loose suspenser. However, despite the prosaic plot, director John Carpenter has timed the film's gore so that the 93-minute item is packed with enough thrills. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Variety (Staff (Not Credited))
MovieEye.com (Jenny Piston)
John Carpenter's 1978 thriller Halloween is definitely scary. The fact that a child lunatic-turned adult lunatic escapes from a hospital after fifteen years of incarceration and returns to his hometown is very, very frightening. It is frightening because ...read the complete Halloween movie review at MovieEye.com (Jenny Piston)
Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)
What a letdown! I know purists are gonna hate me for this, but I don't get this flick. Okay, you got a killer on the loose in a small town who slashes babysitters, then is stopped, all that on Halloween day. Okay, that's a good starting point for a film.. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)
The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
John Carpenter's Halloween sucks. It's boring. It's not scary. ...read the complete Halloween movie review at The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
Foster on Film - Slashers
I didn't see Halloween in '78. Then it was a phenomenon. It was the beginning of a new kind of film. By the time I got to it, I'd seen dozens of films exactly like it. There's no question of its importance to the Slasher sub-genre, though I question ...read the complete Halloween movie review at Foster on Film - Slashers
James Brundage
Like all of the horror movies that you and I, the babies and the people who lived through the 80s dealt with, it has the same basic plot: Psycho escaped from institution has fun stabbing/gutting/strangling/decapitating (based upon film) the victims of ...read the complete Halloween movie review at James Brundage
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