Halloween approaches, and, with it, the collective preparation for its celebration. As we stock up on candy for trick-or-treaters and piece together costumes for parties, we are reminded of the classic film that made Halloween even more exciting.
John Carpenter has given the world a lot of cult classics—he brought us “The Thing,” “The Fog,” and “They Live.” However, none is quite as beloved as “Halloween.” With dynamic characters and a simple, chilling premise that gets under your skin, the 1978 horror flick has left an impact on audiences for nearly 40 years.
It opens with a murder—that always seems to be the case with horror films. Except, with this one, there is a twist: The murderer is a child. Our antagonist is a demon from day one, it seems, and continues to be even after his escape from the asylum years later, the day before Halloween. His name is Michael Myers, and his psychologist, Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence), is determined to track him down. Pairing up with the sheriff of Haddonfield, Myers’ hometown, he makes moves to find the murderer before night falls.
Enter our protagonist, Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis). Laurie is sturdy and responsible. Unlike her friends, Annie (Nancy Loomis) and Lynda (P.J. Soles), who plan to spend the night with their boyfriends, Laurie has plans to babysit on Halloween night. But her responsibility doesn’t exclude her from the action. As Michael Myers begins to pick off her friends, one by one, Laurie goes to investigate, unwittingly throwing herself into the path of a murderer.
Apart from the film’s thrills and suspenseful atmosphere, the characters are what make this movie shine. Laurie isn’t your typical horror protagonist. She isn’t an overly stereotyped nerd or ditzy blonde; she’s a responsible, unassuming individual. She isn’t just placed in the story as a plot device—she has personality. She’s recognizable, and her friends are equally bold in their flavor. While Lynda is admittedly the stereotypical cheerleader, Annie is the snarky best friend, daughter of the sheriff and, consequently, a bit rebellious in her attitude.
Even Michael Myers has more personality than just a creepy, heavy-breathing antagonist (see the scene in which he wears sunglasses over a bed sheet—it really emphasizes how killing is fun for him). He is one of the few horror villains of that time period who wasn’t supernatural in some form. He was just evil, though his recurring revival in the succeeding films plays with the idea that he’s unstoppable.
As far as franchises go, none of the other films quite reached the cult status of the first. But the world is always ready to see Michael Myers in action again. This year, there will be plenty of opportunity to see pieces of this franchise. “Halloween” and two of its sequels will play at Midtown Cinema in October.
Midtown Cinema
Special Events
October
The Late Shift with Zeroday
“Poltergeist” (1982)
Saturday, Oct. 1, 10:30 p.m.
Classic Film Series
“Dial M For Murder” (1954)
Sunday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m.
Down in Front!
“Troll 2” (1990)
Friday, Oct. 14, 9:30 p.m.
“Bloodlust!” (1961)
Friday, Oct. 28, 9:30 p.m.
Digital Theatre Series
“The Deep Blue Sea” (National Theatre Live)
Sunday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m.
“Frankenstein” (National Theatre Live)
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m.
3rd in the Burg $3 Movie
“Beetlejuice” (1988)
Friday, Oct. 21, 9:30 p.m.
15th Anniversary Film Series
“Black Swan” (2010)
Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.
“Nosferatu” (1922)
Saturday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m.
The Halloween Series
“Halloween” (1978)
Thursday, Oct. 13, 9 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.
“Halloween II” (1981)
Saturday, Oct. 15, 9 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m.
“Halloween III: Season of the Witch” (1982)
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 9 p.m.
“Halloween 4” (1988)
Thursday, Oct. 20, 9 p.m.
“Halloween 5” (1989)
Thursday Oct. 27, 9 p.m.
Author: Sammi Leigh Melville
