Halloween (1978)

reviewed by
James Brundage


Halloween : The Boogeyman don't scare me.

As reviewed by James Brundage

Someone once told me it was the most successful independent film of all time. Someone else told me that it revolutionized horror. Yet another told me it created horror (HELLO, Psycho?). Personally, I don't see what the big deal is all about. There are movies that I just can't stand. That their even being created mystifies me. Halloween was such a film.

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 his killing spree.

Like most horror movies, it could have been good for a laugh. But no. Trust John Carpenter (director) to give us a film that takes itself so seriously that you just can't laugh at it. All you can do is sit there with that glazed look in your eyes.

I am truly sorry it was made. If it wasn't, there would be no horror genre (for mass market), and we would be out some of the worst films of all time. Granted, the Scream franchise would be gone too, but I could live with that. I'm sorry if you already saw it. I'm sorry if you want to see it. Please, I implore you, don't waste your time.

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