Halloween (1978) Remains the Quintessential King

By horror author Eric Woods | Guest Editorial

At what age do you decide to warp your kids’ minds and introduce them to horror movies? I started when I was 11 or 12, which is also when I let my oldest son dabble in the genre. I still remember taking him to see Fright Night 3D in theaters on his 11th birthday.

I’ve watched hundreds of horror movies over the past four decades. But when it comes to classics, you still can’t beat John Carpenter’s original Halloween from 1978.

I know, I know. You must be ancient if you like something so OLD. Hell, by today’s standards it’s probably laughed off as a kid’s movie. Especially with all the new-fangled technology, CGI, and AI slop that’s at your fingertips 24/7. Plus, the movie lacks the blood and guts that so many horror fans love to gush over.

So, I can see how the new generation might look at an almost 50-year-old independent horror movie shot in 20 days on a budget of $325,000 and think “how did anyone ever think that was good?”

You see, I grew up on cheesy 80s slasher films. The first one I saw was Friday the 13th. Soon, my friends and I were watching anything and everything we could get our hands on. And most of these weren’t necessarily scary.

But Halloween was and still is terrifying as hell.

Here’s why Halloween still holds up nearly 50 years later:

Its Simple Plot Is Fucking Creepy, Man!

Michael Myers stalks babysitters on Halloween night after escaping a mental hospital. That’s really the entire plot. So how does it still scare viewers five decades later?

Michael is everywhere. Laurie sees him staring into her window while standing in Mr. Riddle’s backyard. She also sees him in the car outside the high school. And again on the walk home, he’s behind the bushes…until he isn’t.

Oh, and let’s not forget the PSA “speed kills!” followed by the car slamming to an immediate stop and sitting idle for what felt like hours.

Then later in the movie, after it gets dark, little Tommy Doyle is the recipient of Michael’s creepy taunts. He sees him multiple times outside the window, including the scene when Michael is carrying Annie’s lifeless body into the house.

That’s when Tommy flips his shit, screaming about how the boogeyman is outside. And let’s not forget about the heavy breathing in the mask.

The Jump Scares Are Perfectly Timed

I’ve seen the movie over a hundred times, and I still get chills when Michael pops up in the backseat of Annie’s car.

I also know he’s going to jump from the pantry, grab Bob by the throat, and lift him off the ground before spiking him into the wall…but my heart still races every time that scene approaches.

The blood is non-existent in these scenes. It wasn’t needed to have the desired effect.

Boobs.

Okay, so it’s not as gratuitous as say Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (which was directed by a former porn director, if you didn’t know).

But when you’re a hormonal teenager and you get a glimpse of Lynda (P.J. Soles) topless in bed (and then again when Michael kills her), you find yourself paying closer attention the rest of the way.

And don’t act like I’m the only one who hit pause on the VCR during those scenes!

The Music

Nearly fifty years later, Carpenter’s original theme is still recognized today as one of the all-time greatest horror scores.

No matter how many times they modify it whenever a new movie comes out, the original piano medley tells us that evil has arrived.

I just wish I still knew how to play the theme.

The Acting!

Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Charles Cyphers, Nancy Loomis (Kyes), and P.J. Soles made every piece of dialogue sound natural.

I will agree that JLC’s screams were a tad annoying, but overall, she and the rest of the cast were phenomenal (and perfectly cast).

There Is Nothing Supernatural About It

The scariest movies for me have always been the ones that could actually happen in real life.

How terrified would you be hearing that a man escaped a mental hospital and is on the loose in your town?

Oh, and before y’all come at me about the ending… Yes, I get it. A guy shot six times before falling out of a second story window isn’t too realistic.

But when you’re psychotic and feel little to no pain…is it truly that unrealistic?

Michael Myers Has (and Needs) No Motive

I’m not a fan of Rob Zombie’s horror movies. But I was especially critical when he remade Halloween and gave Michael a ridiculous backstory to explain why he became a killer.

No. What made Michael unique was that we didn’t know why he stalked and killed babysitters on Halloween night.

We won’t get into the sister angle from the sequels, as that was never mentioned in the original.

In Halloween, Michael Myers is a heartless, soulless killer without a game plan. He’s pure evil (just like Dr. Loomis said).

Ultimately, Michael Myers is the boogeyman under the bed that we’ll always secretly be afraid of.

The King of Halloween Still Reigns

So, whether Halloween is just around the corner or already behind us, it is imperative that all horror fans revisit one of the primary reasons the genre still exists today.

Take in the original Halloween and let Michael Myers continue to terrify as only he can.

Oh, and you have to watch it at night in the dark. Without your phone on.

Lynda’s boobs will thank you.

About the Author: Eric Woods is a horror author and guest contributor to Horror-Fix. His appreciation for classic horror, slasher cinema, and the genre’s enduring legacy is at the heart of this retrospective.

Horror-Fix would like to extend a special thank-you to horror author Eric Woods for contributing this editorial and sharing his passion for John Carpenter’s Halloween with our readers. We appreciate Eric taking the time to write this piece and helping keep the conversation about classic horror alive!