The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: Halloween (1978)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

Halloween (1978)

What is the most influential slasher film of all time? The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the film that really put the subgenre on the map, but it was John Carpenter’s Halloween that made it what it is today. You have a film that took a simple story of a serial killer unleashed on a small town (specifically a group of teenage friends) and created something so much more. Iconic. Restrained. Well-crafted. Michael Myers is one of the greatest specters in the history of cinema. There is a reason why Halloween has become one of the most beloved and legendary horror films of all time.

Who is the true MVP of Halloween? Carpenter. The most iconic element of this film must be the incredible score composed by Carpenter himself. The score has the perfectly crafted tones of what you expect from a Carpenter score. The piano is electric. The sounds are eerie. The theme played over the credits and a Jack-o-Lantern is one of the most memorable elements of the film. The track “The Shape Lurks” is unnerving as well. Then you have Carpenter’s direction as well. The trademark voyeuristic perspective that Carpenter plays in is engrossing and unnerving. The POV sequence that opens the film with a killer stalking through a house that ends with a shocking reveal. Carpenter gets plenty of scares in broad daylight through much of the first act. Seeing Myers stalking behind hedges and behind drying laundry. Then you have iconic moments like Myers’ mask appearing through the shadows as well of Myers sitting up in the background. But it is the restraint that Carpenter practices that makes the film so tense without cheap thrills.

What is the most important element of Halloween to make it work? Myers himself. “The Shape” lurks for sure and is terrifying. What is so surprising is how simple this whole visual of an unrelenting killing machine is. A William Shatner mask painted white. A jumpsuit that looks like you put on to do painting. A knife. That is all it takes. Throw in some heavy-breathing, extreme strength, and a penchant for never stopping and you have “The Shape”. The sitting up after being stabbed in the eye. Disappearing after taking rounds of bullets. This is all so haunting. What Myers represents is more terrifying. He is the darkness underneath the surface of a quaint and quiet small town like Haddonfield. That makes those final shots of the quiet Halloween night with the theme playing such an impactful and poignant finally.

Having two horror icons outside of your killer certainly makes for an even better experience, right? That is exactly what you get with Carpenter’s Halloween. Laurie Strode has become the blueprint of the slasher “Final Girl” and “Scream Queen”. Laurie is smart and resourceful. She is not up to the same types of reckless shenanigans as her friends on Halloween night. Jamie Lee Curtis delivers an engaging and empathetic performance as well. But it is her scream…that is iconic for sure. She set the stage for so many more heroines to deliver iconic screams over the next few decades. Laurie might be on the run from Myers, but Dr. Loomis is on the hunt. Having a well-respected and talented veteran performer like Donald Pleasance in the cast gives Halloween credibility and weight. His slightly manic and intense performance makes Dr. Loomis a memorable and iconic character which has been homage and parodied for decades to come. This duo of performances helps elevate a slasher film from being just a bunch of kills.

Does Halloween stand the test of time? This is the blueprint. The filmmaking is top notch and shows that Carpenter had one of the best technical eyes for horror and genre filmmaking in general at his peak. This launched a great career for Curtis who makes for one of the most iconic heroines in horror. Myers is a true slasher icon, and you can see why from his work in this original film. Finally, that music will be playing in your head for…well, ever.

Halloween is streaming on AMC+