Horror films have been around for decades now in mainstream media. One of the first films to really take off in theatres was Halloween. This film did great things for horror at the time. It popularized horror more than ever and took slasher films to another level.

In class we watched and took notes on the film. In today’s eyes it was not very scary or gruesome, so why was it such a big hit in 1978?

The film Halloween was created during the late 60s. This was around some terrifying events such as Martin Luther kings assassination and serial killers such as Ted Bundy harming people in gruesome ways. Therefore the fear of someone lurking in the shadows wanting to affect terrible harm upon you was an even greater then today.

Not only what was in the paper was having an impact on films and horror, but the media and television were allowing people that were at home during the Vietnam War to see horrifying images of what happened there.

Micheal Myres

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The character Micheal Myres was the stand-alone terrifying murderer of this film. What makes this character so intriguing is that he is introduced first as a young boy, who is not innocent as a child should be. After murdering his own sister, the boy is hospitalized in a Sanitarium.

Once he escapes 15 years later the true horror begins…

This character continuously goes against societal norms without a true motivation of why he is inflicting pain and fear onto others. This is what continues to make this monster terrifying is that it could be anyone and it could be coming for you.

Film Creation and Techniques

In an article written by The New York Times the said that “what’s onscreen is a marriage of commerce and art” when talking about Halloween.

Some may not know but this horror classic was actually a low budget film. There was only two little offices for Debra hill and John Carpenter, and the film was shot without pre rehearsing.

Being a low budget film they had to use really effective techniques to make the horror come alive.

One of the most effective pieces to a horror film is the sound. Halloween is known for its recurring song that comes on whenever Michael is near. This tells the audience something terrible is about to happen and keeps them on the edge of there seats. The piercing sound effects were also much more dramatized making scenes much more intense.

The camera work was also done very well. Even at the beginning the way the director made you see the world through young Michaels eyes as he stabs his sister to death is very unpleasant.

Frankenstein

During the same time we watched this film we were in the middle of reading the classic Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. I was able to make some comparisons between the two monsters one being Frankenstein’s monster and two being Michael Mires. Both of these characters struggle with society. The monster in the novel is seen as “almost too horrible for human eyes”(pg. 151), and Michael tries to convey this same reaction with a creepy mask. Just as micheal watches from a far on Laurie’s life the monster watches the family next door closely and constantly.