Halloween

[dsurrett]

I saw the original Halloween years ago. If memory serves correctly, it didn't show a lot of blood or graphic violence compared to recent horror movies, but used setting and music to build the tension. I'd rank it as one of the great all-time horror movies.
I saw the 2007 remake of it over the weekend. It was interesting to see Michael Myers's background, but it turned into another blood-bath movie. Once he got back to Haddonfield I fast forwarded to the end.
I'd like to read comments from old folks like me who saw the original way back when.

[Perse Jr.]

It's been years since I saw the original Halloween, but I do remember how it was a "clean" scary, not like the gore movies of today. Heck, back then the Friday the 13th movies were considered over-the-top, and they're nothing compared to the movies made now.

I do still remember that music from Halloween....creepy, scary...it made the movie.

Last fall I was at a pumpkin festival in NH and there were several people dressed up in scary costumes. One was Mike Myers; he had the coveralls, the mask with hair, a huge knife; made me feel like a kid again as I took a wide detour around him as he stood there wide-shouldered, not moving. :eek2:

[SKfan2006]

i've watched the original a couple years ago and thought it was pretty good.haven't had a chance to see the sequel, part 6, or rob zombie's yet.in august they're bringing out H2 and it'll focus more on Laurie and how the events of the first film affected her 2 years later. from the trailer it takes place mostly in a hospital.

[irisahart]

i agree. i am only 36 but i remember watching it and being very scared of closets. the original made you scared of the shadows in the corners. the new one just made you want to close your eyes especially when the girl was raped by michael and the other guy in the crazy hospital the new one is sick.

[thymeoperator]

i LOVE that movie, i've seen it so many times over the last 13 years. the sequels are so ridiculous, it's easy to forget just how scary the first one is. it's got some terrible acting in it and some really cheesy parts to the script, at times, but it works so well. i think it's the minimalism that makes it so scary. all the gore in modern films just makes me cringe, disgusted, but it doesn't have the same fear factor as a movie like 'halloween', which plays on a really primal terror: that someone's watching you, always just out of the corner of your eye.

i think one of the most terrifying things in a film ever is when laurie looks out her bedroom window and sees michael standing stock still just watching her, with the sheets blowing around him on the clothes line, and then she looks away and when she looks back he's gone. i love how the whole film is like maybe she's just imagining it, and she keeps trying to tell herself to forget it because she's just imagining things, but in the end it turns out that no he's real, he's really there. it's like everyone's worst nightmare, isn't it?

and when she kills him but then discovers the body is gone...well, it's such a silly cliche with these movies now but i think in that first film it was great because it was like it was saying no, you can't destroy fear, it will always creep up on you again, you'll never be 100% certain that the thing in the shadows is gone. and obviously you really don't need a big budget and buckets of blood to get that message across!

[Jojo87]

I love the original version of Halloween. Saw it 2001 or 2002 don't remember. :smile2: But the remake was bad. It was one of the worst made Halloween movie. I'll guess it would have been better if John Carpenter have directed it.

[SKfan2006]

you know whats funny about the series? the only ones that were meant to have Myers was the first two. each installment after that were ment to be about different horrifying events that take place on halloween. hence why halloween 3 is so different. but when people complained about where michael was they decided to bring him back for the 4th film. but when they got to H20 they retconned 4, 5, and 6. not sure how ressurection had to do with the kill a family member storyline since the story pretty much ended after the first 10 minutes with Lauries death.

[Laymonking]

The orginal Halloween is a classic movie of the horror genre it is a great film.
The remake well sucked pure and simple, it was made by a rockstar and his last films proved he ain't a film maker. The new Halloween film looks worse than the orginal remake.
Sad to see a great series go down hill.

[natalia101]

halloween was the only film to give me nightmares, it was knowing that what ever you did he would not die and would always come back and not knowing when thats what made it scary for me, most of these new horror films that rely on blood and gore might gross you out but they don't really scare, IMHO of course!

[smooth operator]

I saw the original Halloween years ago. If memory serves correctly, it didn't show a lot of blood or graphic violence compared to recent horror movies, but used setting and music to build the tension. I'd rank it as one of the great all-time horror movies.
I saw the 2007 remake of it over the weekend. It was interesting to see Michael Myers's background, but it turned into another blood-bath movie. Once he got back to Haddonfield I fast forwarded to the end.
I'd like to read comments from old folks like me who saw the original way back when.

Okay - glad to oblige. I saw Halloween at the theater when it was a first run movie. I was a freshman in college and the theater was full of college students. It was one of the first times I ever remember the audience yelling at the actors on the screen, as if they could hear them. Halloween was one of the scariest movies ever, and there was very little graphic violence. The music and the surprises generated the real fear. This movie cost next to nothing to make, especially compared to today's big budgets. And just think how much it has made over the years - and it has become classic horror fare. This was John Carpenter showing us his genius and we loved it.

[thymeoperator]

you know whats funny about the series? the only ones that were meant to have Myers was the first two. each installment after that were ment to be about different horrifying events that take place on halloween. hence why halloween 3 is so different. but when people complained about where michael was they decided to bring him back for the 4th film. but when they got to H20 they retconned 4, 5, and 6. not sure how ressurection had to do with the kill a family member storyline since the story pretty much ended after the first 10 minutes with Lauries death.

i always wondered about that! thanks for clearing that mystery up! i actually preferred number 8 to 7 though. 7 just annoyed me. but 8 bugged me when they said they were the first people to go into the myers house since the murders, when the whole point of number 6 was that they'd redone the house and let a new family into it and michael was trying to kill them off to reclaim his home. yeah...i'm sad enough to have cared about the continuity in those films :)

[SKfan2006]

i always wondered about that! thanks for clearing that mystery up! i actually preferred number 8 to 7 though. 7 just annoyed me. but 8 bugged me when they said they were the first people to go into the myers house since the murders, when the whole point of number 6 was that they'd redone the house and let a new family into it and michael was trying to kill them off to reclaim his home. yeah...i'm sad enough to have cared about the continuity in those films :)

well there are two continutity's story-wise.
the first is H1, H2, H4, H5, and H6.
the second is H1, H2, H20, and HR. in this one it's like Laurie moved and hadn't seen hide nor hair of Michael in 20 years so they had to show the pshocological side of that. in this version it's like Jaimie never existed.

[karend3]

Back in the 70's and early 80's it wasn't allowed to show too much nudity or blood but it still scared the bejesus out of people. I watched Rob Zombies and while I loved the full Michael Myers back ground, wow the gore in that movie, I never watched it again, I will always take the original Halloween 1 and 2.

[ZotR]

As far as the Rob Zombie one is concerned, the words "dear Christ, make it go away" come to mind... :P

[NW Groupie]

I saw the original Halloween in the movie theater a few days after it was released. I was scared to death before it even started; not because of the content, but because I was underage and was convinced the ushers were going to drag me kicking and screaming from my seat because I was only 15. (Theaters used to be really serious about not letting anyone in to rated-R movies if they were not with a parent.) Of course, it didn't help that while standing in line, my big sister's friend said at the top of her voice: "What?! You're only 15? I'm telling the usher not to let you in!"

The original Halloween was a hell of a lot more suspenseful than most of the splattery movies that followed it, and was probably one of the last of the “horror” movies made that relied more on inner fears than fear of getting sliced and diced. Gotta admit, tho - one scene still bugs me. If I was babysitting and spilled something on my clothes, I sure as hell would not strip down (sorry, guys!) and toss ‘em in the washer right then and there. Actually, that scene did horrify me in another way – that she wasted all that water on just a small amount of clothes! Must be growing up with water shortages in California that made the scene so horrific for me!

I did see the Rob Zombie version a few weeks ago. He did a great job with Mike Myers' childhood background - it sure explained a lot of things about him. (His nickname could have been “Slugger.”) Like a few of you said, tho – once he got back to Haddonfield, the movie kind of became pointless. It WAS a nice touch at the end, tho – when they tied in his baby sister screaming with his now-teenaged sister screaming. Word of warning to animal lovers: do not watch the credits!

[Robbi]

I was about 15 when I saw the original Halloween. It was so scary to me at the time, a few days after I was babysitting and was frozen in the living room afraid to go into the other end of the house where my nephew was sleeping. And still to this day on one of those gray early winter days I can look outside in the backyard and for a split second I think of Michael Myers like Laurie did just standing there. And to be honest even as an adult I am still afraid to see some of the horror movies because of that experience.

[Insomniak]

I liked the Rob Zombie version of Halloween. H2 looks cool, I like the Carpenter original. That would be a wicked marathon though>All including H20.:oo:

[Jack Frost]

Halloween is one of my all time FAVORITE scary movies. I even like Halloween 2 quite a bit.

I liked the Rob Zombie remake, but it just didn't do the original justice in my humble opinion. My biggest issue was with Michael's childhood. I LOVED the idea of the backstory. In fact I thought the majority of it was awesome. What I hated was what Zombie did to Michael's family. With the original movie, we see his family as a normal middle income type family. Not this white trash thing that Zombie portrayed. I would have liked for him to have stuck with the original storyline on that. In so many ways it also makes Michael that much more frightening that he is so twisted, just cuz--not because he had a horrible childhood.

[catnoel]

I was twelve years old and my Grandma went to take me to the movies She stayed in the foyer the whole time. It was awesome!!!! A couple days later, I was walking home during the night and I saw someone step out of the hedges and stand there. I do not remember much after that exept running my red keds off!!! You feet can literally not touch the ground. Looking back, I still saw what I saw. I have the Haloween ringtone on my phone.

The newer version was interesting because it gave more of a background of the dymanics of Micael Myers history and dysfunctional family. Yes, it was bloodier but nowadays movies are. H2 Halloween 2 is coming soon and I cannot wait.

I will always love Halloween the original because for it's day, it was a progressive horror movie and to me it is timeless.

[IUSMPhD]

Not knowing why Michael became a monster is what made it so scary. I HATE the backstory. I didn't want to know it, and after I saw it I immediately erased it from my brain. Maybe if there was at least a hint of originality and creativity in the backstory, it might be worth knowing. Zombie pretty much made Michael a member of the Firefly clan.

[ME-He Har Har]

Hallowe'en is my all time favorite film.
No, Hallowe'en 3: Season of the Witch would be.
As for the original, I like to call it a thriller and not horror film.
I've never seen another film to date to capture that intense feeling that it gives.
The laundry scene outside at night with Nancy Lommis Keys.
Myers standing near the hanging plant in the curtains.
The corpse with the head stone.
And why, why did she go into that house!!!!!
Part 2 gets worse.
One, because it involves a hospital and 2 because needles are involved.
I fast forward a lot of part 2.
I can't stomach that stuff anymore.
Recently I bought this beat-up copy of Hallowe'en:A Retrospective where it shows you all first 3 film locations.
The Myers house was actually moved across the road and cut in half.
And where they filmed the movie you wouldn't walk there today because of the neighborhood going to pieces.
I wanna go to Loleta CA so badly to see Santa Mira and the Silver Shamrock factory.
I grew up on Hallowe'en and the only time I vomited was because my brother vomited first then I did because I seen him do it.
The Rob Zombie version is very mi-nute in comparison.
In a word, horrible.
And he's busting a gut to get part 2 out now.
If you visit the official website www.ohmb.net of Hallowe'en don't mention my name or you'll get banned for doing so.
They've banned me 4 times under different names too.
Tell me, how dos one get banned in the year 2009 from a Hallowe'en 3 website?
They're so sensitive to what you can say and if you don't agree with their opinion they shoot you down in flames.

[Tooley]

I'm not an "old folk", and I am a modern day horror fan. I loved the original Halloween and HATED the remake. Too much sex, too much blood... I think graphic violence and sex are alright, just not in copious amounts that kind of drown out the actual movie.

[demorgan]

weird, i dont remember the sex or that much gore in the remake of HALLOWEEN.

[ME-He Har Har]

Tooley

You said it, man!

Apparently the new Rob Zombie Hallowe'en 2 reimagining is supposed to go over-board with lots more blood this time.
They were even quoted as saying that they're going for the jugular this time.

Did anybody notice that films today lack atmosphere and you tend not to a give a damn about the actors like you once did?
Take that new Transformers for example.
Why does the lead actress have to run around in a cut dress and have her expenditure all hanging out? And then there's the pretty boy side-kick -
Nevermind.
I'm derailing this Hallowe'en thread with my -

Did you know that I got a request from my Silver Shamrock friends to buy an authentic Season of the Witch Hallowe'en mask - where I went and got all excited - only to be let down that they wanted $250 for the Pumpkin mask? I ain't got that sorta bread.
Can someone lend me $250 quid and $20 postage?

http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/halloween3/36.gif

[leighG]

The BEST "slasher" film ever, remake was ok, but I do agree with a lot of the comments that it was a slight letdown, the sequels to the original were stupid as hell though, in 5, it turns out he's part of a cult called the Thorn?, gimme a break

[SilentRob]

John Carpenter's Halloween is my favourite film of all time. Absolutely incredible film.

[SlasherFreak]

Pretty much my favorite horror film. It's being rereleased nationwide in October...can't wait for that! http://www.examiner.com/article/john-carpenter-s-halloween-to-be-rereleased-theaters

Hoping it comes to a movie tavern so i can eat a burger and fries and drink huge mugs of beer while I watch.

[GNTLGNT]

...it was a great film BECAUSE it didn't get overly graphic, like a Hitchcock film...let the atmosphere build with good editing, music and your own imagination...

[not_nadine]

Movie Tavern? nice.

[fushingfeef]

How cool! I was too young to see this in theaters back in the day, so it would be amazing to see this in a large audience again!

[SlasherFreak]

Movie Tavern? nice.

Im actually from up there where you're from (Philly here) but they have 2 down here in ATL and its a place you go to, you get seated in the theater, and they give you a menu and theres buttons on your table you push whenever you want to order or a refill on your drink.

[SlasherFreak]

...it was a great film BECAUSE it didn't get overly graphic, like a Hitchcock film...let the atmosphere build with good editing, music and your own imagination...

The history of how this film was made is amazing too. Such a shoe string budget, the actors were raking leaves and putting them into trash bags to reuse them in other filming locations to make it look like fall season.


And John Carpenter I think is the film medium equivalent to Stephen King. The Fog is another good one Carpenter made too....sooo eerie

[HPMcClendon]

I absolutely love the original Halloween movie and actually quite enjoy several of the sequels, prequels and remakes that are out there. I think I've seen them all, or at least all that I know of. Some were a bit lame but all were worth watching in my opinion until Rob Zombie took his turn at making a grown up Michael Meyers. His first remake (Halloween) was a little off for me since he changed the foundation story and I'm not crazy about that but if I thought of it as just a movie and not Halloween so much, I could let it squeeze by. But then he made Halloween II...

I had enjoyed all of Rob Zombie's movies up until Halloween II. I was so excited to watch this movie and enjoyed the previous Halloween movie he did with the exceptions stated above but when I finally sat down to watch this movie I was SO let down. I HATED this movie!

The story was seriously lacking and Sheri Moon Zombie (Michael's Mom) being cast as a spirit vision with a white horse and ridiculously wide "dead" eyes was so lame it was a distraction. The thing that bothered me the most was Michael grunting as he was killing people. I mean Come On! Michael's stealthy silence has always been a key point in what made him so terrifying and now that was taken away as well. And don't even get me going on the ending of this movie...UGH! What were you thinking Rob Zombie!

[Liselle]

I love the original Halloween film it is one of my all time favourite movies and of the sequels I love H20 thought it got back to its original roots, the others having lost their way some what. So it was with great anticipation that I started to watch the 'new' Halloween, boy what a disappointment. Here was me thinking we were going to get some sort of back story but after about 30 - 45 mins I turned it off because it served no purpose whatsoever. The family he was in when he attacked his sister had no resemblance to the family in the back story and yes that could have been the point but I didn't stay around to find out. It just seemed some very poor and violently pointless story. So I think sometimes leave the back story to our imagination its far better than any writer could come up with.

[Daniel Lee Severn]

Here's the thing, House of a Thousand Corpses and The Devil's Rejects are classics and he should have stuck to just doing his own stories because his version of Halloween sucked.

[SharonC]

I'm one of those who preferred the original as well. Music, mood and implied violence are scarier than in your face slasher flicks, which is what the remake was.