Halloween

It's admirable the simple means John Carpenter employs to create a convincingly eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. The first pillar is his own soundtrack and the second is the seemingly unremarkable shots of empty sidewalks with falling leaves. In Carpenter's hands, however, this is an immensely impressive spectacle that is pure mastery from a creative standpoint. One of John Carpenter's most accomplished (and commercially successful) films ever, it floats right in the middle of the A- and B-grade waters. This is perhaps its greatest strength, since it can seem too simple and cheap at first glance, while the opposite is the case. (07/12/2020)

The cornerstone of the slasher genre and its best representative to this day. At times I had trouble with the plodding pace, but otherwise this is a masterpiece; Carpenter revels in point-of-view shots, unpredictably placing the masked gorilla in a carefully staged and photographed environment, and impressively delaying the climax in favour of a moment of surprise and a crescendo at the end. And there is no need to add anything about the music, no one will ever compose a better horror main theme. (08/02/2018)

A few years later, I have to add that fifth star, because Halloween is a unique film. The unsettling atmosphere escalates to a heart attack ending, John Carpenter does not take it easy on the characters or the viewer, uses edgy long shots from Myers's point of view and shows him as sheer evil, which you have no problem believing. That there is strength in simplicity is 100% true here. And Jamie Lee Curtis is amazing. (11/21/2020)

Halloween is undoubtedly a classic of its genre, it made Jamie Lee Curtis one of the most famous scream queens of all time, and even after forty long years since its premiere it still manages to evoke suspense and terror, even though the ravages of time have taken their toll. In addition to that, it features one of the most iconic horror soundtracks that manages to strain despite its simple theme and creates a truly uncomfortable atmosphere. A must-see film for fans of the genre, but even a mostly horror-uninitiated viewer like myself will find something to enjoy. (12/02/2018)

The moment you hear that iconic melody, you know peace is out the window. This is the pinnacle of 70s horror. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a katana. John Carpenter had an uncanny knack for orchestrating cinematic murders — taking just long enough to make you want to tear your hair out in suspense. (07/26/2022)