I hadn’t intended on watching this classic film but last night as I was watching TV I noticed that it was about to come on and thought, what the hell. I think it’s been so long that I had almost forgotten how good this film is. Before I get berated for not giving it the full five stars I will explain that the half-star drop is for one very specific reason that you may or may not find silly. How did he learn to drive a car? I know it might seem nitpicky but seriously, he was locked up from the age of six so when did he ever get driving lessons? For that one and only reason it loses a half star from me. Otherwise Michael Myers is one foreboding character and Donald Pleasance just keeps feeding fuel to the fire with his constant, “You don’t understand, he is pure evil” uttering throughout the film. I am foregoing a synopsis since the film has been reviewed so many times before and being such an icon in horror film history I just don’t think my lame synopsis would add anything worthy to the cause. Now I know I’ve seen this film countless times, but I still felt that tension when Jamie Lee was banging on the door yelling for Tommy as Michael walks toward her slow and steady. Another notable scene is when she is hiding in the closet and Mike starts breaking through, he does a very human thing and turns the light on, he spots her then shuts it off again to go in for the kill. Just seeing him in the full glow of that closet light adds such a sense of realism to the film. I really felt terrified for her. I doubt there is anyone on this blog that hasn’t seen this film, if there is then shame on you. Go watch it right now!
4 comments:
Carpenter must have realized that Michael's ability to drive would be questioned. Isn't there a line like, "How did he learn how drive?" and then Loomis says, "He seems to be doing a pretty good job" or something like that? In one of my reviews I had two major nitpicks, here's my second one,
Why does Laurie remain in the house?
During the tense climax of Halloween Laurie realizes that she’s dealing with something that is capable of surviving a knitting needle to the neck and a clothes hanger to the eye. After stabbing Michael in the gut with a butcher’s knife she walks out in the hallway and instead of telling Tommy and Lindsay, “We’re getting the hell out of here, now! Let’s race down the street to the MacKensie's, knock on their door, and tell them to call the police!” she tells them the following,
“Listen to me. I want you to walk down the street to the MacKensie's and knock on their door. You tell them to call the police and send them over here. Do you understand?”
Turning her back on Michael despite knowing that he survived her previous attempts to thwart him makes little sense, but it makes no sense whatsoever that she would remain in the house while sending the children off ON THEIR OWN while she chills for a while. I understand that it was necessary to have her remain in the house for the final “scare” but any normal person, sprained ankle or not, would have hobbled the hell out of there lickety-split.
Excellent point, I had some issues with that second gripe as well. I love when the victim goes ballistic and overkill a the bad guy, after all the stalking and murdering I think that would be the natural reaction to just go completely nuts.
Woo hoo, Halloween! Where would horror be without it?
I always thought the driving thing was part of Michael's mystique (albeit an extremely minor part), and I think Laurie's even sillier for sitting there with her back to the prone Michael. At least look at him!
Still a five star flick for me.
My other nitpick is that the teens see Michael in broad daylight wearing the mask he stole from the store while on their way home from school yet later when Laurie and Annie are driving to their respective babysitting gigs they stop by the store that was robbed to speak to Annie's father who informs them that "Some kids stole some masks". In the background we hear the burglary alarm blaring. How many hours did they allow that alarm to go off and how much time did the police really need to spend at the store?
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