Michael Myers is one of the most recognizable figures in all of fiction. Even if you have not seen the film, it’s safe to assume you recognize his creepy white mask and jet-black jumpsuit. A lot of people know and understand the influence of “The Shape,” but not so much of the film he originates from.
Halloween revolutionized the slasher sub-genre of horror and changed the way people viewed horror films altogether. It paved the way for the future of the genre and set the bar for what makes a great horror film. Directed by John Carpenter in 1978, Halloween’s popularity caused a huge surge in interest for slasher films, giving birth to modern classics such as the “Candyman” and “Scream” franchises. Director of the original Friday the 13th film, Sean S. Cunningham, even confirmed in an interview that Halloween’s success was a huge reason for making the film and that Friday the 13th was a sort of “copycat.”
John Carpenter’s work clearly inspired many other directors and filmmakers to jump on the slasher bandwagon during the 1980s, but what exactly made Halloween so special? What made it different from other horror movies made at the time? Why is it still so popular to this day? Allow me to answer all these questions for you, without spoiling the film too much if you haven’t seen it. And if you haven’t, hopefully, I can convince you to.
After Halloween was released in 1978, horror directors almost instantly changed the style of their films, not so much mimicking Halloween directly, but putting their own twist on the idea creating new and unique films that felt more “horror” than just the basic “zombie” or “scary monster” films.
When you compare horror films that came out before and after Halloween, the changes that occurred are noticeable. In the decade after Halloween was released, instant classics were born such as Hellraiser and Friday the 13th as mentioned before. The increased quality of these films was not only because technology got better over the past 12 years, but the way directors and filmmakers put together films was completely different. Acting, cinematography, and sound design were taken more into consideration.
Halloween has kept relevance and popularity throughout the years for many reasons. One was that its shot composition and set design were very natural but were used to their fullest potential. More than 90% of the film takes place in a normal town with normal houses, stores, and streets. This made the film feel more realistic. It made the town of Haddonfield seem like a real place with real people walking around and living in the houses. A lot of the shots were very wide and open, showcasing the vast scenery, and Michael Myers lurking in the background.
Films took note of this scenery and started incorporating more shot and setting variation. Rather than being cooped up in one building or room, films began expanding their story’s worlds and making them feel more real. Hellraiser is a great example of this, using a variety of shots of different rooms, outside shots, and shots of different dimensions that gives the film more variety.
Halloween also used its soundtrack to stand out. The music in Halloween perfectly captures the scene’s mood and overall enhances the viewer experience. Michael Myers’ theme, The Shape Lurks, is a powerful score that when it was played in the final act of the film, sent feelings of dread and suspense to the viewers making them wonder what is going to happen next, keeping them at the edge of their seats.
The music from Halloween was not typically seen in the horror genre during the 70’s. Other films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Don’t be Afraid of the Dark sure had great soundtracks, but none of them really captured that emotion and feeling that the Halloween soundtrack did. But after the release of Halloween, films like Friday the 13th took inspiration from Halloween’s soundtrack with Harry Manfredini producing his own amazing music pieces that have a striking resemblance to John Carpenter’s music.
Overall, Halloween changed the horror genre. Its popularity, music, and directing allowed it to become as iconic as it is. It showed exactly how to make the perfect horror film and continues to influence modern horror media to this day.
