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Noah’s Ark: ‘Halloween’ defines a genre

Correction appended.

It’s October, and, naturally, horror movies are a huge topic of discussion. One franchise in particular is getting a lot of recognition due to a brand-new sequel: Halloween. That sequel — a direct follow-up that’s coming out 40 years after the original — will be fully released in the U.S. on Friday. While the rest of the series’ nine films leave much to be desired, John Carpenter’s 1978 original is a defining film of the slasher genre. 

For starters, the lore behind Michael Myers — the knife-wielding psychopath who serves as Halloween’s main character and could be dubbed either the protagonist or antagonist — is far stronger than any similar characters across the genre. When Carpenter was creating Halloween, he did not rely on the supernatural for the killer’s backstory like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. Carpenter paints Myers as a person who was born violent and evil and nothing more. That makes him more terrifying than his supernatural counterparts because he is more believable. 

Along with the strength of Myers’ backstory, the simplicity and creepiness of his physical appearance sets him above the rest. The sequels and remakes, especially Rob Zombie’s 2008 rendition, have strayed from the original picture the first Halloween painted of Myers as more man than monster. Of average height and wearing a minimalistic white mask and a mechanic’s jumpsuit, his stiff walk was so unsettling because of how simple yet practical it was. 

It’s important to consider the time period. In 1978, none of the cliches of the slasher genre existed. Instead, films that followed Halloween copied its plot, turning things like promiscuous teenagers and a killer who seems impossible to stop into the cliches we know today. 

One of the most impressive aspects of Halloween is Carpenter’s use of space when directing. He filmed in a California suburb during the spring and managed to turn it into a chill fall night in the Midwest. Even more impressive, the whole thing was done in only 21 days. This small and inconvenient setting would sink most films, but Halloween uses the neighborhood to its full potential. Instead of having some sprawling forest to run off into Myers’ victims seem trapped in their own home with no hope of escape. Additionally, this idea of a masked lunatic freely entering the homes of you and your neighbors is incredibly unsettling. Instead of being bogged down by a small filming location, Carpenter turns it into one of the film’s biggest strengths. 

The actors in Halloween were given a simple but difficult task, play the role of both convincing teenagers while also displaying compelling terror. Both of these things are usually severely lacking in slasher films as actors in their mid-20’s playing cheesy teens who display completely over the top fear can derail whatever potential a movie had. The small-time names in Halloween almost completely avoid these setbacks, especially the lead actress, Jamie Lee Curtis, who was incredibly convincing when confronted by Michael Myyers. 

However, perhaps the most important thing Halloween got right was the score. Following the filming of Halloween producers told Carpenter bluntly that there was nothing scary about his film. However, there was one crucial detail still missing in the rough edit viewed by producers. The iconic score was yet to be added within it, the “dun-dun-dun” is a societal staple in all things evil. The 5/4 beat played on the piano is now directly synonymous with Michael Myers and the truth is the film would not work without it. The simple yet startling melody that plays every time Myers makes an appearance instantly evokes a feeling of dread in the audience. Myers would be a pretty jarring figure on his own, but the music behind him makes him an ominous, terrifying monster and truly brings the film together in a sinister harmony most movies can’t achieve

Halloween began as a low-budget, B-list project. The kind of film you’d expect cheap scares and bad acting from, but instead emerged as the pinnacle of what slasher films should be. It was simple and direct in every way, but manages to evoke horror in an artistic manner flashy modern movies still can’t get right. 

Noah Wright is an undecided sophomore studying at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Noah? Tweet him @NoahCampaign.

Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated the release date, misspelled Michael Myersname and misstated the 2018 films relationship to past Halloween movies. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information. 

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