Following the previous day’s minor revelation about quality actors and horror films, who should turn up in the next one but Donald “I can see that pin down there” Pleasence. The movie also stars an actual Oscar winner, but as she’s being “introduced” by this film, she can’t really be considered a famous actor at this point. I am, of course, talking about Halloween (1978) which features in the top ten of both Empire and Time Out‘s lists.

It’s a slasher film. In many ways it’s THE slasher film. Although it didn’t quite invent the genre, it pretty much introduced the world to it. Directed by John Carpenter (who subsequently directed They Live, which I watched earlier, and The Fog, which I may watch later) it introduced the world to Michael Myers; a somewhat lumbering and clumsy psychotic killer who is at once ‘the boogieman’ and the personification of evil.

It’s a proper horror film with murder, suspense, gratuitous nudity, twelve additional sequels/prequels/reboots, some poor decision making and overarm stabbing. I’m not sure why murderers favour overarm downward stabbing, usually originating at the elbow, as it seems really inefficient. This point is probably best illustrated by the times Michael Myers unsuccessfully tries to stab our main protagonist.

This has not been my night. I spilled butter all over my clothes, they’re in the wash. I got stuck in the laundry room…

What are the best bits (intentionally-vague slight-spoilers)? Jamie Lee Curtis is good. It does everything that is necessary to be a good slasher film. Some young people die. There is suspense. The killer looks pretty freaky. There’s murder, gratuitous nudity, overarm stabbing and a massive twist within the first couple of minutes of the film (which is impressive going). It doesn’t drag on.

What are the worst bits? One girl gets stuck halfway through a window because one foot is slightly resting on a shelf. No explanation is made as to how she got into that position or why it made her so incapable of movement. A door with a circular ‘twist’ handle is effectively solidly locked by a rake resting on it (this is a bit like in Phantasm when Jody locks Mike in his room by pushing a screwdriver in between the door and its frame, but possibly even more unlikely). At one stage someone mistakenly thinks they’ve killed Michael Myers, so effectively turns their back on him. A couple of moments later they do exactly the same thing, this time literally turning their back on him.

That’s a lot of worst bits. It’s crap then? Actually no. It’s pretty good. It cracks along at a decent pace and, at only an hour and a half, is soon over with. Some of the scenes/lines/situations are pretty corny, but it’s by no means terrible. Worth a watch.

Will you be watching the sequels/prequels/reboots then? No. Why would you?