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Halloween
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Halloween (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Halloween (1978) -- A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood escapes on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets.
Halloween (1978) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   59,461 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
John Carpenter (screenplay) and
Debra Hill (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Halloween on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 October 1978 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The trick was to stay alive. more
Plot:
A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood escapes on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(317 articles)
User Comments:
The one, the only, Halloween! The scariest movie of all time! more (991 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
John Carpenter's Halloween (USA) (complete title)
The Babysitter Murders (USA) (working title)
La nuit des masques (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Alla helgons blodiga natt (Sweden) [sv]
As Noites de Halloween (Portugal) [pt]
De nacht van de griezels (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Halloween (Argentina) [es]
Halloween - A Noite do Terror (Brazil) [pt]
Halloween - Die Nacht des Grauens (West Germany) [de]
Halloween - naamioiden yö (Finland) [fi]
Halloween, la nuit des masques (France) (video title) [fr]
Halloween: la notte delle streghe (Italy) [it]
I nyhta me tis maskes (Greece) [el]
La noche de Halloween (Spain) [es]
Maskernes nat (Denmark) (video title) [da]
Noc vestica (Serbia) [sr]
O Regresso do Mal (Portugal) [pt]
Yabanci (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
more
Runtime:
91 min | USA:101 min (extended version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (original release)
Certification:
Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (video rating) (1982) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Brazil:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Canada:R | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) (2001) | South Korea:18 | Chile:14 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 (re-release: 1999) | France:-16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (re-release: 1999) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/16 (re-rating) | Portugal:M/18 (original rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Half of the $320,000 budget was spent on the Panavison cameras so the film would have a 2:35:1 scope. Donald Pleasence was paid $20,000 for 5 days work. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): While he is talking to the sheriff, the doctor pulls out his gun, then he says that he has a permit. Illinois does not issue any kind of a permit to carry a handgun. more
Quotes:
[as Lonnie is about to enter the Myers house]
Dr. Sam Loomis: Hey! Hey, Lonnie, get your ass away from there!
[Lonnie and his mates run. Loomis smiles to himself as a hand grabs his shoulder. He spins around, surprised, to find Brackett]
Dr. Sam Loomis: Oh! Jesus!
Sheriff Leigh Brackett: Are you all right?
Dr. Sam Loomis: Yeah.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Monster Mania (1997) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Don't Fear The Reaper more

FAQ

Do we ever get to see Michael's face?
What were the two horror movies that Lindsey and Tommy were watching on TV?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more
48 out of 52 people found the following comment useful.
The one, the only, Halloween! The scariest movie of all time!, 26 October 2002
10/10
Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

Halloween is one of those movies that gets you skin deep! It is in my opinion, the scariest movie of all time. Michael Myers is the best boogeyman ever! He was just so terrifying! What makes Halloween so special is that there was no special effects where you can tell how computer animated it is, this was on a low budget and had a one note score, yet managed to scare the Hell out of people. 25 years and this movie still has the same effect as it did in '78.

It's about a boy Michael Myers, he kills his sister at the age of 6 and so many years later escapes the mental institution. Dr. Sam Loomis is after him and will do anything to get him back, since he describes Michael as "...pure evil. The blackest eyes, the Devil's eyes". Michael is on a mission though, to kill his other sister, Laurie, played by a new Jamie Lee Curtis. She has to babysit on Halloween, while her friends are out partying and of course, we know the rules, they get it! But Laurie may stand a chance since she's the virgin. ;D

Halloween pays many homages to Psycho, we have another character named Sam Loomis and Jamie Lee Curis, the daughter of Janet Leigh. Halloween is an absolute terrific movie that breaks boundaries and makes you lock the doors, bolt your windows, and turn off the lights! "They're gonna get you! They're gonna get you!". Halloween, the ultimate horror film!

10/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Halloween (1978)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Why did Michael sit up so stiffly? cuzzin
song? teamrosaliehale
Absolute funniest line in the film! Edinboro
I could use your advice brent-kappel
I could use your advice brent-kappel
Rank Myers masks from best to worst cbabyc007
more

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