Halloween (1978)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John Carpenter (screenplay) and
Debra Hill (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The trick was to stay alive.

Plot:

A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood escapes on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets.

Plot Keywords:

Halloween | Night | Michael Myers | Six Year Old | Death

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Sam Loomis
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Laurie Strode
Nancy Kyes	...	Annie Brackett (as Nancy Loomis)
P.J. Soles	...	Lynda van der Klok
Charles Cyphers	...	Sheriff Leigh Brackett
Kyle Richards	...	Lindsey Wallace
Brian Andrews	...	Tommy Doyle
John Michael Graham	...	Bob Simms
Nancy Stephens	...	Marion Chambers
Arthur Malet	...	Graveyard Keeper
Mickey Yablans	...	Richie
Brent Le Page	...	Lonnie Elamb
Adam Hollander	...	Keith
Robert Phalen	...	Dr. Terence Wynn
Tony Moran	...	Michael Myers (age 23)

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]

Runtime:

91 min | USA:101 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

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)

Filming Locations:

1000 Mission Street, South Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Compass International Pictures

Trivia:

Anne Lockhart was John Carpenter's first choice for the role of Laurie Strode.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Although the story takes place in Illinois, all the cars have California license plates.

Quotes:

Lynda: You want a beer?
Bob: Yeah.
Lynda: Is that all you can say?
Bob: Yeah.
Lynda: Go get me a beer!
Bob: I thought you were gonna get me one?
Lynda: Yeah?
Bob: I'll be right back. Don't get dressed!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Heroes Unmasked: Teenage Kicks (#3.6)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Don't Fear The Reaper

THE perfect horror film!

Halloween is one of the best examples of independent film. It's very well made and has more psychological elements to it than you might realize at first glance. It is a simple movie told very well. The music is perfect and is one of the most haunting scores... If you haven't seen this movie yet, you must check it out. The cast is all terrific. I wish they had never made sequel after sequel. The first one was by far the best and should have ended like it did without having a sequel. It was fun to see Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie. She hasn't seemed to age (she's just as gorgeous today, without the hairdo and seventies clothes). The scenes through the mask are one of the scariest things ever!