It's just occurred to me what attacks by "The Shape" are like... it's like a dream. Or more precisely, a nightmare. Have you ever been in a dream and you try to do something and nothing happens? You dream you're driving a car and you try to press the brakes but nothing happens the car keeps on careening out of control. That's what it's like when Michael Meyers attacks, people try to DO things but it has no effect, they can control themselves but it does nothing, it doesn't even slow the killer down. That is horror. Most other films in the "slasher" horror genre have either sudden kills or the victim is able to defend themselves such as knock the killer away only to them be later undone by contrivance like they trip over.

Halloween '78 is not only a defining classic of the horror genre, it's a masterpiece of cinematic art. John Carpenter's creation of Michael Myers i.e. "The Shape" was pure genius: it doesn't talk, has no apparent motive, displays no emotion, and calmly walks after terrified, running, intended victims. The costume is also perfect: that mask of a pale emotionless face- just like Dr. Loomis described. This film has the influence of Hitchcock all over it. Once we see Michael in Haddonfield, it's game over. For the rest of the picture, even when he's not on screen, we know he's there somewhere: the SUSPENSE is what terrifies us. Because we know whatever is going to happen, it's not going to be good. Hungry young filmmakers without dollar signs in their eyes are the type who create such excellence.

Excellent. And explaining the importance of Dean Cundey's contribution of the lighting cannot be understated. But I wouldn't have guessed that Nick Castle weighted 180lbs.

So cool to have the initial audience's reaction!!

What i really like about halloween is that it leaves the man behind the mask a mystery

Very nice analysis! It's one of my favorite films but you made a lot of points I hadn't heard before. The dichotomy of Loomis' and Brackett's perspectives was especially interesting.

Really appreciate the time you put into making this. I really enjoyed watching and listening. It always feels great to find somebody who loves Halloween as much as I do.

Great video mate, spot on and the bit with the audience really takes you back to how mind-blowing it must have been to it first at the flicks.

The suburbs kind of look the same as they do over here in England accept the roads and driveways are a but wider and more detached houses. Perfect for that type of horror where he can stalk and it's less compact and easier for the shape to hide.

I really liked the research you did into the time period! I had never considered to take into account which wars had recently concluded when thinking about this film. It's certainly an interesting angle to take it at.

Those audience reactions though. Thus had to have been something else back in 1978 in the theater.

Wow. I love Halloween, my favorite horror movie of all time, hands down. I've watched plenty of videos, but this one was is one of my favorites. Very focused and well structured.

Literally the BEST Halloween video I've ever seen! You've got yourself a new subscriber!

The best Halloween video ever thanks dude

Carpenter at his best as a urban director .outdoor cinematography..

Amazing video a fantastic analysis of this classic film. I love how you put the focus on the time era as that was a huge factor in the film and made it great.

Thank you so much for this brilliant breakdown! I just rewatched the film for the first time in years and came straight to KZfaq to find a video like this to live in the world a little longer

Great Detail One hell of a video nice work

Amazing analysis. Keep up the exceptional content.

This Was Done Very Very Well 100% Supurb Analysis Keep Up The Great Work CinemaTologist

I enjoyed your 20 minutes of Halloween, I saw(some) of this fantastic movie when it came out, got so scared, I ran out of the theater at the scene when Laurie looks down from her window and see The Shape looking up at her from the clothesline, next second, he(it) is gone, Laurie slams the window down, and I bolt from the movie theater. I was only 19, but, after realizing it's just a movie, I braved myself to see the whole thing, saying Carpenter is a genius is an understatement, when it comes to this movie, # 2 was just, O.K., the rest, to me, kind of sucked, but save for Halloween H20, it was pretty good. I now own this movie, the version with the "added scenes for TV" version. I thank you for your take on this fantastic movie.

excellent job, insightful and entertaining as well as being TOTALLY correct,,,, TOTALLY!. Nice job on the closing Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff song- A Nightmare On My Street

Great job 👏. Thank you 👍

amazing breakdown. really enjoyed this.

Incredible video, this is my favorite horror movie of all time, thanks for giving it the analysis it deserves.

I love Halloween, but my favorite slasher film is Scream. Maybe because I was born in the 90s, but I do also know, looking back at the original Scream that is draws parallels for me

Can't think of a bad thing to say about this movie. There is a reason we still talk about it 40(!!) years later. I was too young to see it when it came out in 78. I did sneak a viewing while my parents were watching the movie when it premiered on this new thing called HBO. I was SCARED outta my 9 Year old wits. You were correct when you said this could easily take place in anywhere , USA. Haddonfield was my neighborhood, my school & my house. Great vid!

A Very informative video. Good job!

Love the Sabbath in the background! Perfect for the theme of the video

Great analysis! You deserve more subscribers.

Awesome review!!! Very eloquently stated my friend! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! This was my favorite movie growing up ass a kid and I still consider it the best horror movie of all time. PS rob zombie Halloween 2 is the worst Halloween movie by far because it has no plot, Halloween music, likable characters, good dialogue, and is basically and insult to Halloween fans! So you might wanna reconsider your ranking but besides that I really appreciate your videos, I share most of your opinions so good job sir!👏👏👏

Great video. Awesome.

Good job!

Wow... This was actually a really well done video. 👍😉

The light theme in the background is perfect

I saw this movie when I was a bit too young. It creeped me out and interrupted my sleep for a couple months. The simple creep music score cut to the bone.

Great analysis; great video :). I am really looking forward to reviewing this myself soon and intrigued about the new Halloween. I have just subscribed to your channel :).

Hey Jacob, thanks for this! Your analysis of this ultra classic horror film is spot-on! I would like to touch on a few things about the film. You stated that Michael Myers's height is 5'8 but in actuality, the character is 6'0 tall. Halloween became the first horror film that established Christian themes such as the "dangers" of premarital sex, the "pure girl", and crucifixion, such as the case when Laurie discovers Annie's corpse is sprawled in a crucifix position on the bed. In addition, it is interesting to note that although the characters of Lynda and Annie are carefree in their attitudes towards life, they go about it in different ways. Annie is a smart, head-strong, angry, opinionated, aggressive (especially with her view on men), and confrontational girl, to the point of being completely unlikable. On the other hand, Lynda is a likable, cheerful, bubbly, and ditzy girl. Both care about getting laid as oppose to taking their studies seriously. However, in the case of Laurie, she is smart, likeable, and possesses a hidden bubbly personality when she reveals to Annie that she has a crush on Ben Tramer. She encompasses the best of both worlds from Lynda and Annie while excluding their negative traits, hence, Laurie is the nice balance between the extremes of Lynda and Annie. Anyway, you have great insight into film! I look forward to seeing more of your videos! You just earned a new subscriber! 🙂

This was fantastic and very entertaining. I loved the way you "illuminated" the cinematography. I always felt that every time I have viewed Halloween, but now I can understand more. :) JV Johnny

Best horror movie ever !

I like how simple and similar the names Holloween and Alien are. I guess you could include Predator.. 😆😆😁😁😁

70s films released 1971 a clockwork orange 1974 the texas chainsaws masscare 1976 Carrie 1977 Star wars 1978 Halloween 1979 Alien

17:54 to bad the later filmmakers of Halloween didn't remember that.

When you have a minimal budget you have to be more creative - which is why literally nothing works these days in film - it's become too easy. The irony is you have much more choice and options but it actually ends up stifling the film....great analysis by the way

Laurie Strode embodies pre war values, diligence in completing tasks whether at school or at home. Michael Myers embodies the post war culture. Blank, implacable and determined to shift America away from puritan culture, chasing Laurie relentlessly. Just like the 60's and 70's did, He eats up and spits out even those those who embraced the new attitudes to sex, drugs and authority. Laurie remains the last stumbling block who through ingenuity and strength manages to outlast the shape unlike those who got caught through indolence.

This movie was created at a time when the likes of Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Jeffrey Dahmer were active. I can only imagine the balls that went into releasing it.

A very good analysis. Many are fond of saying that Michael Myers has no or an unknown motivation. The first time I viewed the film as an adult I surmised that Michael had a psycho-sexual attraction to his sister/babysitter. When he sees her go upstairs with her boyfriend, we see Michael watch and when the light goes out in her room, we hear that eerie chord. Is this the sound of Michael's jealousy? Is he afraid for his sister and what her boyfriend might do? Michael's next action is to get a kitchen knife. Does he get the weapon to protect his sister and/or himself? Is it some sort of phallic symbol? We don't entirely know if it is Michael's intent to kill someone when he heads upstairs with the knife. He sees the boyfriend rapidly dress and leave. Why does the boyfriend leave so quickly? Surely they couldn't have had intercourse in such a brief interval. Did the boyfriend prematurely ejaculate? Nevertheless, Michael dons his mask just as the boyfriend did. Michael then sees his almost completely nude sister and stabs her. My sense is that he does so out of his sexual confusion and feeling of betrayal. His sister was charged with caring for him in the absence of his parents on the scariest night of the year. His sister neglected him in favor of her boyfriend. We then see him repeat the same behavior with other babysitters who neglect the children they are supposed to protect. These other babysitters are tantamount to Michael's sister, Judith. I believe his placing of her headstone on the bed of another dead babysitter serves to illustrate this. Of course, the only one who doesn't neglect her charge as a babysitter is Laurie. In this way, the film sort of serves as a kind of morality tale of which the lesson is aimed at the teenage girl: don't neglect the children so you can fool around with your boyfriend.

That goes to show that free care living has consequences.

Good stuff

Korean conflict wasn't exactly a win either...Just sayin. Love this analysis! You did a fantastic job, and I love the shots from the film and behind the scenes of the time! Thanks! Additionally, if this had not been about Hween and Carpenter, you could have knocked it even more out of the park regarding film and music's reflection of the world's feelings about the Vietnam War and a generation of vets/people "left behind." Still affected to this day, we are still a reflection of that devastating war, as are its involuntary participants.

I don't think the movie is bad, but fuck some of those acthors are at best awful sometimes Pd:I don't speak native english so maybe I wrote "acthors" wrong

The constant references to Viet Nam are extremely puzzling to me. I don't see that it has anything to do with this movie at all. It was filmed in 1978 - after hippies. Sexual promiscuity was expected and it wasn't good. The more intelligent girls didn't go that way, much like Laurie. I was 16 in 1978, I remember it well. Other than seeing Viet Nam behind every bush instead of Michael Myers, good job.

Why do you ignore Tommy and Lindsay?

2017 and 480p *why*

Enjoy our tribute to Halloween movies (ft. Ripper Owens) - sure you'll love it! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oKuml92msbvbknU.html

Lol the Vietnam War wasn't lost. We just ended it. Nobody surrendered Nobodywas defeated and the the Vietnameselost way more lives. You can say it was a draw but if we wanted to we could have nuked them. Also Halloween is the best horror movie of all time

I love Halloween but what happened to Michael's parents? Did they just give up on their son?

What's the name of the song

"the only war the US has lost" - lolwut?

I like Jason Voorhees More Than Micheal Myers but Micheal is scarier than Jason

Ok first off really good movie review! *but* heres a thought maybe only put the review in the video because the first 10 minutes was basically just the history of John Carpenter not a review thats just something that uhhh, annoyed me

480p in 2017...

Dude, don't proclaim your own stuff 'the best'. Makes you look just a bit self absorbed...

Highly overrated!! Maybe the dumbest characters I have ever seen on film and many of the sequences are laughable. It’s more of a comedy.

Overrated tripe.