I bet no one expected in nineteen seventy-eight that Halloween would be such a big success that it would spawn a half-dozen sequels and three times as many copy-cats. They never would have expected that this one film would kick start an entire genre of cinema, but thinking of John Carpenter, that's probably what he wished for.
It's been twenty years now since Jaime Lee Curtis was terrorrized by a cold, ruthless psychopath in a halloween mask, but the film maintains it's eerieness due in part to a chilling score by writer-director Carpenter (that's his name, not another title). But Carpenter's camerawork is still spectacular and has been subsequently unmatched by any other film in conveying that sense of fear and desparation. Carpenter embraces the shadows in this film, and uses them to every advantage he can to scare the crap out of you. And he does.
If you havn't seen Halloween (and shame on you, if you haven't), it's a simple tale of psychopath Michael Myers (who murdered his sister at the age of 6) escaping from his mental institution and beginning a reign of terror on Halloween night in his old neighbourhood. Of course, our heroine, played by Curtis, is a high-school girl babysitting for the evening (as are her friends around the neighbourhood). Carpenter does a great job in developing every character here, including the children being babysat. Meanwhile the local sherriff and Michael's psychotherapist are keeping watch, knowing that Michael will soon strike.
Halloween contains a lot of bloody mayhem, but Carpenter does a good job in realizing it's not what you see that's frightening, but what you don't or can't see. There's not a lot of gore in the film so it's never disgusting to watch, but it is chilling. The director uses a great amount of suspense and paranoia, which is what's truly frightening in a film.