The following information was taken from The Fourth Virgin Film Guide by James Pallot:
“A modern horror classic.”
“There’s nary a drop of blood on screen in this rollicking funhouse of a movie but there is enough sheer cinematic ingenuity on display to coax screams out of the most jaded gorehound. Cheap thrills – often accompanied by a joybuzzer noise on the soundtrack – lurk on the periphery of nearly every frame and film history allusions abound. Fans of the moving camera also have reason to cheer as the Steadicam prowls the suburban streets unexpectedly turning into point-of-view shots accompanied by creepy piano music (composed by the resourceful Carpenter).”
“HALLOWEEN was the surprise hit of the 1978 Chicago Film Festival.”
“Made for less than half a million dollars, HALLOWEEN grossed well over $50 million on its initial release making it the single most successful independant feature of all time.”
Judging from this review, it is clear that it is possible to make a good, succesful film on a low budget. It appears that Halloween relied heavily on the camera work. The use of POV shots is extremely significant and can help to set up a variety of different scenarios, particularly within the slasher genre.
Tags: Halloween John Carpenter Horror Slasher Thriller Review Virgin Fourth Film Guide
