Halloween

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Jamie Lee Curtis (left, pictured in 2018) and Nick Castle (2024)
• Donald Pleasence as Dr. Samuel “Sam” Loomis
• Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode
• Nick Castle as The Shape (Michael Myers masked)
  • Tony Moran as Michael Myers – age 21 (mistakenly 23 in credits) (Michael Myers unmasked at the end of the film)
  • Will Sandin as Michael Myers – age 6
• Nancy Kyes as Annie Brackett (credited as Nancy Loomis)
• P. J. Soles as Lynda Van Der Klok
• Charles Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett
• Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace
• Brian Andrews as Tommy Doyle
• John Michael Graham as Bob Simms
• Nancy Stephens as Marion Chambers
• Arthur Malet as Angus Taylor
• Mickey Yablans as Richie Castle
• Brent Le Page as Lonnie Elam
• Adam Hollander as Keith
• Robert Phalen as Dr. Wynn
• Sandy Johnson as Judith Myers
• Peter Griffith as Morgan Strode
• David Kyle Foster as Judith’s boyfriend (credited as David Kyle)

Storyline:

The year is 1963, the night: Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that 15-year-old Judith Myers has been stabbed to death by her 6-year-old brother, Michael. After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out on the night before Halloween. No one knows, nor wants to find out, what will happen on October 31st 1978, besides Myers’ psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it’ll be too late for many people.

About Movie:

Halloween (advertised as John Carpenter’s Halloween) is an American independent slasher film directed and scored by John Carpenter, who co-wrote the screenplay with producer Debra Hill. The film features a cast that includes Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut, P.J. Soles, and Nancy Loomis.

Plot Summary

Set in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, the story begins on Halloween night in 1963 when six-year-old Michael Myers murders his teenage sister, Judith. After being committed to a psychiatric institution for 15 years, Michael escapes on the eve of Halloween in 1978. His psychiatrist, Dr. Samuel Loomis (Pleasence), is aware of Michael’s violent tendencies and fears he will return to Haddonfield.

As Halloween night unfolds, Michael stalks teenage babysitter Laurie Strode (Curtis) and her friends while Loomis desperately tries to track him down. The film builds tension as Michael’s presence becomes increasingly menacing, culminating in a series of brutal attacks on Laurie’s friends.

Production Details

Filmed in Southern California during May 1978, Halloween was produced by Compass International Pictures and Falcon International Productions. It was released by Compass International and Aquarius Releasing in October 1978. The film was made on a modest budget of $300,000 and grossed approximately $70 million worldwide, making it one of the most profitable independent films of its time.

Reception

Upon its release, Halloween received mixed reviews but has since been recognized as a seminal work in the horror genre. Critics have praised Carpenter’s direction and innovative score, noting its influence on subsequent slasher films inspired by earlier works such as Psycho (1960), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and Black Christmas (1974). In 2006, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Legacy

Halloween has spawned a franchise comprising 13 films that delve deeper into Michael Myers’ backstory while sometimes diverging from previous narratives. The film also inspired a novelization, video games, and comic book series. Its impact on popular culture solidifies its status as one of the greatest and most influential horror films ever made.

Budget & Box Office Collection: