Excellent Recipients for Your Awards!!! If you're interested, here are a few more John Carpenter Favorites that I'd highly recommend: "Escape From New York" / "Christine" and "Vampires" ('98).
To me Halloween 1 never felt like "tension building" but like "dragging on and on and on". I was really bored when I watched the movie the first time because nothing ever happens and we get one long scene that leads to nothing after the other.
@@quatz1981 I was born 10 years after its release, so I believe I haven't seen Halloween before '98 ^^ But that doesn't mean anything. The first Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien or The Thing for example were created long ago as well and they still have a tension-level that completely shatters Halloween's.
@@Bambuzzsprosse fair play, just a lot of people who may have watched the film after seeing a lot of modern films may be a bit jaded, but it seems that Halloween just didn't do it for you and that's fine.
Another great reaction, Jen! Fun fact: Halloween was made for $325,000 and made $70 million dollars at the box office making it the most profitable movie of all time (percentage wise) until The Blair Witch Project. This is the biggest reason for the slasher film craze of the ‘80s.
It was the most profitable independent film up until that point as Halloween wasn't released by a major studio . Another fun fact, Halloween never played on more than 200 screens at a time as they only made 200 prints of the film and it was never playing everywhere in the US at the same time, because of only 200 prints made, they bicycled the prints from city to city, for three months it would play the Northeast, for three months it would play the Midwest etc. The movie stayed in theaters for three years in some form until Halloween II came out in 1981
I am not a horror guy-and never saw the Blair Witch Project, but I feel this movie has and will retain classic horror movie status where the Blair Witch Project seems forgotten.
I'd wager that cable and premium-TV airings (early HBO, etc) as well as VHS cassette rentals added a really big chunk to the film's earnings in the 80s and 90s.
People are frequently amazed at how scary Halloween is despite being relatively bloodless. It really shows off the craft of John Carpenter and Dean Cundey (director of photography).
@Venture Industries That's probably why it remains a classic now even SISKEL and EBERT who were notorious for slamming any movie like this at the time had a favourable review of this as being a genuinely good thriller ! keeping classic horror alive ENJOY HALLOWEEN UP AHEAD be safe and CHEERS . 🎃👹💀🙏
Less is more is definitely more effective in horror. Today, they try too hard and show too much = NOT scary. A low budget also benefits horror like no other genre. Proven time and time again, concentrate on the characters' development and script and not on special effects and you're good to go.
Evan Stephen King talks about this in _Danse Macabre._ He says if you have a scene where the hero opens the door and on the other side is… AN EIGHT FOOT BUG, audiences will jump and then pretend to be unconcerned, saying “Eight feet? Is that all? Why not ten feet?”
It's because it takes realistic take: Someone is following you, stalking you, but he or she is just average human. Then he or she strikes. It could happen to anyone. Fantasy part of the movie is Michaels supernatural abilities and the fact that he wears White William shatner mask.
It can not be overstated how much power John Carpenter's musical score has in this. It fills you with fear even if you watch it in the middle of the day, and even in the day time scenes! Genius.
according to the commentaries on DVD, when the movie was first being tested - it didn't have the music and people watching was like "this isn't scary" but the moment they added the music, they were terrified.
@@williamwhitecage7988 That's very interesting and I'll bet a lot of movies would be received vastly differently without their iconic soundtracks. Can you imagine Star Wars without John Williams' amazing music? John Carpenter himself is underappreciated as a composer, having done the soundtracks for many of his own movies (in addition to Halloween) like Escape From New York, Christine, The Fog and one of my favorite Carpenter films: They Live.
I remember reading from some trivia site: The crew had originally thought of using a clown mask, but decided on the Captain Kirk one because it was scarier with its emotionless expression.
One of the greatest horror classics from John Carpenter. Jamie Lee Curtis's first movie when she was 20 years old. Michael Myers is an horror icon always
The fact that you were anticipating a jump scare for so long is one of the many reasons why this movie was so revolutionary. The aspect ratio of 2 : 39 makes great use of framing/spacing in shots
@@mattp6089 Halloween is actually 2.35:1 which is very panoramic for a thriller of the time. John would use the same ratio again for The Fog, in 1980, to capture the seascapes and village scenery of the area used for "Antonio Bay".
A classic. Not gory at all but instead relies on atmosphere and tension. As king of the stalk and slash movies It emphasises the stalk much more than the slash, which is IMO makes it far more unnerving. Great filmmaking by a master.
I know it's instinctual for people to tell the actors on screen to turn on the lights of a dark house but that was an abandoned house silly. Lol 😂😂 Great natural reaction.
"Halloween" was Jamie Lee Curtis's feature film debut. She had done a few things on television previously, but nothing really significant. John Carpenter, for his part, was happy to have Curtis in a starring role because of her parentage and the prospects it offered for bringing notoriety to his film. Curtis's father and mother were Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both famous Hollywood actors in their own right. Leigh, in particular, had been notable for playing the female lead in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” (1960), itself a progenitor of the modern “slasher” movie. And now, Carpenter would have her daughter as the female lead in his “slasher” movie.
Carpenter would bring Jamie Lee and her mom, Janet Leigh, together in 1980 for his terrifying movie, "The Fog". He also brought along actress Nancy Loomis, who played one of her girlfriends who got killed in the car scene in Halloween. I highly recommend, The Fog, in keeping with your Halloween theme as your next reaction.
And again, this was pretty much a prototype. Final girl in 2022? She's keeping the knife, stabbing him lots, she and the kids are going to peace out together. But back in 1978, those cliches didn't exist- this movie was making them. :)
@@jenmurrayxo Gotta love Carpenter's music. I think his best scores were for The Fog and Escape From New York, his next two movies after Halloween. The Fog also stars Jamie Leigh Curtis with her real-life mom, Janet Leigh, star of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
I remember watching this in October 2000 a week before my 10th Birthday. My parents and I went to Flagstaff for my sister's ROTC training, we left on a Friday and came back on a Sunday. My sister and I were in our hotel room and we watched HALLOWEEN for the first time, and it scared the crap out of me!
It's great seeing new reactions to films I've seen massive times. This is the best reaction I've seen to one of my favorite horror films. Jen's anxiety is through the roof lol love it. This just shows how great a storyteller John Carpenter truly is. Subbed days ago.
I never realized how much I need someone to do a mashup of this movie and "The Big Lebowski". I can imagine The Dude stalking a person into a closet and them screaming "YOU PSYCHO!!!", and him creepily saying "Well, that's just...like...your opinion...man.", and then just before he delivers the death blow saying "All The Dude ever wanted...was his rug back." Then he'd butcher them and say "That rug really tied the room together."
BTW, how gorgeous is Jamie Lee Curtis?! Between this and her sexy strip tease in "True Lies", it's crazy to me to think that stupid rumor about her ever got started to begin with.
Yeah... Donald Pleasance. Jen will get to see him again soon-ish, since he plays Ernst Stavros Blofeld in one of the upcoming James Bond films she's working through.
The thing about Jamie Lee Curtis being stupid for dropping the knife repeatedly is that when this movie came out nobody would have expected the killer to keep coming back from his severe injuries. This is the movie that started that as a trope, audiences at the time would not have expected it. The only reason you know that she should keep the knife is because this movie and a million others that came after have taught it to you.
Jen, if you continue with the Halloween franchise, "H3 The Season of the Witch" has nothing to do with Michael Myers. It was an experiment in stand-alone Halloween themed horror films like an anthology because Carpenter was getting tired of Michael Myers. It didn't go over very well with an audience expecting the masked slasher, even though it's a pretty decent Twilight Zone-like yarn by itself.
Didn't help that this was always Carpenters intent, for it to be an anthology series. But they insisted on a direct sequel first and ended up just having the anthology idea confuse people.
I never got a chance to watch one of your slasher reactions until now. I give you major props for making it through the whole movie and I felt so bad seeing you scared I just wanted to give you a hug.
Fun Facts: Adult Michael Myers was played by 3 different people. The part was mainly played by John Carpenter friend Nick Castle, who go on to be a director himself directing movies like The Last Starfighter, Dennis the Menace (1993) and Major Payne. The actor who played Michael unmasked was actor Tony Moran, Brother of actress Erin Moran from the TV show Happy Days and a third man did the stunt in the end. Actress PJ Soles (Lynda) tried to get her boyfriend at the time, a young Dennis Quaid, a part in the movie to play Bob, but Quaid was already doing a different movie at the time. The voice on the phone talking to Annie is director John Carpenter.
My older daughter and I used to pull all-nighters with scary movies on Halloween. I started her on this one when she was about 10. After it was over she looked over at me and said “That’s it?” 😂 She got better ones the next year.
The beauty of Halloween '78 is it's absence of explicit gore, relying more on heightened suspense instead of graphic violence. Hang in there, Jen. It's almost November! Lol! Thanks for being a trooper. I'm a Christmas lover as well as Halloween time, so can't wait for your holiday lineup.
Jen you are too funny when you watch horror. Adorable. Glad you are giving them a chance because there are a lot of great horror movies out there. Plus there are a lot of pop culture references to old horror movies. Take care
This is my absolute favorite horror film of all time. So Jen, the weekend that I saw the Shining for the first time when I was 12, they advertised that this would be shown the very next night. I begged my parents to see it cause it looked really spooky and awesome. They reluctantly agreed and I ended up loving this movie and even developed a slight crush on young Jamie Lee Curtis. I make it a tradition each and every year to watch this movie on Halloween night with my annual companions, popcorn and a rum and Dr. Pepper.
Every time I watch this movie I notice fun and cool things, little details that make it so effective. Not just the scares and creepiness (which are plentiful, of course), but teensy touches that ground the movie and make it authentic. A good example is when Annie and Laurie are talking in the Doyle house and Annie feeds her a piece of popcorn. Good friends do playful stuff like this, and I don't even know if this gesture was unscripted, but it's adorable and convincing. Now, frankly, I don't understand some of the story (did Myers fixate on her because she was the different one, the bookish and more plain of the three? and how did a man carry a headstone around _and up a flight of stairs_ by himself, etc etc), and a little ambiguity is okay by me--- but I feel silly complaining because the movie as a whole is such a good spookshow from start to end. The tension is palpable. If we explore the rest of the series, it gets disappointing. I like #3 for what it was intended to be, a wicked sci-fi thriller that had nothing to do with Michael and Haddonfield. Carpenter had a plan for an annual scary film to be released every Halloween with a new story/characters each time, and I wish that had worked out because it was a super concept. To me, the Halloween franchise is a muddled mess at times; I don't even watch movies 4, 5 and 6 anymore, but this first film stands alone as one of the best thrillers ever put on celluloid. It's got great suspense, plus a fantastic music score by Carpenter which is the cherry on the sundae.
"Why do people watch these movies?" I'll give you the same response I gave a different reactor. I watch horror movies hoping to be scared. Because I enjoy the adrenaline rush. Similar to folks who like roller-coasters.
That's exactly why I've been obsessed with these things for 20 years. They're an exciting rush and it feels like you're watching something you aren't supposed to be watching.
Excellent reaction, Jen, I'm sorry that these films get to you so much, perhaps do any others with Tara, your editor or boyfriend. A fun fact that most people miss in this film is, on the TV the kids are watching is the film 'The Thing from Another World' a favourite of John Carpenter, he would later remake it as 'The Thing'. Thank you, Jen, perhaps you should do 'Carrie' another classic from the '70s for Halloween?
@@e.d.2096 Yes, it is, Eric, quite right, actually when you see the original it's surprising how many of the same type of shots are used in the remake from the original, you can certainly see that the one was very much inspired by the other.
@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis. I'm sorry Adam, l just now came across this comment (40 minutes later) Jen mentioned that she would rather be watching a monster movie instead of this.I really think she hit the nail on the head. So many monster films, especially from the 50s. Creature from the black lagoon, the original The Thing, 20 million miles to Earth, 5 million years to Earth, Phantom of the Opera, The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Fly (black and white) and so on. There's such a large pool of films to choose from. Even Forbidden Planet, with its "monsters from the ID" would I think really draw a large audience for her.
@@e.d.2096 Yes, there are quite a few for Jen to choose from as well Eric, apart from the older ones, there are the more modern ones too, 'The Wolfman' from 2010 for example, or 'Wolf' with Jack Nicholson, I know that she's reacted to 'The Mummy' but she has yet to do, 'The Mummy Returns' which I thought was a good sequel to the first.
@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis. I agree Adam, in all honesty I think "Carrie " would be a perfect fit for Jen. I had forgotten all about that film. And the premise is also perfect. A sweet tormented young girl that has telekinetic powers that only her mother is aware of. I think it would be an excellent recommendation that you can suggest to Jen. But as I have mentioned to her, that her calendar is probably filled for this year. But there's always next year. My recommendation for "The Others " still stands. Have you ever seen "The Changeling " with George C. Scott. Another great ghost story. The mansion used in the film is here in Colorado.
I reckon ennio moriccone did the score for the thing; but ennio's score kinda sounds like him doing an impression of carpenter's more minimalistic music stylings.
I've never thought slashers are scary, but I love watching them, Halloween is my favorite of course. It always amazes me people fear these . Great reaction
Hey Jen, I've got an "unusual" suggestion for you today. If you still can't get Michael Myers' theme to stop repeating in your head, try this: look up Jerry Goldsmith's Musical Score from a little movie called "Explorers." Some of THE Most Beautifully Composed Music that I have EVER heard; guaranteed to inspire both Positive Feelings and Peaceful Dreams! 😇
2:36 "You ever done anything like this, before?" "You mean supervise the transfer of someone criminally insane, at _night,_ in the pouring _rain,_ the night before _Halloween?_ No. Every institution I've been to has had _banker's_ hours. We've always been content to work during the _day."_
The James Ensor poster in Laurie's room is a nice Easter egg of sorts. Ensor was an artist who painted people wearing macabre distorted facial masks (usually white ones).
They were first going to use a clown mask for Michael and it was shocking for the crew but as soon as they brought out the Kirk mask, everyone went into stunned silence cause it was so creepy.
When I was young, some of the cheesier magazines used to have these mail order ads for rubber masks of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock from Star Trek. The mask Michael Myers wears was actually one of those cheap mail order masks (specifically the Captain Kirk one).
Jen, don't stop, you have so many more Halloweens to go through. 😁 My favorite Carpenter film you haven't reacted to yet is 'Escape From New York". More adventure, no horror. Also, with Kurt Russell, he did a TV movie "Elvis". one of the better biopics of the King.
I prefer _They Live,_ which I would consider horror, but mostly psychological. Both films are fantastic and quite satirical, though _Escape from New York_ doesn't wear its satire on its sleeve like _They Live_ does.
I was born in 1976 I saw this movie for the first time when I was 7 years old in 1983 my mom made me watch it before I went out TRICK or TREATING she made me walk down dark streets by myself
Great reaction Jen. I especially love how you gave out about Laurie dropping that damn knife all the time. To be fair, I can understand the first time as she thought he was dead but after he gets up, that knife should have been glued to her hand. This film is masterclass in atmosphere and tension which I truly appreciate.
It's crazy how good this movie turned out for how little budget they had. John Carpenter knew what he was doing. Even just the simplicity of Michael's mask and outfit.
Back in the old days, this movie came out when I was 11, and the kid up the street had a VCR, an expensive thing then, and *his family owned a copy of Halloween on VHS,* must’ve cost them $120 at that time. It was my early introduction to R-rated scary movies! I think we watched it three or four times.
@@tomhoffman4330 Not bad, been waiting for this one! My initial comment to Jen, I was going to make it longer, but I had to do something. What I wanted to say is "There,There that bad man only has 9 more people to stab, then it will all be over.
A friend of mine went to the theater to see this movie when it came out. She got so scared that when she got home, she slept on the floor in her mother's room, so she wasn't alone!
My little sister was a student at the University of the Pacific at the same time Jamie Lee Curtis was, and they once played pool in the student union. Jamie Lee Curtis won. I asked my sister what she was like, and my sister answered "She seems like a very nice thug" (meaning she's very nice but also very tough).
![โฮ่ง! (SUGOI) - LYKN [ OFFICIAL MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nFp4zjAARFs/mqdefault.jpg)
After-the-fact AWARDS:
MVP to that insanely creepy music
Low Key MVP to the knitting needle
Worst OBVIOUSLY to Michael
Excellent Recipients for Your Awards!!! If you're interested, here are a few more John Carpenter Favorites that I'd highly recommend: "Escape From New York" / "Christine" and "Vampires" ('98).
Low key MVP...the knitting needle 😭 😭 😭!
John Carpenter's theme is so frightfully evocative, I've even spooked friends with it who hadn't seen the movie. LOL
@@e.d.2096 I have seen this movie a few times before, but help me out here: the knitting needle was what she stabs Michael in his eyes with...Right??
@@tomhoffman4330 Laurie stabs him In the neck with it, when he try to reach over the sofa to get her. She stabs him in the eye with a clothes hanger.
Jen: "Kitty, I need you"
Kitty: "Nah girl you on your own"
😂😂😂😂
😂😻
Jen Next time have some kitty treats in your pocket. And remember the mantra: “It’s only a movie it’s only a movie it’s only a…”
You always have Boston.
This movie is as harmless as possible in terms of gorey scenes, but psychologically just gets in you with its tension building.
Yes!!
To me Halloween 1 never felt like "tension building" but like "dragging on and on and on". I was really bored when I watched the movie the first time because nothing ever happens and we get one long scene that leads to nothing after the other.
@@Bambuzzsprosse just curious did you see the film back in the day or was it like within the last 20 years or so.
@@quatz1981 I was born 10 years after its release, so I believe I haven't seen Halloween before '98 ^^
But that doesn't mean anything. The first Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien or The Thing for example were created long ago as well and they still have a tension-level that completely shatters Halloween's.
@@Bambuzzsprosse fair play, just a lot of people who may have watched the film after seeing a lot of modern films may be a bit jaded, but it seems that Halloween just didn't do it for you and that's fine.
Another great reaction, Jen! Fun fact: Halloween was made for $325,000 and made $70 million dollars at the box office making it the most profitable movie of all time (percentage wise) until The Blair Witch Project. This is the biggest reason for the slasher film craze of the ‘80s.
It was the most profitable independent film up until that point as Halloween wasn't released by a major studio . Another fun fact, Halloween never played on more than 200 screens at a time as they only made 200 prints of the film and it was never playing everywhere in the US at the same time, because of only 200 prints made, they bicycled the prints from city to city, for three months it would play the Northeast, for three months it would play the Midwest etc. The movie stayed in theaters for three years in some form until Halloween II came out in 1981
I am not a horror guy-and never saw the Blair Witch Project, but I feel this movie has and will retain classic horror movie status where the Blair Witch Project seems forgotten.
I'd wager that cable and premium-TV airings (early HBO, etc) as well as VHS cassette rentals added a really big chunk to the film's earnings in the 80s and 90s.
People are frequently amazed at how scary Halloween is despite being relatively bloodless. It really shows off the craft of John Carpenter and Dean Cundey (director of photography).
@Venture Industries That's probably why it remains a classic now even SISKEL and EBERT who were notorious for slamming any movie like this at the time had a favourable review of this as being a genuinely good thriller !
keeping classic horror alive ENJOY HALLOWEEN UP AHEAD
be safe and CHEERS . 🎃👹💀🙏
Factual and true!!👍😎🤘🎃
Less is more is definitely more effective in horror. Today, they try too hard and show too much = NOT scary. A low budget also benefits horror like no other genre. Proven time and time again, concentrate on the characters' development and script and not on special effects and you're good to go.
Evan Stephen King talks about this in _Danse Macabre._ He says if you have a scene where the hero opens the door and on the other side is… AN EIGHT FOOT BUG, audiences will jump and then pretend to be unconcerned, saying “Eight feet? Is that all? Why not ten feet?”
It's because it takes realistic take: Someone is following you, stalking you, but he or she is just average human. Then he or she strikes. It could happen to anyone. Fantasy part of the movie is Michaels supernatural abilities and the fact that he wears White William shatner mask.
It can not be overstated how much power John Carpenter's musical score has in this. It fills you with fear even if you watch it in the middle of the day, and even in the day time scenes! Genius.
💯
according to the commentaries on DVD, when the movie was first being tested - it didn't have the music and people watching was like "this isn't scary" but the moment they added the music, they were terrified.
@@williamwhitecage7988 That's very interesting and I'll bet a lot of movies would be received vastly differently without their iconic soundtracks. Can you imagine Star Wars without John Williams' amazing music? John Carpenter himself is underappreciated as a composer, having done the soundtracks for many of his own movies (in addition to Halloween) like Escape From New York, Christine, The Fog and one of my favorite Carpenter films: They Live.
Brackett: It's Halloween. Everyone's entitled to one good scare.
The mask Michael Myers wears is a William Shatner mask (Captain Kirk from STAR TREK)!
I remember reading from some trivia site: The crew had originally thought of using a clown mask, but decided on the Captain Kirk one because it was scarier with its emotionless expression.
One of the greatest horror classics from John Carpenter. Jamie Lee Curtis's first movie when she was 20 years old. Michael Myers is an horror icon always
The fact that you were anticipating a jump scare for so long is one of the many reasons why this movie was so revolutionary. The aspect ratio of 2 : 39 makes great use of framing/spacing in shots
Yes that tension just builds!!
@@mattp6089 whoops where the heck did I get 2 : 35 from. My bad. Thanks for pointing that out
@@mattp6089 Halloween is actually 2.35:1 which is very panoramic for a thriller of the time. John would use the same ratio again for The Fog, in 1980, to capture the seascapes and village scenery of the area used for "Antonio Bay".
A classic. Not gory at all but instead relies on atmosphere and tension. As king of the stalk and slash movies It emphasises the stalk much more than the slash, which is IMO makes it far more unnerving. Great filmmaking by a master.
I know it's instinctual for people to tell the actors on screen to turn on the lights of a dark house but that was an abandoned house silly.
Lol 😂😂
Great natural reaction.
"Halloween" was Jamie Lee Curtis's feature film debut. She had done a few things on television previously, but nothing really significant. John Carpenter, for his part, was happy to have Curtis in a starring role because of her parentage and the prospects it offered for bringing notoriety to his film. Curtis's father and mother were Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both famous Hollywood actors in their own right. Leigh, in particular, had been notable for playing the female lead in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” (1960), itself a progenitor of the modern “slasher” movie. And now, Carpenter would have her daughter as the female lead in his “slasher” movie.
Carpenter would bring Jamie Lee and her mom, Janet Leigh, together in 1980 for his terrifying movie, "The Fog". He also brought along actress Nancy Loomis, who played one of her girlfriends who got killed in the car scene in Halloween. I highly recommend, The Fog, in keeping with your Halloween theme as your next reaction.
Halloween II picks up right where this left off, on the same night 🎃
Saw this at a drive in in 1978. I was 9. Still my favorite horror/ slasher movie. Scares me every time, but I can’t look away!
I laugh when reactors tell Laurie to not go there or do this or don't do that. Like she knew what was going on. 😊 Enjoy the movie
And again, this was pretty much a prototype. Final girl in 2022? She's keeping the knife, stabbing him lots, she and the kids are going to peace out together. But back in 1978, those cliches didn't exist- this movie was making them. :)
The opening one take tracking shot tells you this movie is going to be special.
It's my guilty pleasure to watch you freak out with these movies I grew up with. Thanks for doing this! 🎃
Jen gets sooo scared.. it was fun watching this scary movie with you. I love the scary movies!! Keep up the great reviews, fun watching along. 🥰
This will always be my favorite scary movie.
The music is sooooo unsettling
@@jenmurrayxo Absolutely 100%! To me, that's the key to the entire movie. Carpenter did an amazing job with everything on Halloween.
@@jenmurrayxo Gotta love Carpenter's music. I think his best scores were for The Fog and Escape From New York, his next two movies after Halloween. The Fog also stars Jamie Leigh Curtis with her real-life mom, Janet Leigh, star of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
@Paraone Ngatai and maybe even creepier
one of the greatest movie soundtrack and themes of all time.
I remember watching this in October 2000 a week before my 10th Birthday. My parents and I went to Flagstaff for my sister's ROTC training, we left on a Friday and came back on a Sunday. My sister and I were in our hotel room and we watched HALLOWEEN for the first time, and it scared the crap out of me!
Poor Jen with these scary movies 😂
Hopefully you won't be scarred from getting in your car at night.
I love how nervous you get 😂
It's great seeing new reactions to films I've seen massive times. This is the best reaction I've seen to one of my favorite horror films. Jen's anxiety is through the roof lol love it. This just shows how great a storyteller John Carpenter truly is. Subbed days ago.
John Carpenter is very talented, he did indeed do the music in the Thing and Big Trouble in Little China. He does the music in a lot of his movies.
Jen: don't get a knife...
2 seconds later, the killer grabs a knife. 🤣
Every year this movie wins the Best Halloween movie of all time
HE WAS STANDING THERE ... MEANACINGLY!
21:15 Jen - {Sees Michael's body isn't there} "He's gone?" {Immediately looks behind her chair}
😂👍
I never realized how much I need someone to do a mashup of this movie and "The Big Lebowski". I can imagine The Dude stalking a person into a closet and them screaming "YOU PSYCHO!!!", and him creepily saying "Well, that's just...like...your opinion...man.", and then just before he delivers the death blow saying "All The Dude ever wanted...was his rug back." Then he'd butcher them and say "That rug really tied the room together."
😂😂😂👍
BTW, how gorgeous is Jamie Lee Curtis?! Between this and her sexy strip tease in "True Lies", it's crazy to me to think that stupid rumor about her ever got started to begin with.
Love your work Jen! Keep it up!
Your horror movie reactions are hysterical! 😂 I love watching the squirming and covering eyes, checking behind you. 😊😎
Really like Dr Loomis as the guy who fully understands the danger of Michael Myers
Yeah... Donald Pleasance. Jen will get to see him again soon-ish, since he plays Ernst Stavros Blofeld in one of the upcoming James Bond films she's working through.
"Please don't get a knife".
Gets knife.
Yes this was Jamie Lee's first movie.
Fun Fact: This is Jamie Lee Curtis first movie in her entire.
"Halloween" (1978) is in a four-way tie for my all-time favorite film with "The Thing" (1982), "Ghostbusters" (1984), and "Zootopia" (2016).
The score is as effective and evocative and iconic as the Jaws score. It creeps you out even when nothing is happening.
The thing about Jamie Lee Curtis being stupid for dropping the knife repeatedly is that when this movie came out nobody would have expected the killer to keep coming back from his severe injuries. This is the movie that started that as a trope, audiences at the time would not have expected it. The only reason you know that she should keep the knife is because this movie and a million others that came after have taught it to you.
'If I keep saying 'shes about to get murdered' every 5 seconds I'll eventually be right' 😆
The big lebowski behind her lmao.. so funny Jen.
😂👍
Never could figure out how Michael learnt to drive as he spent his life up to that point in hospital
It was explained that all the times Dr Loomis drive Micheal during his time at Psych hospital Micheal observed the Dr driving and learned ...
Nice this was on my horror move marathon lost for tonight, watch along with Jen time.
Jen, if you continue with the Halloween franchise, "H3 The Season of the Witch" has nothing to do with Michael Myers. It was an experiment in stand-alone Halloween themed horror films like an anthology because Carpenter was getting tired of Michael Myers. It didn't go over very well with an audience expecting the masked slasher, even though it's a pretty decent Twilight Zone-like yarn by itself.
Didn't help that this was always Carpenters intent, for it to be an anthology series. But they insisted on a direct sequel first and ended up just having the anthology idea confuse people.
I never got a chance to watch one of your slasher reactions until now. I give you major props for making it through the whole movie and I felt so bad seeing you scared I just wanted to give you a hug.
Fun Facts: Adult Michael Myers was played by 3 different people. The part was mainly played by John Carpenter friend Nick Castle, who go on to be a director himself directing movies like The Last Starfighter, Dennis the Menace (1993) and Major Payne. The actor who played Michael unmasked was actor Tony Moran, Brother of actress Erin Moran from the TV show Happy Days and a third man did the stunt in the end.
Actress PJ Soles (Lynda) tried to get her boyfriend at the time, a young Dennis Quaid, a part in the movie to play Bob, but Quaid was already doing a different movie at the time.
The voice on the phone talking to Annie is director John Carpenter.
I always imagined that Michael Myers looked exactly like William Shatner under that mask. 😉
My older daughter and I used to pull all-nighters with scary movies on Halloween. I started her on this one when she was about 10. After it was over she looked over at me and said “That’s it?” 😂
She got better ones the next year.
The beauty of Halloween '78 is it's absence of explicit gore, relying more on heightened suspense instead of graphic violence. Hang in there, Jen. It's almost November! Lol! Thanks for being a trooper. I'm a Christmas lover as well as Halloween time, so can't wait for your holiday lineup.
Thanks Laurence 👍
John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 is an excellent B movie.
Hi Jen hope you are having an great and awesome day ❤️
You must be happy to be done with the spooky movies for now lol! Je t'aime! ❤✌
Carpenter did (music) score Big Trouble in little China I believe, but the Thing was scored by the great Ennio Morricone.
Jen you are too funny when you watch horror. Adorable. Glad you are giving them a chance because there are a lot of great horror movies out there. Plus there are a lot of pop culture references to old horror movies. Take care
It'd be KILLER of you to watch the whole series!
This is my absolute favorite horror film of all time. So Jen, the weekend that I saw the Shining for the first time when I was 12, they advertised that this would be shown the very next night. I begged my parents to see it cause it looked really spooky and awesome. They reluctantly agreed and I ended up loving this movie and even developed a slight crush on young Jamie Lee Curtis. I make it a tradition each and every year to watch this movie on Halloween night with my annual companions, popcorn and a rum and Dr. Pepper.
Every time I watch this movie I notice fun and cool things, little details that make it so effective. Not just the scares and creepiness (which are plentiful, of course), but teensy touches that ground the movie and make it authentic. A good example is when Annie and Laurie are talking in the Doyle house and Annie feeds her a piece of popcorn. Good friends do playful stuff like this, and I don't even know if this gesture was unscripted, but it's adorable and convincing.
Now, frankly, I don't understand some of the story (did Myers fixate on her because she was the different one, the bookish and more plain of the three? and how did a man carry a headstone around _and up a flight of stairs_ by himself, etc etc), and a little ambiguity is okay by me--- but I feel silly complaining because the movie as a whole is such a good spookshow from start to end. The tension is palpable.
If we explore the rest of the series, it gets disappointing. I like #3 for what it was intended to be, a wicked sci-fi thriller that had nothing to do with Michael and Haddonfield. Carpenter had a plan for an annual scary film to be released every Halloween with a new story/characters each time, and I wish that had worked out because it was a super concept. To me, the Halloween franchise is a muddled mess at times; I don't even watch movies 4, 5 and 6 anymore, but this first film stands alone as one of the best thrillers ever put on celluloid. It's got great suspense, plus a fantastic music score by Carpenter which is the cherry on the sundae.
Loved your reaction. Priceless! Something about scary movies and you gets me every time.
Let's go Jenny Penny!! 🥺 Happy Halloween 🎃👻🥴🎃
The 1978 Halloween movie soundtrack has become a Halloween holiday staple for those wishing to create spookiness.
"Why do people watch these movies?"
I'll give you the same response I gave a different reactor. I watch horror movies hoping to be scared. Because I enjoy the adrenaline rush. Similar to folks who like roller-coasters.
Ahhhh I see... I just throw up on roller coasters 😂
That's exactly why I've been obsessed with these things for 20 years. They're an exciting rush and it feels like you're watching something you aren't supposed to be watching.
Halloween is my all time favorite Horror movie. Great reaction.
Excellent reaction, Jen, I'm sorry that these films get to you so much, perhaps do any others with Tara, your editor or boyfriend. A fun fact that most people miss in this film is, on the TV the kids are watching is the film 'The Thing from Another World' a favourite of John Carpenter, he would later remake it as 'The Thing'. Thank you, Jen, perhaps you should do 'Carrie' another classic from the '70s for Halloween?
Adam, I do believe "The Thing "that the kids are watching, is the original with James Arness from the 50s
@@e.d.2096 Yes, it is, Eric, quite right, actually when you see the original it's surprising how many of the same type of shots are used in the remake from the original, you can certainly see that the one was very much inspired by the other.
@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis. I'm sorry Adam, l just now came across this comment (40 minutes later) Jen mentioned that she would rather be watching a monster movie instead of this.I really think she hit the nail on the head. So many monster films, especially from the 50s. Creature from the black lagoon, the original The Thing, 20 million miles to Earth, 5 million years to Earth, Phantom of the Opera, The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Fly (black and white) and so on. There's such a large pool of films to choose from. Even Forbidden Planet, with its "monsters from the ID" would I think really draw a large audience for her.
@@e.d.2096 Yes, there are quite a few for Jen to choose from as well Eric, apart from the older ones, there are the more modern ones too, 'The Wolfman' from 2010 for example, or 'Wolf' with Jack Nicholson, I know that she's reacted to 'The Mummy' but she has yet to do, 'The Mummy Returns' which I thought was a good sequel to the first.
@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis. I agree Adam, in all honesty I think "Carrie " would be a perfect fit for Jen. I had forgotten all about that film. And the premise is also perfect. A sweet tormented young girl that has telekinetic powers that only her mother is aware of. I think it would be an excellent recommendation that you can suggest to Jen. But as I have mentioned to her, that her calendar is probably filled for this year. But there's always next year. My recommendation for "The Others " still stands. Have you ever seen "The Changeling " with George C. Scott. Another great ghost story. The mansion used in the film is here in Colorado.
This was the funniest review I saw, I was exactly the same on Halloween and Halloween 2, shit me up at 6 years old.
YES ! MY FAVORITE HORROR CLASSIC 😂👍
Dr Sam Loomis was named after Janet Leigh's boyfriend in 'Psycho'. Janet Leigh was Jamie Lee Curtis' mother.
I reckon ennio moriccone did the score for the thing; but ennio's score kinda sounds like him doing an impression of carpenter's more minimalistic music stylings.
I've never thought slashers are scary, but I love watching them, Halloween is my favorite of course. It always amazes me people fear these . Great reaction
Hey Jen, I've got an "unusual" suggestion for you today. If you still can't get Michael Myers' theme to stop repeating in your head, try this: look up Jerry Goldsmith's Musical Score from a little movie called "Explorers." Some of THE Most Beautifully Composed Music that I have EVER heard; guaranteed to inspire both Positive Feelings and Peaceful Dreams! 😇
Jen: "Please don't get a knife."
Narrator: "That's when the killer got a knife."
Sorry these movies do you in every time, but man oh man...your reactions...😘🤌 always awesome. Thank you for another great one!!
😂👍
2:36 "You ever done anything like this, before?"
"You mean supervise the transfer of someone criminally insane, at _night,_ in the pouring _rain,_ the night before _Halloween?_ No. Every institution I've been to has had _banker's_ hours. We've always been content to work during the _day."_
FUN FACTOID: The young girl that Annie is babysitting (Lindsey), was played by Kyle Richards, of the TV series "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
One of my all time favorite movies
I'm pretty sure Carpenter does all of the music for his movies. Another Kurt Russell, John Carpenter classic is Escape From New York.
I am giving YOU the award for being willing to watch this given what a wonderful scaredy cat you are. The glance behind you was priceless.
😂👍
Halloween is considered the Goat of horror movies..I appreciate you giving it a whirl even though you clearly didn't want to.
Great idea for a horror spoof: The Dude as Michael Meyers, lol
😂 I'd watch that
The James Ensor poster in Laurie's room is a nice Easter egg of sorts. Ensor was an artist who painted people wearing macabre distorted facial masks (usually white ones).
The mask worn by Michael Myers was a modified Captain Kirk mask. Who'd have thought Captain Kirk would scare so many people.
They were first going to use a clown mask for Michael and it was shocking for the crew but as soon as they brought out the Kirk mask, everyone went into stunned silence cause it was so creepy.
Awesome reaction jen! The music to this movie gets me far more than the subject matter. LOL
Thank you for this upload Jen!!! This was definitely fun!
When I was young, some of the cheesier magazines used to have these mail order ads for rubber masks of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock from Star Trek. The mask Michael Myers wears was actually one of those cheap mail order masks (specifically the Captain Kirk one).
Jen, don't stop, you have so many more Halloweens to go through. 😁 My favorite Carpenter film you haven't reacted to yet is 'Escape From New York". More adventure, no horror. Also, with Kurt Russell, he did a TV movie "Elvis". one of the better biopics of the King.
I prefer _They Live,_ which I would consider horror, but mostly psychological. Both films are fantastic and quite satirical, though _Escape from New York_ doesn't wear its satire on its sleeve like _They Live_ does.
Funnily enough I think there's more blood in Escape from New York than Halloween. But in the action movie style, obvs.
Fun Fact, Jen: You may have heard Michael’s mask was based off a William Shatner mask.
I was born in 1976
I saw this movie
for the first time
when
I was 7 years old in 1983
my mom
made me watch it before
I went out
TRICK or TREATING
she made me walk down
dark streets by myself
Great reaction Jen. I especially love how you gave out about Laurie dropping that damn knife all the time. To be fair, I can understand the first time as she thought he was dead but after he gets up, that knife should have been glued to her hand. This film is masterclass in atmosphere and tension which I truly appreciate.
It's crazy how good this movie turned out for how little budget they had. John Carpenter knew what he was doing. Even just the simplicity of Michael's mask and outfit.
Crazy to think this movie was made in about a month on a really small budget.
Back in the old days, this movie came out when I was 11, and the kid up the street had a VCR, an expensive thing then, and *his family owned a copy of Halloween on VHS,* must’ve cost them $120 at that time. It was my early introduction to R-rated scary movies! I think we watched it three or four times.
Michael Myers doesn't kill little children. LOL.
Jen, I just wish that I was with you on these types of films. So I could pat the back of your hand and say "There,There" LOL 😆
You and Me both, My Friend. "Hi Eric!"
@@tomhoffman4330 Hoffman in the "HOUSE "
@@e.d.2096 Where else would I be..? (LOL) ...And how are you doing today?
@@tomhoffman4330 Not bad, been waiting for this one! My initial comment to Jen, I was going to make it longer, but I had to do something. What I wanted to say is "There,There that bad man only has 9 more people to stab, then it will all be over.
@@e.d.2096 LMAO!
You always say something to make me smile "Shoot him even more."
Ha! 😀
😂👍
@@jenmurrayxo he was out of bullets ...
Your nervousness, anxiety and stress was a delight to watch!!! Thank you🙂
😂👍
Yes!!!! Pretty Jen! Waiting for you tube then joining you with this classic suspense thriller!!😎👍🍷🚬💕💀💀💀💀😨👀😂
It's neat that Jamie Lee Curtis was in this horror classic and her mom was in 'Psycho', another classic.
A friend of mine went to the theater to see this movie when it came out.
She got so scared that when she got home, she slept on the floor in her mother's room, so she wasn't alone!
My little sister was a student at the University of the Pacific at the same time Jamie Lee Curtis was, and they once played pool in the student union. Jamie Lee Curtis won. I asked my sister what she was like, and my sister answered "She seems like a very nice thug" (meaning she's very nice but also very tough).
Halloween Part II (if you can bring yourself to watch it) picks up right where this one ends.