Introduction
Halloween, the 1978 movie directed by John Carpenter, is considered to be an all-time classic of the horror genre. If a film’s greatness is defined by the combination of popularity and significance, then Halloween is “arguably, the most successful horror film in American history” (Knöppler, 2017, p.212). The reason why it is such a remarkable movie is the way Halloween satisfies the spectator who came to see the horror story by building up the tension and then releasing it via various tools and decisions.
Halloween as a Classic Example of the Killer Genre
Summary and Genre Classification
In order to identify which genre of horror Halloween belongs to, one needs to turn to an overview of the plot. Knöppler (2017) lays it out as follows: the year is 1978. Michael Myers, a young man, who killed his sister, has remained in a psychiatric hospital for the past fifteen years. On October 30th, Michael escapes and drives back to his hometown, while his psychotherapist, Dr. Loomis, decides to track him down, knowing what danger he possesses. There, Myers, wearing a white mask, stalks female high-schoolers Laurie, Annie, and Lynda. On Halloween night, Myers kills Annie and Lynda, and attacks Laurie. Dr. Loomis arrives to the rescue and shoots Michael, but the body vanishes. The film ends with Myers’s heavy breathing – it is implied he has survived.
From the description it becomes evident which genre of horror this movie belongs to. Halloween is a classic example of the killer genre, which, consequently, features a killer – a human being or a supernatural creature – who, for some reason, hunts people. This perfectly fits the description of the antagonist, Michael Myers, who stalks teenage girls throughout the entire narrative in hopes to kill them.
Narration that Evokes Fear
Since the plot of the movies of the killer genre revolves around the murderer, it is only fair that the way his presence and actions are depicted is what makes the story horrifying. Catharsis, which is a crucial element of horror, occurs at the very end – and one is masterfully led up to it (The Psychology of Fear). One example, according to Knöppler (2017), would be the audiovisual presentation of Michael Myers. The first half of the movie only features him in long shots or extreme close ups, escalating tension. The music adds to it – non-diegetic sounds indicating danger accompany Michael’s appearances on the screen. His body language is almost absent and he rarely makes a sound; even his accessory is a mask with no expression. All this dehumanizes Myers and presents him as rather a shadow of the person, which provides a spine-chilling effect (Knöppler, 2017).
Another way to emotionally affect the audience is to adopt the camera to Michael’s point of view. Some have argued that this subjective camera use is one of John Carpenter’s more arguable choices since it makes the viewers active partakers in the violence depicted on the screen (Knöppler, 2017). Nevertheless, that might have been exactly what the director was going for: the spectator, walking in the killer’s shoes in low key lighting, realizes the danger and fears for the unsuspecting victims. The article Scared Witless (1999) speaks about the physiology of fear and the way our body reacts to being scared. Exploring what it is like to make the viewer feel as if they are actually a criminal about to murder might be another subject worth writing an article about. That is a smart move in terms of provoking a reaction.
One more tool to present the antagonist as someone not quite human is the way his psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, talks about him. Doctor claims that Myers’ eyes are “the devil’s”, that he is evil – “purely and simply”, and refers to him as “it” rather than “he” (Knöppler, 2017). All that further establishes the killer as something different, which is often present in the monster genre of horror. Here the otherness is metaphorical and portrayed with the help of the director’s ideas and tricks.
The Monster’s Role
However, one might argue that there are ways to look at the underlying message that do not necessarily align with the laws of the horror genre. For instance, Myers’ role can be interpreted as that of the originator of justice rather than the classic role of peace-breaker. The reason for that is the fact that the girls killed are promiscuous – and the survivor is a typical virgin. In that sense the murderer serves as the “patriarchal father”, coming to murder in a side lighting, and that appeals to more conservative audiences, even though the horror genre is perceived to be as one breaking the barriers (Knöppler, 2017, p.223).
Fulfilling the Viewer’s Needs
Stephen King (1979) states that, when one encounters the genre of horror, they are not necessarily scared of the mythical and absurd; rather, it is the implications behind the stories that are terrifying. Granted, since Halloween stars a psychopath with a desire to kill – a much frequent occurrence than a vampire or a sea-monster – it is easier to imagine oneself in the exact same situation as the teenagers in the movie. Still, what is actually frightful are the hate and deliberation with which the killer pursues his victims – and the way it is presented from the artistic point of view.
Conclusion
Halloween is called a classic not simply because it grossed a big box-office or became immensely popular. It is due to the director John Carpenter’s vision, which helped him create a film full of effects that evoke an emotional reaction in the audience. The fact that it gained both the critical acclaim and the love of public is just the cherry on top.
References
King, Stephen. 2012. Night Shift. United States: Anchor Books.
Knöppler, Christian. 2017. The Monster Always Returns: American Horror Films and Their Remakes. Germany: transcript Verlag.
Scared Witless – The Physiology of Fear. Canada: Toronto Star, 1999.
The Psychology of Fear. Web.