Halloween 1978 is a slasher film directed a and co-written by John Carpenter. The film stars Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P.J. Soles and Nancy Loomis. The film follows mental patent Michael Myers who was committed to a sanatorium for murdering his teenage siter of Halloween night during his childhood. 15 years later he escapes and returns to Haddonfield where he stalks babysitter Laurie Strode and her fiends while being pursued by psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis. Halloween in about the dangers of suburbia and the lurking horror behind American society.
The film starts showing a suburban house where a babysitter is making out with her boyfriend. From this film shows the villains POV as they enter the house and grab a kitchen knife, he then puts on a clown mask witch cuts to a POV as he puts on the mask and sees her nude before stabbing her to death. It is then revelled when his dad takes of the mask it cuts to a third person shot of the killer witch is revealed to be a young Michael Myers who is a young boy holding a bloody knife and wearing a clown costume. The nude babysitter being stabbed links to the sexual violence of the film as is demonstrates how sexual repression can lead to dangerous situations. This stabbing scene shows the sexual representation the film as Michael Myers killing the babysitter is due to experiencing a sexual act, this acts a criticism against traditional conservative values as the villain punishes the teenagers for sex with violence with fails to uphold a moral message therefore criticising these values. This murder of the babysitter links to the male gaze as the film showcases the death of females at the hands of a male killer. This scene and Halloween as a whole is a criticism of American social values as the film presents hat things like sex are shown as bad as the villains act like conservative figures punishing teens through violence therefore acting as a criticism to traditional values. This also highlights the dangers of suburbia as this scene and the film highlights the horrors behind a normal neighbourhood. In the film Michael Myers is symbolic of pure evil there is no rhyme or reason behind the murders he simply is just evil.
Dr Lummis and a nurse peruse Michael Myers to stop him. Lummis states that Michael is not a he but a it and that they have to give him the strongest drugs as Michael attacks the nurse and steals the car, as within the film Michael Myers is the symbolic embodiment of pure evil. The film then transitions to a leafy suburban American town with the protagonist Laurie Strode. The Myers house in the film is symbolic of evil with is shown with Michael appearing in the window as he stalks and looks at her. Michael stalks Laurie highlights the dangers off suburbia as the film is about the dangers destroying society and attacking civilian areas. Michael Myers in the film is a representation of evil symbolically destroying society by attacking a suburban neighbourhood. In class the characters talk about fate as they are caught up in several lives as their fate is sealed. As this is going on Michael stalks Laurie appearing and diapering as Michael is a symbolic inevitable doom. The figure of Michael Myers is the embodiment of Prue evil and is symbolic of the dangers of suburbia.
In another scene Michael Myers stalks a kid, stealing a police car and driving tailing the kid. This again shows the danger of suburbia and the representation of evil, and Michael Myers is pure evil invading and destroying society. Dr Lummis tries to warn the police about Michael Myers as a dead body is shown in the bushes, as within the film Michael Myers is like a Spector and the embodiment of pure evil. Michael Myers is seen driving a car past Lurie and her friends around the neighbourhood, as Michael Myers is shown standing behind a ush looking at Laurie however when they get there he disappears. This showcasing the dangers of suburbia as Michael Myers is the embedment of evil invading and destroying society. Michael Myers stalks Laurie appearing and disappearing in her back garden. This shows the dangers of suburbia and the dark underbelly of society, Myers is a product of suburbia and must come home to kill as Michael Myers is the embodiment of pure evil destroying suburbia and society. As Laurie walks though the Suburban neighbourhood as the music creates an ominous tone as she sees children everywhere. This again highlights the dangers of suburbia as this ominous tone shows the dark underbelly of society as evil has come home. The girls get high as they go to the house as slasher villains act as a criticism of traditional American conservative values. It turns out that Michael removed Judith Myers gravestone on Halloween, as Michael Myers is an evil representation of the dangers of suburbia. Michael Myers breaks in to get the stuff he needs for his killing spree, as Michael Myers is like an evil spirt in the film. Michael Myers then stalks hem in his car and follows them to their house showing the danger of suburbia.
Dr Lummis and the sheriff go into house where they find an eaten dog as Dr Lummis met Michael Myers 15 years ago and was an empty 6-year-old shell with no morals, he was noting, emotionless, pure evil, as within the film Michael Myers is symbolic of evil. As Laurie is babysitting as they talk about the boogieman as she talks to her friend over the phone as Michael talks to her, as Halloween is a criticism of traditional American values as these teenagers are the hero’s and the dangers of suburbia attacking the town. Michael appears form across the road outside of the house looking at tommy and then disappears and when he confronts Laurie about this, she dismisses him when she sees nothing. This again highlights the dangers of suburbia as Michael Myers as the villains is the evil that lurks around every corner. Laurie the babysitter strips and changes her clothes with Michael watching. Michael Myers then kills a dog as he destroys the notion of a safe secure American suburbia. Laurie then talks to Tommy about the boogie man being outside highlighting the dangers of suburbia. Michael Myers appears in the window of the door as Lindsey thinks its Tommy. He them disappears as she gets locked in, he then gets inside the house as Michael appears and disappears from shot. This criticises American social values as Michael Myers attack’s these ideas. This also shows the dangers of suburbia as Michael Myers invades and destroys society. From this Michael Myers is the embodiment of evil as he attack’s society. Annie then takes Lindsey to the doyleys house as Michael watches them, Annie then goes back to the house as Michael Myers strangles her before slitting her throat in her car. This murder relates to the violent sexual nature to the film as the murders relate to the traditional conservative views on sexuality as Michael Myers is a messed up parental figure in the film. However, he makes his point though violence therefore criticising traditional American social values. These murders show dangers of suburban America as Michael Myers is the danger lurking underneath normal society. Michael Myers is the embodiment of evil an unable force bent on destruction.
Tommy sees Michael though the window carrying Annie’s corpse, but Laurie doesn’t believe him. The film is psychosexual in nature as the film centres around Michael trying to kill Laurie a female babysitter. The film showcase’s repressed sexuality as the teenagers die for there sexual acts whilst Laurie who is shown to not be sexual survives. The film criticises American social values showcasing how a traditional American conservative society breeds this type of repressive violence. This also shows the dangers of suburbia, and that danger easily breeds within society. Within the film Michael Myers is symbolic of pure evil is here to try and destroy society. Lummis warns kids from going inside the house as him and the cop talk, he explains that he watched him for fifteen years looking at the wall but not seeing it looking past it waiting 15 years for this as he is inhuman and the embodiment of death, as within the film Michael Myers is symbolic of evil. Lynda and her boyfriend Bob arrive at Lindsey’s house to have sex as they find the house empty and have sex as Michael watches. This relaters to the psychosexual nature to the film and its use of sexual violence as Michael’s killings are criticism of traditional American conservative values. Lynda and Bob have sex as Michael watches. They then smoke as she wants a beer. Bob goes to get a beer as Michael attack’s him stabbing him with a knife killing him. This relates to the psychosexual nature of the film as they are ultimately punished for having sex. This relates to the film being a criticism of traditional conservative American values about sexuality. These killing also highlights the dangers of suburbia as Michael Myers is symbolic of evil.
Michael Myers then comes in dressed in a white sheet like a ghost posing as Bob who confronts Lynda who teases him with her breasts to no effect. Then then rings Laurie as Michael strangles her as Laurie thinks its phone sex at first but then gets concerned. This relates to the psychosexual fury of the film in that the killing in the film have a sexual nature to them. This also shows the film being a criticism of traditional conservative values against sexuality as the teens are unjustly punished for this. As well as this the film critiques American social values stating how extreme traditionalism can destroy society. This shows the dangers of suburbia as the dark underbelly of society erupts within the film creating violence. Michael Myers is the representation of evil in the film a force of nature that wants to destroy society. Laurie rings to find out what happened to Annie but gets no response, Loomis notices the car that Michael stole and makes his way over there. This highlights the danger of suburbia as the downfall of society is represented in Michael Myers killing normal America. Michael Myers is the representation of Evil in the film hell bent on destruction. Worried. About the phone call Laurie makes her way over to the Wallace house where she finds the bodies of her fiends and Judith Myers tombstone in the upstairs bedroom. This shows the films psychosexual fury as the sexual acts of the characters relates to their downfall. This also criticises American social values as it shows the brutality behind punishing normal teenagers engaging in sexual activities. As well as this the film shows the dangers of suburbia in that how society cannot hide form the darkness lurking in its shadows. The film demonstrates that nature of evil as an unknowable unstoppable monster that cannot be stopped. She then finds Bobs dead body, as the film criticises American social values by killing these teenagers, as the film highlights, the dangers of suburbia as everyone has been killed as well as this the film demonstrates the nature of evil with everyone being slain. She then finds the dead body of her other friend. This shows psychosexual fury as young men and women are being slain as a punishment for their behaviour. This criticises American social values as they are punished by death for having sex. This highlight the dangers of society as danger is ever-present within normal society and can erupt easily. This also shows the nature of evil as an unstoppable force of nature.
Laurie is attacked by Michael with a Kitchen knife and runs away with him chasing after her, as she breaks though a window to free herself and runs out screaming. This relates to the psychosexual fury and sexual violence of the film as the man wants to penetrate her with a knife killing her. The film is critical of American social values as young people are being punished for sex and drinking by an adult figure in a disturbing violent way showing the negative impact of this ideology. The film shows the dangers of suburbia as the film disrupts and destroys normal American society. Michael Myers is the representation of evil in the film an agent of chaos that destroys traditional American society. Tommy lets Laurie in who orders him and Lindsey to hide. She tries to call for help but the line is dead as Michael attacks her, but she stabs him with a knitting needle seemly killing him. This shows the psychosexual fury of the film a Laurie releases her pent-up sexual energy in the form of violence attacking Michael in a form of sexual violence. The film is a criticism of sexual repression as it is from people being punished for sexual activities that causes her to fight back. The final girl must fight back to be he pure soul that survives and destroys the evil values forced upon her. The film criticises American social values demonstrating how these traditional ideas breed violence. The film showcases the dangers of suburbia and how easily normality can be shattered. The film delves in into the representation of evil showing it as an inhuman creature. Laurie then goes to check on the children however Michael Myers appears again as Tommy and Lindsey hide in the bathroom as Laurie hides in the closet. This relates to the psychosexual fury of the film and the films sexual violence as the villain must penetrate to kill. The film criticises sexual repression as the film punishes sexuality though violence shooing that this is not the answer as shown with the trope of the final girl that frights back against the killer. This criticises American social values as it shown how traditionalism can breed sexual frustration and violence. This highlights the danger of suburbia and how danger can lurk within normal society destroying it. The film represents evil as an unstoppable killing machine hell bent on destroying everyone and everything.
Hiding in the closet Michael Myers comes or her. He bursts down the door to get her ad Laurie uses a coat hanger to defend herself by gauging him in the eye and stabbing him seemly killing him. This relates to the film’s themes of psychosexual fury and sexual violence as with the film being a criticism of Laurie’s repression as this as this sexual energy has now come out in a violent act killing the villain and saving herself as the final girl must fight back. This critic traditional American social values as the punishment of sexual promiscuity is a violent and bloody death. This highlights the dangers of suburbia in that danger lurks there you least expect it. This also shows the representation of evil as creature that wants to violently tear society apart. When the final girl fights back against her attacker and wounds him in it shows the film criticising and destroying the traditional values in favour of more modern progressive ones. Laurie sends Tommy and Lindsey to go to the neighbour’s house to call the police as Michael rises again. This demonstrates psychosexual fury as Michael Myers wants to violate Laurie to penetrate her though sexual violence. This demonstrates a criticism of sexual repression as sexuality is being shown here in a violent way were that repression leads to death. This criticises American social values as these unruly teenagers are punished in a brutal way leading to their demise at the hands of a crazed killer. This highlights the dangers of suburbia as a violent invader can destroy a close nit guarded community and destroy society. This represents evil as something that can destroy society. At the end of the film Michael attacks Laurie as Loomis comes running in up the stairs. She then pulls off his mask revealing his face as Lummus shoots him seemly killing. Laurie asks Lummus “was that the boogieman” to witch Lummus replies “as a matter of fact it was”. Lummus then looks to see Michael has vanished seemly alive. The fact that Lummus saves Laurie doesn’t mean that she isn’t the final girl because one Michael is still alive and two is he was a normal person she would have killed him. This relates to psychosexual fury in the film as Michael is killed saving Laurie as it shows that traditional conservativism needs to be destroyed by the youth. This is shown through the sexual violence shown within the film as Michael Myers being defeated showcases the criticism of sexual repression with must be destroyed. The final girl in the film must fight back asserting herself and destroying these systems of oppression. This is a critic American social values as the film fights back against these traditionalist oppressive villains and allows a young promiscuous not entirely moral young women to be the victor. This also shows the dangers of suburbia as these villains invade the character lives there home with the ideas of destroying not just people but their society in the process. This also demonstrates the representation of evil as an oppressive unstoppable force can be destroyed when the final girl fights back against her attacker wounding him making Halloween and slasher films a very empowering subgenre.
Halloween is a film about the horror behind every day suburbia and how society can easily be destroyed by shadowy figures and the dangers of attacking the very fabric of modern human existence.
