Halloween (1978)

How does the start exemplify a common technical code convention of the horror genre?

At the start we, the audience, are placed into Michael's perspective. This is Point of View Camerawork. It makes us feel like we are the killer and there is a part of evil inside us, trying to get out.

How does the setting fit with the horror genre?

At the beginning, Loomis and his assianant are in a storm with heavy rain. In media terms this is called a pathetic phallacy. It is a typical weather in the horror genre. We can immediatley tell that something will happen. This is true of course if you have seen the film. In Halloween (1978), Myers esapes from the hospital and is on the loose. That is of course bad as he is a pyschopath and is going to kill; Annie, Bob and Lynda in particular.

The suburb is a common setting in horror. This is because there is nothing really to do there. It is a boring to grow up, espically for teens. You don't expect a killer to be in that area, but in Halloween there is of course.

What iconography of "innocence" do we hear and see early on?

At the start of Halloween night, the children are in their costumes trick-or-treating, which is an innocent tradition for young children to perform on Halloween night in American culture.

What was the main industry impact of Halloween?

The film Halloween was cheap to make as ineeded no big "stars" or special effects makng it immensly profitable. Along with others, Halloween was a formulaic film in any exploiation cycle in both production and context.

Name some "slasher" films which followed on from Halloween.

1979- Friday the 13th, Prom Night and Terror Train

1980- Bloody Valentine, Night School and The Burning

1981- Friday the 13th Part II, Graduation Day, Happy Birthday To Me, The Slayer and The Prowler

What are the 4 plot rules of the "slasher" film sub-genre?

• A traumatic event in the past creates the killer.
• The killer returns to returns to the site of the event. Normally, it's on the anniversary of the event.
• The killer stalks and kills a group of stupid and obnoxious teens of both sexes one by one.  
• The "final girl" surives. She is boyish and often virginal. Although she defeats the killer at the end, the killer is never really vanquished.

Give 3 ways Laurie is an andrgynous.

Laurie is more of a tom boy compared to her "girly girl" friends. She dresses like a boy; wearing jeans and not "seedy" clothes. Her name can be either male or female. She has a very deep, masculine voice.

What does the extract mean by "a reactionary sexual agenda"?

Sex should only be done in wedlock/ marriage. In Halloween, the sexual girl and boy end up dead, after having sex, in very horrorible ways. While Laurie is Myers' intentional victim she stays alive because of her virginity and is not sexualised.

How does the director, John Carpenter, counter the suggestion that Halloween had not a reactionary sexual agenda?

Carpenter says the reason those teens die is that they're not aware: they are distracted by alcohol and sex. Laurie is aware and throughout the film senses that somebody is "stalking" her. She has less on her mind like her studies and her job as a babysitter. She's not distracted by alcohol, sex and boys like Annie and Lynda.

Why does Myers kill his sister?

There is no real answer to why he killed her in the film. The doctor says he is "pure evil".