On Halloween night of 1963, 6-year old Michael Myers stabbed his sister to death. After sitting in a mental hospital for 15 years, Myers escapes and returns to Haddonfield to kill.
Several people are hunted by a cruel serial killer who kills his victims in their dreams. When the survivors are trying to find the reason for being chosen, the murderer won't lose any chance to kill them as soon as they fall asleep.
Director:
Wes Craven
Stars:
Heather Langenkamp,
Johnny Depp,
Robert Englund
A group of camp counselors is stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning.
Director:
Sean S. Cunningham
Stars:
Betsy Palmer,
Adrienne King,
Jeannine Taylor
Five friends visiting their grandfather's house in the country are hunted and terrorized by a chain-saw wielding killer and his family of grave-robbing cannibals.
After being committed for 17 years, Michael Myers, now a grown man and still very dangerous, escapes from the mental institution (where he was committed as a 10 year old) and he immediately returns to Haddonfield, where he wants to find his baby sister, Laurie. Anyone who crosses his path is in mortal danger.
Director:
Rob Zombie
Stars:
Scout Taylor-Compton,
Malcolm McDowell,
Tyler Mane
Laurie Strode, now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, must battle the Shape one last time and now the life of her own son hangs in the balance.
Director:
Steve Miner
Stars:
Jamie Lee Curtis,
Josh Hartnett,
Adam Arkin
Attempting to cope with her mother's murder, Sydney and her horror movie-obsessed friends are stalked by a murderer who seems to have a hard time letting the past go.
Director:
Wes Craven
Stars:
Neve Campbell,
Courteney Cox,
David Arquette
Survivors of undead serial killer Freddy Krueger - who stalks his victims in their dreams - learn to take control of their own dreams in order to fight back.
Director:
Chuck Russell
Stars:
Heather Langenkamp,
Robert Englund,
Craig Wasson
Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece on Halloween. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?
Director:
Dwight H. Little
Stars:
Donald Pleasence,
Ellie Cornell,
Danielle Harris
Mrs. Voorhees is dead, and Camp Crystal Lake is shut down, but a camp next to the infamous place is stalked by an unknown assailant. Is it Mrs. Voorhees' son Jason, who did not really drown in the lake some 30 years before?
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. Written by
Massive Fan
The wealthy film producer Moustapha Akkad had admittedly little interest in this film and helped make it primarily due to the enthusiasm of John Carpenter and Irwin Yablans. However, when the film turned out to be a huge box-office smash, Akkad saw an opportunity and facilitated every 'Halloween' sequel. This does not include the two remakes, which were produced after his death in 2005. See more »
Goofs
The writing on the side of the car that Michael steals disappears. See more »
Quotes
[into phone]
Dr. Sam Loomis:
You've got to believe me, Officer, he is coming to Haddonfield... Because I know him! I'm his doctor! You must be ready for him... If you don't, it's your funeral.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The music for the film -- written and performed by John Carpenter -- is instead credited to "The Bowling Green Philharmonic Orchestra." Carpenter grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky. See more »
I was 20 back in 1978, and saw this on opening weekend. I knew nothing of it, and after growing up on the old Hammer films, followed by a period of almost nothing, this was quite a nice surprise. It really worked! Had me checking the back seat in cars, gave me a sinking feeling when I lost my keys, etc. The low death toll and relative lack of blood, as compared to subsequent slasher films, has me really admiring how effectively it created the atmosphere & suspense that kept me on edge, and made me jump at the right places. I certainly don't jump any more at it, but I do have fun remembering what it was like watching it when the now-cliches were fresh & new. I laugh at the 'horror' flicks of the 30s & 40s, but when they were new, I bet they were something. And I bet in another 20 years, today's toddlers will find Scream/IKWYDLS, et al, to be tame and passe too, at least compared to what they'll (& I'll) be watching then!
I'm surprised at the number of people half my age who wish they could've been around to see this film when it was brand new!
Looking back, Halloween probably scared me more when it was new, than other horror movies have,when they were new. Horror films are indebted to Halloween for breaking some new ground, and I can't wait for the next horror film that will do something on a similar scale.
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I was 20 back in 1978, and saw this on opening weekend. I knew nothing of it, and after growing up on the old Hammer films, followed by a period of almost nothing, this was quite a nice surprise. It really worked! Had me checking the back seat in cars, gave me a sinking feeling when I lost my keys, etc. The low death toll and relative lack of blood, as compared to subsequent slasher films, has me really admiring how effectively it created the atmosphere & suspense that kept me on edge, and made me jump at the right places. I certainly don't jump any more at it, but I do have fun remembering what it was like watching it when the now-cliches were fresh & new. I laugh at the 'horror' flicks of the 30s & 40s, but when they were new, I bet they were something. And I bet in another 20 years, today's toddlers will find Scream/IKWYDLS, et al, to be tame and passe too, at least compared to what they'll (& I'll) be watching then!
I'm surprised at the number of people half my age who wish they could've been around to see this film when it was brand new!
Looking back, Halloween probably scared me more when it was new, than other horror movies have,when they were new. Horror films are indebted to Halloween for breaking some new ground, and I can't wait for the next horror film that will do something on a similar scale.