NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
What better way to wrap up our Halloween favorites than with a movie with the same title. One of the longest-standing horror films, Halloween was released back in 1978, written by John Carpenter, and has a 13-film catalog so far. Said to have been inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Halloween gave way to the rebirth of the slasher.
What makes Halloween so loved is the reinvention of Michael Myers over the years. Originally the story was written about a young boy who kills his sister and would come back and murder again on Halloween night. The plot would eventually evolve towards the end and circle all the way back to the feud between Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, eventually leading up to a trilogy that wrapped up in 2022.
The franchise has had its fair share of heavyweights as well. From John Carpenter to Rob Zombie, and now Blumhouse. What’s unique to the Halloween series is the ability to have it set in multiple timelines and set down different paths depending on the direction of the writer/directors. Unlike the other horror franchises, Halloween is set with the backdrop of the holiday it was named after. While movies such as Nightmare on Elm Street don’t often follow a date and Friday the 13th is often in the summer, the horror in Halloween is more than likely on Halloween night.
Movies like Halloween will never die so long as the horror genre can sustain a low-budget offering and a high box office yield. Out of 13 movies, the total production budget is ~$143 million and return $886 million from the box office. These types of movies aren’t meant to carry the weight of a billion-dollar franchise such as the MCU. They’re for a niche market that still loves the movie theater and the thrill of the horror genre. Putting on the popcorn on a cold fall night and watching a scary movie is a tentpole of the season.
Michael Myers and Halloween have also had their place outside of the big screen as well. Other forms of media include novels, comic books, video games, and merchandise, it is easily one of the most beloved horror franchises spanning almost 50 years.
