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List Price: $24.98 | | Label: Starz / Anchor Bay
Salesrank: 155596
Released: August 7, 2001 |
| Our Price: $59.16 |
| Used Price: $38.98 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Halloween is as pure and undiluted as its title. In the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, a teenage baby sitter tries to survive a Halloween night of relentless terror, during which a knife-wielding maniac goes after the town's hormonally charged youths. Director John Carpenter takes this simple situation and orchestrates a superbly mounted symphony of horrors. It's a movie much scarier for its dark spaces and ominous camera movements than for its explicit bloodletting (which is actually minimal). Composed by Carpenter himself, the movie's freaky music sets the tone; and his script (cowritten with Debra Hill) is laced with references to other horror pictures, especially Psycho. The baby sitter is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the real-life daughter of Psycho victim Janet Leigh; and the obsessed policeman played by Donald Pleasence is named Sam Loomis, after John Gavin's character in Psycho. In the end, though, Halloween stands on its own as an uncannily frightening experience--it's one of those movies that had audiences literally jumping out of their seats and shouting at the screen. ("No! Don't drop that knife!") Produced on a low budget, the picture turned a monster profit, and spawned many sequels, none of which approached the 1978 original. Curtis returned for two more installments: 1981's dismal Halloween II, which picked up the story the day after the unfortunate events, and 1998's occasionally gripping Halloween H20, which proved the former baby sitter was still haunted after 20 years. --Robert Horton
Description of Halloween - Television Version (Limited Edition):
Halloween is as pure and undiluted as its title. In the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, a teenage baby sitter tries to survive a Halloween night of relentless terror, during which a knife-wielding maniac goes after the town's hormonally charged youths. Director John Carpenter takes this simple situation and orchestrates a superbly mounted symphony of horrors. It's a movie much scarier for its dark spaces and ominous camera movements than for its explicit bloodletting (which is actually minimal). Composed by Carpenter himself, the movie's freaky music sets the tone; and his script (cowritten with Debra Hill) is laced with references to other horror pictures, especially Psycho. The baby sitter is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the real-life daughter of Psycho victim Janet Leigh; and the obsessed policeman played by Donald Pleasence is named Sam Loomis, after John Gavin's character in Psycho. In the end, though, Halloween stands on its own as an uncannily frightening experience--it's one of those movies that had audiences literally jumping out of their seats and shouting at the screen. ("No! Don't drop that knife!") Produced on a low budget, the picture turned a monster profit, and spawned many sequels, none of which approached the 1978 original. Curtis returned for two more installments: 1981's dismal Halloween II, which picked up the story the day after the unfortunate events, and 1998's occasionally gripping Halloween H20, which proved the former baby sitter was still haunted after 20 years. --Robert Horton
Halloween - Television Version (Limited Edition) Reviews:
great movie. 
2009-11-27 - the movie was great. i enjoyed watching every last minute of it. the shipping was great and the movie arrived when it was expected.
Very dependable seller
2009-11-06 - The seller was very dependable. The item I order arrived a week after it was ordered and it was in great shape like they stated. Would order from them again in a minute.
Halloween.The Definitive Horror Movie-A Classic.
2009-11-01 - Halloween Parts 1 And 2, Are Definitive Horror Movie Classics,It is disturbing yes, Disturbing as you would see On any night of News Coverage on Television,or as Disturbing as People's everyday Declining Morals,But the movie is What Horror Movies Should be, Not meant to Glamorize Crime,but that there is Evil In the World sadly. This movie is not the typical Gore Zombie Movie,But it will creep you out!Not to mention the Eerie track!Donald Pleasence is awesome as is a Beautiful Jamie Lee Curtis Before she ruined her hair!
Fun To Watch 
2009-10-31 - The first Halloween to me has a special meaning to me in that it was probably the first Horror movie I remember seeing. We used to watch this and laugh and quote scenes, and it was indeed frightening also don't get me wrong...but it had such a sense of humor and such lovable characters, there was more to this than just a slasher film.
Watching it as a grown up reveals so many flaws, we all know it was shot with a low budget by a young crew for the most part. Right from near the beginning when Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is walking down the street you see trees that have green leaves on them all around, and then there's the mysterious rain that fell on Lauries block only apparently. Also Annie picks up Laurie at 6:30 p.m. when it's still pretty light outside, when in fact as I type this in Illinois it's only 6:15 p.m. and it's pretty dark outside. I am always hoping not to see a palm tree in the background, or the Hollywood Hills or something. Too bad they couldn't have shot the film at least in the midwest where it was set..today it was about 50 degrees and windy on Halloween, the trees that haven't shed all their leaves are a beautiful mix of yellow, orange, and red. The ground is littered with dead leaves wind blown or raked into piles on every street. It is a very amazing atmosphere in the fall with the changing of seasons. At least in the movie they are wearing sweaters and jackets to make it seem like there is a chill in the air.
Other than those minor issues perhaps, the film itself is really pretty good I think, the opening scene is the tragic night that started it all in 1963 as a young Myers stabs his sister to death. It then skips ahead to 1979 when Michael is locked up right before Halloween, and of course he manages to escape...which is a classic moment when the wonderful Dr. Loomis played by Donald Pleasance of course has had it up to here with excuses and why he was allowed to escape in the first place, Loomis is a nervous wreck throughout the film, with good reason. Him and the skeptical Sheriff are an oddball team at times trying to put a dent in Myers' rampage. Fav moment is Loomis staking out the old Myer's place and little Lonnie on a dare walks up to the front door and Loomis yells from behind the bushes...cracks me up every time I see it, and then while Loomis is enjoying his small victory, the Sheriff proceeds to scare the daylights out of Loomis.
A very interesting look at high school life in the late 70's also, with the trio of Laurie, Linda, and Annie. Laurie is the brains of the bunch, and one Ben Tramer is the object of her secret desire...but we never really see this character, can't help but think Ben doesn't know what he's missing in a smart, beautiful, shy...yet somewhat rebelious (smoking pot with Annie) Laurie Strode. Linda (played by P.J. Soles) is a favorite character also, a wild child, who smokes, lusts after boys, drinks beers, and says "totally" about a dozen times in the film. Just another reason to love this movie.
There's some violence of course, Micheal watches his victims, stalks his victims, and overpowers all that get in his way. To me it comes together with suspense and horror, plus a dash of comedy sprinkled in that make this one entertaining and totally fun to watch I think. Halloween just wouldn't be Halloween without seeing this one every year IMO.
Awesome
2009-10-27 - The video was new and in great shape. It arrived in a timely manner and the price was great. I would order from them again.
