10 Classic Halloween Movies To Watch This October 2021
1. Halloween
Let's be honest - what Halloween-themed film is more appropriate to watch during Halloween than a horror film called Halloween? John Carpenter's film may not have been the first slasher but it's certainly responsible for popularising the genre.
The premise couldn't be simpler. After Michael Myers escapes a psychiatrist institution, he dons a mask and goes on a murder spree in his home town of Haddonfield. Now, nobody is going to pretend Halloween is perfect. The acting isn't great and it's clear it had a shoe-string budget. But upon revisiting the classic, it's refreshing to see a horror that focuses on atmosphere rather than gory violence, glamorous death scenes, or jump scares. (Granted, the movie has one or two jump-scares but they are done effectively and don't come across as a gimmick.)
Halloween feels like an ensemble piece since there are many elements that make it work as a whole. Jamie Lee Curtis' terror is completely convincing, Donald Pleasance's somber monologues keep the story grounded, Michael's dead-eyed visage is constantly unnerving, and the chilling soundtrack prevents the viewer from settling.
It may have spawned countless imitators but Halloween still remains the king of slashers.