thisisstepercival Reviews

The Thirty Nine Steps (1978)

A Good Old Fashioned Adventure

[7/10 · 2 June 2024]

The 39 Steps has been filmed many times, probably once every decade or so. This 70's version for me is the best of the ones I've seen. Maybe because this is the one I remember growing up as one of those Sunday afternoon films shown on the BBC.

It's quick paced and entertaining, and obviously anything that has David Warner in it playing a villain is always watchable.

I've never read the book but I'm aware this version isn't completely true to the source material. The magnificent ending set atop London's Big Ben clock tower wasn't in the novel at all, added probably inspired by North by Northwest. Nonetheless it's a great adventure, watch it on a lazy Sunday after a roast with a glass of red.

At Close Range (1986)

Walken will terrify you

[9/10 · 31 May 2024]

A crime film that's based on a true story can be one of two things, either pretty slow and boring or has that much extra stuff added for "dramatic effect" that it ends up being complete fiction.

At Close Range fortunately falls into neither category. Key to this is the crime is placed second to the story of the family.

The real life Penn brothers play two brothers who aren't fundamentally bad but their lives aren't going anywhere and opportunities to better themselves aren't knocking at the door.

Enter their father, who they have never really met. Although they knew of him and knew he was a criminal they naively think highly of him, instead of their father teaching them that's they can be someone or achieve more he merely uses their longing for a father figure to lead them further astray.

Walked gives a career highlight performance as the unloving and manipulative father, while both Sean and Chris Penn excel as brothers at different ages desperately looking for a father who loves them.

Without giving the actual story away I'd highly recommend everyone catches At Close Range, it's heartbreaking, frightening and incredibly powerful with a shocking last half hour that shows you how evil some people really can be.

Jaws 2 (1978)

Another Summer, Another Shark

[8/10 · 22 May 2024]

Jaws 2 is way better than the current 5.8 rating here on IMDB. In fact it's only flaw is it was a sequel to one of the greatest 70's films ever made.

Nothing was ever going to live up to the original 1975 film, it was the first of its kind and Jaws practically invented the phenomenon that is now the "summer blockbuster". But Jaws 2 comes pretty close to matching the original.

Yes they might have overdone it a little with the helicopter scene, but beyond that everything is rooted pretty much in feasible possibilities.

There's some good kill's, suspense and a few decent jump scares. Don't compare this to Spielberg's classic but instead compare it to Jaws 3 or Jaws the Revenge and you'll soon see that this is a much much better film.

Rolling Thunder (1977)

Strolling Thunder

[5/10 · 5 May 2024]

Rolling Thunder is a film I've wanted to watch for years, and I mean decades. I first remember seeing it on VHS trailers when I was a kid when we'd rent old Bruce Lee movies so you're looking at probably 1981/1982.

Years passed and I'd all but forgotten about it, then it got a few mentions in the 90's when Quentin Tarantino mentioned that he love it and it was a "cult classic" so cult classic in fact that here in the UK I couldn't find it on VHS, DVD etc and since the arrival of streaming sites it had never been available... until now (May 2024) thanks to Prime Video.

Expectations were high to say the least, both William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones are good actors and always deliver.

Unfortunately in this case the film was a slow burner given it was a 70's "revenge" movie and TLJ is actually only on screen for about 2/3 minutes the whole film even though he's second billing.

There's not a lot of action, not a lot of story and ultimately not a lot to live up to over 40 years of wanting to see it.

Face/Off (1997)

Slo-Mo Madness

[9/10 · 27 March 2024]

When Face/Off hit the cinema back in 1997 the concept seemed absurd, fast forward 27 years and with today's advances in medical science and plastic surgery it's almost believable.

It's an 80's action flick made in the 90's with two Hollywood stars literally out doing one another in every scene. Did John Woo make a better film in America than this? With a few tweaks to the story this probably should've been Mission:Impossible 2 which he went on to direct most like off the success of this.

I can't think of two better actors for these roles, it's hard to imagine that it was originally planned as a Stallone/Schwarzenegger project if that rumour is indeed true.

Fast forward to 2024 and there's plans for a sequel... as good as I think Face/Off is, I think bringing Travolta and Cage back now in their 60's would be a huge mistake.

Road House (2024)

I thought you be better...

[6/10 · 25 March 2024]

So I've watched two films this weekend, both modern day takes on two bona fide 80's classics. Ghostbusters Frozen Empire and this, the remake of the Patrick Swayze classic. Both have, for me fallen short of my hopes.

Roadhouse (2024) throws up a couple of surprises for me. Firstly, Connor McGreggor - it's clear he's having a ball trying this acting lark, and he genuinely steals every scene he's in. He's almost a comic book version of his real life persona. He's never going to be an Oscar winning actor, but he could potentially be the next Jason Statham or Vinnie Jones.

Jake Gyllenhaal... he's a solid actor who's made some very good movies and you have to be in awe of the physical transformation he's undergone for the part of Dalton. The mannerisms of Dalton remind me of the character Donnie Darko, which Gyllenhaal played 20+ years ago.

Billy Magnussen is the bad guy, and he plays pretty much the incompetent but sly character he also did in the last Bond film.

I'm sure you know the basic premise of Roadhouse already so no need to go into detail, there are a few changes though which I didn't feel were for the better - sometimes a straight up remake retaining 90% of the original isn't a bad thing.

Shockingly there's no Wade Garrett. Given that his death in the original is finally what makes Dalton snap it's almost criminal that the character wasn't included.

I didn't think there was any romance between Dalton and the doctor, another reason why he stuck around in the original, instead the local store is owned by just someone with a cute kid who's nice to Dalton once.

We won't go into the excessive use of unnecessary CGI in the fight scenes, it was completely out of place and didn't serve the film any benefit.

Roadhouse will appeal to many, those who are too young to remember the original will probably enjoy it and those who are old enough will be eager to see what they've done. It's better than the new Ghostbusters...

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Who you gonna call? Not this lot...

[4/10 · 25 March 2024]

To say I was disappointed is somewhat of an understatement. I'm in my 50's so when I new film like this or Indiana Jones or Top Gun comes out I'm super excited to relive my teenage years for 2 hours in the cinema.

Unfortunately Ghostbusters Frozen Empire didn't fulfill the excitement I was looking forward to since last summer. Yeah they've got the gang back together, yeah New York is once again at threat and as you'd expect in 2024 the special effects are superb. So it's exactly what I'd ask for isn't it?

Sadly for me, it's just lacklustre which is a shame as I genuinely loved Afterlife a couple of years ago. I try not to spoil it for people yet to see a film so I won't give anything away - but there's a scene with Paul Rudd singing, you'll know exactly what I mean when you watch it. It's the most cringy and forced thing I've ever seen on film. The "bad guy" was great but criminally under used too.

Judge for yourself though, I wouldn't like to see the film flop because as much as bringing old franchises doesn't always work sometimes we get good films and I believe Ghostbusters is a franchise worth having in the future, although maybe the old gang need to hang up their proton packs.

The Creator (2023)

Style over Substance?

[7/10 · 23 October 2023]

Firstly it's hard to play down or deny that The Creator looks astonishing... the look of the film is by far its best aspect. It's grainy like some old 70's movies but full of possibly the most advanced special effects you'll see this year.

The influences here are stamped loud and proud, I didn't read anything prior to watching the film and on viewing I immediately had 3 other films flashing through my mind - Blade Runner, Apocalypse Now and obviously Edward's' own Rogue One.

Story wise I had to concede that it's a story we've seen before and done better (or certainly in a more coherent manner).

There's a message here, that man is solely responsible for his own future and his own fate. The film pits man against machine in a future war where we are positioned to automatically take the human side against the A. I. soldiers... there's a very poignant moment where humans are targeting and bombing the robot soldiers (who show frighteningly human characteristics throughout) without any thought for collateral damage. One robot soldier runs into a shack filled with families, and upon realising his presence puts human life in immediate danger runs back out to save the very thing he's meant to be a threat to.

It's clear that it's man who is a threat to mankind, not the technology that we create.

The film is entertaining there's no doubt, but it's definitely one for the genre fans.

On a side note, I couldn't help but grin when they board a helicopter in a sweeping homage to Apocalypse Now and the sounds of Radiohead's hypnotic "Everything in its right Place" starts filtering through the cinema speakers.

Gareth Edward's knows how to do sci-fi that's for certain and the almost real world feel he gave to Rogue One is again present here.

If Star Wars has any hope of a genuine future, he should definitely be involved.

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Oh boy!!!

[2/10 · 6 August 2023]

You have to wonder how some films actually get made sometimes. Jason Statham isn't ever going to be an Oscar winning actor, however he's far more deserving than to be in a film like Meg 2.

Do studios even oversee the films they bankroll? Because this is a new level of bad. I mean it's soooo bad it isn't even "so bad it's good".

It's all over the place, I won't spoil it in case if you're reading this you still want to watch it, but this makes the original Meg look like Jaws. Hell, Meg 2 makes Jaws: The Revenge seem pretty good.

I like cheesy films, everything doesn't have to be grade A cinema to be enjoyable, but come on. It's like someone wanted to make a huge budget version of one of those made for tv monster movies where a shark fights a mutant alligator.

Dunkirk (2017)

Nolan's Blip?

[5/10 · 1 August 2023]

I'm no Nolan fanboy, I just enjoy movies. For the most part Christopher Nolan makes solid and very entertaining films, even if one or two of them are hard to follow. Hard to deny the sheer dizzy heights The Dark Knight reached, take away the superhero aspect and replace Batman with a policeman and it's still one of the best films of the 00's.

Dunkirk for me will be Nolan's stumble. It seems every big director feels the need to do a WWII film, but this doesn't offer anything. It's visually stunning but the lack of characters you can about (or even actually story) made it difficult for me to get invested in it. It's certainly a novel approach to take, especially when Nolan is expected to give audiences the big summer blockbuster and I suppose myself along with others thought we were going to get another Saving Private Ryan size film.

Is Dunkirk worth watching? Yes. Would you be missing out if you didn't see it? No, I don't think so. There's better WWII films out there, and there's better Nolan films out there.

Moonraker (1979)

The low point of 007...

[4/10 · 8 July 2023]

By far the very worst entry in the franchise, Moonraker hasn't aged well at all and it was most likely already outdated by time the follow up "For Your Eyes Only" came along two years later.

Roger Moore somehow manages to look older in this than FYEO, the acting is woeful, sets look ridiculously cheap and it's almost a parody of Bond.

Are there any redeeming qualities here, well they brought Jaws back, who is possibly one of 007's greatest henchmen, although he's used for comedy relief here which is somewhat ironic as the film isn't one that could be described as serious.

Moonraker is very much a film made in the moment to cash in on current events (space shuttles) and most likely because "space" films like Star Wars had been the big blockbusters of the time.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

The Dial of Destiny does indeed turn back time...

[8/10 · 2 July 2023]

Indiana Jones... the moment you sit down in the cinema or on your couch to watch it, you already know exactly what you're going to get. You'll either love it it hate it. This film truly is nostalgia driven. 5 of us went last night, two adults and 3 teenagers. It's no surprise the two people in their 50's enjoyed it a lot more than the younger family members.

It's got everything you need in an Indiana Jones film, Harrison Ford, a sidekick, the fedora and whip and of course John Williams's fantastic music. The story is decent, and there's some great if far fetched action sequences. The CGI isn't the best but it adds a bit of charm in the sense you know you're watch a film.

Yeah Ford is knocking on a bit now and this definitely needs to be the last film in the series.

Witness (1985)

A Gem.

[8/10 · 12 May 2023]

Witness is, for me, an 80's film with its feet firmly planted in the 1970's. The 80's were excessive, action packed one man against insurmountable odds but Witness is different, it feels more like a throwback to the gritty police dramas of the previous decade.

Let me explain. When you watched most cop films in the 80's you knew the outcome before the film had even started - by time the credits roll the hero had saved the day. This isn't the case here, I won't spoil the story for those who haven't watched it but Witness leaves you questioning how the film will end, Ford isn't Rambo or Axel Foley, he's a cop on his own who's out of his depth - and he knows it.

The story is slow but not boring, in fact it's pacing is perfect. It reminds me very much of reading a novel. There are a couple of action scenes and obviously there's a climactic shootout when our lone policeman finally shows down with the bad guys.

This is possibly the first thing Ford did away from the big franchises he's a superstar for and he picked a great script to go with.

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Hooked...

[9/10 · 12 May 2023]

I'm not interested in motor racing whatsoever, so a film about the sport shouldn't really appeal to me. The thing with Le Mans 66 (Ford v Ferrari) is it's a lot like the first Rocky film. It's about the people NOT the sport, and like the Stallone film there isn't a lot of the sport featured, only when the film heads towards its climax.

This is pure story driven, there's not much action and the racing scene's aren't pumped up like Days of Thunder to give you some sort of adrenaline rush. The magic here is down to two things, Christian Bale and Matt Damon.

Bale is regarded as a great actor, someone who throws himself fully into roles but I don't think he ever gets the credit he truly deserves, he's up there with the best in my opinion and without him the film would be just ok, but with him he just pushes it beyond.

I doubt anyone else could've managed the Yorkshire accent as convincingly as he's pulled off here. Yeah I know he's British but he's from Wales and it's a completely different sound and tone.

Based on a real person who I admit I'm not previously aware of Bale plays this as a man who isn't interested in being famous, or wealthy or even winning. The character never once lets his ego get in the way despite others wanting him to fail, he never sets out to prove them wrong because for him it's about the car, and the car only. It's not about him. Pure passion.

Matt Damon, gives another great turn as Carroll Shelby and adds another layer to an already great story. He believes in the Miles character and he's the one who wants glory for Miles.

If you're yet to watch this, you're in for a treat. It's never boring, the characters are solid and interesting and the overall story is told really well.

Treason (2022)

Could've been much more.

[6/10 · 13 April 2023]

Treason is a strange one.

They seem to have a decent premise, albeit nothing we haven't seen before and they have pulled together stars you wouldn't expect to see on this show. It's on Netflix but it screams BBC.

It's got pretty decent production but for all the things I've just said Treason falls a little flat for me. It's full of well worn cliches and nothing comes as any kind of surprise. Given the nature of the show you'd expect a bit more in terms of twists etc. Sadly it's all very predictable and uninspiring.

Maybe they needed to flesh it out beyond it's short 5 episodes. More story, more twists.

Beat Street (1984)

This ain't New York, this is the BRONX!!!

[9/10 · 30 March 2023]

A film made in the early 80's about a fairly new dance craze was never going to hold up as a cinematic masterpiece 40 years later. But Beat Street was at the time by far the best film about the breakdancing & graffiti scene and in some respects it still hasn't been surpassed. It's kind of like a big budget remake of Wild Style in a way, that's my opinion anyway.

Although not a hit at the time Beat Street has become a huge part of pop culture, and if you wanted to show teenagers of today youth culture films of the late 70's and early 80's, along with Walter Hill's seminal "The Warriors" then Beat Street would a a great place to start.

Like every film there are a few scenes that stand out and with Beat Street it's definitely the breaking battle at the Roxy. Look it up on YouTube, it's probably the best 6 minutes of breakdancing ever caught on film - and incredibly clever seeing as during filming they we're actually dancing to "it's Just Begun" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch NOT "Breakers Revenge" as heard in the actual film.

All in all Beat Street truly deserves a place in films about youth culture and although it's highly likely that it's a snapshot of a New York in the early 80's that's made to look a lot glossier and nicer than it was, if you were around 10 - 20 when the film came out it still to this day gives you a sentimental feeling when you watch it.

Even now, i still smile when I see a brand new train or hear a spray paint can being shook.

Wolf Pack (2023)

Starts well... but

[5/10 · 26 March 2023]

After watching the first episode I had high hopes for Wolf Pack. Yeah it initially seems like Teen Wolf but I thought ok give it a go as I'd originally like TW but for me that dragged on way to long.

Wolf Pack is only 8 episodes long so you'd expect the story to move along at rather a rapid pace. Sadly by the end of episode 7 they had so much going on that they had far too much to explain, resolve and work out in less than an hours episode 8.

The first 10 minutes or so of EP8 is like some kind of alternate universe dream which completely threw me and for me made absolutely no sense - spoilers ahead - it's pretty obvious Sarah Michelle Geller was going to be revealed as someone big as she's too big a star to play a side character.

I'm not sure if it needed a couple more episodes or they wrote the last episode with lots of different reveals which they then mixed and matched with what they thought was the best but truthfully episodes 1-7 are decent but 8 is all over the place and a bit of a mess.

Nearly everything that is played out is done in a way that's so ambiguous I felt they planned it that way so if they decided to make ANY character the baddie or the hero it was plausible but for me just didn't work.

You literally get to the last 10 minutes of the last episode and... they throw in a reveal of a character that literally had 2 minutes of screen time a few episodes before.

Can only hope there's a second season and it continues where this left off with some clever explanations and makes the last episode of season one more coherent.

Scream VI (2023)

Better than the last one

[7/10 · 20 March 2023]

Billed as Scream set in New York I was expecting it to feature Ghostface slashing his way across Manhattan's famous landmarks, alas apart from a couple of establishing shots of Brooklyn Bridge that's as far as New York is involved. Turns out it was actually filmed in Canada.

Plot wise after 6 films you know what you're getting and it's more or less just guessing who the killer is before the big reveal and as they even say out loud in the film itself go bigger and better with the kills. I must admit I didn't guess who the killer was and it might surprise some people.

Inevitably there will be a Scream 7 soon as I think they leave this one with enough room for one more using these main characters, especially now that Jenna Ortega is a star after the Netflix show Wednesday.

Better (2023)

Leads nowhere

[5/10 · 28 February 2023]

Better starts well. I'd go as far as to say at first I genuinely thought we could have something as good as Line Of Duty. Unfortunately that feeling didn't last long. As many have said, it's only 5 episodes so I watched it over two nights, but I actually watched it right through twice thinking I'd missed something that set the end up as the whole last episode made no sense whatsoever. I had a load of questions I didn't get answered.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Are we truly meant to believe that he would just hand himself in at the end after everything that had gone on, not to mention the fact that SHE convinced him to do it knowing that she would have to do the same?

I'm guessing that there was a time when the two leads had been more than friends even though it wasn't acknowledged in the program, and if he didn't kill her handing himself in was his only other option. I didn't buy into he was guilt stricken over his daughter as he was quite happy for his son the be in the family "business" and potentially let him murder the other son should he need to.

Another thing, what was with the very last scene? Did they try to do a Soprano's but it fell flat? There was a click and they both turned and looked before the screen went to black, was that open to interpretation? Maybe I'm way off the mark because I think how they handled him as a gangster was so uneven - was he a massive crime lord or just a drug dealer? He only had one henchman if you like who was an old guy yet they kept eluding to him being a big deal.

On the plus side I thought the acting was decent and I liked the choice of music in the final scenes, not very often if ever do you hear The The on the tv.

Scream (I) (2022)

Scream-ake

[6/10 · 31 January 2023]

SPOILERS* For me it started off well, but if I'm honest it was obvious who one of the killers were. They tried to be clever by telling you who it was then relying on audiences thinking oh it can't be because they've made it too obvious - but the double bluff didn't work.

There's a MAJOR plot hole that they tell you the main character left 5 years earlier when she was 18. This makes her 23 - so how is she the daughter of someone who died 25 years ago? Oops...

They did a good job of hiding where the party was, until they revealed the twist which I think was a nice idea but ultimately one that they didn't really use as well as they could have, in the final showdown one character just disappeared for no reason without explanation (I actually thought they were going to be the killer).

There are some good jump scares, although I have just sat in a completely empty theatre except for me.

Worth watching? Yeah, if you're a fan. But I was expecting more.

Tenet (2020)

It's different

[6/10 · 27 January 2023]

Christopher Nolan is undoubtedly a great filmmaker, although personally I find his films very hit and miss - The Dark Knight is outstanding and even played as a straight cops and robbers movie instead of a superhero film that still stands. Likewise with The Prestige, another simply perfect film. On the flip side of that he gives us say, Dunkirk which for me was more than disappointing. Anyway, Tenet falls smack back in the middle. It's not a masterclass in filmmaking nor is it disappointing. It looks incredible and it's action packed and full of the trucks you'd expect from a Nolan film. However, it's just too convoluted and hard to follow. It's a bit too clever for its own good which sometimes can be a good thing but to most casual viewers it's just not worth the effort. I have watched it 3 times now and I admit it gets better with each viewing but you probably shouldn't need to watch something half a dozen times to fully grasp the story or what's going on. If you struggled with Inception then seriously give Tenet a miss it'll just leave you with a headache. If you want to watch it to be dazzled by jaw dropping set pieces then give it a go. It's not a bad film it just pushes filmmaking to new limits which isn't a bad thing.

On a footnote it would be interesting to see what Nolan could do if he was given the opportunity to helm a Bond movie because there's possibly no-one better at action sequences around right now.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Cinema Royalty

[10/10 · 31 December 2022]

It's probably hard for people under 30 to understand just what an impact Star Wars had not only on kids of the 70's but on cinema in general. Jaws had been a big hit a couple of years earlier but nothing like Star Wars had ever happened before, it was a phenomenon, people were literally queuing all day and night to watch it for the 5th, 6th and even 10th time.

Of course it was followed 3 years later by Empire Strikes Back then concluded its original trilogy with 1983's Return of the Jedi. Movies franchises, summer blockbusters and toys based on the films are the norm nowadays and everything seems to get half a dozen sequels but Star Wars was the film that created this.

The films nearly 45 years old now so you're likely to be in the minority if you've never seen it. It's one of those films the goes beyond being a "classic" it's so ingrained into our everyday lives now. What sets it apart from all the modern day franchises is the original 3 films had a genuinely good story, Lucas definitely knew what was going to happen in Return of the Jedi while A New Hope was still being made. And they were smart enough to stick to 2 hours per film. The trouble with new films is they want them to be 3 hours long, released 12 months apart and they seem to be still trying to think of the story when they start filming.

Halloween Kills (2021)

Halloween Kills and kills and kills...

[7/10 · 30 December 2022]

I'm guessing that being the middle film of a trilogy they had to find a way to get from Halloween (2018) to Halloween Ends (2022) and they decided that having Michael Myers massacre pretty much EVERYONE that appears on screen was the way to go... the story itself is a little thin but there are a LOT of cool homages to the original 1978 film, I suppose whether that adds anything depends on if you're a Halloween fan or not. The mask reflection in the window, shadows against walls etc it's all stuff I enjoyed because let's be honest, a new Halloween film isn't going to be ground breaking or win any Oscars. The franchise obviously has a big enough fan base it's worth continuing to make the films so giving fans what they want is essential. The following film Halloween Ends has been released recently so I'm writing this review knowing where they went after Kills finishes... which strangely isn't remotely where they left off here, in fact everything they set up in this film was ignored or forgotten which makes Halloween Kills a bit of an oddity to watch because it's the middle of a trilogy that doesn't feel like it was finished. They maybe needed to make each film as a stand alone story only very slightly tied together by the characters.

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

The most emotional M:I

[8/10 · 17 December 2022]

There's a significant shift in tone in this third instalment of the franchise and it's all the better for it. You actually feel the stakes are both high and personal for Ethan Hunt in this chapter. The third film into the franchise and the third director. No matter what people think of JJ Abrams once he got involved in Star Wars he was on his A game here. If this entry hadn't been so strong there's a possibility we wouldn't have seen Cruise return for another 4 films and the M:I franchise would have probably ended. Previous to this film there was a different "team" in every movie but moving on from here they started to stick with characters and it gives the overall franchise a lift. Exceptional set pieces of action sequences and a genuinely nasty (if a little underused) bad guy make this a great popcorn action movie that rises above many others.

Halloween (1978)

THE Slasher

[10/10 · 9 November 2022]

Let's be honest, they are 13 films into the franchise now, there are numerous rip offs and it's 45 years old now (2022) BUT Halloween is the very best slasher film ever made.

There's no blood, there's actually very little in the way of violence either but the film is still terrifying. Most horror movies rely on gratuitous violence to make them "scary". Halloween did the complete opposite, it played on our own self made fears. We've all had that awkward feeling that someone is watching us, or we don't like the dark when we're alone. John Carpenter takes these things and turns the dial up way past 10. There's a great scene where a girl is on the phone with her back to the door and no one is there then as she moves to one side of the screen there's the boogeyman watching her. She moves back and he's gone... WHAT??? Where the hell is he? It's simple but incredibly effective. That could happen to any of us and it probably has and we like her didn't notice.

I admit the music plays a huge part in this film and turn the volume down and the film is very tame compared to most slasher films. I doubt it's possible to recreate what they managed to achieve in 1978 again, hence the 12 sequels that never quite capture the same fearlings (is that even a word?)

What sets Halloween aside from all the other horror franchises is there's is no fantasy aspect to it, the killer is just a man in a cheap mask with a big knife. It's entirely feasible that the events in this film could happen exactly as they do here. I don't know about you, but that scares the hell out of me.