Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Halloween

  • 19781978
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
268K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,022
134
Halloween (1978)
Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Play trailer2:41
12 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Horror
  • Thriller
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
268K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,022
134
  • Director
    • John Carpenter
  • Writers
    • John Carpenter(screenplay by)
    • Debra Hill(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Donald Pleasence
    • Jamie Lee Curtis
    • Tony Moran
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Carpenter
  • Writers
    • John Carpenter(screenplay by)
    • Debra Hill(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Donald Pleasence
    • Jamie Lee Curtis
    • Tony Moran
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.6KUser reviews
    • 320Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos12

    Halloween
    Trailer 2:41
    Halloween
    'Halloween' | Franchise Retrospective
    Clip 2:30
    'Halloween' | Franchise Retrospective
    How 'Halloween' Gave Jamie Lee Curtis Her Whole Life
    Clip 1:20
    How 'Halloween' Gave Jamie Lee Curtis Her Whole Life
    Will 'Halloween Ends' End Halloween? Reboots, Sequels, & Easter Eggs Revealed
    Clip 2:59
    Will 'Halloween Ends' End Halloween? Reboots, Sequels, & Easter Eggs Revealed
    'Halloween Kills' Cast on Michael Myers' Most Shocking Moments
    Clip 2:43
    'Halloween Kills' Cast on Michael Myers' Most Shocking Moments
    Bloody Beginnings of the Summer Camp Slasher
    Clip 7:00
    Bloody Beginnings of the Summer Camp Slasher
    Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary
    Clip 4:54
    Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary
    How David Gordon Green Made the 'Halloween' He Wanted to See
    Interview 2:04
    How David Gordon Green Made the 'Halloween' He Wanted to See
    Who Passed on the Horror Classic 'Halloween'?
    Video 2:00
    Who Passed on the Horror Classic 'Halloween'?
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 4
    Video 28:34
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 4
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Oct. 19, 1957 - Michael Myers Is Born
    Video 2:40
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Oct. 19, 1957 - Michael Myers Is Born
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Oct. 31 - Halloween
    Video 2:10
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Oct. 31 - Halloween

    Photos339

    Kyle Richards in Halloween (1978)
    Nick Castle in Halloween (1978)
    Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween (1978)
    Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle in Halloween (1978)
    Nick Castle in Halloween (1978)
    Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween (1978)
    "Halloween" Jamie Lee Curtis
    "Halloween" Tony Moran as Michael Myers
    "Halloween" Tony Moran as Michael Myers
    "Halloween" Tony Moran as Michael Myers
    PJ Soles, Nancy Loomis, and Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN
    Nick Castle in Halloween (1978)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Donald Pleasence
    Donald Pleasence
    • Loomisas Loomis
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    • Laurieas Laurie
    Tony Moran
    Tony Moran
    • Michael Myers (Age 23)as Michael Myers (Age 23)
    Nancy Kyes
    Nancy Kyes
    • Annieas Annie
    • (as Nancy Loomis)
    P.J. Soles
    P.J. Soles
    • Lyndaas Lynda
    • (as P J Soles)
    Charles Cyphers
    Charles Cyphers
    • Brackettas Brackett
    Kyle Richards
    Kyle Richards
    • Lindseyas Lindsey
    Brian Andrews
    Brian Andrews
    • Tommyas Tommy
    John Michael Graham
    John Michael Graham
    • Bobas Bob
    Nancy Stephens
    Nancy Stephens
    • Marionas Marion
    Arthur Malet
    Arthur Malet
    • Graveyard Keeperas Graveyard Keeper
    Mickey Yablans
    • Richieas Richie
    Brent Le Page
    • Lonnieas Lonnie
    Adam Hollander
    • Keithas Keith
    Robert Phalen
    Robert Phalen
    • Dr. Wynnas Dr. Wynn
    Will Sandin
    Will Sandin
    • Michael Myers (Age 6)as Michael Myers (Age 6)
    Sandy Johnson
    Sandy Johnson
    • Judith Myersas Judith Myers
    David Kyle
    • Boyfriendas Boyfriend
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • John Carpenter(screenplay by)
      • Debra Hill(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Halloween II
    6.5
    Halloween II
    Halloween
    6.5
    Halloween
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    7.4
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    Friday the 13th
    6.4
    Friday the 13th
    Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
    5.8
    Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
    The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
    7.4
    The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
    Halloween
    6.0
    Halloween
    Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
    5.8
    Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
    Halloween Kills
    5.5
    Halloween Kills
    Halloween III: Season of the Witch
    5.0
    Halloween III: Season of the Witch
    Scream
    7.4
    Scream
    Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
    5.0
    Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      John Carpenter considered the hiring of Jamie Lee Curtis as the ultimate tribute to Alfred Hitchcock who had given her mother, Janet Leigh, legendary status in Psycho (1960). During the same period, Universal studio producers and director Richard Franklin were trying to enroll Jamie Lee in the new production of Psycho II (1983).
    • Goofs
      (at around 18 mins) When Michael goes to the school and gets in the car to follow Tommy, the passenger side window is no longer smashed from the previous night's attack on the nurse.
    • Quotes

      Loomis: I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this... six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and... the blackest eyes - the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil.

    • 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.
    • Alternate versions
      For the 20th Anniversary restoration in 1998, new sounds were added to the film's audio track under John Carpenter's approval. New thunder sounds were added to the Loomis car scene. Wind sounds were added as well. The 1999 DVD release contains both the original unaltered mono sound and a Dolby Digital 5.1 option with the added sound effects.
    • Connections
      Edited into Halloween II (1981)
    • Soundtracks
      Don't Fear the Reaper
      Written by Donald Roeser

      Performed by Blue Öyster Cult

      Courtesy of CBS Records

    User reviews1.6K

    Review
    Top review
    The Most Influential Of All Slasher Films!
    Possibly the most influential of all slasher films, John Carpenter's Halloween is the reason why this particular subgenre of horror even exists in the first place. Although it wasn't the first of its kind, it certainly was the game-changer for almost every other slasher flick that followed this low-budget indie horror only ended up imitating the formula that this classic originated.

    Set in Haddonfield, Illinois, the story of Halloween begins on the titular night in 1963 where we witness the 6-years old Michael Myers stabbing his older sister to death with a kitchen knife. The plot then jumps 15 years in the span of which Myers remained silent in a mental hospital he was confined to, only to escape from the facility and returns to his hometown to kill some more.

    Co-written & directed by John Carpenter, whose innate ability to churn out quality pictures from mere scraps of filmmaking elements has earned him a place amongst world cinema's most influential filmmakers, Halloween is one of the finest works of his career that presents the director in complete control of his craft, and the way he sets the pace & eerie tone from the beginning is a delight to watch.

    Carpenter creates an uncanny mood during the title sequence only which has nothing but a jack-o-lantern on the black screen, accompanied by the now iconic score, and follows it up with an expertly shot prologue which instantly brings the audience into the story. The script is equally impressive for the character of Michael Myers is handled with extreme care, and the writers leave no stone unturned to show him as an unstoppable force of evil.

    The technical aspects are skilfully executed, and every dollar of its low budget is efficiently used in service of the story. Setting the plot in a suburban location turns the very openness of the area into a playground of mayhem. Cinematography is inventive for the camera stalks our characters at all times, benefits from some ingenious placements, and is further uplifted by clever lighting while Editing makes sure that the suspenseful ambiance is kept alive from start to finish.

    But the biggest contributor, in my opinion, is John Carpenter's minimal, synthesised score for it elevates the tension to a whole different level and greatly amplifies the desired effect of its disquieting camera-work & editing. Whenever its main theme surfaces on the screen, there's an uneasiness felt in those moments & whispers of an ominous presence dominate those sequences. It's one of Carpenter's most notable musical pieces & is a major reason behind this film's success.

    Coming to the acting department, Halloween features a budget-friendly cast in Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, P.J. Soles, Nancy Loomis & Nick Castle. The film marks Curtis' acting debut and she does a neat job as Laurie; a high-school student who's continuously stalked by Myers throughout the movie. Pleasence is in as Myers' psychiatrist and the only person who knows what this homicidal maniac is capable of. And Soles & Loomis do a fine job as Laurie's friends who are also pursued by Myers.

    But it's the character of Michael Myers and how he's portrayed in this film that establishes him as one of the greatest antagonists in cinema history. Using nothing but a cheap mask that conveys no emotions, keeping him mute throughout the story & giving him an almost mythic strength that renders him invincible, Carpenter presents Myers as a devil incarnate who kills without empathy, and intelligently uses his presence in the film to build a sinister aura, not to mention the very aspects of this character has gone on to inspire many more villains.

    On an overall scale, Halloween remains one of the genre-defining films of the 1970s whose narrative structure has been adopted as a blueprint for slasher films ever since and its vast influence on cinema & pop culture cannot be downplayed. There were a couple of moments that bothered me but for the most part, this is a thrilling, entertaining & satisfying ride from Carpenter that is every bit worthy of its legendary status. A lesson in horror filmmaking that downplays the elements of gore & graphic violence to show the lasting effect a consistently maintained tense ambiance can have on the viewers, Halloween is the very definition of a slasher film.
    helpful•35
    9
    • CinemaClown
    • Oct 31, 2015

    FAQ15

    • How does Dr. Loomis know that it's Michael driving away in the car when Loomis never saw the patients face?
    • Laurie caught Michael staring at her on three separate locations so why doesn't she call the police about him?
    • What is 'Halloween' about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 27, 1978 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • He Came Home for Halloween
    • Filming locations
      • 1537 Orange Grove Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Compass International Pictures
      • Falcon International Pictures
      • Falcon International Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $325,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $47,160,000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $47,160,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.