“Halloween”
analysis essay
The film Halloween is a slasher horror from 1978 directed by
John Carpenter, as well as being co-written with Debra Hill, Halloween is
iconic because it established the Slasher genre. This film follows the escape
of psychotic murder from a psychiatric asylum, in which he was imprisoned after
murdering his sister on Halloween night. The film follows the convention of
having an anniversary to kill again, he does this when he returns to his home
town on the 30th of October.
The film is set
during 1963, in the small community of Haddonfield however the beginning of the
film is set 15 years’ prior in the same location on Halloween night.
Todorov’s theory on narrative structures for films within
the horror genre suggested that all films begin with an equilibrium, however in
Halloween we don’t find an equilibrium as it begins with a murder. Following
Todorov’s theory the equilibrium should then be disrupted by an event, this
event is called a disequilibrium, the main event within the film is Michael
Myers return to Haddonfield as this leads to the chaotic murders that happen
within the isolated community.
There are at least four character types within the Halloween
that keep reappearing in the narrative in relation to Propps theory. Firstly,
psychotic Michael Myers is the villain throughout the film and this is made
obvious as he brutally murders his sister in her bedroom on the night of
Halloween, this idea of him being the villain is further reinforced when we
witness his escape from the mental asylum, this is again reiterated by the
polices urgency to find him. Dr. Loomis is the hero of the film, although not
the archetypal, good looking hero, he is the one who goes after and tries to
stop Michael when he returns to the town as he knows what Michael is going to
do. Lauri is the victim in Halloween, she spends the most part of the film
being stalked by Myers, who is trying to kill her, being as Lauri survives
Carol Clover’s final girl theory applies to Halloween. Lauri’s friends Lindsey
and Annie are also female victims but both die as unlike Lauri they have sex,
drink and do drugs, whereas Lauri has all the typical traits of Carol Clover’s
final girl, she is well educated, of a middle class background, doesn’t go out,
drink, do drugs or have sex. The helper is the Sheriff, although he doesn’t
believe the doctor to begin with, he aids Dr. Loomis in trying to stop Myers.
There are 4
clear instances of binary opposition in Halloween:
Good and Evil
Dr. Loomis
and the Sheriff are the good trying to stop the evil (Michael), equally Michael
is the villain going after the heroin Lauri.
Natural and Supernatural
Michael
survives 6 bullets and falling off balcony, whereas his victims are easily
killed.
Purity and Promiscuity
Lauri and her
friends; Lauri is interested in her education and books, her friends are
interested in going to parties, drinking and boys.
Past and Present
Halloween begins 15 years in the past with a young Michael
murdering his sister, and then transitions to the present.
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