Is 'Halloween' the Ultimate Low-Budget Horror Success Story?

You've definitely heard of this music:

This is from the famous 1978 horror film "Halloween," composed and performed by director John Carpenter.

Halloween is here, and it's also the season for "Halloween." Since its release in 1978, "Halloween" has become an essential film for every Halloween celebration. You may already know where this music comes from, but you might not know the story behind this classic horror film. This article will provide you with an overview.

How It All Began

This film was the brainchild of producer Irwin Yablans, who was brainstorming ideas to collaborate with the relatively new director, John Carpenter. He thought, "Why not make a horror film about a babysitter on the scariest night of the year, Halloween?"

However, Carpenter wasn't interested in typical 1970s horror films (such as "The Exorcist"). He preferred suspense, action, thrillers, and comedies. Fortunately, Irwin didn't want the typical gory and violent horror films either; he wanted a film that emphasized a suspenseful atmosphere, scaring the audience through imagination. Think of Hitchcock and his subtle approach compared to the graphic violence in some horror films. Which one gives you chills?

So, They Saved on Blood

Staying true to the producer's vision, they aimed to create a "theater of the mind." Surprisingly, "Halloween," a classic slasher film, doesn't have much blood. Instead, it creates terror which subtly emerges from the darkness. Much like the famous shower scene in "Psycho," it doesn't show violence and blood directly but leaves the horror to the viewer's imagination. It's different from later films like "Friday the 13th"; they are at two extremes.

Regarding the Name of the Main Character, Michael

The name of the film's main character, the killer Michael Myers, pays tribute to Mr. Michael Myers, who helped promote Carpenter's "Assault on Precinct 13" and made it a hit in the UK.

Additionally, the name of the female lead, Laurie, comes from the director's ex-girlfriend. The child she takes care of, Tommy Doyle, gets his name from detective Thomas J. Doyle in Hitchcock's "Rear Window." The name of the killer Michael's psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, is inspired by the secret lover of the lead character in "Psycho." The sheriff, Leigh Brackett, is named after science fiction writer and screenwriter Leigh Brackett, known for her work on "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back."

The Iconic Mask of Horror

The eerie white mask worn by the main character, Michael Myers, is as iconic as the film's theme music. Even if you haven't seen the movie, you've probably come across it and found it memorable. Surprisingly, the original inspiration for this chilling pale mask was Captain Kirk. Yes, the one from "Star Trek."

When they were initially testing the masks, they started with a clown mask, which everyone found weird. Then Captain Kirk's mask was tried, and they all collectively said, "OH F**K ME," agreeing that it was the one.

Moreover, Michael Myers spoke for the first time in the 2007 "Halloween." After 29 years of silence, he finally broke it with his first line.

An Easter Egg on the Poster That Few Notice

Some people have pointed out that the original movie poster had a sinister face on the hand holding the knife. But it was unintentional. In 2016, the artist Bob Gleason, who designed the poster, stated that he didn't consciously create the creepy grin on the hand. But when it was pointed out, he was equally shocked.

Back to the Theme Music

Returning to that universally recognized theme music. Carpenter, who’s the director, the screenwriter, and the composer, personally crafted the film's score. According to Nick Castle, who played Michael and is a friend of Carpenter's, he came up with the theme in about three days. His inspiration came from "The Exorcist's" Tubular Bells and the Italian band Goblin (who scored the original "Suspiria"), and the rhythm came from a 5/4 drumbeat his father had taught him as a child.

John Carpenter's social media bio reads, "filmmaker and composer." His father, Howard Ralph Carpenter, was a musician and music professor, and John's son, Cody Carpenter, is a composer and arranger who has worked on many of his father's musical projects. Also, in terms of speed, Carpenter and co-writer Debra Hill finished the initial script in less than two weeks (supposedly 10 days). The shooting of the film took only 22 days.

The Female Lead Actress Is the Daughter of "Psycho"'s Female Lead

The actress who portrayed the female lead, Jamie Lee Curtis, is the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. Yes, the same Tony Curtis who starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot" and appeared in Kubrick's "Spartacus," and the famous lead of "Psycho," Janet Leigh.

Jamie was a big fan of Carpenter's previous film, "Assault on Precinct 13," which led her to audition for this film. Despite being relatively new to acting at the time, the producer, Irvin, decided, "Her mom starred in 'Psycho,' that's good enough for me." This marked her first starring role in a film.

Later, Jamie recreated a classic scene from her mother's role in "Psycho."

The Movie Within the Movie

The children in the movie are watching "The Thing From Another World" (1951). This film mainly tells a thrilling story of unknown extraterrestrial beings landing at an isolated Arctic research station. Sound familiar? Yes, this is the original version of the famous horror film "The Thing" (1982), which was later directed by Carpenter. Four years after the release of "Halloween," Carpenter remade "The Thing From Another World," simplifying the title to "The Thing."

Today, "The Thing" is considered one of the most important science fiction and horror films, so don't miss it. Another Carpenter-directed horror film that shouldn't be missed is "In the Mouth of Madness," released in 1994.

Cutting Costs to the Limit

The budget for "Halloween" was tight. Producer Irwin allocated only $300,000 for Carpenter, telling him that if he could make the film with that budget, he could do whatever he wanted. The crew was so cash-strapped that the costume department didn't even exist, and actors had to wear their own clothes.

However, they saved where they could and spent most of the money on camera equipment. Out of the $300,000 budget, they spent $70,000 on Panavision camera equipment and invested another significant amount in purchasing the Panaglide stabilizer. In that era, the range of camera movement was limited, but the Panaglide stabilizer expanded the range, aiding cinematography. This proved to be money well spent, making this low-budget horror film instantly appear less cheap, especially in the famous opening scene where young Michael's killing spree takes place. Only a few films at the time used the Panaglide system ("Halloween" was the fourth film to use it).

Profit Galore

With a budget of just $300,000, "Halloween" grossed over $70 million at the box office. This success was undoubtedly related to the holiday. As long as Halloween exists, the film named after it can continue to thrive. There's a Halloween every year, so you can screen "Halloween" every year.

This highly successful film influenced and inspired a wave of slasher films that followed, sparking a trend of imitations. Sean S. Cunningham, the director of "Friday the 13th," wanted to make a horror film after seeing the success of "Halloween." He approached Irvin. Irvin, however, wasn't interested in immediately making another horror film and coldly turned him down.

In 1981, "Halloween II" was released on Halloween, but it wasn't directed by Carpenter. In recent interviews, Carpenter expressed that he didn't want a sequel to this story; he felt that the story had concluded in the first film. However, for over forty years, Halloween hasn't disappeared, and has “Halloween” movie, thus the story of Michael Myers never ends. It's truly a case of "live long and prosper." But did the 2022 release of "Halloween Ends" finally put an end to it?