Halloween is more than just the name of one of the spookiest times of the year. It is also the title of one of the most popular slasher film series. Released in 1978, with thirteen movies in the series, Halloween has become a staple in the world of horror. Not only for the now iconic Michael Myers character but also for launching the slasher genre. Easily one of the most popular horror subgenres after all these decades.
The Film’s Plot
The first Halloween film follows babysitter Laurie, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, who Michael Myers is stalking. Fifteen years prior, Michael murdered his sister Judith by stabbing her to death at age six. After escaping the mental institution, he returns to his hometown of Haddonfield. Only his psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, knows what he is planning to do. Unbeknownst to Laurie and her friends, they are being targeted by the knife-wielding psycho. Soon, her quiet Halloween night babysitting the neighborhood kids turns deadly.
Halloween Impact On The Slasher Genre
The slasher genre has been so ingrained in horror that it’s almost wild to think it wasn’t always a thing. It wasn’t the first slasher to hit the horror scene, with past hits like Psycho making their mark a few decades prior. Halloween introduced many popular troupes that became staples in the slasher genre. Laurie can be considered the first final girl in horror history.
The final girl is typically a female protagonist who is the sole survivor and usually confronts the killer. The final girl is generally depicted as a level-headed, responsible virgin who uses her smarts to outwit the killer. Halloween also introduced the popular trope of the masked killer.
It was straying from the typical idea of a crazed killer dressing in a manner that relates to them. Halloween introduced the horror world to the concept of a killer using a costume mask to hide their identity. Along with the idea of a boogeyman in a mask hunting unsuspecting victims. Also, what is a slasher film without bodies piling up and victims running for their lives? Halloween doesn’t shy away from playing with Laurie’s friends’ bodies. Along with Laurie running from the slow-moving killer that is all too well known in horror films.
Final Thoughts
Although Halloween wasn’t the first horror movie to introduce a deranged killer out for blood, it was the first horror movie to introduce many of the popular tropes we see today. Aside from introducing the final girls in the horror genre, Halloween has become one of the most popular horror franchises.
The Michael Myers mask is a recognizable figure in pop culture, both by horror fans and those who aren’t. While the first one might not be everyone’s favorite out of thirteen films, its importance to the horror genre is not denying. And it’s the responsibility of creating some of the most popular troupes in horror movies we love today.
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