Halloween: John Carpenter’s Rise to Fame

on maintaining an enigmatic and effective atmosphere from the opening scene. This is done by revealing minimal details while still instilling suspicion and eagerness in viewers. A slow camera movement helps create a mysterious and secretive ambiance that plays upon the audience's fear of the unknown. John Carpenter employs this strategy in his film Halloween, subtly hinting at its horror genre during the opening sequence.

During the pre-sequence, we see significant symbolism as a vibrant orange pumpkin emerges on the left side of the display. This draws viewers' attention as the entire background is dark, creating a striking contrast. Furthermore, there is non-diagetic music playing.

Similar to other scary movies, a piano and an organ are utilized to produce an eerie feeling. The speed of the music quickens, adding to the audience's sense of foreboding. Meanwhile, the names of the cast emerge on the right-hand side of a vivid, orange pumpkin. These gradually shift from red to yellow before reverting back to red.

The use of these colors to portray evil and danger creates a stark contrast that enhances the sense of horror. As the camera gradually zooms in on the pumpkin's left eye, viewers may perceive it as a visual metaphor for a psychological thriller. Additionally, this shot suggests that the pumpkin will have a major role in the film. The movie opens with a black screen that establishes the setting of the scene in Haddonfield, Illinois.

Presented in conspicuous white font, the subsequent text reveals pertinent information about the date of the next scene: Halloween night, 1963. The accompanying white font distinctly contrasts against the background. Additionally, the audience is greeted with a

non-diagetic soundtrack of children reciting Halloween rhymes.

The association of evilness with innocent children can be perceived as unsettling. The first scene of the film takes place in a brightly lit house, amidst an otherwise dark frame. Despite the lack of noise, our attention is captivated by this eerie visual. The director's deliberate use of low key lighting serves to highlight the significance of the house.

We begin to doubt whether this is a point of view exhibit as the camera gradually approaches the house at a walking speed and proceeds to circumnavigate it. Then, it centers on a vibrant orange pumpkin positioned on the porch. Subsequently, the camera captures a voyeuristic view of a couple within the house. As soon as the camera immediately swings from right to left, tilts up and down, and then locks onto its target, we are positive that this is indeed a point of view shot. This generates an impression of haste.

As the camera moves around the house, creating tension with its silence, it finally focuses on a teenage couple who appear to be the perfect targets for a horror movie villain. This causes the audience to wonder if there is someone hiding and waiting to strike. But suddenly, the boyfriend breaks the silence by asking if they are alone, only for his girlfriend to reveal that Michael is in close proximity.

As the audience becomes aware that a boy named Michael is missing, the film takes on an added element of mystery. Meanwhile, the couple hastily ascends the stairs and the "stalker" exploits this moment to secretly enter the house.

As he enters the kitchen and turns on the light, the

room is illuminated brightly. The tension and fear escalate as we observe a close-up of a hand grabbing a knife from the right side of the frame, while maintaining a point-of-view shot. This shot effectively engages the audience, creating an impression that we are taking hold of the knife ourselves. Our apprehensions and unease about what might happen next continue to grow stronger as we remain unaware of the stalker's identity.

A feeling of fear and danger grips the audience as the piano hits a high key, hinting at something ominous to come. Meanwhile, the boyfriend remains oblivious to the 'stalker' who is carefully watching his every move from outside the house.

Suspense increases as the 'stalker' ascends the stairs into the darkness. The terrifying mood is maintained by the sustained high key on the piano. With a focus on a mask, a hand reaches out and firmly grips the colorful clown mask while the high note continues to play. The scene then switches to an extreme point of view shot as the 'stalker' dons the mask, implying that we, the audience, are now the 'stalker' and take on the persona of the masked figure, increasing our involvement in the film.

Using a low-key lighting technique, the darkened room creates a sense of fear as the "stalker" enters. The camera zooms in on the semi-naked girlfriend seated beside a dressing table, humming. As she turns and screams "Michael, Michael," the audience is left with an enigma.

The 'stalker's true identity is finally revealed, and the suspense is heightened when Michael brandishes a knife that catches the light, creating a threatening position. The camera zooms in on the knife as

it stabs into the partially nude girl and then focuses on her covered in bright red blood, creating a close-up frame of a horrific incident. As Michael descends the stairs, the piano chords deepen, and the tempo slows, accompanied by heavy breathing that conveys anxiety, fear, and possibly guilt.

Opening the door reveals the diagenetic sounds of a car and two individuals. The scene incorporates the film's initial edit, providing the first glimpse of Michael and his authentic persona - a young child adorned in a clown costume gripping a stained blade. This is startling for the viewers, who likely projected that the "stalker" would be an adolescent or adult male, generating an excellent plot twist.

The horror genre is evident in many aspects of the film. One effect of only having one edit is that it slows down the pace and creates tension, drawing the audience into the action and keeping them engaged while the stalker's identity remains hidden. After the parents discover Michael's actions, the camera gradually pans out to frame them on either side of him, capturing their stunned disbelief. The shot then zooms out to a high angle of the house, concluding the scene.

The utilization of traditional horror colors—like red, black, orange, and yellow—and the depiction of common teenage victims are utilized in Halloween. Nevertheless, this movie is unique for employing a youthful boy as the antagonist in a stunning plot twist, inspiring numerous directors to build on its foundation. The film adeptly builds suspense by obscuring the stalker's identity and revealing a shocker.

Lighting plays a crucial role in establishing the genre of the film. The house is the only element

illuminated in the frame, while the rest of the surroundings remain dark. Moreover, when Michael approaches his sister's room, only the dressing table light shines, illuminating her. The use of light serves as a symbol of danger.

With advancements in technology, modern horror films are now much more frightening than their older counterparts due to their heightened realism. The influence of Halloween on the genre's narrative structure is evident, as seen in the use of point of view shots in The Blair Witch Project and references to the film in more recent releases.

For instance, in "Scream," there are intertextual allusions to "Halloween" in which the victim is quizzed on horror movies.