It All Started In Haddonfield
The “Under the Mask” Blog is an online outlet for the “Dont Go Out There” podcast hosts to further add creative content into the horror community.
by: Michael Settle Jr.
John Carpenter’s 1978 Halloween, has been talked about and reviewed to death (get it... to death...) If you’ve heard our show then you know ‘78 Halloween is my favorite horror movie of all time for the same reasons that virtually everyone else loves it. Michael Myers is one of my favorite movie characters of all time, the original intent of him anyways.
My love of the horror genre is kind of funny. I was late to the party and these movies terrified me to where I couldn’t sleep. I gave up on watching them until 2007. Scream and Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors were my first look into horror as a kid but make no mistake about it, it all started in Haddonfield.
Rob Zombie’s 2007 Halloween is complicated for a lot of people, including myself. It’s not the same movie as it’s original counterpart and it doesn’t try to be. I’ve shouted to the mountain tops the issues I have with this film, it’s first two acts being pointless, the over the top White trash dialogue and it’s weird uncomfortable daddy/daughter scene. All of that being said, it was the movie that sparked the love I have for horror films today.
I go back to my in-theater experience with that movie often. I was with a group of close friends and we became almost obsessed with the character of Myers for a few weeks. Comparing Tyler Mane’s portrayal to the Nick Castle one from ‘78 wont do you any good either despite how hard that may be. While I prefer the original, Mane does a good job bringing modern gore and violence to the character. Same with Scout Compton, Danielle Harris and Kristina Klebe bring to the female characters. All of which stand up as their own and I think are under-appreciated.
I’m getting a little side tracked here so let me spit out what I’m actually trying to say. My reason for being a part of this show and this horror community all goes back Haddonfield. Yeah I don’t have the same Haddonfield that the majority of the horror fans have but the story and character resonate with me all the same. I can find joy in every single movie of the franchise (minus Halloween 5) and they all hold a special place in my heart for me.
I love this franchise, not a day goes by that I don’t think about the convoluted timelines from Resurrection, 2018, H20 or even how much I hate part 5. I will forever acknowledge that John Carpenter’s classic is my favorite and it’s honestly in my top 10 movies of all time. But somewhere.... deep down in places I don’t like to talk about, I have a strange love for 2007’s reboot/remake.
Happy Half way to Halloween, everyone is entitled to one good scare. You have my permission.