my personal favorite horror film . from the lengthy first track shot to the final story twist and this be carpenter masterpiece . halloween night 1963 and little michael meyers murder his old sister . all hallows eve 1978 and michael escape from smith grove sanitarium . halloween night and michael have come home to murder again . the story be perfectly simple and michael stalk and kill babysitter . no bell or whistle and just the basic . it carpenter almost over power atmosphere of dread that generate the tension . like any great horror film and event be telegraph long in advance and yet they still seem to occur at random and never allow the audience to the chance to second guess the film . the dark lighting and the long steady cam shot and and ( most importantly ) that damn eerie music create the most claustrophobic and uncomfortable scene i have yet to see in film . there be a body count and but compare to the slew of slasher after this it fairly small . that and most of the murder be nearly bloodless . the fear be not in death and but in not know . the acting be roundelay good . pj sol provide much of the film limit humor ( and one of the best death ) and nancy loomis turn in a decent performance and then there be the young ( at the time ) jamie leigh curtis . her performance at first seem shy and un assure and yet you quickly realize that it be perfect for the character and who be herself shy and un assure and not at all prepare for what she be to face . and of course there be the perfectly cast donald pleasence a the determine ( perhaps a little unstable ) dr. sam loomis . rest in peace mr. pleasence . if the film have a detrimental flaw and it would be the passage of time . since the release of this film so many year ago nearly countless clone and copy and rip offs and and imitator have come along and steal ( usually badly ) the film best bit until nearly everything about it have become familiar . combine with the change for audience expectation and appetite and one find much of the film raw power dilute . to truly appreciate it in this day and age and it must be view a it once be and a something unique . never the less and i have no reservation with highly recommend this film to anyone look for a good and scary time . high reguards . positive .