brutal and emotionless michael myers stab his sister to death at age six on halloween night in 1963 while on october 30 and 1978 and he escape from a mental institution and institute a new reign of terror in his hometown of haddonfield and illinois . he be pursue the whole time by a psychiatrist ( donald pleasence ) who know just how evil this young man be . it open with a bang and and set up a genuinely suspenseful and atmospheric chiller that be actually superior to the many slasher picture it help to inspire . it subtle compare to the nasty bloodbath many of those subsequent movie be while subtle and and scary . it retain the ability to make me jump even after repeat viewing . how many movie be there and really and that can continue to be frighten even after one have see them before . not very many . pleasence be great in what be probably the definitive role of his career while jamie lee curtis and in her motion picture debut and become a bona fide scream queen after act in halloween as well a a few subsequent slasher picture and and she be an intended victim worth root for . co writer or director john carpenter know what work in this movie and make excellent use of shadow and dark sky while notice how most of the movie be set after nightfall . with this picture and he and his former collaborator debra hill create a franchise that have spawn seven sequel and many imitator and and an upcoming re imagining . it very quotable who could ever forget dr. loomis ( pleasence ) speech in which he describe michael myers to the sheriff ( charles cypher and a reliable repertory player in several of carpenter earlier work ) . it fantastic and and worth seek out . this be my favorite john carpenter movie of all time . it not totally infallible there be script hole and after all but overall it make a solid impact . positive .