Halloween

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0:34

Halloween

R

1978

1h 31m

Holiday

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

90 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.

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Critics Consensus

Scary, suspenseful, and viscerally thrilling, Halloween set the standard for modern horror films.

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Tom Huddleston

Time Out

It’s left largely to the cast to lend the film personality, which they do in spades: Jamie Lee Curtis’s casting was almost accidental (Carpenter wanted someone else) but the film might not have worked at all without her grounding, relatable presence.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 12, 2024

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Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

Carpenter's 1978 slasher classic has inspired a million imitations as well as sequels, but few that demonstrate so clearly that a disreputable genre movie can also be a pure, rigorous work of art.

Oct 26, 2018

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Jason Zinoman

New York Times

In horror, the jack-in-the-box scare... is the quickest way to get a scream, but the still shocks... are the ones that linger with you. "Halloween" has them both, but it specializes in the second.

Oct 24, 2018

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Brian Bisesi

Horror Movie Club Podcast

John Carpenter’s score and Dean Cundey’s cinematography elevate Halloween to a genre-defining classic. Its style and atmosphere are still unrivaled by any of the imitators released in its wake

Rated: 4/5

Oct 29, 2025

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

A masterclass in tone and tension, with the incredible cast adding an air of authenticity that actually makes you care about their fate. Slashers, and horror in general, don't get any better.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 12, 2025

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Joe Leydon

The Times (Shreveport, LA)

Cleverly photograph, brilliant edited, and carefully designed so that the frightening peaks are separated by few valleys, "Halloween" is so effective that it never needs blatant gore.

Aug 27, 2025

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Maureen L

I Halloween (1978)! I go to the theater every Halloween to see it. Jamie Lee Curtis' performance is underrated imo. She does terror to well! Even the score is perfect. It works so well to add to the suspense and freight stirred up in the viewer. Halloween has stood the test of time and is an American cinematography classic for a reason.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/09/25

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Joseph

The GOAT of slasher movies . The movie that started the trend. A definite must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

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Derek G

It’s a classic and one of the GOAT horror moves for a reason

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

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Cameron O

This is horror. This film is so simple yet perfect. The pace, the music, the camera work is all top tier. Ive see this film over 20 times and every time I still go wow. Every time I get those small jumps even though I know its coming. This is horror at its finest.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

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C3

Classic !!! Best Horror Movie of All Time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

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Rob

Not a perfect movie, but it's a classic that started the slasher formula we know and love today. The performances and soundtrack alone make it rewatchable while the atmosphere is also superb.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

Full Review

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John Carpenter

Director

Donald Pleasence

Dr. Sam Loomis

Jamie Lee Curtis

Laurie Strode

Nancy Kyes

Annie Brackett

P.J. Soles

Lynda

Charles Cyphers

Sheriff Leigh Brackett

Halloween II

35%

63%

Halloween II

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Halloween: Resurrection

10%

24%

Halloween: Resurrection

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Halloween: Resurrection

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

48%

31%

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

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My Bloody Valentine

56%

52%

My Bloody Valentine

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Synopsis

On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Debra Hill, John Carpenter
Screenwriter: Debra Hill, John Carpenter
Distributor: Compass International Pictures
Production Co: Falcon Films, Falcon International Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Holiday, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 1978, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 2018
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $47.5M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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