Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, to kill again.
[After yelling a smart remark to Michael Myers] Annie: Geez, can't he take a joke? Laurie: You know what, Annie? One of these days you're going to get us all into deep trouble.
Nurse Chambers: Don't you think it would be better if you referred to "it" as "him"? Dr. Loomis: If you say so. Nurse Chambers: Your compassion's overwhelming, doctor.
Dr. Loomis: I met him, fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding; even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year-old child, with this blind, pale, emotionless face and, the blackest eyes... the DEVIL'S eyes! I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up for I realized what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... EVIL!
[After Michael falls off the balcony] Laurie: Was that the bogeyman? Dr. Loomis: As a matter of fact... it was!
[Referring to a partially eaten dog.] Sheriff Brackett: A man wouldn't do that. Dr. Loomis: This is not a man.
Trivia:
The opening shot appears to be a single, tracking, point of view shot, but there are actually three cuts. The first when the mask goes on, the second and third after the murder has taken place and the shape is exiting the room, this was done to make the point of view appear to move faster.
Donald Pleasence's role as Sam Loomis is named after a character of the same name in Psycho.
In the beginning of the film when Michael reaches for the knife and later for the mask, his hands and arms are visible. They belong to producer / screenwriter Debra Hill.
Halloween was shot in 21 days in the spring of 1978. Made on a budget of $300,000, it became the highest-grossing independent movie ever made at that time.
The character of Michael Myers was named after the European distributor of Carpenter's previous film, Assault on Precinct 13 as a kind of weird "thank you" for the film's overseas success.
DVD Easter Eggs: (Hidden So You Don't See Anything You Don't Want To See)
Edition: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Region: 1
Description: Hidden Killing Scenes
This egg only works on the regular edition, not the special edition and it's only on the Widescreen side of the disc.
Play TITLE 4 and you'll see all of the death scenes in the order of their appearance and when it's done it'll bring you to a KILL EM ALL menu with a creepy picture.
are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd.