The original “Halloween” changed the horror film industry forever. It gave birth to the slasher genre as we know it and with all the sequels, reboots and rip-offs, it remains an iconic film and a true masterpiece. It’s a shame that so many imitators never captured what made this movie from director John Carpenter (“The Fog”, “The Thing”) such a classic.

Michael Myers escapes from a mental asylum and heads to Haddonfield, Illinois to carry out a killing spree. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis “True Lies”, “A Fish Called Wanda”) is spending Halloween babysitting some kids but she will find herself facing the unstoppable serial killer as Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance “You Only Live Twice”) desperately tries to stop him.

Jamie Lee Curtis is good as Laurie Strode. She’s likeable, she’s believable; easily one of the best protagonists ever featured in a horror movie. Donald Pleasance is great as Dr. Loomis. This is a man on a crusade to stop an evil force. Michael Myers (or ‘The Shape’ as he is credited) is arguably the greatest slasher villain. Some of the sequels may have made him look ridiculous. However, in his first appearance, he looks cold, calculating and realistic. That’s why after all these years, he remains such a memorable antagonist.

Like “Psycho”, the original “Halloween” creates a genuinely unsettling experience that does not rely on gore or supernatural forces. Even if you hate slasher films (I certainly find a lot of them to be very underwhelming), you still have to see the first “Halloween” movie. The atmosphere, the brilliant score, the intense moments and the performance from Donald Pleasance all help to make this one of the best horror movies ever made. It’s odd that a film so good has inspired so many disappointing pictures but I guess the same is true of the original “Star Wars” trilogy.