HALLOWEEN

The slasher all other horror movies should be measured against: scary, engrossing, influential and punctuated by one of the all-time great musical scores.

From its bravura opening sequence to the haunting final images John Carpenter's Halloween is a masterclass in horror.

The director isn't concerned with blood and guts but invests heavily in mood and subtle character evolution to draw the viewer into his tale of unstoppable evil that descends on a small town on Halloween night.

The innovative use of Steadicam lends the film a unique voice that has often been imitated but never been bettered. Nearly 40 years after its first release Halloween thus remains an all-time classic.

release: 1978

director: John Carpenter

starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, PJ Soles, Nancy Kyes, Nick Castle