"Rants & Ravings About Horror" - Week 34: “Watching John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN on the Big Screen!”

Week 34: “Watching John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN on the Big Screen!”

October 29^th marks the return of John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) to the big screen curtesy of Fathom Events.  I previously was able to take advantage of Fathom Events special screening of Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) and Halloween V: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), so I jumped at the chance to see this film the way it was always meant to be seen.

I’m actually of the school of thought where most films should be experienced on the big screen.  I’ve seen both good (The Descent, Crimson Peak, The Babadook) and bad films (Phantoms, Jason X, The Return of Texas Chainsaw Massacre) but regardless of the quality of film I always enjoyed them better on the big screen than when I subsequently viewed them a second time on DVD or television.  Halloween has the distinction of being one of those films that if you hadn’t seen when it was originally released then you would love the opportunity to one day do so.  I jumped at the chance…as any horror fan would.

Halloween, for me, is one of the best slasher films that has ever been crafted and it would influence every subsequent slasher that would come after it.  Not only that, but it would burn the name “John Carpenter” into my subconscious because his name was above the title of the film as with most of his films.  Even today the film has an effect on audiences that is undeniable.

When I stepped into the theater the audience was about half way filled with others wanting to catch a glimpse of the film.  I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the audience was filled with fans who had never seen the film on the film screen like me.  So, in a sense, we were all having a communal experience not seen since ’78 when the film was originally released.  I actually had goose bumps when I realized that I was about to finally experience one of my favorite horror films as if was the very first time.

Halloween was special to the horror genre.  It was a raw and uncompromising look at pure evil as personified by Michael Myers and hunted down by the altruistic yet jaded Dr. Sam Loomis.  Innocence and purity was personified by Laurie Strode who had to overcome pure evil in a night that belonged to the Boogeyman.  Most other slasher films relied on gore and a body count whereas there is very little gore and a low body count in this film (unlike subsequent sequels).  Carpenter’s film relies on mood, atmosphere and most importantly suspense, which is the saving grace of the film and why it still endured to this day.

Watching the film on the big screen the suspense is still there.  The mood is still there.  And the atmosphere couldn’t be more terrifying.  At ninety-one minutes the film is fast and effective still after all these years.  If the film wasn’t enough the night opened with a brief interview with Carpenter himself and a history of the film.  It’s great to hear him speak about his film over thirty years later.

Overall, Halloween is still a great film and watching it on the big screen has made the highlight of my theatrical viewing experience of 2015 as I hope it has for everyone else who was able to see this film for the first time or once again.

"Rants & Ravings About Horror" - Week 33: “The Horror Films of John Carpenter”

Week 33: “The Horror Films of John Carpenter”

John Carpenter is a name synonymous with horror.  There is not a horror fan out there that doesn’t know this name and the importance that he has had on the genre and on generations that have grown up watching his films.  It has been a while since Carpenter has released a new film (2010’s The Ward) so what better time to look back at the horrors he has concocted than Halloween where I’m sure many people sit down to enjoy one of his finest films which is the original Halloween (1978).

Growing up Halloween was one of my favorite and most influential horror films.  I was not only a Halloween fan but a Michael Myers fan as well.  This film is the reason why I love slasher films so much.  Myers is the iconic slasher whose life has gone through some amazing changes due to the talented hands that have crafted the stories and films throughout the years.  Carpenter was the first to impress audiences upon his idea of what the Boogeyman was and for many it endures to this day.  Michael Myers is the “real” Boogeyman and that is because Carpenter made him so.

In 1980 he would unleash his next major horror film which is The Fog.  Now, this is one of Carpenter’s creepiest films because it’s all about mood and atmosphere and what you don’t see rather than what you do see since everything is shrouded in the mist and fog.  This was also more terrifying for me because I identified with the young child being chased by the fog (since I was so young when I first saw the film).  This film is suspenseful and terrifying from beginning to end as audiences are placed in the tropes of a ghost story that the characters are trapped in.  I still love this movie today but for different reasons as I now know all the actors by name and love watching them crew the scenery as only they can in a Carpenter film.  Who doesn’t love watching Jamie Lee Curtis, Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, John Houseman, and Hal Holbrook, to name a few.  This is one of the best movies of the ‘80s. 

As much as I love the previous two films Carpenter’s most realized and affecting film is ‘82’s The Thing.  This is a dark and unforgiving film that is claustrophobic yet provides one of the best ensemble casts of any of Carpenter’s films.  There is not a flaw in this film unless you think the film is too violent and too depressing which it is but that is the beauty of the film.  It is bleak and a socially conscious powder keg of a film where no one can trust their friends not themselves.  This is my favorite Carpenter film.  He was never at the top of his game as much as when he crafted this film.  With the exception of the musical score, this is pure Carpenter.  If there is one film that I tell people to see above all other Carpenter films this is it.

In ’83 Carpenter would put his own spin on a Stephen King novel with his adaptation on Christine.  This is a fun and entertaining film but was never one of my favorites.  Until I was able to fully appreciate Carpenter’s entire career, this was the film (growing up) that I always forgot he directed.  The style and execution of this film is pure Carpenter but I always thought that this film was one that could’ve been directed by anyone and it still would have been effective.  The most important aspect of this film for me is the soundtrack with the excellent choice of music (which I believe has more to do with inspirations from King’s novel but since I haven’t read this novel yet I can’t be 100 percent).  I actually haven’t seen this film in quite some time because when I’m in a Carpenter mood, this is never the film that I pull out but in terms of films based on King’s novels this is one of my favorites.

1987 saw the release of another one of my all-time favorite Carpenter films which is Prince of Darkness.  By the time ’87 came around I knew the name “John Carpenter” because his name was always above the title of the film.  This film about the resurrection of Satan by way science is one of the smartest horror films ever crafted which is both moody and atmospheric as well as suspenseful and terrifying.  Carpenter is working on all cylinders here as he captures the tone and mood of dread of his original Halloween while also capturing the comedy of Big Trouble in Little China and the science and dread of The Thing while continuing to be technically above many of his contemporaries.  The cinematography in this film is magic as is musical score.  This is not nearly as disturbing as The Thing which has turned people away but not simply seen as a “simple” slasher film like Halloween either so this film inhabits a strange place on Carpenter’s resume.

In ’94 my “guilty pleasure” Carpenter film is released which is In The Mouth of Madness.  I think with this film Carpenter is having a lot of fun and everything is on board with him.  This film has the perfect mix of established and character actors with Sam Neill, Jurgen Prochnow, Julie Carmen, David Warner, John Glover, Bernie Casey, Frances Bay and Charlton Heston.  This is a cast that shouldn’t work but does.  Despite the controversy of the film’s monsters and violence being cut, the film actually works better for not showing the monsters in full glory (like those seen in The Thing).  I think that showing the monsters would have destroyed the integrity of the story being told which is about a man going mad due to what he sees or what he thinks he sees.  This also happened to be the very first Carpenter film I ever saw on the big screen so it holds a special place for me.

Vampires was released in ’98.  This is a film I really had high hopes for because James Woods was the star (which I’ve always thought is one of the best actors of his generation).  Unfortunately, after a really stellar first half of the film it soon falls apart the moment Wood’s team of vampire hunters are all massacred.  It becomes a less interesting film from then on despite Woods doing his best to hold it all together.  That and the fact that I’ve never been a big fan of vampire films put this on the bottom of my list of favorite Carpenter films.  Surprisingly, I do believe that this is one of the few Carpenter films that I believe would work better as a television series where the story could be opened up (as long as all the violence is kept intact).

Carpenter’s most recent horror film The Ward is held less together by Carpenter’s talents and more by the performance of Amber Heard who holds the film together.  It is a slow burning psychological film which is contrary to most of his previous films unless you look back at The Fog which it has a lot in common with in terms of mood and atmosphere.  I enjoy this film and recognize that it’s not one of his strongest horror films but it is effective for the story it is trying to tell.

Carpenter has had a long and illustrious career and has provided generations with countless nightmares and for this his films and his name will endure.  I grew up watching (and re-watching) his films and will continue to do so as I pass off my love of his films to new audiences.

“This Halloween is Not Safe Because THE SLEEPY HOLLOW EXPERIENCE Is Here!

Serenbe Playhouse is reviving The Sleepy Hollow Experience this Halloween season to thrill and chill audiences in a unique way as only they can provide.  Using The Horseman’s Meadow at their premiere outdoor venue audiences get to experience the tale of Ichabod Crane, Katrina, and Brom Bones like never before.  This is not just a theater show but an interactive experience that allows the audience to step into their world and experience the horrors of the Headless Horseman first hand.

As an audience member you follow the action of the story from one location to the next as The Horseman’s Meadow has been broken up into several “scenes” from the story.  In Ichabod’s classroom you get to sit within the students’ chairs whereas at the haunted bridge you get to witness events unfold just at the edge of it’s opening, so as not to meet the stare of the Headless Horseman himself.  This is an amazing look and experience into one of classic literature’s most enduring spooky tales.

Brian Clowdus directs an amazing cast led by Chris Mayers as Ichabod and Justin Walker as Brom Bones, who is new to this production.  The cast also features returning favorites of Atlanta and the Playhouse Laura Floyd and Jessica Miesel, both whom steal the show whenever they can with their sharp wit and allure.  Daniel Burns rounds out the small, yet excellent, cast.

One of the stand out contributions to the production is the amazing set design by Adam Koch and lighting design by Bobby Johnston who craft an amazing world for the characters and the audience to inhabit.  The only thing leading your way through the dark meadows are the numerous flaming torches that remind you that this was the main source of illumination in those days.  Johnston also contributes the sound design for the production which is instrumental to making this production work the moment you step beyond the concession stand and into an American legend.

This is not just a production to enjoy but to experience as there are ample opportunities to join the characters in a drink at the pub or learn some new school lessons while visiting Ichabod in his classroom.  There were several times where I found myself joining in the festivities because I never knew when or where the Headless Horseman would show up next.  The show makes you laugh when you need to and chill you when you least expect it.  It’s a great night out for both small and large groups.

This Halloween, Serenbe Playhouse has concocted an alternative to the boring old ghost tours and haunted houses to take you to a place called Sleepy Hollow where nightmares do come true and monsters still exist.

For more information about Serenbe Playhouse and to purchase tickets go to www.serenbeplayhouse.com or call 770.463.1110.  You can follow Serenbe Playhouse on Facebook, @OnstageSerenbe on Twitter, and SerenbePlayhouse on Instagram.