brilliant opening sequence seen through the
eyes of the eight year
old killer as he murders
his sister. Later in the film
Carpenter messes with
our heads by fooling us
into thinking we’re seeing the killer’s POV only
for Myers to walk into
the frame. This lack of
trust in the camera puts
the audience on edge
To give it a higher production
throughout.
value, he took the decision to
There’s clever use of color too.
shoot the film in Panavision, a
The movie’s first half occurs in
widescreen format usually reserved for epics and blockbust- daylight with a predominantly
green theme making us feel
ers. Carpenter uses the wide
reasonably safe, and even the
frame to create numbing tension, Myers often appearing out color of Curtis’ sweater matches
of the empty space at the corner the immaculate lawns of suburof the screen. The Panaglide, an ban Haddonfield. Later however
darkness falls and a blue backearly form of Steadicam, was
light (later to become a cliche
employed as a way of filming
movement quickly without hav- in 1980s’ horror) pervades. Tellingly, Curtis swaps her green
ing to lay down tracks. It often
sweater for a blue one, shedding
serves as Myer’s POV, as in the
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2015 - ISSUE 10
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