The opening sequence of Carpenter's Halloween is often renowned as the start of modern horror movies, using the dim lit rooms and POV shot to see the terror from the antagonist's point of view, making this a very unique opening scene.
Form and Style
As said previously, this sequence is particularly unique due to it's fluidity and the fact that there are no shot changes until Michael's parents take off his mask. In many cases this could be considered risky, but in showing the world from the character's point of view, the audience gains an in depth look at the world around the character, as well as insight into the thought processes of a killer, this being particularly true when Michael takes the knife from the kitchen drawer. As if it wasn't strange enough to see a POV shot of someone looking in or a girl and her boyfriend, the audience now knows of the character's intentions, creating a sense of foreboding. Carpenter uses this to his advantage, as the slow, distorted whine of the music, and Michael's slow pace when walking around the house keeps the audience on edge, constantly asking "What will happen next?" or "When's he going to kill her?" Carpenter is able to create a real twisted sense of horror even before he has revealed the character, which only makes the revelation that Michael is a child more sickening.
Film
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| This is where Michael puts on the clown mask (followed later by a different mask when he's older) This plays of the "Uncanny Valley" effect, as humans don't like seeing things that are "Not quite human", for example the face of a clown |
There is literally no language used in this opening sequence, but that is by no means anything to be ashamed of. The quietness of the scene really adds to the tension, as there is no indication of what will happen next. Similarly with the music, the drone offers no "excitement" to suggest a key event is going to happen, right up until Michael kills his sister. The only language used is heard when Michael's sister and her boyfriend are in the living room kissing, and the boyfriend suggests the go upstairs, suggesting they want a little "privacy" (if you know what I mean) This is clarified later by the clothes strewn across the floor when Michael reaches her room. The other use of language is when Michael's parents take off his mask, and the pure shock in their voices suggests far more than disapproval.
Mise en Scene is used very well in the scene, as it needs to be. The idea of keeping one continuous shot throughout the opening scene means that furniture and items need to be placed around the environment strategically so as to indicate where the character is, or suggest something is going to happen. This ranges from the Jack-O Lantern seen outside on the porch, to the clothes of Michael's sister's bedroom floor.
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| Michel's sister and her boyfriend. This is where they suggest going upstairs. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the mask her puts on is in fact the mask Michael uses later, but on a continuity note, he puts the mask down as he turns the light off, not allowing it to be upstairs |
It's fair to say that this film shows a reasonably regressive view of children. I joke of course. The film isn't supposed to suggest that all children are knife wielding murderers, but that Michael is an anomaly, and very mentally ill. His sister is supposed to be represented as a young adult, obviously meant to be looking after Michael, but too busy with her boyfriend (perhaps the reason he killed her)
But other forms of ideology exist in the sequence. Everything down to the Jack-O-Lantern on the porch, suggesting the time of year, although that is rather more set in stone by the title of the film, is still represents the cold feeling of October, and the fear of something waiting in the darkness. The knife is also key, as this is one of the most traditional murder weapons, particularly is slasher films. The mask of course (which is later changed) as mentioned earlier plays on a psychological level of the human mind, making us scared of something that takes the form of a human, but isn't quite human enough...
Audience Readings
- A dominant reading of this would be that the audience understands the character is a mentally ill child and needs to go to a psychiatric hospital
- A negotiated reading would be that the audience believes the character revealed is a dwarf, not a child, who is also mentally ill
- An oppositional reading would be that the sister was the evil character, and Michael was merely serving justice
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