Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978)

1. How does the start exemplify a common technical code convention of the horror genre?

Horror films share a lot of common technical codes that are used frequently enough to become conventions. The start of the film exemplify's these with what the audience expects from the 'slasher' genre. One of these conventions is the sound track. The music is parallel which means it matches what is on screen so it enhances the experience of the viewing. Another common technical code is the use of the POV for restricted narration. This makes the audience more involved within the film as we watch the killer kill his sister from his point of view, this is conventional for the horror genre.                          

2. How does the setting fit with the horror genre

The movie is set in a small suburban town in Illnois, America. Within the town there is everything that you would conventionally find within a horror setting such as large luxurious houses and a graveyard. This gives the representation of 'your own home' and how you're not safe in it. The small town also connotes that it is a little community and that everyone knows everyone which means anyone can be a victim. After Michael Myers kills his sister he is then admitted to a mental asylum and 15 years later he is still there. This gives the impression that Mike is still a dangerous person and when we see all the patients out on the field it connotes danger. This fits into the convention of horror showing that no where is safe. The time that the story is set is also conventional as it is Halloween night in which monster come back to life.

3. What iconography of 'innocence' do we hear or see early on?

Right at the start of the opening sequence we can hear children singing Trick or Treat which connotes innocence as children are seen as pure. We also see Laurie who is seen as the as the 'Girl Scout' and is the virginal character who is more interested in her studies rather that sex and boys like her other friends.

4. What was the main industry impact of Halloween

Halloween was very cheap to make, however from this it made lots of profit which lead to the creation of many sequels and copycats of the film. The reason that the film was so cheap was because they didn't use big stars who would have cost a lot to hire. The film also contained little gore so no special effects were needed.

5. Name some 'slasher' films which followed on from Halloween

• Friday 13th
• Prom Night
• Terror Train

6. What are the four plot rules of the 'slasher' film sub-genre which Halloween began.

• A traumatic event in the past which creates a psychopathic killer.
• The killer returns to the site, usually on a specific date.
• The killer stalks and kills a group of teens, conventionally with a blade.
• A final girl survives who is boyish and a virgin.

7. Give three ways in which Laurie is androgynous

• Not interested in boys or sex
• Has a deep boyish voice
• Dresses boyish with no makeup

8. What does the extract mean by 'a reactionary sexual agenda'

A reactionary sexual agenda is when the virginal character survives compared to the ones who are sexually active who conventionally die. In other words those who have sex get punished. This can be directly related to the outbreak of AIDS and how people were dying for having sex.

9. How does the director, John Carpenter, counter the suggestion that Halloween had a reactionary sexual agenda?

John Carpenter however countered this argument by saying that they didn't die because they had sex but simply because they were distracted and weren't aware of what was happening around them. Throughout the film Laurie is always aware and we can tell this from here always being the one to see Mike Myers.

10. Why does Mike Myers kill his sister?
Within the film we never actually know why Mike killed his sister but from his doctor we are only able to hear him say that he is just pure evil and that he shouldn't be released from the mental asylum that he is kept at.