Rating: 100/100
Verdict: Masterful

From the opening tracking sequence, Halloween birthed the modern slasher film. Aped by countless others but never fully matched in quality, impact and tension, it's one of the greatest slasher films of all time, if not THE greatest. Whereas other iconic slasher films feature a sense of fun and camp, such as the Friday the 13th sex-crazed lovably idiotic teenagers, and the Nightmare on Elm Street Freddy Kreuger one-liners, Halloween is almost completely devoid of this, trading in camp for simple, pure dread. The writing and acting compliments the excellent technical proficiency of the film, the last of which is the most standout, obvious example of horror virtuousity, but the former two of which are still surprisingly underrated to this day.

John Carpenter understood one thing:

It turns out, that if you actually write likable characters, and provide likable performances, then the scenes of horror will be more effective.

WHO KNEW?

Halloween is a slasher masterpiece.