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Halloween

Play trailer 0:34 Poster for Halloween R 1978 1h 31m Holiday Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 93 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.
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Halloween

Halloween

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Scary, suspenseful, and viscerally thrilling, Halloween set the standard for modern horror films.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Combs Sight & Sound Nov 20
It is one of the cinema’s most perfectly engineered devices for saying ‘Boo!’; it is also a good illustration of director John Carpenter’s philosophy of film and audience involvement. Go to Full Review Joseph Gelmis Newsday Nov 17
2.5/4
"Halloween" offers a familiar yet skillful suspense tale. Go to Full Review Tom Huddleston Time Out 12/12/2024
5/5
It’s left largely to the cast to lend the film personality, which they do in spades: Jamie Lee Curtis’s casting was almost accidental (Carpenter wanted someone else) but the film might not have worked at all without her grounding, relatable presence. Go to Full Review Brian Bisesi Horror Movie Club Podcast Oct 29
4/5
John Carpenter’s score and Dean Cundey’s cinematography elevate Halloween to a genre-defining classic. Its style and atmosphere are still unrivaled by any of the imitators released in its wake Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 12
5/5
A masterclass in tone and tension, with the incredible cast adding an air of authenticity that actually makes you care about their fate. Slashers, and horror in general, don't get any better. Go to Full Review Joe Leydon The Times (Shreveport, LA) 08/27/2025
Cleverly photograph, brilliant edited, and carefully designed so that the frightening peaks are separated by few valleys, "Halloween" is so effective that it never needs blatant gore. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ernesto O 1d Perfect 10/10 no notes See more Patrick 1d Best Horror Movie Ever. See more Robert B 1d It was amazing to see this masterpiece on the big screen. See more Keith 1d Still holds up as one of the best classic horror films! See more Chase R 1d Best movie ever made See more Tashiba G May 2 I’ve finally watched my all time favorite horror movie at the theater. I’ve seen it so much and the theater was full so I wasn’t scared at all like I’d normally be watching at home alone but I can say I watched it at the movies now. See more Read all reviews
Halloween

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Cast & Crew

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John Carpenter

Director

Donald Pleasence

Dr. Sam Loomis

Jamie Lee Curtis

Laurie Strode

Nancy Kyes

Annie Brackett

P.J. Soles

Lynda

Charles Cyphers

Sheriff Leigh Brackett

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Halloween

Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong About... Halloween (1978) Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong About... Halloween (1978) 51:31 Now Playing Halloween: Event Trailer Halloween: Event Trailer 0:34 Now Playing Halloween: Trailer 1 Halloween: Trailer 1 2:40 Now Playing Halloween: Halloween Oral History - Part 2 Halloween: Halloween Oral History - Part 2 10:44 Now Playing Halloween: Halloween Oral History - Part 1 Halloween: Halloween Oral History - Part 1 10:42 Now Playing View more videos
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Halloween

Michael Myers Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) and Sheriff Brackett (John Cyphers). Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie. Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Lynda (P.J. Soles.) Michael Myers. A scene from the film "John Carpenter's Halloween." A scene from the film "John Carpenter's Halloween." A scene from the film "John Carpenter's Halloween." Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Loomis, P.J. Soles View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.
Director
John Carpenter
Producer
Debra Hill, John Carpenter
Screenwriter
Debra Hill, John Carpenter
Distributor
Compass International Pictures
Production Co
Falcon Films, Falcon International Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Holiday, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 25, 1978, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Sep 27, 2018
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 18, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$47.5M
Runtime
1h 31m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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