I was a little anxious going into this. It's held in such high regard and nearly everything that's followed has been inspired by it in some way. It made me nervous to think that I wouldn't be able to appreciate this universally agreed upon masterpiece because of everything I've watched in the years since it was released. That's what happened with Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Massacre. I respected it for it's legacy and influence, but was ultimately left more annoyed with Leatherface's demented family than frightened. All that worrying proved to be for naught though. On top of aging like a fine wine, everyone who ever borrowed or outright plagiarized from this film failed to capture it's magic in the process. I mean seriously, no one's tried their hands at the first-person perspective from the opening? I would love to see an entire movie made in that style. It gives you the bizarre sensation of floating. As close as you'll ever come to being a passenger in another person's body. This is so much more slow-paced than what you would think. Carpenter really let's you soak in that unmistakable feeling that can only be experienced on October 31st. We get to spend some time with the characters while the masked killer Michael Myers creepily stalks from a distance in a manner that clearly inspired The Strangers and it's sequel Prey at Night. All the while one of the most remarkable soundtracks in all cinema is playing and setting the mood. Just like Dario Argento's Suspiria, the music is an integral part of the experience. The movie wouldn't have been the same without it. Myers is such an enigmatic villain that was begging to explored so it's easy to see why there were so many sequels. Donald Pleasance does an excellent job hinting at the darker qualities driving this killer. Dropping clues about how he's more than just a normal man who suffered a psychotic break as a child. Certain things he says brought to mind demon possession and other supernatural possibilities. I'm curious to see where his backstory goes (if anywhere) in the later films. On top of having such an imposing physical presence, Myers heavy breathing is also somehow a positive distinctive quality. There are a lot of shots that are great at instilling a foreboding sense of doom. Like Laurie's (Curtis) walk down the hall to the only room in the house with a light behind the door in an effort to find out what happened to her friends. Rather than trying to outright terrify, to me it felt like Carpenter was trying to create something more spooky than anything. If I'm right and that is the case then he succeeded marvelously. That kind of tone is so befitting of a movie called and set on halloween. Alright, time to be a dweeb and criticize the few things I didn't like about this undeniably legendary slice (get it? Because he uses a big knife) of horror. Curtis is all around excellent, but when she finally has to start dodging Myers at every stabby turn we have to listen to her constantly sob and mutter to herself and it gets a little irritating because of how forced it feels. The soundtrack, like the aforementioned Suspiria, can be a little too much at times. For example, it flares up every time we see Myers driving behind the girls when they're walking. I mean give it a rest, we already know he's there. A little nitpicky I'll admit, but that might just be a testament to how there isn't really anything you can truly tear this movie apart for. The actual flaws are so small they're practically invisible. This might very well be the best slasher ever made. Certainly the best one I've seen so far. A must watch for horror fans or anyone who loves a good spook in October. Watching this for the first time on halloween felt like I completed some sacred right of passage that anyone who considers themself a true enthusiast of the genre must go through.