The countdown creeps closer, my rabid horror heads…October’s ominous dawn lurks just over the blood-red horizon! And while stores shamelessly peddle Halloween tat months early, true macabre mavens know the proper way to commence the eerie season. I prescribe kicking off your creepy celebrations by revisiting the undisputed maestro John Carpenter’s seminal 1978 slash-fest Halloween on October 1st!
Before you protest screening it “too early,” let this veteran Mistress of the Macabre remind you – the original Halloween resonates beyond a simple jack-o-lantern adorned slasher. It remains the undisputed alpha and omega of the entire genre. Bursting with eternal atmosphere and expertly measured scares, beholding Micheal Myer’s never-ending night of suburban slaughter is both tradition and tribute.
Carpenter’s low-budget storytelling masterclass boasts technical triumphs still unmatched 45 years later. His steadicam work glides through Haddonfield with unnatural grace, transforming mundane streets into zones of voyeuristic dread. His minimalist synth score throbs with primal, eerie tension. And the phantom menace exuded through Myers’ pale mask and coveralls trumps any CGI phantom.
But beyond technique, Halloween spiritually embodies the macabre mood we crave come October. Its autumnal atmosphere enrobes you like a crisp breeze combing the pumpkin patch. The seemingly idyllic suburbia harboring sinister intent behind closed doors and picket fences. Ominous jack-o-lanterns leering in windows, waiting to ignite in a fiery crescendo. All the familiar tropes and textures of the season permeate the film.
And by extension, Myers represents that primeval, pagan essence of All Hallow’s Eve – forces beyond comprehension that creep in the cold shadows, defying logic. He’s the old hooded figure once foretold around village bonfires, now returned to haunt modernity. The Shape you sense lurking behind you in the thicket of dead trees on your dusk walk home. A reminder that on Halloween, the dark holds sway.
So make your October meaningful by undertaking an annual viewing of Carpenter’s seminal suburban waking nightmare. Allow Myers to escort you across the threshold into spooky season the proper way. For no other film summons the sinister Halloween spirit so completely. This masterstroke of low budget horror genius beckons you to remember the primeval fears that first stirred such holidays ages ago.
In the quiet October 1st darkness, beckon that familiar pale face to peer from the hedgerows once more. Sharpen your senses against the cold void, awaiting the telltale heavy breaths and wispy glimpses of The Shape drifting toward you. Feel that existential unease from knowing forces older than civilization lurk in the autumn fog. Then turn on the glowing pumpkin, and pray for dawn’s salvation.
Continue the Night He Came Home Stream Free With Crackle and Plex
Once I’ve sparked your thirst to revisit the inaugural exploitation of Michael Myers, you’ll need to secure access to behold Carpenter’s masterpiece. For those without physical media or paid streaming accounts, fear not – you can join the night he came home free and legally!
Crackle offers the original Halloween available to stream anytime without a subscription. Just head to https://www.crackle.com/watch/cfe13e22-3add-46ba-a8c0-315aa499bdf9/halloween-(1978) to watch Jamie Lee Curtis’ debut as the queen of all scream queens without any cost.
Likewise, Plex allows free users to stream the classic slasher via their extensive library. Visit https://watch.plex.tv/movie/halloween?autoplay=1&utm_content=5d77682854f42c001f8c2c48&utm_medium=deeplink&utm_source=horrorfactsdotcom to enjoy Myers stalking Haddonfield in all his foreboding glory.
With these free options, there’s no excuse not to partake in my prescribed flick to officially commence your Halloween season. Let the shape usher you into October, then continue the marathon with his bloody canon of sequels! Just beware – once you behold the original, inferior imitators may never slake your thirst for Carpenter’s uniquely unholy terror…
