Happy Birthday Michael Meyers

It's hard to believe but 30 years ago this weekend John Carpenter's Halloween opened in theaters across the country..

I was too young to see it during its initial run...3 years later I remember watching the premiere of the now famous TV Version....in which 12 minutes of footage was added to replace the more violent material of the original cut. These scenes were shot simultaneously with "Halloween II" in 1981...Anyway--I was hooked--Even in its edited form it scared the bejeebus out of me! it's one of those few films that's influenced my path in life and gave me a love of the horror genre overall...

What can one say about the performances of Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis and a very young Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode...

One of the strengths of the film is its ability to scare viewers using suspense and shock-without having to depend on gore--to tell its story.

Written by Carpenter and Debra Hill--the story follows masked killer Michael Meyers institutionalized since childhood--as he escapes and returns home on October 31st to continue his spree while doctor Loomis tries to stop him.

A cluster of sequels and one remake later--not to mention countless imitators--and here we are.. For me, the original Halloween is one classic that just can't be topped...even after multiple viewings



A special thanks to my older sister Karen for watching Halloween on TV with ne 27 years ago and sharing a very special experience...