Halloween on PAL Laserdisc

Halloween Distributed by
Odyssey Video

Details :

• Cat.no : ODL 101
• Cert : 18
• Running time : 97 mins
• Sides 2 (CLV/CAV)
• Year : 1978
• Pressing : UK, 1996
• Chapters : 27 total (Side 1 : 1-15, Side 2 : 16-27)
• Sound : Mono
• Widescreen : 2.35:1
• Price : £29.99

  Director:

  John Carpenter (Escape From New York, The Thing, Assault on Precinct 13)

  Producer:

  Debra Hill

  Screenplay:

  Debra Hill and John Carpenter

  Music:

  John Carpenter

  Cast:

  • Loomis : Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape, Prince of Darkness, Halloween 4, 5, & 6)
  • Laurie : Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Trading Places, A Fish Called Wanda)
  • Annie : Nancy Loomis
  • Lynda : P.J. Soles (Stripes, Private Benjamin)
  • Brackett : Charles Cyphers

Halloween Night, 1963 and young Michael Myers goes upstairs into his sister’s bedroom after her boyfriend leaves. He kills her with a kitchen knife, and goes outside, and is caught in the act by his parents.

Then 15 years later, it’s October 30th, 1978, and Michael has escaped and is out on another reign of terror. When this Halloween comes around, it’s not going to be much of a party for Laurie, Annie and Lynda.

When first released in 1978, it only had the one lead actor, Donald Pleasance, and was also the springboard for a new, young and aspiring actress by the name of Jamie Lee Curtis.

Director John Carpenter always knows how to make the best of a 2.35:1 Panavision frame, which has been proved time and time again from old classics like “Escape From New York“, “Assault on Precinct 13“, the cult hit “The Thing“, right up to his latest, “Escape from L.A.“.

The opener in which young Michael kills his sister is one of the all-time classic horror scenes, as the entire scene is filmed as if seen through his eyes. The soundtrack during this, and the whole film is provided by John Carpenter himself, and if you’re not humming it endlessly by the time has finished, you’re probably dead.

The picture quality is quite outstanding, particularly for a film that’s almost 20 years old. The sound is mono, but that’s how it was filmed originally, so no complaints there.

The gatefold sleeve sets the tone being in black with the logo and a dagger/mask symbol on the front, the same as on the retail video. The sleeve also contains stills of Michael in his fetching white hockey mask, one showing a victim, and a bedroom scene on the back.

Also inside is a chapter listing. 26 for the film, plus one each for the Odyssey logo, and the original theatrical trailer in semi-widescreen. In there too is a personal view from Philip Kemp.

After the opening credits (chapter 3), is a scene named, “Halloween Night, 1963” which is where the madness starts, and this is followed by what would have been the present day, “October 30th, 1978”, which are meant to be chapters 4 and 5 respectively. Strangely, chapter 4, starts half-way through the opening credits, which must be an oversight, but not a big problem.

Overall, if you’re after one of the classic horror films of all time, this one couldn’t come more recommended, being in widescreen, and with side 2 in CAV for the gory frame-by-frame analysis.

You’ll never go trick-or-treating again…

Review &copy Dominic Robinson, 1996.

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