Halloween [Blu-ray]
![Halloween [Blu-ray]](/images/Halloween-Blu-ray-B000UR9QHQ-L.jpg)
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.70 You Save: $14.27 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.23 (click here) Category: Blu-ray See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Halloween [Blu-ray]
Movie Review: Death ahs come to your little town
Summary: 5 Stars
Once Halloween was Samhain, the one night of the year when the dead returned to cause trouble for the living.
Well, Michael Myers wasn't dead, but on "Halloween" he returned to cause trouble for the people of his hometown, with all its dark houses and teenage victims. And John Carpenter's masterpiece lives up to its reputation: creepy, eerie, harrowing, and full of solid acting from Donald Pleasance and Jamie Lee Curtis.
On Halloween, 1963, young Michael Myers lurked outside the house while his sister had sex with her boyfriend. After he left, Michael put on a mask, picked up a knife, and stabbed his sister to death.
Fifteen years later, Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is about to take Myers to a legal hearing, when Myers (Nick Castle) breaks open the psych hospital and escapes in Loomis' car. On Halloween, teenage Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) notices a silent, masked figure popping up and disappearing near her school, house, and neighborhood.
Despite this, she goes about her babysitting duties, even taking care of another girl's charge overnight. The only problem is, the girl is dead, and so is another pal and her boyfriend. Dr. Loomis is staking out Myers' old home, unaware that Myers is now prowling the house where Laurie is staying -- and there seems to be no way to avoid the knife-wielding "evil."
It sounds like a thousand knockoff movies made since then, but "Halloween" formed the original mold. And like any other groundbreaker, it is the most stripped-down, intense example of the genre -- little gore, little graphic violence, but the way it's handled is enough to make your hair stand on end, and make you go to bed with a gun under your pillow.
And Carpenter handles the spookiness beautifully -- initially, the story is pleasantly average -- teen gossip, small-town atmosphere, and chatter about boyfriends, dances and babysitting. It has the occasional spooky moment -- such as Myers popping out of a hedge to stare at Laurie -- but isn't really scary just yet. But as Myers starts bumping off teenagers, the plot darkens and twists.
Carpenter spins up a claustrophobic, trapped feeling, partly due to a shadowy old house full of windows and doors, any of which could be Myers' way in. You can't help but jump with every shadow. And Carpenter sprinkles the plot with unspeakably creepy moments -- Myers quietly slithering in a window above Laurie, or dressing as a ghost with only his heavy breathing to identify him.
Curtis was the original scream queen thanks to this movie, and she does an amazing job -- even when she's racing around pounding on doors and shrieking, she seems realistic. Pleasance is just as good as Loomis, who is determined and full of dread at what his patient is, but also has his moments of humour (like when he frightens some pranksters at the Myers house). And though we only see Myers' face a few times, his masked face, silent movements and heavy breathing are the stuff of nightmare.
"Halloween" was a more psychological, atmospheric kind of horror, and it did its job almost too well. The original slasher movie -- harrowing, eerie, and petrifying.
Movie Review: "Halloween" Goes Blu
Summary: 5 Stars
Halloween Goes Blu
John Carpenter's "Halloween" was, is and will remain the best horror movie placed on film and now Michael Myers can murder in high definition blu-ray. This 1978 low budget movie couldn't afford hi tech effects, so Carpenter brilliantly manipulated the greatest fear of all fears, "the element of surprise." I first saw this movie in the theater when released along with 4 other friends. 3 of those friends walked out they were so frightened, as did other movie goers. The remaining diehards like myself who stayed, frequently jumped 2 inches out of seats as ear piercing screams filled the movie theater with a deep sense of dread, panic and terror. I have owned the movie on VHS, Laser Disc, DVD and now Blu-Ray, it is the only movie ever I felt so strongly about to own every format. Through the years I have talked with others who enjoy this movie and we discuss the small little errors that even John Carpenter himself has talked about. However, there is one huge error in this film that to this very day I can not find one other person who caught this major mistake. If I ever someday have the privilege to meet or talk with John Carpenter I would be most curious to ask if he himself knows of the mistake. Until such time I will go to the grave keeping this huge flaw a secret. Blu-Ray lovers, the HD format in "Halloween" does exactly what it should do, making it worth the upgrade from standard DVD. The HD visuals are awesome giving this 30 year old fearful tale a makeover fit for the walking dead. For the first time ever in all formats the enhanced HD sound track gets the surround sound almost right. The only recommendation while watching "Halloween" in blu-ray is during the beginning credits while Carpenter's spooky theme song is playing, adjust your home theater audio channels. You will find the blu-ray enhancements on the center speaker will require extreme find tuning to match the other speakers. Failure to adjust the center channel will easily throw off your complete sound separation experience. Other than that, take a seat all you good couch potatoes, relax, take your shoes off, don't fear the reaper, and enjoy "Halloween" renewed. Halloween gets a rating of, "7 Potato More". Michael Couch Potato.
Movie Review: A powerfully effective psychological masterpeice!
Summary: 5 Stars
Having been into AV and home movie watching since VHS arrived, I have to tell you that Blu technology for PQ and SQ is what all of us long time enthusiasts have been waiting for. Halloween on BD is once again lending me to say that this is the first time I have really seen this movie. Even though I saw it in the theater in 1978, owned on VHS and DVD. The innocent and very eerie musical score by John Carpenter matches his more subtle directorial and far more powerfully effective psychological techniques of using dark scenes, shadows, subjective angles and facial reaction close-ups to deliver a timeless classic and new Horror Genre. Halloween started it's own genre which was copied but never equaled by such slasher flicks as the Friday the Thirteenth 1 thru 87 movies. Freddy and Jason were good in their time and are still entertaining, but these movies do not command the timeless attraction and longevity that Halloween always has had and will in the future. PQ is absolutely Stunning. Colors are natural, beautiful, Blacks are as solid and grain free (as is the entire movie) as you will ever see. This is one 10+ superb and suprising transfer. PQ was so impressive in this new PCM re-mix of 5.1. I could go on and on about the sound, but would rather have you experience it for yourself. PQ is also a 10+. Especially for a movie made on a 300K budget with probably only stereo mix (2 channels) in 1978. Bottom line is this: If you like this movie even half way, the blu experience ups it 10 fold. If you have never seen it and like well made suspense films, this is a must! Happy Halloween!Movie Review: The BEST horror movie, ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I bought my blu ray player, I couldn't get this movie fast enough. This is hands down my favorite horror move. What makes this so fantastic is that is has very little blood, and a ton of suspense. My favorite parts is when a character is doing something, then the camera pans, then you see that Michael is there....lurking in the shadows. Fantastic!
For those of you who don't know, this is about a boy that was institualized for killing his older sister on Halloween night. The one day, he escapes and heads back home to continue the killing. He picks one teen ( I wont' say why) and goes after her. If anyone gets in his way, then that's their problem. Along the way, his doctor, Dr. Loomis heads back to Michael's hometown in order to stop him. That's all I really want to say on the plot.
This is such a fantastic movie! It was a lot of suspense that will keep you glued to your seat. I can't say enough good things about Halloween.
The transfer to blu ray is wonderful! The sound is crisp and clear. The images are vivid and sharp. This is the way Halloween was meant to be seen. This has a fantastic extra. It's called "Fast Facts". If you set the setting's for the "Fast Facts" you get to see little facts about the movie (about the stars, production ect) that add a wonder aspect to a great movie.
This is a classic and a must have.
Movie Review: A Bluray Review
Summary: 5 Stars
I am assuming everyone reading this is more than familiar with the story of "Halloween", John Carpenter's unintentional masterpiece of suspense, horror, and atmosphere. I say unintentional because the film was made by a twentysomething John Carpenter and producer Debra Hill originally titled "The Babysitter Murders." Made on a tiny budget, the movie became the highest grossing independent film of all time (up until recently) and agruably the most oft replicated movie until this day, generating sequels, remakes, and launching the careers of many actors (Jamie Lee Curtis, PJ Soles, among others) "Halloween" gets the royal treatment on Bluray with this very satisfying HD transfer. The 1080p HD master reveals unprecendented detail and repairs many of the "soft" apearing scenes with incredible detail and clarity. The colors pop and some shots even have a 3D presence such as those where Laurie is walking home from school surrounded by the tress lining the streets and the bright orange leaves on the ground. The sound is mixed in an Uncompressed PCM 5.1 with a Dolby Digital 5.1. While the film will never sound like "Terminator Salvation', it offers crystal clear ambient and rear channel effects, crisp dialogue, and the classic music theme has never sounded better or more chlling. This one is priced to own, and a must for fans!