Suspense/Scares
John Carpenter’s Halloween is a master-class in suspense. What many people consider to be “scary” today is a plethora of jump scares. Zombie’s Halloween doesn’t even have that. Favoring brutality and visceral thrills over suspense or scares, Halloween (2007) certainly isn’t a scary movie. The moments that could be suspenseful are spoiled by Michael just jumping in and stabbing someone. The best moment in the film comes from the scene in which Annie (Danielle Harris) is attempting to have sex with Paul (Max Van Ville), who actually makes an appearance in the remake.
So many people that say they don’t like the original Halloween say that it is because it’s not scary. This is somewhat understandable, since there aren’t a lot of jump scares in the film (though the chainsaw sound effect that accompanies two or three jumps scares in the film is particularly effective). What makes the original Halloween so scary is that Carpenter made it feel like something that could actually happen (the commentary on suburban life in the late 70s was apt). Watching Carpenter’s Halloween is almost like watching real life (and people you know) unfold before your eyes. This realism is why Halloween is considered one of the scariest movies of all time.
