The opening sequence of the original Halloween always captivated and impressed me as a kid. Back then though, I didn’t have the knowledge to really understand what it was about this scene that was grabbing at my attention. To be completely honest, I’m not sure I’ve amassed the knowledge necessary to properly express what it is that makes this sequence special even now. Instead I’ll leave it to the professionals:
The long take that begins "Halloween" works for several reasons: First, the unmounted camera, steady though it is, wavers just enough to keep us unsettled, off balance, vulnerable to shock even if slightly prepared for it. Second, the shot establishes the motif of the subjective camera as the killer's point of view. Third, and most important, the shot draws us into the action by a point of view that is unedited. Had the opening sequence been presented conventionally, as a mounted sequence of shots, the viewer's mind would become an editor's mind, classifying, comparing, and relating the shots to assemble the story -- in other words, a mind participating in the creation of the work and therefore more conscious of it as a work. The single take suppresses the artistic detachment that comes from mental montage, creating instead a direct involvement that-like real life -- we are unable to edit. The impact, in other words, is visceral, not intellectual.
- Robert Cumbow via RogerEbert.com
That is one long take up until you see Michael / the unknown killer put on the mask. Putting the mask over the “eyes” was the solve for having to cut and edit that opening scene without disrupting the effect of the long take. There’s a second cut in there too. It comes comes moments later after the killer / Michael hits the top of the stairs. And that bit of trivia is my Halloween treat for you. I hope you liked it.
🎃 Happy Halloween 🎃
