5 Reasons Why: Halloween Is Horror’s Greatest Franchise
Welcome everyone to the newest feature here at Coming Soon. ‘5 Reasons Why’ is dedicated to featuring, and defending, a controversial topic that is sure to spark a healthy debate among readers. Per the advice of our legal department (which is really just one guy who probably doesn’t even have a degree in law, but he dresses nicely) I am required to state that the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of this writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Comingsoon.net, Mandatory.com, Crave Online or any of its other subsidiaries.
It’s been said that everybody deserves one good scare. Thanks to the Halloween franchise, audiences have been scared countless times over the past 40 years. When The Shape first saw Laurie Strode walking up the steps of the old Myers house way back in 1978, audiences had no idea that both he and Laurie would become horror icons. With 8 original films, a remake, a sequel to the remake, and a sequel to the original but not the original sequel or a remake of the original sequel, the Halloween franchise is as confusing as it is entertaining. Michael Myers has become the OG Boogeyman, while Laurie Strode has gone on to Ellen Ripley-like levels of bad-ass. But this series was anything but a two-man show. It gave birth to a number of iconic characters, moments and, yes, scares. The Halloween franchise is not just one of the greatest movie franchises of all time- it’s the greatest horror movie franchise, period. Here are 5 Reasons Why.
5) It’s Still Going
Both Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street haven’t had an original entry since 2009 and 2010, respectively. Both of those films were remakes and neither reignited enough interest in the franchises to make new films. Halloween, on the other hand, has had its own remake, a sequel to the remake AND a reboot film as well, which came out in 2018. We’re not saying longevity equals quality of the franchise, but yes we are. Halloween has been around for 40 years. It’s safe to assume it could be around for another 40 years. In a world where the futures of both the Friday the 13thand Nightmare on Elm Street franchises are uncertain, Halloween remains a sure thing. Turns out, Tommy Doyle was right. You really can’t kill the boogeyman.
4) It’s Not Afraid to Take Risks
Halloween 3: Season of the Witch. Rob Zombie’s Halloween. Rob Zombie’s Halloween sequel. Halloween 2018. All of these films were risky endeavors. They all had a multitude of naysayers and mean comment sections. Some of these films worked, others didn’t. But they all proved that the producers behind the Halloween franchise are not afraid to take risks. Franchises like Friday the 13th, Scream, Hellraiser and more usually stick to the format…even when they go to space. Halloween isn’t afraid to veer off course to see if something works. We admire that.
3) The Original is the Best Horror Film
John Carpenter’s Halloween is, arguably, the greatest horror movie ever made. It is inarguably the best slasher movie ever made. Everything about the movie is near-perfect. The photography, the story, the acting, and the villain were beautiful in their simplicity. Carpenter told a story that literally thousands have tried to replicate (including Friday the 13th) but none have been able to top. Halloween combined suspense, tension, character development and more with our own fears of the dark. In the original film, Michael Myers was not a zombie or a druid. He wasn’t even a family member. He was a shark who attacked somebody just because she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s a scary scenario because it is one that could easily happen for real. Halloween isn’t scary because it’s supernatural; it’s scary because it isn’t.
2) Laurie Strode is the Ultimate Heroine
Jamie Lee Curtis was a Scream Queen before the term was made popular. In fact, the term was made popular because of Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis has built a phenomenal career, full of memorable characters (we’re lookin’ at you, Wanda). But none have resonated as much as her performance as Laurie Strode. Curtis has appeared in 5 of the 11 Halloween movies, and each performance has solidified her position as the ultimate heroine. And it’s not because she’s ‘Jamie Lee Curtis.’ It’s not because she was the first real scream queen (because she wasn’t – that would be her mom). Laurie Strode is the ultimate horror movie heroine because she is everything that is good, that is pure, that is beautiful about humanity. She is a fighter and a survivor. She is you and she is me and she is the only one capable of finally, truly, ending Michael Myers.
1) Michael Myers is the Boogeyman
But, again, you just can’t kill the boogeyman. And Michael Myers is the epitome of a boogeyman. He lurks in the shadows and, without saying a word, will cut your throat without a moment’s hesitation. He’s not a dream demon or a goalie with mommy issues. Michael is not an evil clown or an angsty teenager or a hell-raiser. He’s just a man who only knows how to kill, and that’s why he is still the best and baddest boogeyman.
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