Oct 31: Halloween (1978) dir. John Carpenter

A classic of the genre, and perfect for today.

The film was the first in a series of films, which were set in the fictional location of Haddonfield, Illinois but actually filmed in South Pasadena, California according to this analysis of the film locations. This would allow a trip of several of the films key locations for those who are interested.

Production designer and editor, Tommy Lee Wallace is interviewed talking about the problems with making California look like Illinois.

Just northeast of downtown L.A., Wallace stumbled upon a neighborhood that immediately struck him on an emotional level as having the potential to become Haddonfield, Illinois.

Though South Pasadena, the 3.4-square-mile city nestled between Pasadena and Alhambra, has typically been a go-to choice for filmmakers looking for a small-town atmosphere, Halloween was certainly one of the earliest popular films to take advantage the city’s quaint charm. Craftsman houses, streets of live oak trees, and a classic main street all evoke the feeling of innocence; a place tucked away from the rest of the world where danger on the horizon is inconceivable. The absence of tropical vegetation in South Pasadena allowed Carpenter to shoot his actors walking the streets in long, wide takes that helped convey the geography of Haddonfield. Subsequent to Halloween, other small-town films that chose South Pasadena included Carpenter’s own Christine (1983), Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Back to the Future (1985), Teen Wolf (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake of Halloween also filmed in South Pasadena.

“The streets, unmistakably, have a lot of character,” says Wallace. “The mood was right; the feel was right; you only see so much with a camera, and if the frame works then you go with it. Part of this is desperation and part of it is aesthetics.”

Here's the theme, also written by John Carpenter.

Warning: Imagery may be a bit scary...

 

Films I watched today:

(The) Second Woman (1950) dir. James V Kern

Not bad - a psychological thriller