Halloween (1978)

One of John Carpenter's earliest films, and a great one at that. A very young Jamie Lee Curtis and her friends are terrorized by an insane killer escaped from the asylum with Donald Pleasance hot in pursuit. The film shows no sign of its low-budget origins and is still effective today. What I found most interesting is how Carpenter managed to turn a normal suburban environment with normal suburban teens into a suspenseful and frightening horror film. Not only are there effective shock moments but also the sheer terror of Michael Myers' presence is all throughout the film. Halloween is an example of how to make a low-budget horror film, employing no flashy special effects and virtually no advertising yet still turning out a great film because of good camerawork, a decent story, and effective sound effects/music.

8/10

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

An interesting film with a strong lead performance by Sam Neill. John Carpenter steeps the film in atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife. Taking great influence from Lovecraft, the film succeeds in being crazy, moody, and altogether fascinating. It was really nice seeing David Warner. The special effects are fantastic but seem almost sparingly used compared to the number of abstract shock sequences Carpenter throws in.

7/10