Tag: halloween

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Is Michael Myers Real?

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Featured Horror Mystery and Lore Scary Movies and Series

Is Michael Myers Based On a True Story?

Halloween in Haddonfield is one of the scariest horror movie settings of all time.  With a lot of parties and ‘trick or treaters,’ there are people wearing masks everywhere, making evil harder to detect.  Speaking of evil, everyone knows the iconic, mute, white-masked terror that is Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise. But where did Halloween creators come up with the story, plot and Michael Myers himself? What inspired one of the most popular (and deadly) horror movie slashers of all time, Michael Myers?  Is Halloween Michael Myers Real or based on a true story?

The Real Story Behind Michael Myers and Halloween

Like any successful horror movie franchise, Halloween has grown throughout time.  A horror franchise grows with its sequels according to the demand of the audience and appropriate plot advances. But a lot of what Michael Myers is today, is owed to his original creators…the writers and staff responsible for putting together the original Halloween film. Here are some of the most influential contributions to making Halloween and Michael a scary slasher genre leader that it is today!

Dark History of Evil

Halloween story real
Michael Myers

The idea of Michael Myers can be traced back to Samhain, and true evil itself.  Debra Hill, who co-wrote Halloween (1978) got into detail in one interview mentioning Samhain itself and that evil was unable to be killed or destroyed. In a traditional Samhain belief, the souls from the other side can come back for one night. This spawned the concept of Michael Myers, a Halloween (Samhain by another name) killer who would keep coming back. Originally, Michael Myers was referred to as “The Shape” by direct John Carpenter. This was allegedly due to Michael always lurking in the shadows in the scenes. The term “the shape” also has some interesting roots in witchcraft meaning that the devil or evil can take the shape of others or walk in the shadows near them. Coincidence maybe, but interesting none the less.

College Studies to Horror Slasher

John Carpenter attributes some of his inspiration for writing Michael’s evil nature from a trip to a mental institution he took with one of his college classes.  Supposedly (according to Carpenter), the patients housed at this Kentucky mental institution were the most seriously ill of all mental patients.  Many of the patients exhibited creepy characteristics. One patient in particular, a young boy, provided Carpenter with a truly evil and deadly stare.  This experience ultimately led to the creation of the hacking and slashing villain and Halloween horror star, Michael Myers.

In the documentary “Halloween – A Cut Above the Rest” Carpenter describes the boy in detail.

“This blank, pale emotionless face. Blackest eyes. The devil’s eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized what was living behind that boys’ eyes was purely and simply evil.”

John Carpenter in “Halloween – A Cut Above the Rest”

Stanley Stiers

Another potential influence is Stanley Stiers. Stiers is a tragic story of babies switched at birth by a cruel nurse. When the parents found our Stanley was not their real son they abused and neglected him. The final straw was Halloween night when he was denied trick or treating while his sister was able to go. The young boy murdered his family and his sister with a knife. Some horror fan sites believe this is the true backstory of Halloween and Michael Myers, but we have yet to hear that confirmation from Carpenter himself.

Creating Haddonfield

The two writers, Hill and Carpenter, had to come up with a fictional town that Michael could return to haunt. Haddonfield is a real place, only it is located in New Jersey. Hill grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and picked the name in honor of her hometown.  The street names throughout the movie were pulled from Carpenter’s hometown, Bowling Green. In fact, much of the script details were pulled together by combining the two writers’ childhood and hometown experiences together.

Character Creation

The writers decided it would be easiest to each be responsible for drafting the characters of their respective genders.  Thus, Debra Hill would write most of the female character dialogue and behavior; and Carpenter focused on Dr Loomis and Michael Myers. 

Additionally, some of the character names came from the Carpenter’s personal live. Laurie Strode was an ex-girlfriend of Carpenter’s. Michael Myers was the name of a producer Carpenter had previously known from another film.

A Terrifying Musical Score

John Carpenters Halloween Slasher Horror movie vinyl record cover with a pumpkin and a knife

A lot of the horror that takes place in a Halloween film, especially the original film, take place during super eerie sound tracks.  The suspense that builds during a Halloween film can almost directly relate to the background soundtrack, as the scarier the scenes: the scarier the music.  Carpenter played a huge part in the musical composition of the Halloween soundtrack and has suggested the soundtrack is one of the movies greatest assets.

Other Inspirations

Homage to Alfred Hitchcock is paid by way of two character names. Firstly, Tommy Doyle’s character was named after a policeman from Hitchcock’s 1954 “Rear Window.” And secondly, Dr. Loomis was a nod to character Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin) from Hitchcocks’ 1960 “Psycho.”

Final Words About Halloween’s Favorite Slasher

Michael Meyers Halloween Character portrait in black and white with white mask

In short, Halloween is not based upon a true story although Michael Myers is based on real people from the writers lives. However, it does not require it be based on a real story to be truly terrifying. And there WAS real inspiration for the making of Michael Myers. And there were several other real-life inspirations in the making of the Halloween franchise. Regardless of how the original concept was derived, John Carpenter capitalized on a timeless fear, as the audience still turns up strong for a good Halloween sequel!

Are you a TRUE Halloween franchise enthusiast? Check out Surprising Facts About the Halloween Movies for some real Halloween Movie Trivia!

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Is The Third Halloween Movie Scary?

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Scary Movies and Series

What Is The 3rd Halloween Movie About?

Halloween’s second sequel, the 3rd movie in the franchise, left a lot of fans really confused.  Whether having seen it when it was released in 1982, or later down the road after many other Halloween movies were released, it is undeniable that it does not seem to fit in with the rest of the franchise.  Halloween III: Season of the witch (1982) is extremely well-done, however, and is absolutely scary in its own right. The oddball in the franchise is about a shady Halloween mask company called “Silver Shamrock Novelties,” who produce some super realistic and terrifying looking masks. These masks glow in the dark too, but that’s not all…they also take over your brain!

Literally, the masks are micro-chipped and every kid in America wants one! The mask company releases these creepy commercials that hypnotize kids into reciting the eerie Silver Shamrock theme song.

A Different Type of Fear

The Silver Shamrock Novelties company is creepy in every way. They utilize high-tech (for 1982 any way) surveillance equipment, mind-control devices, and implant microchips into their masks.  They have brainwashing commercials and maintain control over an entire town. They even implement a curfew! This new type of fear that is created in Halloween part 3 is that of conspiracy and the control of society…almost a 1984 meets The Matrix (1999) kind of fear.  Plus, if someone learns too much or if they get too close to figuring things out, they get taken out!

Why Isn’t Michael Myers In Halloween Part III?

Most Halloween fans instantly recognize this as the only film in the series that is not focused on the slasher who made the franchise famous.  Michael Myers is not present in the film because the creators believed the franchise deserved to become much larger than just one single horror slasher.  John Carpenter (Halloween creator) and Debra Hill, produced and helped direct this film.  They were also involved on many other Halloween films (basically all of them in one fashion or another).  Thus, their opinion mattered greatly when they explained the franchise should become an anthology series in the horror genre.  They believed there should be a new fear in each Halloween movie…each focusing on the holiday by which the movies are titled.  The director, Tommy Lee Wallace, shared this belief and had written Season of the Witch with the intention of it being the first of the attempt at an authentic horror anthology series.

Mind Control Instead of Traditional Slashers 

season of the witch tv commercial on a tv with a person watching

Writer Debra Hill has explained that the idea behind the third Halloween movie was to create a mind control type of “pod” movie.  She has cited Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) as inspiration on more than one occasion. The name of the film, Season of the Witch, is a tip of the hat to George A Romero’s Season of the Witch (1973).

Worst Grossing Halloween Movie

Unfortunately for Wallace, Carpenter, and Hill, and everyone else involved, Halloween III: Season of the Witch was the worst grossing Halloween movie of the entire franchise.  The movie had a budget of $2.5 million and only grossed a little over $14 million in the United States. Most people have attributed the negative reviews and poor earnings from having been marketed as a part of the Halloween franchise. In fact, it could be suggested that if it were to have been marketed on its own it would have done much better (such as being called “Season of the Witch,” maybe notating that it were BY the creators of Halloween). 

This was an experiment that could have been great, but terribly which left critics under-impressed for the hype.  While the movie may be underrated (it is actually decent), making the Halloween franchise an anthology series would have been a fantastic idea.  Sure, some of them would be worse than others, but the idea has had real success previously with other franchises and concepts.  Examples include the very popular Friday the 13th TV series, the Outer limits, the Twilight Zone, Tales from the Darkside, the Crypt Keeper, and others.

Final Words About Season of the Witch

Ultimately, there has probably never been a bad film produced, written or directed by John Carpenter. Having Debra Hill co-producing and involved on the project also instantly makes it better. That said, Halloween’s Season of the Witch creates a deeper paranoia than the traditional Halloween stories. And although Halloween 3 was totally separate from the Michael Myers story line altogether, it contributed greatly to the ‘conspiracy horror’ genre and has burned a mark in the Halloween franchise, forever!

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Scariest Masks Used in Horror Movies

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Lifestyle

Most Realistic Masks Used in Horror Movie Costumes

Gruesome, Terrifying Horror Movie Masks

The world of horror has brought a lot of truly disgusting, and terrifying masks out of the darkness. Some are latex and meant to quite literally be a Halloween mask.  Other masks had other uses before they shielded the horror slasher’s mug!  There are some masks which are better known than others, even world-renowned…and then there are some super niche horror movies with much less recognized masks.  Still, there is no end to the creativity in Hollywood and in form of horror movie masks! 

Terrifying, Gruesome, Realistic or Scary Horror Movie Masks

With the diverse variety of mask types available, horror movie killers can be seen with some sincerely creative masks. This list is ranked in order of scariest to tamest of the best masks used in horror movies.

Please note: Masks only. Paint doesn’t count. Makeup doesn’t count.  It must be a covering part of the face with a physical object than can be removed to make the list!

Leatherface Mask

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre hosts one of the scariest horror movie slashers in the genre.  Leatherface is a larger, beast-like killer and his mask may be just as scary as his stature and weapon. Leatherface makes his masks out of human flesh, so they are naturally one of the most terrifying of all the horror movie masks out there.

Buying a real Leatherface inspired mask (not real human flesh obviously) is pretty easy, but many are cheap.  It is still possible, though, to buy a high quality Leatherface mask.

The Strangers Bag Head

Jason mask scary

The Strangers highlighted one of the most common cliches in the horror genre: protagonist stuck in the house, slashers trying to break in and terrorize. Only the Strangers did it all in one single house, throughout the entire movie.  Most of the fear was psychological, but the small visual peeks at the killer are terrifying mostly due to the bag over his head.

It is possible to buy the Strangers Bag Head mask, a few places offer them. Some are authentic, others are knock offs and look-a-like bag masks. They are all pretty scary though!

Michael Myers

Almost everyone (fan or not) knows the face of Michael Myers. He is a ghost-white latex-faced killer with zero facial expression and the “blackest eyes.”

There are a wide variety of real Michael Myers masks available for sale. Like all costume, Halloween and horror movie masks, some are higher quality than others.

The Masquerade Mask

The masquerade mask has been used in a variety of horror movies. Some of the most notable include the Purge movies and Valentine (2001). The masquerade mask is naturally scary as it is meant to ‘blend the wearer into the crowd,’ made popular centuries ago. Parties around the world make use of the masquerade mask…making it a truly scary horror movie mask…as it typically represents an unknown killer!

Masquerade masks are obviously extremely accessible and easy to buy. It is possible to buy Purge-style Halloween masks (realistic replicas) as well as the authentic recreations of the Purge masks themselves.

Jason’s Hockey Mask

The Friday the 13th franchise created one of the most iconic (and deadliest) killers of all time, Jason Voorhees.  Jason’s Hockey mask is one of the only identifying features a victim sees before the machete.

Purchasing a Jason Voorhees style hockey mask is easy, as they are available to buy in all types of colors and qualities.

Jigsaw Mask

ghostface scary mask

Saw’s John Kramer (aka Jigsaw) is a very intelligent horror movie killer.  Although he does not typically show himself nearly as often as the other horror movie slashers…he most certainly shows off his Jigsaw doll. The Jigsaw doll is most memorable due to its mask.  The Jigsaw doll sports a spooky clown-inspired white-faced mask with the red hypnotic spirals on the cheeks!

Some Jigsaw masks for sale are made of cheap PVC or plastic, while it is also possible to buy a high quality Jigsaw mask (even made of nice grade resin).

Ghostface Mask

The antagonist of the Scream franchise (no matter who the killer is), wears a long-mouthed ghost-like mask with a black hood.  The mask is extremely identifiable and thus the character has infamously become known most commonly as “Ghostface.”

Ghostface is probably the most commonly purchased Halloween mask available and worn. It is also probably the easiest Halloween mask to buy, both in availability and price. Still, some are higher quality than others.

Buy the Best Halloween and Horror Movie Masks (and scariest)

If you are looking for a truly scary Halloween or horror movie mask, a lot of these masks, and similar Halloween masks are available to buy online. There is a super wide variety of extremely realistic Halloween masks out there.  It’s important to be careful when purchasing masks outright, as many of them lack quality.  The last thing a high quality Halloween or horror costume needs is a cheap mask.  High quality masks mean better scares.  Buying a realistic, high quality horror mask can absolutely complete a look. 

Some masks are also considered horror movie props and are awesome collector’s items. Many horror fans collect masks (even those that were not featured in horror movies) for their intrinsic scare-based value, as well as their future monetary value.  It has been proven that many of the higher quality masks become instant investments when properly cared for.

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Similarities and Differences Between Friday the 13th and Halloween Movies

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Scary Movies and Series

Comparing the Halloween and Friday the 13th Movies

The Halloween and Friday the 13th killers and franchises are far too similar to be a coincidence. Thus, it is only logical that one copied the other. However, in the grand scheme of things…it is also reasonable to assume a range of characteristics found in both movies and killers would be considered a generalized public domain-type of fear. In other words: it is kind of hard to get an intellectual property patent for something like “a killer that stalks you” or “a killer that wears a mask”

How Are Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees Different?

Reason for Killing

Michael Myers is haunted by visions, nightmares and voices which tell him to kill in the time of Samhain (Halloween). He specifically typically hunts down his family members.  Jason Voorhees was a critical victim of childhood bullying and succumbed to a cruel drowning by unsupervised kids while camping. Although he too has heard his mothers voice, he is primarily killing for revenge.

Movie Setting

Halloween is set in the town of Haddonfield, where Michael can kill in a suburban setting…including roads, houses and stores.  Friday the 13th is set in Camp Crystal Lake, where Jason gains killing access to the woods, cabins and lake itself.

When the Killer Officially First Died

Michael Myers claims his first kill from a very early age, then returning as an adult to hunt the rest of his family. Jason Voorhees supposedly dies before he makes his first kill, being drown at a very young age.  He does not claim his first kill, in fact, until some 20 years later.

Mobility of the Killer

Michael Myers is able to travel great distances to get to his desired destination.  He can even hijack and drive automobiles. Jason Voorhees generally remains trapped in the Crystal Lake area, and is not seen traveling great distances (especially not by car).

How Are Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees Similar?

Both Feature a Masked Killer

Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers are notorious for their creepy appearances…most of which revolves around the center focus of their mask.

Both Feature a Weapon of Choice

Out of dozens of ways each slasher has creatively slain their victims, each has exhibited a supreme preference.  Jason Voorhees typically prefers his giant machete, while Michael Myers seems to enjoy knifing people to death.

Family Drama

Friday the 13th’s Jason has some seriously ‘effed up’ drama going on with his mother. She is very frequently seen egging him on, and even kills on his behalf in the first movie.  Similarly, Halloween’s Michael Myers is always chasing down and trying to hunt his family…most notably Laurie Strode.

Both Killers Are Mute

Interestingly, both franchises take advantage of a “silent but deadly” strategy. Neither Jason Voorhees nor Michael Myers will ever be caught speaking…yet they are both terrifying and everyone runs!

Supernatural Powers

No matter how victims fight back, they are never able to overcome the slasher.  Michael and Jason both manhandle their victims although they were nothing more than a sack of potatoes!

Brought Back from the Dead

michael myers listening to a phone

Despite being largely indestructible, both slashers have been beaten in a number of their movies, only to be brought back from the dead. Michael has been shot in both eyes and lit on fire, Jason blown up and dismembered, but both have survived to kill again!

Fun Fact: In Halloween Part 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Michael Myers can be seen 21:10 seconds into the film seemingly wearing Jason’s hockey mask.

Final Words: Halloween vs Friday the 13th

Both, Friday the 13th and Halloween, are fantastic horror franchises. Each movie features a number of gory, glorious kills which will grace the history book of slashers forever.  And while both slashers may be exploiting a similar genre niche and real-life fear of a masked, deranged psychopath killer, both contribute a steady stream of creativity in kill style.  Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees always offer an entertaining show that is undeniably exhilarating and always keeps viewers on the edge of their seats!

Check out our other article…Did Friday the 13th copy Halloween, to learn a little more about this horror franchise rivalry!

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Surprising Facts About the Halloween Franchise

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Scary Movies and Series

Behind the Scenes, Secrets and Easter Eggs in the Halloween Movies 

Almost everyone and their mother has seen or at least heard of a Halloween movie. Michael Myers is famous for his shadowy movements and knife-slashing ways.  And while this mask-wearing creep might seem pretty straight forward…the Halloween franchise has hidden a few secrets, Easter Eggs and behind the scenes tidbits throughout the films.  These are some of the greatest and most shocking  Halloween movie trivia and secrets there are!

Most Surprising Things About the Halloween Movies and Michael Myers

The Fear Meter

Halloween (1978) was filmed out of sequence, and so badly in fact, that director John Carpenter created and implemented a “fear meter” to help Jamie and cast understand exactly how scared they should be in each scene.

Marion’s Recurring Role

Most people overlook Dr Loomis’ nurse from Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) being the same actress, playing the same role (Nancy Stephens playing Nurse Marion) as from Halloween (1978) and Halloween II (1981).  She smokes in the earlier movies as well as in the later movie…where Jimmy’s friend asks her if anyone has ever told her that smoking kills. She replies cleverly with “Yea, but they’re all dead.”  Ironically, she dies pretty much at the end of that cigarette.

Jamie Lee Curtis Found Herself in the Halloween Movies

Jamie was nervous all the way up to the end of the first day of filming Halloween.  She reportedly spent the entire first day of production panicking over what she believed to be her poor performance. She even thought she was going to be fired. However, by the end of the day, John Carpenter himself called Jamie to congratulate her on securing her role as Laurie Strode, being very happy with her performance.

Mocking Jason Voorhees

In the beginning of Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), short-lived character, Jimmy, scares Dr Loomis’ nurse, Marion, while wearing a hockey mask that looks eerily similar to the mask worn by Jason Voorhees. There is also a part in Halloween Part 4: the Return of Michael Myers about a third of the way into the movie where Michael Myers himself is seen wearing a hockey mask instead of his own mask while stalking Dr Loomis. Admittedly, some fans contest this scene, attributing the hockey mask-like shape to poor lighting and bad camera skills.

Season of the Witch III Director Cameo

The third installment of Halloween, Season of the Witch, is the only installment that is not about Michael Myers. Most people do not realize that the director and writer, Tommy Lee Wallace, is also the Silver Shamrock Commercial Announcer (voice only) throughout the film.

Laurie Strode Lends a Voice

Jamie Lee Curtis, the star who plays Laurie Strode in the first two movies (and 3 subsequent sequels years later), lends her voice as the Curfew Announcer and Telephone Operator in Halloween III: Season of the Witch.  This is an uncredited role…and more of a cameo appearance.

Michael Meyers

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later shows a newspaper clipping that features a misspelling of the infamous horror slasher…spelling his name “Michael Meyers” instead of “Michael Myers” (within the first 15 minutes of the film).

The Original Director Almost Directed H20

Halloween H20 (1998) was almost directed by the original Halloween director-genius, John Carpenter. There was a disagreement about compensation which left Carpenter feeling underrated, and a bit of bad blood due to Carpenter feeling he was underpaid for the original film.

One of the Most Successful Independent Films of All Time

is there a ghost in halloween painting of a man looking in a haunted room

John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) was one of the most successful independent films, ever.  The budget for this film was a mere $300,000. The earnings were more than $47 million in the US alone. Today, the earnings would have been much higher due to inflation (probably somewhere around $150-200 million today). No wonder Carpenter felt he was underpaid!

Driving Michael to His Death

An obvious blooper exists on the road to Michael’s death in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, when Laurie is driving him while he rests in the body bag towards the end of the film. The road from the driver’s windshield looks rocky, windy, dirty and rough; however, from the rear window, it looks smooth and paved, complete with painted lines.

Mr. Sandman

The song “Mr. Sandman” plays in two halloween movies, being found in Halloween II (1981) and also Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). John Carpenter, writer of Halloween I and II has revealed in an interview that the song was chosen to represent Laurie being alone, and because it is eerie sounding.  It has been speculated that Carpenter wished to use the song in the original movie but had not yet secured the rights due to finances.

Dick Warlock’s Audition

Halloween II (1981), the nurse-slaughtering sequel, featured a different Michael Myers than the original film.  Dick Warlock won the role by stalking director Rick Rosenthal in his office wearing a Michael Myers mask. He reportedly wouldn’t respond to anything Rick said until he felt he had scared him enough to ask for the role. Creepy.

Final Words About Halloween & Michael Myers

The amount of passion that has been poured into the Halloween franchise is overwhelming, and thus the fictional killings have taken on a form of their own. So many people are involved in the creation of the Halloween movies, that there is no end to the creative killings. Thus, there are also an endless number of mistakes, bloopers and funny facts about the movies that result. Without a doubt there are still many Easter Eggs and secrets to be discovered throughout the Halloween films.  And the best part? They keep making new ones!

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