John Carpenter's Halloween, HBO and All Those Slasher Films

John Carpenter’s Halloween started it all in 1978. Seeing it opening night in the theater, I knew right then and there, that I was veering away from The Apple Dumpling Gang films to something a tad darker. Theater actors like to take the temperature of the room during a performance or a showing. In this case, the mercury would have exploded out of the thermometer like they used to do in old Warner Brothers cartoons. Theater 4 at the East Hartford Showcase Cinema was blazing. It was the most fun I have ever had at the movies—-ever!

Soon after that, our family got HBO. Suddenly, I could stay up late and watch every good, bad or indifferent slasher pic that came in Halloween’s wake. I remember He Knows You’re Alone with a high Tom Hanks was an early one. Prom Night, Terror Train (both Jamie Lee Curtis vehicles) and countless others came after. I watched most of them. For some reason, I couldn’t watch Maniac. Something about that film poster just freaked me out too much. Still haven’t seen it! Call me a chicken - guilty as charged!

Our guest on this week’s Cinemondo Podcast is Devon Whitehead, a true artist and ultimate horror fan. He talks about his interest in horror - specifically 80’s horror stuff. It’s a great listen - although I didn’t tell anyone I was afraid of Joe Spinell in Maniac. Let’s keep that between us. Signing off - Mark