It’s William Shatner. The mask that the character Mike Myers wears in the Halloween franchise movies was a mask of actor William Shatner that production designer Tommy Lee Wallace paid $1.98 for and altered somewhat. They were counting pennies because the film’s budget was only $300,000. In the ensuing period, the franchise has grossed more than $366 million at the box office.
It’s been 40 years since John Carpenter released his original Halloween, and opening tonight is a direct sequel, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, which picks up the story four decades after that horrible night of tragic babysitting began. Cue the scream.
Once again, fans are expected to line up and pay good money to have their wits scared out of them. Horror movie fanatic Robert Ehrlinger says the appeal of scary movies is the thrill of survival. “It’s a roller coaster ride. And people enjoy getting their heart rate up, or getting scared for that reason: it’s a challenge to them. Can I get out of this movie alive?” Cue another scream.
Margee Kerr, a sociology professor at the University of Pittsburgh, has been examining why people pay good money to experience horror, concluding, essentially, it’s the challenge of accomplishment when you make it to the end. It really is about surviving, even if it’s an hour-and-forty-six-minutes in a suburban multiplex with air-conditioning while eating popcorn. It’s the same thrill some people get with mountain climbing and some people get with tackling a 10k race. It’s about crossing the finish line and living to tell the tale.
Speaking of which, Jamie Lee Curtis is getting rave reviews. Halloween (2018) is expected to pull in another $50 million this weekend alone. Cue the scream.
AMC Warns Fans of "Halloween"
The AMC theater chain is reminding "Halloween" fans to leave their masks and weapons at home, real or fake. In a statement earlier today, AMC said they love spirited fans but that it will not permit any type of weapons or masks entry when coming to see the film.
The newest "Halloween" finds Laurie Strode, played by alum Jamie Lee Curtis, battling the infamous Michael Myers once again.
It is the eleventh film in the series.
If you answered "Mike WHO?" on our poll question, here's a brief evolution of Mike Myers over the years, starting with his first killing as a child...