About Halloween (1978)

Director

John Carpenter

Cinematography

Dean Cundey

Shot on

35mm film

Lenses

Panavision C-Series anamorphic lenses

Look

Color

Aspect ratio

2.35:1

A killer escapes from a hospital and returns to his hometown to stalk a babysitter on Halloween night. Carpenter made it for very little money and set the template for the slasher.

How it was made

• Much of the film was shot with a Panaglide, a clone of the Steadicam.
• Cundey and operator Ray Stella tested the Panaglide at Panavision's studio in 1978, just before shooting began. Halloween was only the fourth film to use the system.
• Cundey used the edges of the wide anamorphic frame to hide danger. He called it the lurking space of shadows around the subject.
• The killer's mask was altered by widening the eye holes and spray-painting the flesh a bluish white. Wardrobe and props were often made from items on hand.