Lesson 136: Halloween: The Shape of Horror

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, test out their new panic room in this week’s review of Halloween (2018). The film marks a return to form for the series, featuring Jamie Lee Curtis as battle-ready Laurie Strode as she prepares for a final showdown 40 years in the making against her nemesis, silent serial killer Michael Myers. Producer John Carpenter also returns to the franchise, and he brings along all of the musical themes he helped compose for the original Halloween (1978).

With an opening weekend haul of more than $77 million in the United States, it’s clear the franchise is as alive as ever. The bigger question is whether or not it lives up to audience expectations that are four decades in the making.