Of what was accomplished with this film on such a small budget. Still I wonder why Carpenter wanted so little was it in case the film flopped??? I think getting just a lil more $$$ like a $1M budget would've done wonders.
Horror films don't need huge budgets though. Keeping the budget low makes it not only easy to make a profit but it forces directors to be creative as well.
Not as successful as The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity but a success non-the-less.
For it's time, it was unheard of for a movie to be so successful on such a small budget.
It was the highest grossing independent film for 12 years until the first Ninja Turtles movie came out.
Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.
I think Carpenter was asked if he could make a movie for a low budget, he said he could make the kind of movie they wanted for that budget as long as he got total creative control, final cut and his name above the title.
The producers considered $300k to be an acceptable risk on a horror movie, whatever its pedigree. When budgets go up, producers make more demands on what has to be in the film in order for it to appeal to a wide enough audience to make its money back at least.
So Carpenter was attracted to the freedom that the low budget production gave him. He sounds like the kind of guy who does not kowtow when funds were offered to him just to put stuff on the screen to broaden the film's appeal while diluting the original concept.
"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof
True. But, he'd be a helluva lot richer if he was the kowtowing type.
Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.
the movie's budget was 325,000 dollars. It's low budget film but not micro budget for that time. Keep in mind that half of the budget went in to the cameras so they had about 160,000 dollars for the rest. Also I think because it had low budget may have played a part in its success. If it had been a bigger budget film then it might have aged worse. The Hills Have Eyes had a budget of 230,000 dollars. Most horror films from that era were cheap to make.
shareThey still are, that's why they all make a profit.
Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.
You might know this, as I don't feel like starting a new thread on this subject. I think I read somewhere that the Cunningham house in "Happy Days" was in the same locale as the houses in "Halloween", as they kinda look similar to me. Did I read this before, or is it wishful thinking?
shareCunnighams were on N Cahuenga Bvd and the Wallace/Doyle houses are on Orange Grove
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/North+Cahuenga+Boulevard,+Los+Angeles,+CA,+USA/N+Orange+Grove+Ave,+West+Hollywood,+CA+90046,+USA/@34.0979865,-118.3542472,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2bf3076fad32b:0xa1aa122ddf0d165d!2m2!1d-118.3295413!2d34.1011418!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2bec57ee3e53b:0x746f78a00f1a259e!2m2!1d-118.3603503!2d34.094445
"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof
Remember at the time that John Carpenter didn't have the cache to demand a high budget. His biggest film to date was Assault on Precinct 13 which gave him buzz but he had yet to produced a bonafide hit. Halloween is the film that ultimately blew the doors wide open for him.
But I agree, the whole crew really did a fantastic job with so little resources. Really just a testament to quality film-making/story-telling.
Anyone here mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips.
Well, not that wide. He has never had another movie even remotely close to the success of Halloween.
Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.
No, but his career post-Halloween (well, in the '80s at least) speaks for itself. The Thing, Big Trouble In Little China, The Fog, Escape From New York, They Live... I could go on.
Anyone here mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips.
I like the evil car one. However, none of these were hits, per se. He's no Spielberg, or Scorcese, let's say that.
Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.
They weren't big hits at the time, but they've all gained cult classic status and have added to his legacy. Everyone who knows Carpenter knows those films and genre fans worldwide agree that they are fantastic.
It's not like some POS here today, gone tomorrow flick like Ouija or some sh-t that makes lots of money when it opens only to be forgotten by the next year. His film's have had a lasting cultural impact. And he built a very fruitful 20+ year career off of them.
Anyone here mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips.
Okay, I'll agree with that. Definitely memorable stuff.
Movie Theater: Young Frankenstein 10/10. RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time.
Hotel California.
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