Halloween ’63 takes viewers back to an infamous Halloween over 60 years ago, the night that Michael Myers brutally murdered his sister, Judith (Mari Blake), and her friend, Betty Jenkins (Emma Lynn Morgan). In just 10 minutes, writer/director Lorenzo P. Adams places viewers in the Myers’ house and shows them the horrors that occurred inside. The short film focuses primarily on Judith’s perspective as her knife-wielding brother hunts her down. In a fight for survival, Judith must face down not only young Michael but flashes of “the shape” he will become. But no matter how much she struggles to survive, fans of the franchise know there’s no escaping Michael Myers.
“…the night that Michael Myers brutally murdered his sister…”
Adams has created a fun reframing of the Halloween origin story. The use of black-and-white filters helps guide the viewer into the early 1960s aesthetic before launching them into the slasher ethos associated with the franchise. The movie creates genuine thrills, plus it excellently uses Carpenter’s original Halloween theme. The second the song hits, and a masked Michael Myers enters the frame, Halloween ’63 feels at home in the mythology. This fitting is not just due to the instant recognition of the song and iconic mask but the build-up to seeing one of horror’s biggest icons.
It is true that only so much can be explored in such a short time, but how much of young Michael Myers or Judith does an audience need? It depends on how you view the many sequels, prequels, and reboots. Whether you are an original John Carpenter purist or love the waves of Michael Myers’ carnage within the franchise, this will satisfy your fandom. It’s creepy, exhilarating, and captures what makes Michael so terrifying in such a short time. Halloween ’63 is a love letter to horror cinema and an excellent addition to the lore.
"…feels at home in the mythology."
