The Scariest Thing about John Carpenter's first Halloween?

[jack]

The budget, of course. Taking a look at the spreadsheet on this film is incredible.

The biggest expense was renting the PanaGlide camera. That was 160k for the shoot, but it gave the film it's distinctive POV perspective, not to mention eliminating the costly "dailies" other cameras required.

They used hand painted paper leaves in all the sets, recycled from set to set, for all the foliage sequences.

Jamie Lee Curtis' salary was 8,000. Her first role, and she got it only because she was Janet Leigh's daughter. She did get 100 bucks for a wardrobe budget though, at Carpenter's request, and all her clothes were from JCPenney.

Nick Castle's salary was 20 bucks a day. Imagine fucking that. He was a friend Carpenter worked with and was helping out lol.

Doanld Pleasance got 20,000. Guess he was the big star. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing turned the role down prior to him taking it.

Carpenter paid himself 10k to make the film.

Tony Moran's salary was $250. (mm unmasked)

Ford LTD wagon rental $250. The capper was the Captain Kirk mask at $1.98. When Don Post passed on a share of the profits, the crew bought this mask and spray painted it bluish-white.

Total budget for the film was 320,000. Total US Box Office 47 million.

 

['Gear]

Testimony to viewing public's willingness to viciously tear money out of their collective pocket and throw it as hard and far as they can.

 

[jack]

The exception even in the franchise.

Pretty brilliant as both a film, and a business investment. Speaks for itself

 

['Gear]

I agree with the suggestion that it was a strong move albeit accidental.

 

[jack]

There's a bunch of that in this genre that actually defines it. First TCSM was shot by Hooper in 1974 for about 30k. That movie has never been duplicated, although a couple others have come close. The Legendary Perfect Horror Film. Evil Dead came in around 400k and it's a standalone too. Cronenberg did some of his best work under Canadian grant (Rabid, They Came From Within, The Brood, Videodrome, etc)

It's a movement.

 

['Gear]

Movement huh? If you say so. The movies you list are tantamount to a teenage boy clawing his freshy in her bedroom while mom and dad are out to dinner.

Not nearly as popular at release as they are now that people have decided they represent a movement.

 

[jack]

Then you'd be in the woods. Just underlined some of the best free thinking independent horror film in the genre.

I thought free thinking was your specialty?

 

[jack]

Movement huh? If you say so. The movies you list are tantamount to a teenage boy clawing his freshy in her bedroom while mom and dad are out to dinner.

Not nearly as popular at release as they are now that people have decided they represent a movement.

Re: evil dead (just as an example)

The film premiered in Michigan on October 15, 1981. The film was extremely controversial for its graphic terror, violence, and gore, being initially turned down by almost all U.S. film distributors until a European company finally bought it in the Cannes Film Festival marketplace in May 1982. It was finally given a US release in early 1983. The film was a moderate success at the box office, grossing a total of $2,400,000 in the U.S upon its initial release, against a budget of probably no more than $400,000.[2] Despite getting mixed reviews by critics at the time, it has since developed a cult following.[3] The film has spawned two sequels, Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, and a stage musical; work on a script for a further film has started [4] although it was announced on July 13, 2011 that Raimi and Campbell would now shift focus to a remake of the original film. [5]

 

[jack]

Been a "movement" since Romero's '68 Night Of The Living Dead, btw.

 

['Gear]

Maybe for some people.

" it was announced on July 13, 2011 that Raimi and Campbell would now shift focus to a remake of the original film."

And there's your coffin nail.

 

[jack]

How so?

 

['Gear]

Or not. Whatever.