All 13 Halloween movies ranked, from worst to best

The rushed sequel  is more or less the reason that the series went off the rails, as it introduced the “Thorn” idea that overshadowed the next film and turned off enough fans that it became the norm to just restart the timeline every couple years. But it’s perfectly enjoyable on its own, featuring a heartbreaking (and mostly silent) performance from Danielle Harris as Myers’ niece and what serves as the essential swan song for Donald Pleasence’s full commitment to the role. There are goofy touches and some less-than-lovable protagonists, yes, but also some fine set pieces (the laundry chute!) and a genuinely eerie tone to much of the film that few of the subsequent entries have managed to capture.

There were dozens of slasher movies released in 1981, so with Michael Myers found himself competing not only against the original’s high bar, but the imitators that were beating him to the punch practically every week. However, outside of the dumb “sister” twist that was introduced here, it’s a plenty enjoyable followup and better than most copycats of the era, thanks to the inspired setting (a nearly empty hospital) and an expanded role for Pleasence, who gets in some of his best lines of the series here (explaining an angry mob outside of the abandoned Myers house: “It’s a TRIBE! One of their number was butchered—this is a WAKE!”). And no self respecting fan of the series can dismiss the hilariously mean-spirited fate of Ben Tramer, who was set to get a long-awaited date with Laurie the following night but ended up being shot at, run over, and blown up because he was dressed like the guy who tried to kill her.

At a certain point it seemed the series was dead, only to score a revival in the most surprising fashion: a new directed by indie stalwart David Gordon Green, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, and with score/producing contributions from John Carpenter himself, marking his first involvement with the series since 1982. This time they erased ALL of the sequels, undoing even the sibling angle that had informed every one of them, which allowed Green and company to once again poise Myers as a motiveless boogeyman. Of course, the plot was still engineered in a way to ensure Laurie and The Shape had their long awaited reunion, but by then it had already won many folks over simply by being scary again.

Time has been kind to this once completely hated entry, which infamously dropped Michael Myers and focused on a demented toymaker who wanted to kill all the world’s children on Halloween night with masks that were infused with the supernatural powers of Stonehenge. is even more insane than it sounds, but that’s precisely why it works. When they inserted such hooey into the Myers adventures, it felt like a complete misunderstanding what made the best films in the series work, but that doesn’t apply here. If you’re going to do something totally out of left field, it’s best to do it with a completely new set of characters in a different universe entirely (the characters here watch the original Halloween on TV, in fact). That way it can truly stand on its own without affecting anything else. Bonus points for showcasing Tom Atkins’ undeniable sexual magnetism.

What makes the best sequel? Simplicity. It’s almost a remake of the original at times; Myers is being transferred (why they always do this on October 30th is a question no one has ever answered) and finds out he has a niece (Danielle Harris, as Laurie’s daughter) in his old town. So he heads there to kill her, and that’s about it. Director Dwight Little favors suspense over gore, Ellie Cornell acquits herself nicely subbing for Curtis as another heroic babysitter, the Midwest setting of Haddonfield finally feels less California-y, and—in retrospect—it’s the last time in the series that there’s nothing in the plot that can leave a casual fan scratching their head. That alone keeps it near the top as time goes on and each new film requires a primer of what’s going on or why certain people are alive again.

This requires no explanation. From the second that iconic theme kicks in until the final shot cuts to credits over Michael’s breathing, everything in John Carpenter’s (yes, that’s the on-screen title for what was his second full feature) is expertly crafted across the board, leaving no potential scare untapped. The film is essentially plotless, as if Carpenter and Debra Hill knew such things would only get in the way of making you jump out of your seat every few minutes. The drab suburban houses only intensify the “it could happen to you” feeling, and even the daytime scares are more effective than most of its imitators ever managed with the full dark of night on their side. It’s not just the best Halloween movie, it’s the best slasher movie, and every one of those aforementioned sequels got a boost simply by association.