ABSTRACT
Halloween ties together numerous thematic threads of youth horror’s past into a deceptively simple story. Youth culture exploded in the 1950s, which saw the rise of independent film studios in the wake of the Paramount Decree, as well as the emergence of car culture and the drive-in. These independents churned out ‘weirdies,’ a name trade papers gave to films that mixed horror with science fiction—with its subtext of atomic dread—which proved incredibly popular with youth audiences. The Gothic horror of Hammer Films and Roger Corman’s Poe adaptations was also popular. In the 1960s, youth horror matured, featuring more psychological horror and graphic violence, especially after the implementation of the ratings system. In the 1970s, the female audience demographic became more important, and after the success of 1976’s Carrie, producer Irwin Yablans commissioned Carpenter and Hill to craft a horror film with female leads. Carpenter and Hill ably did so by featuring three strong female leads in Halloween, while also drawing themes from ‘weirdies’ of the past. At the same time, Halloween adopted blockbuster filming techniques and high concept marketing, two strategies that would become more prevalent as youth horror transitioned to the era of the multiplex.
