Halloween: A 50-Year Horror Classic Revived and Boosting Cinema Attendance in the Cape

The 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic horror-thriller "Halloween" is upon us, and the film continues to terrify and fascinate audiences of all ages. Film critic John Waters, who was a part of the film's initial release in 1978, reflects on its impact, saying, "It started a 'huge thing that we had never seen before.' It became a genre, and it got more and more extreme. First it was slasher films, then it was home invasion horror." The movie has not only spawned a genre but has also become a shared love across generations, moving viewers from extreme fear to fascination. The Chatham Orpheum Theater will be showing "Halloween" at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. daily from October 24 to 28, and then at 9 p.m. from October 29 to November 2. The theater will also screen the documentary "Halloween @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story" from October 24 through 28. Kevin McLain, executive director of the Chatham Orpheum Theater, shares his excitement for the 50th anniversary of the movie's release. "A lot of people in this community saw it in 1978 in the theater," he said. "Now they're bringing their children and grandchildren to the theater to see the movie." Waters, a part-time Provincetown resident and member of the advisory board for the Provincetown Film Society, is also a fan of the film. He said, "After seeing 'Halloween,' no one has ever gone to a Halloween party and not thought of it. The music's on their mind." He also noted that while he likes to be scared, there was never a push for him to create films like "Halloween" after its success. "I'm afraid Michael Myers was my shark," he said, referring to the film's iconic killer, Michael Myers. Eric Hart, president of Cape Cinema in Dennis, agrees that the only real way to watch "Halloween" is in theaters. "It wasn't really something that sort of caught on, it was an instant hit," he said. The film played all October long in 1978, making it an even bigger sensation because it stayed incredibly popular for a really long time. The Orpheum Theater, which originally opened in 1916 and reopened in 2013 after more than 20 years of closure, has a close relationship with "Halloween" and director John Carpenter. The first movie shown at the reopening was "Halloween," and the community's response was resounding. A fear of slasher films has given way to fascination, and now when someone yells "Boo!" on Halloween night, people run to their TVs or computers to watch it. The experience of watching the film in theaters has also contributed to why the film is still so popular. "Experiencing the energy, experiencing the drama, experiencing other people's emotional connections to this, it creates an experience that is completely unlike one that you would have sitting in your house and watching 'Halloween,'" said McLain. "It's an example of why theaters matter and why movies in movie theaters matter." In conclusion, the 50th anniversary of "Halloween" is a celebration of a timeless classic that continues to captivate audiences across generations. The movie has not only spawned