As John Carpenter was writing and filming “Halloween”, the original title of the film was “The Babysitter Murders”. It was an awful title that everyone involved with the film wanted to change. When the title “Halloween” was suggested, it was initially eschewed because, they believed, there must be dozens of film called “Halloween”. In doing their research, Carpenter and his crew were stunned to discover that not only could they not come up with any film called “Halloween”, they had a very hard time coming up with a film that even had the word in its title. The change of title from “The Babysitter Murders” to “Halloween” instantly gave depth to the film – as if the movie was there to capture the essence of the holiday. Halloween is constantly ranked second only to Christmas as the favorite holiday of the year, and yet, there really have been few movies about the holiday at all. There are tons of movies that capture what Christmas is all about, but even though we get a lot of wonderful Horror entertainment this time of year, little of it tries to tell us what Halloween is all about. All that changed when director/producer Axelle Carolyn assembled a group of dedicated Halloween aficionados (who also happened to be terrific filmmakers) to create the definitive cinematic love-letter to the holiday. The result was this year’s TALES OF HALLOWEEN.
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TALES OF HALLOWEEN is an anthology film in which all 10 short films take place on the same Halloween night in the same neighborhood. Each of the 10 short films deal with a trapping of the holiday; the overindulgence of candy, neighbors competing over Halloween decorations, the dangers of trick or treating, ghost stories at a costume party, just to name a few. Because each segment is written and directed by different Horror artists, every story in the film has its own personality. The filmmakers clearly took great pains to make it all feel like one cohesive movie, however, as none of the shorts feel out of place or lagging in quality. You really feel like this is all happening in the same place and time – and this is the key to what sets TALES OF HALLOWEEN apart from other anthology films.
While most Horror anthologies will contain a device that will frame the different stories, the frame is usually a weak one. A kid reading a comic book, a group watching a video, etc. TALES OF HALLOWEEN moves from one segment to the next far more fluidly than most before it – having characters wander between segments frequently for example – giving it the feel of a real community and reminding us that all of this is happening on the same night. Another smart move by these filmmakers was the decision to keep the segments short, usually about 7 minutes apiece. This gives the movie an energy and momentum that other Horror anthologies with longer films sometimes lack. There is truly never a dull moment in this movie.
TALES OF HALLOWEEN was made on a very low budget by a group of friends who wanted to make a movie that would capture their favorite holiday in a fun, original way. The result is a film that practically pulsates with an infectious enthusiasm and glee. Though TALES OF HALLOWEEN is a decidedly professional production, there is no jaded Hollywood here. It is a smart, slick, funny, gory, creepy, and thoughtful valentine to Halloween. It is a film that feels like it will be one to revisit on a cold night every late-October for years to come.
Parental Guide - Gory and at times pretty scary. 16+
TALES OF HALLOWEEN fun facts –
Filmed over 3 weeks in mostly night shoots.
Director Ryan Schifrin lured his father out of retirement to score the opening sequence of the film. Ryan’s father is the legendary film composer Lalo Schifrin.
Adrienne Barbeau’s role as the radio DJ is a direct reference to her iconic role as Stevie Wayne in 1980’s “The Fog”.
Producer/director Axelle Carolyn appears in the segment “Bad Seed” directed by Neil Marshall. Axelle Carolyn and Neil Marshall have been married since 2007 – and were married on Halloween.
Radio Voice - “Tonight is the night. Halloween... The night our town really comes to life!”
Boris - “And you! It’s after dark! Close the dairy!”
Police Chief – “Every year on Halloween this town goes bat shit crazy!”