It Was the Boogeyman (Halloween)Movies serve to communicate certain aspects or themes replica in the society. Producers employ different techniques or genre in reaching out to their audiences. Horror movies explore on monstrous forces, depicting how they threatened the societal values and the quest to suppress these values and beliefs.
Halloween exemplifies these concepts using the protagonist Michael Myer acting as monstrous, and whose sexual immorality as a child culminates to a teenager murderer. The paper analyses the movie Halloween as a piece that serves to guide the society to be vigilant to avoid the evils committed or symbolized by the likes of Michael Myer.
Horror films take on different forms and address different aspects affecting the society in different ways (Zhang 54). Monsters are scaring and represent evil. These films represent the peoples collective nightmares, and monsters serve to represent the behaviors or things that society is against. Therefore, they indicate the return of repression or evils and embodiment of others (Baird 12). On the same note, the reason of using horror is to establish the relationship between human and non-human based on self and others encounters. These are some of the aspects that the movie exemplifies. Myer is projected as a monster through his deviant sexual behaviors (Zhang 52). His otherness is traced back in his childhood when he witnessed his sister engage in sexual intercourse with her boyfriend. This experience corrupts his mind and he grows into adulthood clinging on bad behaviors and eventually turns out to be a murderer.
The movie also portrays family as the destination of the repressed. Horror of this modern period views the family as the institution that represses and harbor otherness by constructing, or portraying children as monsters. This therefore affects peoples psychology and is often perceived as something that is external to the self and culture. It is never destroyed in the self but is projected outwardly to be hated and reprimanded by the society (Conrich 92). In this movie, Myers is portrayed as horrific image of a normal family, as the younger Myers is a monster. On the premises of other, Michael is portrayed as both human and non-human because of the sexual behaviors that the family members perceive and denounce as not moral values.
In the movie, the small town is depicted as the site of return of those that are repressed. Like any unit in the society, the small town in the movie is against any deviations of dysfunctional tendencies. The movie portrays Illinois as a stereotypical small mid western town. Even though the town glitters, it is made up of youths that have immorality. They have failed to embrace morals in the society. The youths engage in illicit activities such taking alcohol, premarital sex and smoking marijuana. These behaviors emerge because of lack of vigilance from the people that have this responsibility. Teen youths who engage in such activities have lost direction and will not be able to live morally upright lives. They are a threat to the future generation. Through such depictions, the movie aims to caution the society to play their roles by ensuring that such cultures do to cope up in the society as they are a threat because they deviate from the norms. The tale is therefore relevant to the conservatism culture experienced in 1980s. The U.S president Reagan was of the view that the countercultures experienced during 1960s and 1970s was a grave mistake because it allowed use of drugs, compromised on alcohol, and people who engaged in premarital sex compromised the conservative values. Because of the evil in society, it leads to more deviance behaviors when Michael pursues and murders the teens engaging in sex, drugs and drinking. This society has lost grip of its values and purpose. There is no justification in the actions taken by Michael as other amicable ways could have been taken. Identifying the source or the cause of the problem is the best approach to problem solving.
The movie has various characters that play different roles. One of the characters that see Michael in fleeting glimpses is Laurie Strode. She is projected as the final girl whose survival is attributed to her soberness and Girl Scout lifestyle. She is a very strong lady that manages to resist the threats from Myers. Some of the critics view her as form of feminist empowerment because of her resilience and determination to escape. Similarly, other critics argue that she is helpless and without the support of Dr. Looms, she could not have been saved. These arguments and varied opinions help to enhance understanding of the character. Even though she is assisted by Dr. Loomis, she puts on a spirited heart that sees her manage to overcome Michaels traps to take her life away.
Another strong theme developed through this movie is based on the political ideologies through the concept of gaze. The movie uses shifts of perspective through the narratives and shootings to project the opposing views of the members of the society through Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. The audience is at the center of this movie need to reconsider their moral values. The society is required to be vigilant on its morals as portrayed by the monstrous forces that have seen teens murdered. The ideologies of Regan for the youths to avoid counter culture, as it is punishable. Therefore, a movie also helps to advance political ideologies. The government has the responsibility to ensure that the teens lead better lives and do not engage in activities such as drinking and premarital sex. The consequences of these acts are severe and they should be aware that a moral society is build from the way the people live with one another. It is therefore important that parents and all stakeholders takes the initiative of ensuring that they instill good morals in teens by being more vigilant. The murders of the teens are a depiction of consequences of engaging in these bad behaviors.
There are various episodes in the movie that different audiences will identify with. People view moral and immoral gazes differently. The movie, through its portrayals and pictures, identifies the moral decay in the society. For instance, carpenters view shops to differentiate between moral and immoral forms of visions. In the movie too, the producer uses camera shots and movement to implicate people as killers, accomplices, and potential victims hence creating an immoral form of vision.