Michael Myers (Halloween): Difference between revisions
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! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; background-color:#DEDEE2" | ''[[Halloween (1978 film)|Halloween]]'' character |
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! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; font-size: larger; background-color: #001; color: #DEDEE2;" | Michael Myers |
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! Classification: |
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| [[Mass murder|Mass murderer]]<ref name="psy ab">{{cite news|author=Stuart Fischoff, Alexandra Dimopoulos, FranÇois Nguyen, Leslie Hurry, and Rachel Gordon|url=http://www.iscpubs.com/clinlab/0303/article02.php|title=The psychological appeal of your favorite movie monsters (abstract)|publisher=ISCPubs|year=2003|accessdate=2007-07-24}}</ref> |
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! Signature weapon |
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| [[Kitchen knife]] |
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! Created by: |
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| [[John Carpenter]]<br>[[Debra Hill]] |
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! Portrayed by: |
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|[[Nick Castle]], Tony Moran & Will Sandin (child)<ref name="H1"/><br>[[Dick Warlock]] & Adam Gunn (child)<ref name="H2"/><br>[[George P. Wilbur]]<ref name="H4"/><ref name="H6"/><br>[[Don Shanks]]<ref name="H5"/><br>Chris Durand<ref name="H7"/><br>[[Brad Loree]]<ref name="H8"/><br>[[Tyler Mane]] & [[Daeg Faerch]] (child)<ref name="H9"/> |
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'''Michael Myers''' is a fictional character from the [[Halloween (film series)|''Halloween'' series]] of [[slasher film]]s. He first appears in [[John Carpenter|John Carpenter's]] ''[[Halloween (1978 film)|Halloween]]'' (1978) as a young boy who murders his older sister, then fifteen years later returns home to murder more teenagers. In the original ''Halloween'', the adult Michael Myers, referred to as "The Shape" in the closing credits, was portrayed by [[Nick Castle]] for most of the film, with Tony Moran and Tommy Lee Wallace substituting in during the final scenes. He was created by [[Debra Hill]] and [[John Carpenter]]. Michael Myers has appeared in eight films, as well as [[Halloween (novel)|novels]], [[Halloween (video game)|a video game]] and [[Halloween (comics)|several comic books]]. |
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The character is the primary antagonist in the [[Halloween (film series)|''Halloween'' film series]], except ''[[Halloween III: Season of the Witch]]'', which was not connected in [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]] to the rest of the films. Since Castle, Moran, and Wallace put on the mask in the original film, six people have stepped into the role. There have been no actors to portray the character in consecutive films, with a new actor filling the role in each succeeding film; only one actor has portrayed the character more than once. Michael Myers is characterized as pure evil, whether directly in the films, by the filmmakers who created and developed the character over eight films, or random participants in a survey.<ref name="Unmasking"/><ref name="psy"/> |
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==Appearances== |
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Michael Myers is the primary antagonist in all of the ''Halloween'' films, with the exception of ''[[Halloween III: Season of the Witch]]'', as that film did not feature any of the characters from the original two films and had nothing to do with Michael Myers. Michael would return immediately following ''Halloween III'', in the appropriately titled ''[[Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers]]''. The [[silver screen]] is not the only place Michael Myers has appeared; there have been literary sources that have [[Expanded Universe|expanded the universe]] of Michael. |
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===Films=== |
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<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please help keep these sections brief. Every detail about the plot of Halloween or Michael Myers' life does not need to appear here. --> |
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Michael Myers made his first appearance in the original 1978 film, ''Halloween'', although the masked character is credited as "The Shape". In the beginning of the film, a six-year old Michael (Will Sandin) murders his older sister, [[List of characters in the Halloween film series#Judith Myers|Judith]] ([[Sandy Johnson]]), and is taken to a [[Smith's Grove - Warren County Sanitarium]]. Fifteen years later, Michael ([[Nick Castle]]) escapes the sanitarium and returns to [[Haddonfield, Illinois]]. Michael proceeds to stalk and murder several teens. When he attempts to kill [[Laurie Strode]] ([[Jamie Lee Curtis]]) she manages to fend him off long enough for [[Dr. Sam Loomis]] ([[Donald Pleasence]]), Michael's [[Psychiatry|psychiatrist]], to find him. Loomis shoots Michael six times in the chest, before Michael falls over the house's second-story balcony ledge. When Loomis goes to check Michael's body, he finds it missing.<ref name="H1">{{cite video|people=[[Debra Hill]] (writer) and [[John Carpenter]] (writer/director)|title=[[Halloween (1978 film)]]|medium=[[DVD]]|publisher=Falcon International Productions|year=1978}}</ref> Michael's second appearance was in ''Halloween'''s sequel, ''[[Halloween II]]'' (1981). The film picks up directly where the original ends, with Loomis still looking for Michael's body. Myers ([[Dick Warlock]]) follows Laurie Strode to the local hospital, where he wanders the halls in search of her. Loomis discovers that Laurie Strode is Michael's younger sister, and goes to the hospital to find them. Loomis causes an explosion in the [[operating room]], and Laurie escapes as the flames engulf Loomis and Myers.<ref name="H2">{{cite video|people=Debra Hill, John Carpenter (writers) and [[Rick Rosenthal]] (director)|title=[[Halloween II]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Dino De Laurentiis Corporation|year=1981}}</ref> |
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''Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers'' (1988) picks the story up ten years after the events of ''Halloween II''. Michael ([[George P. Wilbur]]) is revealed to have survived the explosion, but he has been held at the Ridgemont Federal Sanitarium. Michael wakes from his coma when he learns Laurie Strode was killed in a car accident, but that her daughter is still alive. Michael escapes and immediately heads to Haddonfield to kill Laurie's daughter, [[Jamie Lloyd|Jamie]] ([[Danielle Harris]]). The state police find Michael and shoot him several times before he falls down a [[Shaft mining|mine shaft]].<ref name="H4">{{cite video|people=[[Alan B. McElroy]] (writer) and [[Dwight H. Little]]|title=[[Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Trancas International Films|year=1988}}</ref> ''[[Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers]]'' (1989) begins immediately after the fourth film ends, with Michael Myers ([[Don Shanks]]) escaping the mine shaft and being nursed back to health by a local [[hermit]]. The next year, Michael kills the hermit and returns to Haddonfield to find Jamie again. Michael is eventually captured and taken to the local police station, but an unseen figure kills the officers and frees him.<ref name="H5">{{cite video|people=Michael Jacobs, Dominique Othenin-Girard, Shem Bitterman (writers) and Dominique Othenin-Girard (director)|title=[[Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Magnum Pictures Inc.|year=1989}}</ref> ''[[Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers]]'' (1995) takes place approximately six years after the events of ''The Revenge of Michael Myers''; both Jamie ([[J. C. Brandy]]) and Michael (George P. Wilbur) have disappeared from Haddonfield. The [[Cult of Thorn]] impregnate Jamie, in an effort to control Michael Myers. Michael kills Jamie, but not before she hides her [[newborn]]. [[List of characters in the Halloween film series#Tommy Doyle|Tommy Doyle]] ([[Paul Rudd|Paul Stephen Rudd]]) discovers Jamie's baby. While trying to protect the baby from Myers, Tommy learns that the [[Curse of Thorn]] is the cause of Michael's obsession with killing his entire family.<ref name="H6">{{cite video|people=Daniel Farrands (writer) and Joe Chappelle (director)|title=[[Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers]]|medium=DVD|publisher=[[Miramax Films]]|year=1995}}</ref> |
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Ignoring the events of the previous three films, ''[[Halloween H20: 20 Years Later]]'' (1998) follows Michael (Chris Durand) as he searches for Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her teenage son [[List of characters in the Halloween film series#John Tate|John]] ([[Josh Hartnett]]). Michael tracks Laurie and her son to the private boarding school where she is headmistress, living under an assumed name after faking her death to escape her brother. Its not long before Michael murders John's friends. After ensuring the safety of her son, Laurie battles it out with Michael, and succeeds in decapitating him.<ref name="H7">{{cite video|people=Robert Zapia, Matt Greenberg (writers) and [[Steve Miner]] (director)|title=[[Halloween H20: 20 Years Later]]|medium=DVD|publisher=[[Dimension Films]]|year=1998}}</ref> ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]'' (2002), which picks up three years after ''H20'', [[retcon]]s Michael's death, establishing that the man Laurie decapitated was a [[paramedic]] whom Michael had attacked and swapped clothes with. Michael tracks Laurie to a mental institution, where she was placed after she learned the truth of her actions. Michael kills Laurie and returns to his home in Haddonfield. There, he finds a group of college students filming an internet [[reality show]] inside his house. He begins killing each of them before being caught in an electrical fire.<ref name="H8">{{cite video|people=Larry Brand, [[Sean Hood]] (writers) and Rick Rosenthal (director) |title=[[Halloween: Resurrection]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Dimension Films|year=2002}}</ref> |
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Michael's latest appearance is in [[Rob Zombie|Rob Zombie's]] ''[[Halloween (2007 film)|Halloween]]'' (2007), a reimagining of the original film.<ref>{{cite news|author=Borys Kit|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002613063|title=Zombie plots new mayhem for 'Halloween'|publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=[[2006-06-05]]|accessdate=2007-08-11}}</ref> Zombie's film focuses more on Michael's psychology. The film follows the basic premise of the original film, with Michael ([[Daeg Faerch]]) killing his sister Judith ([[Hanna R. Hall]]), escaping Smith's Grove, and stalking Laurie Strode ([[Scout Taylor-Compton]]). In this film, Laurie is shown to be Michael's sister from the beginning, something not revealed until the original's sequel in 1981. Michael is shown to have an interest in Halloween masks and killing animals. During his time at Smith's Grove, he takes up the hobby of creating [[papier-mâché]] masks, which he wears constantly. Michael's ([[Tyler Mane]]) motives for coming after Laurie were altered to show that he was attempting to reunite with his sister, the one person in his family he cared for, instead of simply being out to kill her.<ref name="H9">{{cite video|people=[[Rob Zombie]] (writer/director)|title=[[Halloween (2007 film)]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Dimension Films|year=2007}}</ref> |
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===Literature=== |
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Michael Myers made his literary debut in [[October 1979]] when Curtis Richards released [[Halloween (novel)|a novelization of the film]]. The book follows the events of the film, but expands on the festival of [[Samhain]] and Michael's time at Smith's Grove Sanitarium.<ref>{{cite book|author=Curtis Richards|url=http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Curtis-Richards/dp/0553132261/|title=Halloween (novel)|date=[[October 1979]]|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|isbn=553132261}}</ref> Michael returned to the world of literature with the [[Halloween series novels#Hallween II|1981 adaptation of ''Halloween II'']] written by Jack Martin; it was published alongside the first film sequel, with the novel following the film events, with an additional victim, a reporter, added to the novel.<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Dennis Etchison|Jack Martin]]|url=http://www.amazon.com/HALLOWEEN-II-Jack-Martin/dp/089083864X/|title=Halloween II (novel)|date=[[1981-11-01]]|publisher=Zebra Publishing|isbn=089083864X}}</ref> The final novelization to feature Michael was ''Halloween IV'', released [[October 1988]]. The novel was written by Nicholas Grabowsky, and like the previous adaptations, follows the events of ''Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Nicholas Grabowsky|url=http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-IV-Nicholas-Grabowsky/dp/1555472923/|title=Halloween IV (novel)|date=[[October 1988]]|publisher=Critics Choice Paperbacks/Lorevan Publishing|isbn=1555472923}}</ref> |
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Over a four month period, [[Berkley Books]] published three [[Young-adult fiction|young adult novels]] written by Kelly O'Rourke; the novels are original stories created by O'Rourke, with no direct continuity with the films.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.halloweenmovies.com/kellyorourke_lobby.html|title=Interview with Kelly O'Rourke|publisher=Halloween Movies|date=[[2006-01-05]]|accessdate=2007-08-26}}</ref> The first, released on [[October 1]],[[1997]], titled ''The Scream Factor'', follows a group of friends who set up a haunted house attraction in the basement of Haddonfield City Hall, only to be stalked and killed by Michael Myers while they are there.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kelly O'Rourke|url=http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Factory-Halloween-Book/dp/157297298X/|title=The Scream Factory (Halloween, Book 1)|date=[[1997-10-01]]|publisher=[[Berkley Books]]|isbn=157297298X}}</ref> ''The Old Myers Place'' is the second novel, released [[December 1]],[[1997]], and focuses on a Mary White, who moves into the Myers house with her family. Michael returns home and begins stalking and attacking Mary and her friends.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kelly O'Rourke|url=http://www.amazon.com/Old-Myers-Place-Halloween-Book/dp/1572973412/|title=The Old Myers Place (Halloween, Book 2)|date=[[1997-12-01]]|publisher=Berkley Books|isbn=1572973412}}</ref> O'Rourke's final novel, ''The Mad House'', was released on [[February 1]],[[1998]]. ''The Mad House'' features a young girl, Christine Ray, who joins a documentary film crew that travels to haunted locations; they are currently headed to Smith Grove Mental Hospital. The crew are quickly confronted by Michael Myers.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kelly O'Rourke|url=http://www.amazon.com/Mad-House-Halloween-Book/dp/1572973420/|title=The Mad House (Halloween, Book 3)|date=[[1998-02-01]]|publisher=Berkley Books|isbn=1572973420}}</ref> |
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The character's first break into comics came with a series of comics published by [[Brian Pulido]]'s [[Chaos Comics]]. The first, simply titled ''Halloween'', was intended to be a one-issue special, but eventually two sequels spawned: ''Halloween II: The Blackest Eyes'' and ''Halloween III: The Devil's Eyes''. All of the stories were written by Phil Nutman, with Daniel Farrands—writer for ''Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers''—assisting on the first issue; David Brewer and Justiniano worked on the illustrations. Tommy Doyle is the main protagonist in each of the issues, focusing on his attempts to kill Michael Myers. The first issue includes backstory on Michael's childhood, while the third picks up after the events of the film ''Halloween H20''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iconsoffright.com/Comic_Maniac.htm|title=Halloween - Michael Myers comic book titles|publisher=Movie Maniacs Comic Books|accessdate=2007-11-25}}</ref> |
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In 2003, Michael appeared in the self-published comic ''One Good Scare'', written by Stefan Hutchinson and illustrated by Peter Fielding. The main character in the comic is Lindsey Wallace, the young girl who first saw Michael Myers alongside Tommy Doyle in the original 1978 film. Hutchinson wanted to bring the character back to his roots, and away from the "lumbering Jason-clone" the film sequels had made him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=455|title=The Arrow interviews Stefan Hutchinson|publisher=Arrow in the Head|date=[[2003-11-28]]|accessdate=2007-11-25}}</ref> On [[July 25]],[[2006]], as an insert inside the DVD release of ''Halloween: 25 Years of Terror'', the comic book ''Halloween: Autopsis'' was released. Written by Stefan Hutchinson, and artwork by Marcus Smith and Nick Dismas, the story is about a photographer assigned to take pictures of Michael Myers. As the photographer, Carter, follows Dr. Loomis he begins to take on Loomis's obsession himself, until finally meeting Michael Myers in person, which results in his death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/6765|title=Halloween: Autopsis|publisher=Bloody Disgusting|date=[[2006-07-12]]|accessdate=2007-11-18}}</ref> Stefan Hutchinson has plans to release a series of ''Halloween'' comics, starting in 2008, through Devil's Due publishing. The first comics will be a 4 issue mini series, titled ''Halloween: Nightdance'', with the first issue focusing primarily on Michael Myers, with no appearances from characters from the films. The storyline will take place on [[October 31]], [[2000]], so that it will fall between ''Halloween H20'' and ''Halloween Resurrection''. Issue #1 will follow Michael as he stalks Lisa, a fifteen year-old girl with insecurities and "a chronic fear of darkness".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicmonsters.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=864|title=Stefan Hutchinson talks Halloween|publisher=Horror Comic Book News|date=[[2007-11-20]]|accessdate=2007-11-25}}</ref> |
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==Concept and creation== |
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The character derives his name from distributor Michael Myers, who worked with Debra Hill and John Carpenter on ''[[Assault on Precinct 13 (1976 film)|Assault on Precinct 13]]''. According to John Carptener, Myers helped "push [''Assault on Precinct 13''] into the [[London Film Festival]], that's where my reputation kind of began, so I felt I owed him. So that was my tribute to him, he was this dearest, dearest man". Carpenter wanted to "raise this Michael Myers character up to a mythic status; make him human, yes, but almost like a force. A force that will never stop, that can't be denied."<ref name="CutAbove">{{cite video|people=John Carpenter, Debra Hill, Nick Castle, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Tommy Lee Wallace|title=A Cut Above the Rest (Halloween: 25th Anniversary Edition DVD Special Features)|medium=DVD (Region 2)|location=United States|publisher=[[Starz Home Entertainment|Anchor Bay]]|date=2003}}</ref> He did not want to give Michael a backstory, but put him immediately into a "legendary kind of situation".<ref name="Unmasked">{{cite video|people=John Carpenter, Debra Hill, Nick Castle|title=Halloween Unmasked 2000 (Halloween Special Edition DVD Special Features)|medium=DVD (Region 2)|location=United States|publisher=Dimension Films|date=2001}}</ref> To elaborate, Carpenter explained that he was influenced by [[Yul Brynner]]'s "killer robot that couldn't be destroyed" in [[Michael Crichton]]'s ''[[Westworld]]''.<ref name="CutAbove"/> Carpenter felt this kind of character, one that was "a force", would be more terrifying than personifying him. Michael mask was meant to help illustrate this further, because it would "blank out his human features […] Making him then just some sort of force of evil that is irrational, unstoppable."<ref name="Unmasked"/> |
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When developing the 2007 ''Halloween'' remake, Rob Zombie commented on his intentions for the character, stating that he wanted Michael Myers to be the lead character in the film. Zombie felt the character could be made "more intense" if he was more than just a "faceless thing floating around in the background". Zombie believed it was important to be able to see the events that shape the character, making it "more disturbing" to the audience.<ref name="mtv">{{cite news|author=Robert Mancini|url=http://www.mtv.com/shared/movies/flickd/z/rob_zombie_061026/|title=Evil Reborn: Rob Zombie resurrects a horror classic|publisher=MTV Movies|accessdate=2007-08-12}}</ref> |
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===Becoming "The Shape"=== |
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In the original film, three actors portrayed Michael Myers. Will Sandon played a six year-old Michael, who murders his sister Judith on Halloween night. Later in the film, Tony Moran and [[Nick Castle]] would portray the adult Michael, with Moran credited as "Michael Myers (age 23)" and Castle credited as "The Shape". Nick Castle was a friend, and former [[University of Southern California]] schoolmate, of John Carpenter. Production on ''Halloween'' was taking place near Castle's house, so he asked Carpenter if he could hang around the set, because he was attempting to get his own movies "off the ground". Carpenter agreed on the condition that Castle play the role of the masked killer. For his part, Castle was paid $25 a day.<ref name="CutAbove"/> Debra Hill remarks:<blockquote>"[Nick Castle's] father was a choreographer for [[Fred Astaire]], and he just moved great. And I think John really wanted to play him as that, where he just looks, and his head turns, and he's enamored by this sister-like character that he sees in Laurie Strode. He makes the connection; he breaks out of the insane asylum and gets to his house, and sees this young girl, and makes this sort of subtle connection."<ref name="CutAbove"/></blockquote> Castle's motivation while filming was simple, "walk from this point to the end point, and ''roll''"; this was reflected in Carpenter's directing, or lack of directing, as Carpenter himself admits that the only bit of direction he gave Castle was, "Do nothing, just walk. Don't act, just walk."<ref name="CutAbove"/> To elaborate, during filming Castle tried to find extra motivation for the character, attempting to get into the mind of someone who is mentally ill. Carpenter had to keep reminding him to keep it "simple"; he wanted Castle to make sure the character moved "gracefully" and was a "blank slate that we can project everything into, and make it much more horrifying".<ref name="Unmasked"/> Jamie Lee Curtis believes Castle kept the character from being more than just a "thug in a suit". Castle was replaced by Tony Moran for the scene where Michael is unmasked, because Carpenter and Hill wanted someone who had more of an "angelic" face.<ref name="CutAbove"/> |
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Moran, who was looking for work, received a call from his agent about an audition for a "B flick", where he would be playing a "psycho". Moran prepared for his audition by neglecting to sleep, shave, shower or wash his hair for three days. He wore tattered clothes, with hiking boots to the audition. After being introduced to John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, Moran proceeded to slam his feet up on the table and demand some coffee. He startled everyone at the table, and that afternoon received a phone call that he had gotten the job. Moran would take up the role from the point that Michael is strangling Laurie, as production designer Tommy Lee Wallace had performed the job during the scene where Michael breaks through the closet and Nick Castle in the part up to that scene. Moran would film the rest of the scenes—the removal of Michael's mask, being shot by Loomis and then falling over the balcony—except where Michael's body lies on the ground outside. In response to the "angelic face" remark made by Castle, Moran contends that he was not made aware of that "concept" when he was hired, but after viewing some photos of him and Carpenter on an [[A&E Network|A&E]] special, he "kind of sees what [Castle] means".<ref name="moran int">{{cite news|author=Sean Clark|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/index.php?name=Interviews&req=showcontent&id=125|title=Moran, Tony (Halloween)|publisher=Dread Central|accessdate=2007-11-26}}</ref> |
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Stunt performer [[Dick Warlock]] played Michael Myers in ''Halloween II'', replacing Castle who was beginning a career as a director. Warlock's previous experience in film was as a stunt double in films such as ''[[The Green Berets (film)|The Green Berets]]'' (1968), ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'' (1975) and the 1974 television series ''[[Kolchak: The Night Stalker]]''. Warlock had not seen the original film before he was hired, but after getting the job we watched the film "two or three times", modeling his behavior after the few scenes Tommy Lee Wallace performed. Wallace portrayed the character in the scene where Michael attacks Laurie in the closet, and the scene where he sits up and turns toward Laurie, after having fallen down wounded from her counter-attack. Warlock modeled his movements for ''Halloween II'' after those scenes, as well as the scene where Michael tilts his head to the side while staring at the body of Bob stuck on the wall.<ref name="Warlock 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.pitofhorror.com/newdesign/halloween/warlock.html|title=Interview with Dick Warlock|publisher=Pit of Horror|accessdate=2007-08-13}}</ref> Warlock took on Michael's characteristic "breathing", which was heard in the original film, while he was behind the mask.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.halloweenmovies.com/h2retro/dickwarlock_lobby.html|title=Interview with Dick Warlock (2)|publisher=Halloween Movies|date=[[2006-10-31]]|accessdate=2007-10-03}}</ref> Debra Hill claims that although "the Shape" had no lines, Castle's portrayal gave them the presence that they wanted for the movie; she goes on to say that Dick Warlock was unable to emulate that presence, despite studying Castle's performance.<ref name="Unmasked"/> |
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George P. Wilbur did not study any of the previous ''Halloween'' films when he took over the role in ''The Return of Michael Myers''.<ref name="Warlock 1"/> |
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===The mask=== |
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[[Image:castleandmask.jpg|thumb|Nick Castle holds up the original Michael Myers mask, which was created from a William Shatner Halloween mask]] |
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Tommy Lee Wallace, writer/director of ''Halloween III: Season of the Witch'', was the production designer/co-editor on ''Halloween'', and it was up to him to find "the perfect mask" for the Michael Myers character. The mask was intended to have a "blank face", and the [[William Shatner]] Halloween mask he found was exactly what he needed, "It didn't really look like anybody." Wallace cut the eyeholes larger and rounder, removed the eyebrows and sideburns, poofed up the hair so it looked "demented and strange" and finally spray-painted the mask white. Wallace explains, "It created a shiver right in the room, and we knew we had something special." John Carpenter claims that the mask looked nothing like William Shatner whatsoever, but joked, "I guess I owe the success of Halloween to William Shatner."<ref name="CutAbove"/> According to Jamie Lee Curtis, the mask needed to be a "human image", and the only thing in stores at the time that matched what they needed on set was the Shatner mask.<ref name="Unmasking">{{cite video|people=John Carpenter, [[Jamie Lee Curtis]], [[Josh Hartnett]], [[Adam Arkin]], Steve Miner, and [[Richard Schickel]]|title=Unmasking the Horror (Halloween H20 DVD Special Features)|medium=DVD (Region 2)|location=United States|publisher=Dimension Films|date=1998}}</ref> Carpenter elaborates:<blockquote>"We didn't have any money to make a mask. It was originally written the way you see it, in other words, it's a pale mask with human features, almost featureless. I don't know why I wrote that down, why Debra and I decided on that, maybe it was because of an old movie called ''[[Eyes Without a Face]]''. It's a French film, [[Georges Franju|Franju]] made it, this girl had a burned face so she wore this face mask, it was real creepy because it was featureless and immobile except for her eyes. So Tommy Lee Wallace, our production designer, ran up to the mask shop on Hollywood Boulevard and bought a couple, one was a clown mask, and that's, you know, one way to go, and the other he got this William Shatner ''[[Star Trek]]'' mask; [[James T. Kirk|Captain Kirk]]."<ref name="CutAbove"/></blockquote> |
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Contrary to reports, the mask used in ''Halloween II'' was the mask used in the original film. According to Dick Warlock, Debra Hill stored the original mask under her bed before she brought it to Warlock to wear. Warlock offers his opinion on why the mask looks different in the second film: "I think the lighting has a lot to do with the way the mask looks from film to film. The shape of my face is also totally different than [Nick] Castle's, [Tommy Lee] Wallace's or probably any of the other people who wore it in Halloween." The original mask has since been sold "to a man in Ohio. He has two haunted houses. One in Toledo and one in Tiffin. He had the mask and coveralls on display there this past October. I'm supposing he'll display them every year in one place or the other," according to Warlock.<ref name="Warlock 1"/> |
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Dominique Othenin-Girard, director of ''Halloween 5'', began casting for the Michael Myers character using the ''Halloween 4'' mask during auditions, but was "perplexed" with [[Don Shanks]] performance. Girard wanted the character to "feel human and alive", but knew that without dialogue or facial expressions he would not be able to achieve his goal. Girard decide to use [[latex]] material to create new masks for Don Shanks, and the KNB special effects team attempted to go for a human interpretation of evil. Girard also felt it was necessary to distance himself from the "plastic, shiny look of the hockey mask of ''Friday the 13th''". While the special effects team worked on the new masks, Girard requested that the team alter the traditional design of the nose, which he thought felt "too realistic and too normal, too round and soft, too much like a human nose". Girard wanted "the feel of a mask", something "unmovable, like a façade hiding a terrible secret behind steel".<ref name="Domini">{{cite web|url=http://www.halloweenmovies.com/dominiquegirard_lobby.html|title=Dominique Othenin-Girard|publisher=Halloween Movies|date=[[2006-04-10]]|accessdate=2007-10-03}}</ref> |
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Adam Arkin, who plays [[School counselor|guidance counselor]] Will Brennan in ''Halloween H20'', remarks, "There's something that's so minimalistic and so neutral about that face, that becomes sort of indelibly edged in your memory, number one. And I think number two, you're able to project any kind of frightening idea or image on top of it."<ref name="Unmasking"/> |
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==Characterization== |
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{{Quote_box|width=40%|align=left|quote="''I met this six year old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes. The devil's eyes […] I realized what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply…evil.''"|source=— Loomis' description of a young Michael was inspired by John Carpenter's experience with a real life mental patient.<ref name="CutAbove"/>}} |
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A common characterization is that Michael Myers is evil. John Carptener has described the character as "almost a supernatural force - a force of nature. An evil force that's loose," a force that is "unkillable"<ref name="Unmasking"/> His inspiration for the "evil" that Michael would embody came when he was in college. While on a class trip at a mental institution in [[Kentucky]], Carpenter visited "the most serious, mentally ill patients". Among those patients was a young boy around twelve to thirteen years-old. The boy this "schizophrenic stare", "a real evil stare", which Carpenter found "unsettling", "creepy", and "completely insane". Carpenter's experience would inspire the characterization Loomis would give of Michael to Sheriff Brackett in the original film. Another instance of Michael's evil is the scene where he kills the Wallace's [[German Shepherd]]. Debra Hill has stated the scene shows how Michael "was really evil and deadly".<ref name="CutAbove"/> |
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The ending scene of Michael being shot six times, and then disappearing from the ground outside the house, was meant to terrify the imagination of the audience. Carpenter tried to keep the audience guessing as to who Michael Myers really is—he is gone, and everywhere at the same time; he is more than human; he may be supernatural, and no one knows how he got that way. To Carpenter, keeping the audience guessing was better than explaining away the character with "he's cursed by some..."<ref name="CutAbove"/> For Josh Hartnett, who portrayed John Tate in ''Halloween H20'', "it's that abstract, it's easier for me to be afraid of it. You know, someone who just kind of appears and, you know [Mimics stabbing noise from ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]''] instead of an actual human who you think you can talk to. And no remorse, it's got no feelings, that's the most frightening, definitely." [[Richard Schickel]], film critic for ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]'', felt Michael was "irrational" and "really angry about something", having what Schickel referred to as "a kind of primitive, obsessed intelligence". Schickel considered this the "definition of a good monster", by making the character appear "less than human", but have enough intelligence "to be dangerous".<ref name="Unmasking"/> |
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{{Quote_box|width=25%|align=right|quote="''Michael Myers is enduring because he's pure evil.''"|source=—Steve Miner<ref name="Unmasking"/>}} |
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Dominique Othenin-Girard attempted to have audiences "relate to 'Evil', to Michael Myers's 'ill' side". Girard wanted Michael to appear "more human […] even vulnerable, with contradicting feelings inside of him". He illustrated these feelings with a scene where Michael removes his mask and sheds a tear. Girard explains,"Again, to humanize him, to give him a tear. If Evil or in this case our boogeyman knows pain, or love or demonstrate a feeling of regrets; he becomes even more scary to me if he pursue his malefic action. He shows an evil determination beyond his feelings. Dr. Loomis tries to reach his emotional side several times in [''Halloween 5'']. He thinks he could cure Michael through his feelings."<ref name="Domini"/> |
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A study was conducted by [[California State University]]'s Media Psychology Lab, on the psychological appeal of movie monsters—[[Vampire]]s, [[Freddy Krueger]], [[Frankenstein's monster]], [[Jason Voorhees]], [[Godzilla]], [[Chucky (Child's Play)|Chucky]], [[Hannibal Lecter]], [[King Kong]], and [[Xenomorph (Alien)|The Alien]]—which surveyed 1,166 people nationwide ([[United States]]), with ages ranging from 16 to 91. It was published in the Journal of Media Psychology. In the survey, Michael was considered to be the "embodiment of pure evil"; when compared to the other characters, Michael Myers was rated the highest. Michael was characterized lending to the understanding of insanity, being ranked second to Hannibal Lecter in this category; he also placed first as the character who shows audiences the "dark side of human nature". He was rated second in the category "monster enjoys killing" by the participants, and believed to have "superhuman strength". Michael was rated highest among the characters in the "monster is an outcast" category.<ref name="psy">{{cite journal|author=Stuart Fischoff, Alexandra Dimopoulos, François Nguyen, and Rachel Gordon|url=http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/sfischo/psychological_appeal_of_movie_monsters1.pdf|title=The Psychological Appeal of Movie Monsters|journal=Journal of Media Psychology|volume=10|issue=3|date=[[2005-08-25]]|format=PDF|accessdate=2007-07-11}}</ref> |
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==In popular culture== |
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In ''[[Robot Chicken|Robot Chicken's]]'' nineteenth episode, "[[That Hurts Me]]", Michael Myers appears as a housemate of "Horror Movie [[Big Brother (TV series)|Big Brother]]", alongside other famous slasher movie killers such as [[Jason Voorhees]], [[Freddy Krueger]], and [[Leatherface]]. Myers is evicted from the house, and takes off his mask to reveal himself to be the comedian [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]], and utters his [[Austin Powers]] catchphrase, "Groovy baby!" He proceeds to kill the host.<ref name=RobotChicken19>{{cite episode|title=[[That Hurts Me]]|series=Robot Chicken|credits=[[Seth Green]], [[Matthew Senreich]]|network=[[Adult Swim]]|airdate=2005-07-10|season=1|number=19}}</ref> |
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In one of the various merchandises to feature the character, Michael Myers made his video game debut with the 1983 [[Atari]] video game ''[[Halloween (video game)|Halloween]]''. The game is rare to find, often being played on [[emulator]]s. No characters from the films are specifically named, with the goal of the game focusing on the player, who is a babysitter, protecting children from a "homicidal maniac [who] has escaped from a mental institution".<ref>{{cite news|author=Matt|url=http://www.x-entertainment.com/halloween/2004/october29/|title=Halloween Atari video game|publisher=X-Entertainment|date=[[2004-10-29]]|accessdate=2007-11-25}}</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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== External links == |
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* [http://www.halloweenmovies.com Official site] of the ''Halloween'' series |
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* [http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/ Official site] of John Carpenter |
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* {{imdb character|id=0003229|title=Michael Myers}} |
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* [[Wikia:Horrormovies:Michael Myers|Michael Myers]] at the [http://horrormovies.wikia.com Horror Film Wiki], a [[horror film]] [[Wikia]] |
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{{Halloween series}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Michael}} |
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[[Category:Fictional characters from Illinois]] |
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[[Category:Fictional escapees]] |
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[[Category:Fictional serial killers]] |
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[[Category:Fictional characters with superhuman strength]] |
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[[Category:Fictional mass murderers]] |
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[[Category:Halloween (film series) characters]] |
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