Title Research: Halloween (2018)

    As a continuation of the original Halloween films, leading actress Jamie Lee Curtis reprises her role as Laurie Strode. As this, technically, is the 9th movie in the franchise, it had a lot to bring to the table. Following the reboots that Rob Zombie directed--which didn't do too well critically--this film had to go back to the start and continue the legacy that the original films created. Overall the film was solid at its core and did a good job of returning to the simplistic design that the first films introduced so nicely.

    How many titles are displayed during the opening of the sequence to the film?

     This film introduced 31 total titles in the opening sequence. The first title was the name of the film, "HALLOWEEN", being displayed on the screen first. Following this, the names of the actors, directors, producers, writers, and names of other people involved in the main positions of the film. The titles fade-in and then quickly fade-out. Moreover, the text was bright orange as this is similar to the color of light that illuminates from a jack-o-lantern.

    What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

     The only real image that the opening sequence focuses on is a glowing jack-o-lantern that is positioned at the far right of the screen. As the titles continue to roll, the jack-o-lantern reverses from completely decomposed to ripe and full in size. Additionally, as it grows in size, the light that illuminates inside of it becomes more and more visible until the pumpkin is fully formed.

    What connotations do the images carry?

     It seems pretty original to have a pumpkin being displayed throughout the opening sequence of a Halloween film, but this image carries for meaning than a first-time "Halloween" viewer might think. The pumpkin was introduced in the original film during the title sequence as well and it is focused on a lot throughout the movie very subtly. In my mind, I believe that the producers and writers used this as a sort of nostalgic aspect to the film and hardcore fans would recall the original film and its similar opening sequence.

    How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

     Well, as a horror/slasher movie, a pumpkin perfectly encaptures the idea of Halloween and the spookiness that results from it. When one thinks of the holiday of Halloween, they either think if a pumpkin. The fact that the writers decided to use this in the opening sequence sounds very simple, but in reality, that's what made the original, as well as this film, so good in itself. Additionally, as the opening sequence begins, so does the original "Halloween" theme song. It brings original fans back to the start, in a simple, yet gripping way.

    How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

     The opening sequence doesn't give anything away about the film other than its attempt at being similar to the original. Moreover, when I say "similar," I mean that it wants to stick to the feel that the original title sequence relayed to the audience. The music is ominous and dark and reminds viewers of the original movie and the franchise as a whole. The audience is left wondering how the film will play out, and if Laurie Strode will be able to successfully defeat Michael Myers again.

    What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

     As I stressed the idea before, the 2018 Halloween opening sequence is very similar to the original 1978 film. The score plays as the titles appear onscreen. Also, the single image of an illuminated jack-o-lantern reminds diehard fans, in this case, "target audience," the simplicity of the original film. I also thought it was a smart decision to have actress Jamie Lee Curtis' name appear as the first actor title. Not only because she is the leading role, but it keeps audiences in their seats.

    How has technology been used effectively?

    Although the opening sequence is simple, in a good way, it does use technology in more ways than one. First, the jack-o-lantern is positioned on the left of the screen. As the titles roll, the jack-o-lantern begins to reverse decompose. I don't know for sure whether the pumpkin was plastic or if it was CGI, but either way, the use of the reverse shot was a creative move on the writers' part.