Black Snow Comics

This classic Halloween comic starring fan favorite Elephant Boy and the one shot character little Billy originally appeared in the October 27, 2003 Issue 50 of the West Valley Norseman newspaper. A personal favorite from the short lived Black Snow comic strip. A strip Alex wanted no part of, so it was done completely by me (with his consent) and only my name appears on them. He didn’t want to, or think he could do a comic strip back then. Funny, eh?

Take note of the old school hand drawn logo and old GeoCities url. I still think this one’s funny. Kind of makes me wish I had continued with the newspaper longer (I had a very funny Black Snow as a bad department store Santa that would’ve brought back little Billy for a Christmas comic planned). Sa la vie.

Have a fun Halloween everyone, even if it is a stupid Monday.

Halloween Holiday Trivia and Fun Facts

Origins and History

- Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
- Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years.
- Ireland is typically believed to be the birthplace of Halloween.
- Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.
- The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.
- “Halloween” is short for “Hallows’ Eve” or “Hallows’ Evening,” which was the evening before All Hallows’ (sanctified or holy) Day or Hallowmas on November 1. In an effort to convert pagans, the Christian church decided that Hallowmas or All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2) should assimilate sacred pagan holidays that fell on or around October 31.
- With their link to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a precursor to Halloween) and later to witches, cats have a permanent place in Halloween folklore. During the ancient celebration of Samhain, Druids were said to throw cats into a fire, often in wicker cages, as part of divination proceedings.
- Halloween has variously been called All Hallows’ Eve, Witches Night, Lamswool, Snap-Apple Night, Samhaim, and Summer’s End.
- Halloween was influenced by the ancient Roman festival Pomona, which celebrated the harvest goddess of the same name. Many Halloween customs and games that feature apples (such as bobbing for apples) and nuts date from this time. In fact, in the past, Halloween has been called San-Apple Night and Nutcrack Night.
- During the pre-Halloween celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter. Often Druid priests would throw the bones of cattle into the flames and, hence, “bone fire” became “bonfire.”
- Dressing up as ghouls and other spooks originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of townspeople disguising themselves as demons and spirits. The Celts believed that disguising themselves this way would allow them to escape the notice of the real spirits wandering the streets during Samhain.
- The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, meaning “wise woman.” In fact, wiccan were highly respected people at one time. According to popular belief, witches held one of their two main meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night.
- Black and orange are typically associated with Halloween. Orange is a symbol of strength and endurance and, along with brown and gold, stands for the harvest and autumn. Black is typically a symbol of death and darkness and acts as a reminder that Halloween once was a festival that marked the boundaries between life and death.
- Scarecrows, a popular Halloween fixture, symbolize the ancient agricultural roots of the holiday.

Jack O’Lanterns

- Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
- Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green. Great for unique monster carvings!
- Boston, Massachusetts, holds the record for the most Jack O’Lanterns lit at once (30,128).
- According to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.
- The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 with a 836 lb. pumpkin.
- Stephen Clarke holds the record for the world’s fastest pumpkin carving time: 24.03 seconds, smashing his previous record of 54.72 seconds. The rules of the competition state that the pumpkin must weigh less than 24 pounds and be carved in a traditional way, which requires at least eyes, nose, ears, and a mouth.

Trick-or-Treating

- Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.
- “Souling” is a medieval Christian precursor to modern-day trick-or-treating. On Hallowmas (November 1), the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for soul cakes.
- Trick-or-treating harks back to the Middle Ages and All Souls’ Day, when poor people in Britain would beg for soul cakes, a sweet-bread treat, and pray for dead relatives in return.
- The first known mention of trick-or-treating in print in North America occurred in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada.
- When trick-or-treating first became popular in the United States in the 1800s, more children played mischievous pranks than asked for candy. By the 1950s, though, the focus had switched to good old family fun, with sugar-hyped children dressed in costumes.
- The candy-collecting tradition has spread from the United States to Canada, Australia, and Western Europe, where more and more little goblins now trick-or-treat. In parts of England, children carry lanterns called punkies (which look like jack-o’-lanterns) and parade through the town on the last Thursday of October. In Ireland, rural neighborhoods light bonfires, and children play snap apple, in which they try to take a bite from apples that are hung by strings from a tree or a door frame.
- Chocolate makes up about three-quarters of a trick-or-treater’s loot, according to the National Confectioners Association.
- In the event that the spoils aren’t scarfed down whole hog, separate chocolate out and keep it in a cool, dark, dry place. Milk chocolate is good for no more than 8 to 10 months, while dark lasts up to two years. Hard candy will also keep in a cool, dry place for about a year. Store soft candies in a covered dish away from direct heat and light. Enjoy them within six months.
- Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
- Fifty percent of kids prefer to receive chocolate candy for Halloween, compared with 24% who prefer non-chocolate candy and 10% who preferred gum.
- Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers as #1.
- Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

Candy Corn

- Candy corn has been made with the same recipe by the Jelly Belly Candy Company since around 1900.
- What’s in that recipe, exactly? Sugar, corn syrup, and marshmallow.
- One serving (about 30 pieces) has 140 calories, the equivalent of three miniature Hershey bars.
- The National Confectioners Association reports that more than 35 million pounds were manufactured in 2005, amounting to almost 9 billion kernels.

National Celebration

- Both Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed Halloween capitals of the world.
- The Village Halloween parade in New York City is the largest Halloween parade in the United States. The parade includes 50,000 participants and draws over 2 million spectators.
- Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
- The National Retail Federation expects consumers in 2010 to spend $66.28 per person—which would be a total of approximately $5.8 billion—on Halloween costumes, cards, and candy. That’s up from $56.31 in 2009 and brings spending back to 2008 levels.
- According to the National Retail Federation, 40.1% of those surveyed plan to wear a Halloween costume in 2010. In 2009, it was 33.4%. Thirty-three percent will throw or attend a party.
- In 2010, 72.2% of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation will hand out candy, 46.3% will carve a pumpkin, 20.8% will visit a haunted house, and 11.5% will dress up their pets.
- The Ouija Board ended up outselling the game of Monopoly in its first full year at Salem. Over two million copies of the Ouija Board were shipped

International Celebration

- In many countries, such as France and Australia, Halloween is seen as an unwanted and overly commercial American influence.
- Teng Chieh or the Lantern Festival is one Halloween festival in China. Lanterns shaped like dragons and other animals are hung around houses and streets to help guide the spirits back to their earthly homes. To honor their deceased loved ones, family members leave food and water by the portraits of their ancestors.
- Halloween celebrations in Hong Kong are known as Yue Lan or the “Festival of the Hungry Ghosts” during which fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge.
- Mexico celebrates the Days of the Dead (Días de los Muertos) on the Christian holidays All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2) instead of Halloween. The townspeople dress up like ghouls and parade down the street.
- Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.
- Because Protestant England did not believe in Catholic saints, the rituals traditionally associated with Hallowmas (or Halloween) became associated with Guy Fawkes Night. England declared November 5th Guy Fawkes Night to commemorate the capture and execution of Guy Fawkes, who co-conspired to blow up the Parliament in 1605 in order to restore a Catholic king.

Fear and Death

- Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
- In 1970, a five-year-old boy Kevin Toston allegedly ate Halloween candy laced with heroin. Investigators later discovered the heroin belonged to the boy’s uncle and was not intended for a Halloween candy.
- In 1974, eight-year-old Timothy O’Bryan died of cyanide poisoning after eating Halloween candy. Investigators later learned that his father had taken out a $20,000 life insurance policy on each of his children and that he had poisoned his own son and also attempted to poison his daughter.
- Children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a pedestrian/car accident on Halloween than on any other night.
- Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived. Strangely enough, he died in 1926 on Halloween night as a result of appendicitis brought on by three stomach punches.
- In about 1 in 4 autopsies, a major disease is discovered that was previously undetected.

Superstitions and Animals

- The owl is a popular Halloween image. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches, and to hear an owl’s call meant someone was about to die.
- According to tradition, if a person wears his or her clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween, he or she will see a witch at midnight.
- Signs of a werewolf are a unibrow, hairy palms, specific tattoos, and a long middle finger.
- Vampires are mythical beings who defy death by sucking the blood of humans.
- In 1962, The Count Dracula Society was founded by Dr. Donald A. Reed.
- To this day, there are vampire clubs and societies with people claiming to be real vampires.
- There really are so-called vampire bats, but they’re not from Transylvania. They live in Central and South America and feed on the blood of cattle, horses and birds.
- Worldwide, bats are vital natural enemies of night-flying insects.
- The common little brown bat of North America has the longest life span for a mammal it’s size, with a life span averaging 32 years.
- Many people still believe that gargoyles were created by medieval architects and stone carvers to ward off evil spirits.
- Black cats were once believed to be witch’s familiars who protected their powers.
- If you see a spider on Halloween, it is said to be the spirit of a loved on watching over you.

Some of my favorite Halloween music for your enjoyment.

“Zombie A Go Go” by Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures

“Nobody Likes You When You’re Dead” by Zombina and the Skeletones

“Fire” by Arthur Brown

“Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon

“Smells like Monster Mash” (Teen Spirit mixed with the Monster Mash)

“Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

“Boogie Man” covered by White Zombie (The Original is great too)

“Hell” by the Squirrel Nut Zippers

“Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads

“Don’t Fear the Reaper” by the Blue Oyster Cult

“Ghostbusters theme” with music stolen by Ray Parker Jr. (from I want a New Drug) (watch this video, it’s insane)

“Devil Inside” by INXS

“When You’re Evil” by Voltaire

“Ghost Town” by The Specials

“Highway to Hell” by AC/DC

“Twilight Zone” by Golden Earring

“Pet Sematary” by The Ramones

“Fashion Zombies” by the Aquabats

“Dark Night” by The Blasters

“Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

“Your Lucky Day in Hell” by the Eels

“The Monster’s Loose” by Polaris

“My beloved monster” by the Eels

“Dragula” by Rob Zombie

As you may know I love Halloween, and Halloween music. I also love surf music. So of course I love Halloween surf music. Why does this genre of horror surf/psycobilly exist? I don’t know, but there is a fair amount of it. Here are some good ones.

Well start with the king of surf guitar doing a Halloween-esque cover.

Dick Dale

Ghost Riders in the Sky

A classic TV theme cover and another rockin’ tune.

Los Straightjackets

The Munsters theme

Rockula

These guys have a few horror themed hits.

The Bomboras

A Fistful of Terror

Run and Hide

Don’t know much about these guys, except that this track rocks.

The Born Losers

Werewolves on Wheels

You may know these guys from The Kids in the Hall Theme.

Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet

Shake Some Evil

Zombie Compromise

As far as I know their only horror song.

The Pandoras

Haunted Beach Party

Just found these guys while searching on YouTube.

Zombie Ghost Train

R.I.P.

Found these dudes off a list. Not bad.

45 Grave

Surf Bat

Another list find. An odd one, even for this group.

Dead Bolt

Down in the Lab

Yet another list find, but a fun one.

Gein and the Graverobbers

Camp Blood

London After Midnight

A solid surf band with many dark themed songs.

Satan’s Pilgrims

Gravewalk

Haunted House of Rock

Just found this. Really cool video, and a pretty good song.

Banane Metalik

Strip Or Die

These guys may be more punk than surf. Oh well. It’s my blog, and I like them.

Groovie Ghoulies

Running with Bigfoot

The Time Warp

Zombie Crush

Trick or Treat

Graveyard Girlfriend

And my favorite band of the genre

The Ghastly Ones

The Ghastly Stomp

Halloween (She Get So Mean)

Diabolo’s Theme

Banshee Beach

Haulin’ Hearse

Los Campiones del Justicio

House on Haunted Hill

Surfin Spooks

- As the movie was actually shot in early spring in southern California (as opposed to Illinois in late October), the crew had to buy paper leaves from a decorator and paint them in the desired autumn colors, then scatter them in the filming locations. To save money, after a scene was filmed, the leaves were collected and reused. However, as Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter note on the DVD audio commentary, the trees are quite full and green and even some palm trees can be seen, despite that in Illinois in October, the leaves would probably be mostly gone and there would be no palm trees.
- Jamie Lee Curtis’ first feature film. She was paid a reported $8,000 for her efforts.
- Due to its shoestring budget, the prop department had to use the cheapest mask that they could find in the costume store: a Star Trek William Shatner mask. They later spray-painted the face white, teased out the hair, and reshaped the eye holes. Shatner admitted that for years he had no idea his likeness was used for this film. It was only during an interview that someone mentioned his mask was being used. He has since stated that he is honored by this gesture.
- Halloween was shot in 21 days in April of 1978. Made on a budget of $320,000, it became the highest-grossing independent movie ever made at that time.
- According to screenwriter/producer Debra Hill, the character of Laurie Strode was named after John Carpenter’s first girlfriend.
- Inside Laurie’s bedroom there is a poster of a painting by James Ensor (1860-1949). Ensor was a Belgian expressionist painter who used to portray human figures wearing grotesque masks.
- The film takes place primarily in Haddonfield, Illinois. Haddonfield, NJ is the home town of screenwriter Debra Hill.
- All of the actors wore their own clothes, since there was no money for a costume department. Jamie Lee Curtis went to J.C. Penney for Laurie Strode’s wardrobe. She spent less than a hundred dollars for the entire set. She shot the film while on hiatus from the sitcom Operation Petticoat.
- The character of Michael Myers was named after the European distributor of Carpenter’s previous film, Assault on Precinct 13 as a kind of weird “thank you” for the film’s overseas success.
- The opening shot appears to be a single, tracking, point of view shot, but there are actually three cuts. The first when the mask goes on, and the second and third after the murder has taken place and the shape is exiting the room. This was done to make the point of view appear to move faster.
- Kyle Richards, who plays Lindsey Wallace, is the sister of Kim Richards, who appeared in John Carpenter’s previous film, Assault on Precinct 13.
- Half of the $320,000 budget was spent on the Panavison cameras so the film would have a 2:35:1 scope. Donald Pleasence was paid $20,000 for 5 days work.
- Carpenter approached Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee to play the Sam Loomis role (that was eventually played by Donald Pleasence) but both turned him down. Lee later said it was the biggest mistake he had ever made in his career.
- Morgan Strode’s black Fleetwood (seen in the driveway when he is talking to Laurie early in the movie) belonged to director John Carpenter, while the Phelps Garage truck was owned by the company that catered for the film.
- Anne Lockhart was John Carpenter’s first choice for the role of Laurie Strode.
- None of the big studios at the time was interested in distributing the movie, so executive producer Irwin Yablans decided to distribute the film via his own company (Compass International). MCA/Universal produced and distributed the next two sequels in the early ’80s.
- P.J. Soles was dating Dennis Quaid at the time of filming, so John Carpenter and Debra Hill wanted to cast him in the role of Bob. Unfortunately, Quaid was busy working on another project and John Michael Graham was cast in the role instead.
- The original script, titled “The Babysitter Murders”, had the events take place over the space of several days. It was a budgetary decision to change the script to have everything happen on the same day (doing this reduced the number of costume changes and locations required) and it was decided that Halloween, the scariest night of the year, was the perfect night for this to happen.
- When they were shooting the scenes for the start of the film (all the ones seen from Michael’s point of view) they couldn’t get the 6-year old child actor until the last day, so the movie’s producer, Debra Hill, volunteered to be Michael for any scenes where his hands come into view. This is why the nails on young Michael’s hands look so well manicured and varnished.
- Donald Pleasence did all of his scenes in only 5 days of shooting. The total duration of his scenes is just over 18 minutes.
- When Dr. Loomis is talking to the doctors in the empty classroom, Dr. Loomis is sitting in seat #37.
- According to Don Post Jr., President of Don Post Studios, the famous California mask making company, the filmmakers originally approached his firm about custom making an original mask for use in the film. The filmmakers explained that they could not afford the numerous costs involved in creating a mask from scratch, but would offer Post points in the movie as payment for his services. Post declined their offer, as he received many such proposals from numerous unknown filmmakers all the time.
- This was voted the fifth scariest film of all time by Entertainment Weekly.
- The “Myers” house was a locale found in South Pasadena that was largely the decrepit, abandoned place seen in the majority of the film. However, as the house had to look ordinary (and furnished) for the early scenes with the young Michael Myers, almost the whole cast and crew worked together to clean the place, move in furniture, put up wallpaper, and set up running water and electricity, and then take it all out when they were through.
- Much credit for the concept must go to its producer Irwin Yablans, who had the concept originally for a horror film called “The Babysitter Murders”. Upon further research, Yablans discovered to his surprise that no previous film had been titled “Halloween” and thought it would be a great concept to set these “babysitter murders” on the holiday. With these ideas, Yablans convinced an excited John Carpenter to write and direct a film around them.
- The wealthy film producer Moustapha Akkad had admittedly little interest in this film and helped make it primarily due to the enthusiasm of John Carpenter and Irwin Yablans. However, when the film turned out to be a huge box-office smash, Akkad saw an opportunity and facilitated every ‘Halloween’ sequel. This does not include the two remakes, which were produced after his death in 2005.
- John Carpenter was quite intimidated by Donald Pleasence, of whom he was a big fan and who was easily the oldest and most experienced person on set. Although Pleasance asked Carpenter difficult questions about his character, Pleasance turned out to be a good-humored, big-hearted individual and the two became great friends.
- Of the female leads (all the girls are supposed to be in high school), only Jamie Lee Curtis was actually a teenager at the time of shooting.
- Before Don Post became involved, Michael was going to wear a clown mask.
- Laurie remarks that she would rather go out with unseen character “Ben Tramer”. The name came from Bennett Tramer, an old college friend of director John Carpenter.
- A young Jamie Lee Curtis was so disappointed with her performance that she became convinced she would be fired after only the first day of filming. When her phone rang that night and it was John Carpenter on the phone, Curtis was certain it was the end of her movie career. Instead, Carpenter called to congratulate her and tell her he was very happy with the way things had gone.
- The Halloween theme is written in the rare 5/4 time signature. John Carpenter learned this rhythm from his father.
- The scene where The Shape seems to appear out of the darkness behind Laurie was accomplished by using a simple dimmer switch on the light that slowly illuminated the mask.
- That Michael Myers could drive a car despite having gotten committed to an asylum at the age of six inspired many guffaws. The first movie novelization came up with a simple but effective explanation: when Doctor Loomis drove Michael to sanity hearings over the years, Michael simply watched very closely and carefully as Doctor Loomis operated the car. Remember, even if Michael sat in the back seat and there was a screen of bulletproof glass partition, Michael could still look over the Doctor’s shoulder without Loomis realizing the significance.
- According to an additional scene in the extended television version, Michael Myers’ middle name is Audrey.
- Carpenter wrote the part of Lynda for P.J. Soles after seeing her performance in Brian De Palma’s Carrie.
- The opening POV sequence took 2 days to film.
- John Carpenter composed the score in 4 days.
- For its first airing on television, extra scenes had to be added to make it fit the desired time slot. Carpenter filmed these during the production of Halloween II against his better judgment.
- Donald Pleasence confessed to John Carpenter that the main reason why he took the part of Loomis was because his daughter Angela loved Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13.
- Carpenter considered the hiring of Jamie Lee Curtis as the ultimate tribute to Alfred Hitchcock who had given her mother, Janet Leigh, legendary status in Psycho.
- John Carpenter’s intent with the character of Michael Myers was that the audience should never be able to relate to him.
- Carpenter and co-writer Debra Hill have stated many times over the years that they did not consciously set out to depict virginity as a way of defeating a rampaging killer. The reason why the horny teens all die is simply that they’re so preoccupied with getting laid that they don’t notice that there’s a killer at large. Laurie Strode, on the other hand, spends a lot of time on her own and is therefore more alert.
- As the film was shot out of sequence, John Carpenter created a fear meter so that Jamie Lee Curtis would know what level of terror she should be exhibiting.
- Debra Hill wrote most of the dialog for the female characters, while John Carpenter concentrated on Dr Loomis’s speeches.
- As the film was made in spring, the crew had huge difficulty in procuring pumpkins.
- From a budget of $325,000 the film went on to gross $47 million at the US box office. In 2008 takings that would be the equivalent of $150 million, making Halloween one of the most successful independent films of all time.
- Prior to the movie, a book was written by Curtis Richards, and reveals more of the story behind Michael’s rage. However, the book is very rare.
- P.J. Soles went to a screening of the movie after it was released, sitting in the 4th row of a regular audience. She was very amused, when during her nude scene and line of “see anything you like?” a male audience member in front yelled out “hell yes I do!” unaware she was right behind him.
- On the 25th anniversary disc, John Carpenter states that the original title sequence was to show a long shot of a sidewalk ending with a Halloween mask on the floor. The idea was dropped and the more iconic title sequence of the Jack O’Lantern was used.
- Michael Myers’ full name is never mentioned in the final film. In fact, the only time anybody refers to him by name is in the opening scene.
- Was released theatrically with the short Mark Macready and the Archangel Murders in some theaters during Hallowe’en 2009.
- John Carpenter told production designer Tommy Lee Wallace to go out and find a “government-looking” car to be used by Dr. Loomis and Marion in the opening scenes, which Michael Myers ultimately steals and uses throughout the film. Wallace went to the nearest car-rental agency and a 1976 Ford LTD station wagon was the only car there that looked the part. Wallace hired it for two weeks, installing a wire-mesh divider between the front and rear seats, and slapping Illinois state decals on the front doors. Carpenter loved it, and the car-rental agency had no idea of the LTD’s use in the film.
- Originally, Nick Castle was on set just to watch the movie be filmed. It was at the suggestion of John Carpenter that he took up the role of Michael Myers.
- As Annie and Laurie are frantically trying to put out the cigarette in the car and they drive up to Sheriff Brackett and the burglarized hardware store, the sign on the light pole says Mission Street. The street exists both in South Pasadena, California (where the movie was filmed) and in Carol Stream, Illinois – the latter being the state the movie setting was taking place.
- None of the comic books (“Neutron Man,” “Tarantula Man,” etc.) in Tommy’s collection are real. Copies of Howard the Duck comics stood-in for the fictional titles.
- In an interview, Moustapha Akkad said that John Carpenter had envisioned making the movie for around $320,000. Coincidentally, Moustapha Akkad said he was producing and filming a major motion picture at the same time starring Laurence Olivier which was costing his company roughly around $320,000 a day. When John Carpenter told him the fixed price of his movie, he immediately funded it.
- Dr. Sam Loomis is Michael Myers’ psychiatrist. Sam Loomis is also the name of Janet Leigh’s secret lover in Psycho.
- Peter O’Toole, Mel Brooks, Steven Hill, Walter Matthau, Jerry Van Dyke, Lawrence Tierney, Kirk Douglas, John Belushi, Lloyd Bridges, Abe Vigoda, Kris Kristofferson, Sterling Hayden, David Carradine, Dennis Hopper, Charles Napier, Yul Brynner and Edward Bunker were considered for the role of Dr. Sam Loomis.
- Director Cameo – John Carpenter: the voice of Annie’s boyfriend, Paul, whom we hear on the phone talking to Annie.
- Aside from dialogue, the script cites Michael Myers by name only twice. In the opening scene, he is called a POV until he is revealed at age 6. From the rest of the script on out he is referred to as a “shape” until Laurie rips his mask off in the final scene (which he never reapplies in the script). “The Shape”, as credited in the film, refers to when his face is masked or obscured.
- Originally the script had Dr. Loomis having a surprised reaction to the disappearance of Michael Myers’s body from the lawn at the end of the film. Donald Pleasence suggested his character’s reaction should instead be an “I knew this would happen” look on his face. They shot it both ways and ended up using Pleasance’s idea.
- The adult Michael Myers was portrayed by Nick Castle in almost every scene, except for some pick-up shots and the unmasking scene, where he was replaced by Tony Moran. Castle was a school-buddy of John Carpenter, and was on set just to watch the movie be filmed. It was at the suggestion of John Carpenter that he took up the role of Michael Myers, as he was tall and had what Carpenter considered an interesting walk. Castle admitted he was disappointed to not be the face shown, but understood that Carpenter wanted a more “angelic” face to juxtapose with Myers’ ghastly deeds. Castle has gone on to become a successful director.
- Because P.J. Soles’ shirt was open for the scene where she is strangled with the telephone cord, an alternate version was shot for the trailer and publicity shots where she is wearing a bathrobe.
- The only blood seen in the movie is when Judith Myers is killed and the body of the man Michael killed for his clothes after Loomis makes the phone call along the railroad tracks. It is also see on – Laurie’s hand and arm after escaping from Michael.
- The total body count is seven: first the sister, Judith; then the truck driver’s body lying in the tall grass by the train tracks; then the two dogs; and the three teens – Lynda, Bob and Annie.