Carpenter, Curtis Revisit 'Halloween' at Academy Museum — SkimNews
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- John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis appeared at the Academy Museum to introduce 'Halloween' (1978) as the opening of the 'John Carpenter: Prince of Darkness' screening series, part of the newly launched 'The Horror Show' exhibition featuring props and costumes from 'Alien,' 'The Exorcist,' 'Scream,' 'Saw,' and 'Us.'
- Curtis said she landed the role of Laurie Strode after being fired from a TV adaptation of 'Operation Petticoat,' which had starred her father Tony Curtis; Carpenter recalled calling her that same first day to tell her she was great — the only time in her career a director has ever phoned her after a day's shoot.
- Carpenter composed and performed the entire 'Halloween' score in three days because the production couldn't afford another composer, noting he had scored the prior film 'Assault on Precinct 13' in a single day.
- To film a Halloween-set movie in March, the prop crew constantly tossed old painted leaves into frame to mask green trees, and the entire cast and crew joined forces to repaint the dilapidated house for the iconic POV prologue shot, which was filmed on the final day of production.
- Curtis still owns the film's clapperboard — under the 'Halloween' tape are layers of porn titles from DP Dean Cundey's earlier work — and her clapperboard, shooting script, and personal one-sheet are now part of the Academy's horror exhibition.
- 'Halloween' opened to terrible reviews, including one stating 'John Carpenter does not have talent with actors,' but grew through word of mouth; Curtis's scream-queen career has now spanned nearly 50 years, though she personally dislikes horror films, prompting Carpenter to call her a 'chickenshit.'
- The 'Prince of Darkness' series runs at the Academy Museum through October 25, while 'The Horror Show' exhibition continues through July 25, 2027.
Why it matters: The Academy Museum now holds Curtis's 'Halloween' clapperboard, shooting script, and one-sheet as permanent pieces in its horror exhibition running through July 2027 — preserving the tangible origin story of a low-budget slasher that, against bad reviews, became one of the most influential horror films ever made through word of mouth.
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