Halloween (1978)
Though not to the extent of, say, Friday the 13th, much of the legend that’s grown around Michael Myers is not evident in his first movie, although it amply sets up the bare bones of his backstory and basic drive to kill. This lack of exploration is arguably what makes him so effective though in this film, which is by far the best Halloween movie of the lot. Michael’s total lack of motive and human reasoning causes him to be all the more terrifying.
Immediately, we learn that at just six years old, Michael Myers murdered his teenage sister on Halloween night 1963. Fifteen years later to the day, Myers (Nick Castle, credited as “The Shape”) breaks out of his sanitarium and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. On the way, he kills a mechanic, steals his overalls and pinches a white mask from a local store. Apparently, he won’t change these clothes for the next twenty years.
In Haddonfield, Michael proceeds to stalk and pursue babysitter Laurie Strode, killing many of her friends in the process. Eventually, Michael’s psychiatrist Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) comes to her aid and shoots the killer six times in the chest, pushing him out the window. Impossibly, Michael disappears – inferring that there’s something supernatural about him.
Halloween II (1981)
The events of Halloween II follow on directly from the first movie, even set on the exact same Halloween night. As Laurie Strode is taken to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital to recover from her ordeal, Michael Myers (Dick Warlock) manages to track her down and proceeds to work his way through the hospital staff in order to get to her.
The big revelation comes when Dr. Loomis, and the audience, learns that Laurie is actually Michael’s sister, something that was kept secret from her for her own safety (well, that worked). This information makes it clear that Michael’s attacks aren’t entirely random – his end goal seems to be to wipe out all his family members. This is also the first movie to use “Mr. Sandman (Bring Me A Dream),” which would go on to be used throughout the sequels – forever turning the once chirpy 1950s song into a chilling horror movie favourite.
At the end of the film, Dr. Loomis apparently sacrifices himself by blowing up an operating room with him and Michael inside. We see Michael engulfed in flames and he seemingly dies. And, for the best part of the decade, he would remain that way.