Does anyone else feel like MM was the most mentally unhinged in the 1st film? I remember JC talking about visiting a mental institution back in the 60s or 70s and this young patient was giving him a schizophrenic stare that scared him. He described it as unsettling and that the kid looked completely insane. He went on later to say that was one of the influences he had for MM as a young kid and adult. I think that, combined with the grunting and breathing (the grunting always seemed like he was sort of like an animal), that seemingly went away after the 1st film, made him his craziest for me, which also made it the most terrifying. I think that when he became even more diabolical in the sequels with more complicated set ups, he seemed more sane for some reason. Idk, is it just me, or does anyone feel similarly?
Yeah. I get this 100% and feel the same way 
Yeah I know what you mean. I heard someone once describe Myers in H1 as being this relatively average guy that was a sort of outsider, or a social outcast that was just “off” somehow. I totally get that impression watching him in H1…there’s something about the way he moves that just sells it for me.
Also much more of a creep/stalker factor in H1.
Remember that the 1st film pretty much told the complete story. No sequel was really needed. Carpenter wanted to make this Hitchcokian style feature length episode of the twilight zone. I think any sequel, good or bad, humanizes him a bit. So yeah, I totally agree
I’m glad some of you feel the same. I haven’t thought about it like how you put it, but everything past the 1st film does seem to humanize him. As a standalone, the 1st is really terrifying on so many levels. I think he is the most difficult to understand in the 1st film. It’s a head scratcher that I love. Every attempt to explain MM just seems to ruin it for me. The not knowing is what scares me.
The way Carpenter directed Castle, it’s just so creepy. The guy just stands there anybody else seems to notice him. The guy stands outside of a high school and just stares into it for so long, and nobody seems to care. Or how he just stands on somebody’s front lawn, partially obscured by their shrubbery, only to disappear. H1 Michael is the very prickle you feel up your neck when you KNOW you’re being watched by something in the shadows you can’t see. He’s not your stereotypical raving maniac. You stare at him, and he’ll just stare right back.
And with what you’re saying, the music excentuates the simplicity we’re seeing on film. But in actuality, it seems simple, but is very purposeful and effective. He’s there, then he isn’t. When you think he’s gone, he appears again to let you know nowhere is safe. The creep factor is off the charts.
You guys have summed it up very well. Carpenter & team caught magic in a bottle. The story, atmosphere, mask, and overall fear that JLC, Dr. Loomis, & Tommy show during their experience in Haddonfield…makes this a timeless classic
Yeah I agree, first film I saw in the series was Halloween 4 on TV. That was 96-97 when I was 8. That freaked me out. Nothing was to prepare me for the original, which my dad taped for me months later (he used to love taping old horror films for me and my siblings)
I’ll never forget the landing scene followed by the closet scene.
YES! YES! YES! Perfect summation of H1 in my opinion, which is why I chose 78 michael every year for cosplay on Halloween 
Couldn’t have said it better myself
The irony is that he’s a voyeur and we become voyeurs as well by watching him watch his prey. It’s very reciprocal.