Michael Myers’ adventures in murdering babysitters have certainly changed since his silent and disturbing introduction in 1978. While John Carpenter introduced us to a more subdued yet equally terrifying Shape in his first film, the series would soon transform the white-masked menace into something more. Myers went from a shadow, lurking amongst the town of Haddonfield, strangling and slicing promiscuous teens– to a creatively ruthless and unstoppable killer, hellbent on creating carnage wherever he goes.
The carnage in this franchise doesn’t stop at Michael, as Tommy Lee Wallace’s Halloween III also offers some chaos and brutal imagery, despite its disconnection from the rest of the series. Nevertheless, it’s evident in its 12 film span that the Halloween series is ripe with some of the most memorable deaths in horror history. And, as we fans take in the latest, shockingly divisive installment in the franchise, Halloween Kills, I figured it’s time we sat down and counted up the ten best kills in the Halloween series.
But first, some Honorable Mentions…
15- Earl Ford, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
Certainly not as graphic as later entries on this list, but this kill in this fan-favorite sequel is quite honestly the best in the film. Michael ripping out a man’s throat while on the roof of a moving truck is no easy task, and yet he does it with such gruesome intent.
14- Nurse Karen Bailey, Halloween II (1981)
This death scene nearly seems the most out of place in all of Michael’s rampage, considering he only ever drowns someone one other time in the series – the other in Rob Zombie’s Halloween – however, it’s the gross skin peeling that gets progressively worse as Michael dunks this poor woman’s head into the medical bath which makes this death memorable upon reflection.
13- Kelly Meaker, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Considering this is the only time Michael “uses” a gun to kill one of his victims, it seems appropriate to have it on the honorable mentions section. Though we don’t get to see too much of the kill, the mere fact that Michael puts the shotgun THROUGH Kelly and pins her up on a door is shocking.
12- Sondra, Halloween Kills (2021)
The first of a few appearances for Halloween Kills on this list. This death scene is as brutal as it can get. Michael’s ingenuity and unstoppable rage came together to give us what many thought would be the best kill of the film– but there are oh, so, many more kills of this latest installment to go. Speaking of…
11- Big John, Halloween Kills
This kill is not only fantastic because it involves one-half of the two funniest additions to Kills, but it’s also insanely brutal. It starts with a stab to the armpit, which is about the most heinous place you could think about stabbing someone, and ends with Michael gouging Big John’s eyes out with hints of skull-crushing. Michael has killed characters in a similar fashion before, but none felt as gruesome as this. The blood gushes down Myers’ hands and flows like a river, just as Michael squeezes Big John’s head. It’s as deadly as they come.
#10- Starker, Halloween III: Season of The Witch (1982)
At the back half of our Top-10 list is one of many brutal kills in the now embraced Halloween III. It’s not the most memorable death of the film, but seeing former Michael actor Dick Warlock rip a man’s head off is quite the spectacle. Beheadings in the Halloween franchise are not as common as, say, the Friday the 13th series; so when they do occur, it’s hard not to appreciate just how brutal they are.
#9- Nurse Marcus, Halloween Kills
This kill, in particular, became one of few instances in which I involuntarily gave an “Oh, fuck” in the theater. The knife going through the eye looked disgusting in all the best ways due to some incredible SFX work and became one of the kills that stuck with me after the credits rolled. This scene is made all the better after the hilarious exchange between Michael and Marcus right before, where he, pathetically, tries to choke Michael with his stethoscope.
#8- John, Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
One of the very few good things about Halloween 6 is this kill sequence at the tail-end of the movie. John was a rather unpleasant character in this film, so being at the receiving end of the movie’s best-looking kill scene makes the most sense. Not only does he get stabbed and hooked onto the electrical box– but his head ends up exploding due to the intense electrocution. It’s a particularly graphic kill and stands as one of the few good scenes in this entry.
#7- Gary, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II (2009)
Rob Zombie’s iteration of Michael is notably the most savage version of Michael we’ve seen throughout the series. His viciousness knows no bounds, and that’s never been more on display than this intense and merciless kill in the first half of Zombie’s sequel. It’s not so much what we see that makes it all the more brutal, but the audible sound of a glass shard cutting through a human neck is frightening.
#6– Oscar, David Gordon Green’s Halloween (2018)
As far as carefully constructed scares and kills in this franchise go– this is undoubtedly one of the best. The build-up to Oscar’s death with the security lights and Michael’s callous game of hide-and-seek makes this sequence terrifying. And the incredible pay-off with Oscar’s jaw getting impaled on the fence’s spike is horrific and stands out amongst a sea of great kills in this particular installment.
#5- “Michael,” Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
This scene is one of those rare moments where the franchise could have realistically ended. It’s the most direct way we’ve seen Michael disposed of and makes for a powerful image. Laurie, tireless victim, finally getting to unleash twenty years of grief and rage in one swoop towards a pinned Michael is something that could’ve been iconic. However, this kill is not given higher status on the list since the gravity of this death is pretty much kaput after the first few seconds of the following installment, Halloween: Resurrection. What should have been an impactful moment in the franchise is relegated to a frustrating after-thought at the hands of studio meddling. Regardless of that fact, the kill is still good, considering that it felt like something the entire series had been building towards for several years.
#4- Buddy Jr., Halloween III: Season of the Witch
There’s a lot to love about this particular death in this underrated favorite. The horrifying image of a pumpkin mask melting the head of a child as the catchy Silver Shamrock jingle swells in the background is something that sticks with you and is a standout in a franchise with plenty of exceptional kills. It’s made all the better seeing the sadistic smile Conal Cochran cracks upon witnessing this poor child and his parents devoured by bugs and snakes.
#3- Dr. Sartain, David Gordon Green’s Halloween
The creative team behind Halloween 2018 was wise to give the film’s best death scene to a character that everyone pretty much wanted to get theirs after goofily putting on The Shape’s iconic mask. His obsession with Michael’s nature and overall jackassery not only makes this a satisfying kill, but the brutal nature in which Michael disposes of him is barbaric and perfect. The amazing SFX team behind this film put their stamp on the series with the grotesque look and aftermath of Michael’s gnarly foot stomp.
#2- Cameron, Halloween Kills
Full disclosure– these last few kills were a complete toss-up for me. They express the near inhumane sense of cruelty that Michael possesses and, for a moment, a brief glimpse into Michael’s nature.
Audiences knew that after Cameron threw Allison’s phone into the mysterious goo at the dance that he was bound to become a victim at some point. But, the pay-off was something extraordinarily violent that we couldn’t have seen coming. The kill could have ended after Michael savagely threw Cameron’s head around the staircase baluster– but Allison’s pleas for him to stop, prompting Michael to go towards Cameron’s head and twist it around is sickening. No matter where you fall on the great Halloween Kills debate, there is no denying how incredible it is to see the sheer brutality Michael shows off during this kill; or for the rest of the film, for that matter.
#1- Bob, John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978)
You may be thinking that I am going the safe route by choosing a kill from the original film– and you would not be entirely incorrect with that assumption. However, this is one of the most effective kills– if not the most effective in all of the Halloween films. The slow, tense build-up of Bob rummaging around the house, trying to find someone hiding behind a door, only to come across the incarnation of evil in its purest form, is iconic. The scene has all of this horror classic’s best elements on display; John Carpenter’s timeless scene direction, the score, Michael’s silent-yet-brooding behavior, and an image in horror history that continues to stand the test of time. Arguably, this is the kill you think of when you think of Michael Myers or Halloween.
This death has become synonymous with the groundbreaking slasher that still captivates horror fans some 43 years later. And for good reason.