One of the scariest aspects of John Carpenter’s Halloween is the suggestion that the film’s events could happen in any typical American suburban town: in the franchise, that town is the fictional Haddonfield, Illinois.
Haddonfield, Illinois is the perfect backdrop for Michael Myers and his silent reign of terror. It is a picturesque, sleepy autumnal town. Large Victorian homes line the streets along with impressive lawns and plenty of trees. It’s the ideal Midwestern town. Halloween would not have been as effective if it were set in any other kind of locale. One could assume that finding such a perfect town to shoot in must have been difficult, especially to land on a place in suburban Illinois. The truth is, it wasn’t that difficult because Haddonfield, as fans know it, isn’t real.
While some may make the assumption that Haddonfield is a real town, crew members creatively blended several locations together to create the vision Carpenter had for his ideal setting.
How Haddonfield Was Created For The Halloween Movies
Haddonfield, Illinois may not be real, but it is based on a real town named Haddonfield. The actual Haddonfield is in southern New Jersey, not too far from Philadelphia. Debra Hill, who co-wrote and produced Halloween with John Carpenter, was from Haddonfield so that was why the name was chosen. This has led to the incorrect belief that Halloween was shot in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Interestingly, the towns do look similar with plenty of trees and large single-family homes, including some in the Victorian style.
The origin of the name of the town is clear, but Halloween employed clever editing and sleight of hand to create the town in a different location. Shooting for Halloween was done over the course of 20 days mostly in South Pasadena, California with some additional filming in Alhambra, Sierra Madre, and Hollywood in May of 1978. Considering Halloween is supposed to take place in the fall, California in May wasn’t entirely hospitable. The crew used artificial leaves to cover the ground. The trees in the film are also fully green, which is a noticeable giveaway regarding the time of year. Carpenter originally wanted to try to change their color, but the budget didn’t allow for it. Viewers who pay close attention will notice palm trees in the background of shots at certain points of the movie, which is notable as palm trees aren’t found in Illinois.
While Haddonfield may not be a real place, Halloween successfully created the perfect small town for a new horror franchise to be born that continues to this day.
Next: Rob Zombie’s Halloween Is Actually Good (Until It Becomes a Remake)
