From “Halloween” To “The Shining,” See Rare Photos From Horror Film Sets

For just about every iconic scary movie, there are some stories floating around the internet about what went into making these films unforgettable. Whether it’s Jack Nicholson frantically jumping up and down in preparation for The Shining’s famous ax scene, or how Chucky came to life in 1988 for Child’s Play, audiences love looking behind the Hollywood horror curtain.

In the ’80s, CGI technology was still new and rarely used, so much time and attention to detail went into the handmade creation of horror film characters. For John Landis’s An American Werewolf in London, it took about a week to shoot David Naughton’s notable two-minute werewolf transformation scene. At the 54th Academy Awards in 1982, the film won the first-ever Oscar for Best Makeup, paving the road for Hollywood special effects.

But what about the bloopers and funny moments? There are plenty of those. Take how actor Nick Castle, who portrayed the original Michael Myers in the Halloween films, jokingly posed for an on-set photo and let his character’s mask drink from a can of Dr. Pepper. Regarding his now viral outtake moment, Castle recently tweeted: “44 years ago I pretended to drink Dr. Pepper. I always hated Dr. Pepper. Diet Coke is much better.”