Halloween #1, is definately the winner as far as I'm concerned. I agree with the statement, that the filmmakers took the popular ingredients from the first movie and cranked it into overdrive.

The #2 sequel do have its qualities, the body count for one (if you're into that stuff...), but it lacks the mystery and the creepiness of the first movie. In the first one you didn't KNOW who Michael was really - or atleast not the full extent of it.

The finale with Jamie Lee's "lucky shots" with the gun was intense and all, but still... can't beat the end in #1. Also, it was great to see Donald Pleasance take a more "active" part in the sequel, as opposed to the first movie where he pranced around, scaring people up and more having a storytelling function. Naturally though, HE wasn't supposed to be the hero, Jamie Lee Curtis was - so that might explain that.