Halloween (2007).

Review #743: Halloween.

Cast
Malcolm McDowell (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Tyler Mane (Michael Myers), Scout Taylor-Compton (Laurie Strode), Brad Dourif (Sheriff Lee Brackett), Daeg Faerch (Michael Myers, age 10), Sheri Moon Zombie (Deborah Myers), Danielle Harris (Annie Brackett), William Forsythe (Ronnie White), Richard Lynch (Principal Chambers), Udo Kier (Morgan Walker), Clint Howard (Doctor Koplenson), and Danny Trejo (Ismael Cruz) Directed by Rob Zombie.

Review
I knew I would have to deal with this eventually. I've already stated before my thoughts on John Carpenter's Halloween, which I still say is the best of the franchise and is still one of my favorite horror films. But of course, it had to have a remake, and who better than musician/director Rob Zombie to make his own version? (And release it in August, no less. That's a good way to annoy a film fan right off the bat, release a horror movie not in late September or October, but in August, a month known for nothing, especially in this day and age...okay, rant over) The first half of the movie gives Michael a back story, and it is about as uninteresting as you'd expect. Honestly I stopped really caring about his troubled home life after a while, probably because all of this is unnecessary when you get down to it. Do we really need to know about his treatment of animals? The monotony of the unlikable characters combined with the deaths make for a first half that doesn't really get you in the mood for a movie that then proceeds to take scenes from the original. The acting certainly fits with the twisted style of the movie, with McDowell being the one I like the most, probably because he's the most likable. Don't get me wrong, not all movies need to have likable characters...but then again not all remakes need to explain why the villain became the villain they are. The original movie's characters certainly rooted themselves better, especially Loomis and Strode. With this one, I felt empty with regards to caring about any of these characters.  The death scenes are bloody, mainly because of Michael's (arguably) sloppy method with respect to his victims, who don't die with one blow. The gritty tone can work depending on the audience watching, but I mainly didn't care for it too much. The fact that this was a remake (or "re-imagining") only means this will have to be compared to the original, and this falls way, way too short. If you like this...congrats to you. Me? I'll probably forget all about this film later anyway. Blergh.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night Redux: Halloween (1978)

Review #068 - REDUX: Halloween.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Sam Loomis), Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode), Nancy Kyes (Annie Brackett), P.J. Soles (Lynda van der Klok), Charles Cyphers (Sheriff Leigh Brackett), Kyle Richards (Lindsey Wallace), Brian Andrews (Tommy Doyle), John Michael Graham (Bob Simms), Nick Castle (The Shape), and Nancy Stephens (Marion Chambers) Directed by John Carpenter.

Review
I originally reviewed this movie on October 30, 2011, watching it on television. I remember it being entertaining to watch back then, for me movies are entertaining when you can just sit back and talk about how the movie works. Two years later, I decided to revisit this movie, which had been appearing on TV once again. Out of all the movies in the Halloween franchise, this is the best of them all, it also could be considered one of the best horror films of all time. The movie isn't perfect by any means; the beginning has a few choppy dialogue scenes where it feels really cliche, especially from P.J. Soles, who just keeps saying "totally". But the movie overcomes it with some really chilling music that makes the boring scenes more interesting. I especially love when the characters are talking and Myers suddenly appears out of nowhere, while the music adds a layer of depth. Of course it helps that the movie is also frightening with its death scene, showing little blood but using lighting and perspective to make for a truly chilling movie. My favorite scene is after one of the deaths as Myers looks at the body and tilts his head. It really is a perfect scene.

Donald Pleasence does a wonderful job as Loomis, explaining the motives (or there lack of) for Myers but also saying his lines in a tone of voice that fits the movie's tone, which is fright. Curtis is a really good screamer and a good actress here as well, she's the most interesting character to watch. Special mention goes to Nick Castle, who is the one most famous for playing Michael Myers (The Shape), though he wasn't the only one who played him, there were several others who did stunt work, but Castle is the most notable, and he would later become a movie director in his own right, with films such as The Last Starfighter and Major Payne. The movie takes its time, letting you get interested into what happens next, and it has one of the best endings that leaves you waiting for more. This is an essential movie for October, or for any month when you're looking for a scare.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Review #478: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Sam Loomis), Paul Rudd (Tommy Doyle), Marianne Hagan (Kara Strode), Devin Gardner (Danny Strode), J.C. Brandy (Jamie Lloyd), Mitchell Ryan (Dr. Wynn), Kim Darby (Debra Strode), Bradford English (John Strode), and George P. Wilbur (Michael Myers) Directed by Joe Chappelle.

Review
In honor of Halloween, I've decided to close out the second phase of the Halloween franchise with...this film. Six years after the lame cliffhanger that Halloween 5 delivered, a sequel was made, taking a cliche name for a horror film (Or a Pink Panther film), and...not adding a number to the film, presumably to not make the idea of a 6th film in an already stretched beyond belief franchise sound even more ridiculous (However that title of silliness goes to Friday the 13th) then it already is. The first notable aspect is the replacement of Danielle Harris with J.C. Brandy, who while not being a bad replacement, isn't as good, though it is kind of disappointing that Jamie, a character we've rooted for the last two films, dies in the beginning, without much struggle. The film had gone through 6 years of legal rights issues, and then there was one more thing: The extensive re-editing. The original cut of the film (Which is uniquely, but strangely called The Producer's Cut) was massively re-edited, apparently due to negative reaction to the original ending. And I'm not gonna lie, I've at least seen the original ending. Spoiler alert, but...it's a lame one. You wanna know what it is?

So the way to stop Myers in the producer's cut is...put a bunch of stones in a circle, which stops him indefinitely, only the reveal that Myers was actually Dr. Wynn, with Myers as Wynn. And Loomis is selected to be the new cult leader.

Due to middling reaction and Pleasence's death, new scenes would be filmed, which apparently cuts much of the plot line, replacing it with more horror scenes. The film drudges along, introducing characters, later killing most of them off, basically just setting up people to die, which is strange (I know it isn't, but let's pretend), but oh well. Pleasence is back one final time, doing as well as he's done before, this sadly being his final film and all. Paul Rudd (yes, that Paul Rudd) is...okay, even if his performance seems to be to just have one "creepy" look and monotone voice. The film seems to try to connect to the first film, what with Tommy Doyle, Dr. Wynn (You know, that guy with one scene in the first film..Hell, I almost forgot who he was), and...the Myers house. So the Strodes (who adopted Laurie, who was Michael's sister), are now living in the Myers house, all those years later. Why live in a house where death and terror happened to your adopted daughter and numerous others is beyond me. I guess the Strodes got the house at a cheap price, the prices were essentially slashed, an awful pun. Loomis is sadly not much in the final 30 minutes, as the ending of this film seems to imply that Michael can be beat by a lead pipe and corrosive. That and...Loomis screams for what reason after pulling off his mask? This is a film plagued by an extensive behind the scenes editing, mediocre-to-lame acting, story lines like Danny Strode's voices in his head going nowhere, and this...is an awful way to continue the franchise. The scares and blood are okay, but that's not enough to save the film. I'd stick to better films, anything else would probably be better, but oh well. Happy Halloween.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.

Review #473: Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Danielle Harris (Jamie Lloyd), Beau Starr (Sheriff Ben Meeker), Wendy Kaplan (Tina Williams), Tamara Glynn (Samantha Thomas), Ellie Cornell (Rachel Carruthers), Jeffrey Landman (Billy Hill), Jonathan Chapin (Mikey), Matthew Walker (Spitz), Betty Carvalho (Nurse Patsey), and Don Shanks (Michael Myers/Man In Black) Directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard.

Review
Quite literally, you could use this quote (said by the producer, Mousatapha Akkad) to describe this film: "Drunk off the success of Halloween 4, we began production on Halloween 5." Barely a year apart from the previous film, this film didn't even have a complete script. Danielle Harris' character was meant to be more serious, as evidenced in the fourth film's ending, which wasn't even followed up in the next. It might've worked well, as evidenced by Harris' enthusiasm: "The way Halloween 4 ended, I thought I was going to be the killer. I thought it would have been fun to come back as the killer, or Michael's sidekick. Scary, but fun." Instead of a unique twist, we get...lousy side characters who "scare" each other, a mostly mute Harris, and...a fairly decent Pleasence performance.

The side characters even ruin any chances of actual scares, like when Myers is apparently chasing a girl in a haystack...only to reveal it's not Myers, and it's laughed off like nothing. I don't know why, but the idea of Michael driving is more amusing then it is scary, but at least he isn't riding a bicycle or a pogo stick. Pleasence seems tired, though I attribute that to his characterization in the film, or maybe he's tired of the script, I don't know. Harris is mute for a good portion of the film, which is sad, because I actually did like Harris' performance in the previous film, but now I'm seeming picky. The scares are mediocre, though the side characters' attempts at scaring each other ruin the chances. And yes, the Myers house is shown for the first time since the original...looking nothing like it, but I suppose it was a stylistic choice. That or a ton of redecorating, because it is a giant house with many windows. Their is a scene involving Michael and Jamie in which...Michael sheds a tear and a barely visible shot of his face...which isn't burned, even though he was burned in the second film, which is evident in his hands, but not the face. The ending seems all fine and dandy, except...it's not. It ends on a cliffhanger, and a pretty lame one. It could've worked as a way to explain his return in the next film...which took 6 years to be released. All in all, this is a rushed production with barely there scares, okay performances, and a lackluster continuation of the series. But at least, I can rest from this franchise, and focus on something different, like this film with all but the letter A scratched out...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Review #471: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Ellie Cornell (Rachel Carruthers), Danielle Harris (Jamie Lloyd), George P. Wilbur (Michael Myers), Michael Pataki (Dr. Hoffman), Beau Starr (Sheriff Ben Meeker), Sasha Jenson (Brady), Kathleen Kinmont (Kelly Meeker), Gene Ross (Earl), and Carmen Filpi (Jackson P. Sayer) Directed by Dwight H. Little.

Review
I've reviewed Halloween films in the past, the first three in a connected trilogy (#068, #268, and #275), with John Carpenter being involved in all three films, directing and writing the first film, and producing the second and third films. Halloween III was a mediocre attempt at trying something new with a sad attempt to make a sensible plot, which audiences seemed to hate because of the lack of Michael. So, after 6 years, Halloween 4 was made to bring Myers back. And literally on the 25th Anniversary of this film., I've decided to watch to continue my saga with Halloween.

So...how do they revive Michael Myers after his near death in the 2nd film? A hand wave. Quite literally, they say he nearly burned to death, and that the doctors have kept him alive for 10 years, which is either the most bizarre way to explain his persistent living or the most contrived. At least Loomis is back, though even those burns on his face can't make me forget he survived an fiery explosion, without even being in a coma. There are scenes in which people don't believe that Michael's back, which is odd given it's only been 10 years since Myers terrorized the town. It's a tired tradition in horror films, where people don't believe that the monster has returned, I suppose. Sometimes the film can have good chills, like when Jamie tries to run from Michael in the school, but then there's unintentionally funny scenes, when Loomis is thrown through a window...by a blonde haired Michael Myers. (This being due to a previous mask being used before the decision to change it) The new build of Myers is a bit odd, he's more shaped like Jason Voorhees and has a new mask, which is either not as threatening as the previous mask or just plain silly. The actors are alright, and Pleasence is probably the best actor in the film. The film isn't as frightening as Halloween or even Halloween II, and while it feels unnecessary, it's still an okay slasher film.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

Review #276: Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

Cast
Tom Atkins (Dr. Daniel Challis), Stacey Nelkin (Ellie Grimbridge), Dan O'Herlihy (Conal Cochran), Michael Currie (Rafferty), Ralph Strait (Buddy Kupfer), Jadeen Barbor (Betty Kupfer), Brad Schacter (Buddy Kupfer Jr), Garn Stephens (Marge Guttman), Al Berry (Harry Grimbridge), and Wendy Wessberg (Teddy) Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace.

Review
One year after Halloween II, a new Halloween film would be released, but it would be taken in an entirely different direction, with no Michael Myers with a different plot around Halloween (The first two films were basically a two-parter) In theory, this could work. With the original producers (John Carpenter and Debra Hill) and different writers (Tommy Lee Wallace (who also directed this) and Nigel Kneale) to handle it, this had some potential. What happens in the film is what probably the reason the franchise would never have a film with no Michael Myers after this. Why? Its flaw isn't because there isn't no Michael (Remember that the name was Halloween, not "The Michael Myers Franchise", unlike a certain franchise...), it is because it just isn't that engaging. The plot isn't very sensible. It involves killing kids on Halloween all at the same time with masks that somehow manages to involves robots. Yes, robots. My question in all this: Why? For a ritual? What purpose would it do? Also, what is the Witch in the title? The film has decent acting, with a good synthesiser score (Done by John Carpenter, who did the score (along with directing the first film) for the last two) It's a bit odd with the brief moments that show the first one, a film within a film. In the end, the film has some scares with decent acting, but it's plagued by an odd plot in a film doomed to be the so called step child of the franchise. I will give this some credit for at least trying not to repeat the same thing over and over again. Funny to review this on this particular date, as I reviewed the first one (#068) one year ago to this day, with the second being reviewed 200 reviews after the first. Is there a "spooky connection"? Uh...No. Happy (or not so really) 30 years to the film, and Happy Halloween everyone.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween II.

Review #268: Halloween II.

Cast
Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode), Donald Pleasence (Dr. Sam Loomis), Lance Guest (Jimmy Lloyd), Tawny Moyer (Jill Franco), Ana Alicia (Janet Marshall), Ford Rainey (Frederick Mixter), Gloria Gifford (Virginia Alves), Leo Rossi (Budd Scarlotti), Hunter von Leer (Gary Hunt), Cliff Emmich (Berand Garrett), Nancy Stephens (Marion Chambers), Charles Cyphers (Leigh Brackett), and Dick Warlock (The Shape) Directed by Rick Rosenthal.

Review
It is near the time of Halloween (six days in fact. Ooh, the number 6 is spooky? Not really), so I'm reviewing a film called...Hallowen. Wait, I already did that (#68. The original, not the remake thank goodness.) This is the sequel to that film, continuing the events of the first film. In fact, I'll continue from the last line of that review: "It does the scares slowly but steady, building up to a conclusion that mystifies you." Indeed those words stand up 200 reviews later. Woah. It's been 200 reviews since I reviewed the last one. That's probably the largest gap between reviewing a sequel I've done, which astounds me. I'm getting off track here the question here is this sequel as good as the first? Yes...and no. Pleasence and Curtis do a good job while the supporting cast' acting is relatively decent. It has some good moments at times, but it has one flaw that doesn't make it as good as the first: Its violence. You might think that's a bit odd, given the film, but it feels a bit too excessive for my taste, where as the first film did a better job of conveying it (Examples are when Michael slashes some throats in close up, dunks a person's head in hot water or even when he uses a needle to stab someone.) While the film continues the cliffhanger from the first film with some class, it doesn't rise up to the occasion as the first did. It does have a great way of ending the film and it could have ended the story perfectly. Could have being the main word here.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.