Movie Review: Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch

After the success of the second film, Producers John Carpenter and Debra Hill decided to bring the series into a different direction. So they brought in Tommy Lee Wallace, the producer of the first movie, to write and direct a project which would eventually become Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch.
I think it was how rushed the production was is the reason why people have so many problems with this sequel. The filmmakers started the project a year after Halloween 2, which sort of hyped up audience's expectation that it will yet be another sequel involving Michael Myers. So I think that's how the movie became one of the worst Halloween sequels made.
But what's my opinion on it? Well, I don't think it's all that bad. Don't get me wrong, this movie is filled with flaws and inconsistences. There are many problems I have with this movie but nothing major.
Let me start at the beginning. When I first saw this, I was kind of confused when the title said Halloween 3 but didn't have Michael Myers in it. That's one of my few problems. If the movie was just called Season Of The Witch and would later be associated with the Halloween universe, I think people would be less harsh to it because when the fans watch a Halloween movie they would expect Michael Myers to be in it. So as I watched it, I begin to be very bored by it. I just didn't get into the plot and I thought the whole warlock with killer robots angle was just strange to me. Though, I was only a kid back then. Now looking at it with fresh eyes, I could see that the movie had a lot potential, however, if the writing would've been a bit better this could've been a cult hit.
The Story: On October 23, 1982, shop owner Harry Grimbridge is chased by mysterious figures wearing business suits. He collapses at the gas station while clutching a jack-o-lantern mask. While at the hospital, he is put under the care of Dr. Daniel Challis, while the police investigates the connection between the man and the mask. But meanwhile at the hospital, one of the malicious businessmen kills Harry with his own bare hands. So the next day, Dr. Challis, tries to put two and two together and decides to play amateur detective all the while tagging along Harry's grieving daughter Ellie. The two soon drive off into a weird desolate town from where the mysterious Jack-o-lantern mask was manufactured and runs into an established toymaker Mr. Conal Corchan, owner of the silver shamrock masks company. Once Daniel and Ellie dig deeper and uncover the town's seedy origins, the plot thickens and the silver shamrock company has a much more sinister plan beneath their grip.

The majority of the cast was great, especially given the strong performances of Tom Atkins and Dan 'O Herhily. I like how it focuses on everyday normal people instead of your usual horror movie stock characters. And I like how in horror movies when regular normal people gets trapped in a extraordinary situation. And that's how a horror movie should work. It's not about people walking into danger, it's about the situation at hand that danger comes to them.

Dr. Dan Challis played by the classically handsome Tom Atkins is a flawed character. He doesn't spend that much time with his kids, he's a bit of boozer, and he's also a notorious womanizer. There's also an indication that he was going to be much "worse" in the script. So it's a good thing that Tom Atkins was cast in the role. He just has that presence of an action hero that makes the character work for him. At first, I didn't know why he was dragged into the plot given that's he just a doctor and if he was an actual police detective it would make much sense. But the circumstances coming from the events at the hospital( the death of Harry Grimbridge, the robot henchman igniting himself in a car) It would make a bit of sense for him to be intrigued by the shamrock plot which also involves his own children who seems obsessed with the toy company's advertisements.

Overall, Tom Atkins is a really good actor and gave a much more down to earth and humble performance. He is a truly an underrated actor. And have I mentioned he has a nice ass?

 

 

Ellie Grimbridge played by Stacey Nelkin, on the other hand, does an okay job. I'm not saying she's a bad actress or anything, she just comes off bland for most of the time. As for her character, there really isn't much to talk about.

 

Sure, she is a plot point but from then on there's not anything for the character to do other than just being a shoe-in love interest.

Speaking of which, I didn't get Dan and Ellie's "supposed" romance, if anything it was nothing more than just a hook up. Not only have they just met each other but given that the girl just lost her father and all of a sudden wants to have sex with a man she doesn't know, is just weird to me. But seeing that Tom Atkins is a handsome man, I don't blame her.

Conal Cochran played by Dan O' Herlihy is probably one of the most scariest villains I've seen in a while. The way he gives his speeches in a cold emotionless manner will give a chill down your spine. he is an example of a corrupt cooperate executive but on a more sinister level, as he is the head of a toy company called Silver Shamrock Cooperation, but it's only a ploy to lure the children to wear the masks which has a chip that denigrates their bodies into mutilated bug infested mess in order to sacrifice for the Celtic figure Samhain.

This villain is probably much more scarier than, dare I say it, Michael Myers. It's only because of how detailed his evil plan is and it all boils down to Dan O' Herlihy. He is just perfect in this type of role because he can smile in your face in one scene and give you the evil eye in another. Even in the final scene of his defeat, it shows that the character isn't afraid of death. This shows how cold and unfeeling the villain is. He is not human or has any remorse on human life whatsoever.

And I would like to add a special note, that it was funny to see Nancy Loomis who was known as the pot-smoking, free-spirited Annie, now playing this uptight suburban mom. Cosmic.
I may not like this movie as a kid but there were certain scenes in this that creep me out.

First there was this scene where one of the townspeople discovers the missing chip from one of the masks, once she picks at it a little, all of sudden a big zap hits her mouth and her face begins to mutate. It's. Batshit. INSANE.

But the one scene that really got me was this one. The death of a child is always unnerving and I really thought this scene was really disturbing. It was just too much to handle. Plus that annoying yet creepy theme song ringing in my ears is very haunting

Speaking of the theme song, I found it to be annoying at first but seeing how the song plays plus the even creepier advertisement to go with it, can actually kill you, it kind of gives you the goosebumps.
But guys, there is one big problem I have with this film. And that is the plot twist involving Ellie.

Okay, it turns out that Ellie is actually an female android. So the purpose of her plan was to seduce Dan and lure him to Conal Cochran? If that the case how did he know of Dan? Or did Conal Cochran and his henchman killed the real Ellie and replace her with a real robot, Stepford wife style? Whatever the case, It still lives a lot of open questions for me and I think this is one of the weakest aspects of the movie.
But there's one thing to make up for the flaws of this movie and that's the atmosphere and the film's musical score, it all adds up to the sense of dread, even at the beginning with a touch of John Carpenter's classic Halloween score tweaked into ominous techno synth.
Now for some trivia:
Jamie Lee Curtis makes an uncredited cameo as a phone operator and as the voice announcer informing the town's curfew.
The whole "witchcraft in the computer age", you can just thank Debra Hill for that.
Dino De Laurentiis didn't like Nigel Kneale's first draft of the script that much and through the course of weeks, there were constant re-writes to the point where Nigel Kneale walked off  the project, later having Tommy Lee Wallace and John Carpenter taking over the writing credits, which explains why I think some of the writing is kind of weak.
This was the last Halloween movie to use the pumpkin introduction, this time with a digital computer screen.
This was Nancy Loomis (or Keyes for that matter) last appearance in a Halloween film before retiring from acting.
The film would mark the last series entry of John Carpenter, Debra Hill, Barry Benardi, and Dan Cundey.
The movie was a box office flop, ranking in 14.4 million dollars less from the two previous movies. It was universally hated by fans and critics, having problems with the weird story plot and the absence of Michael. But what some of you don't know was that John Carpenter was planning an anthology series instead of a franchise involving The Shape.
I feel like if the movie was made years later with time and care, It would've been a much better film. I'm not say this is my favorite movie or anything, I'm sort of in the middle with this. It's not bad but  it's not great either. But at least the creators tried to bring something new to the table. So in the end, this would've been a potential what could've been.
My Last word: It won't hurt to at least give a watch. Whether you like or not, it's your choice.



 

Movie Review: Halloween 2 (1981)

It was the dawn of the early 80's slasher craze. After the colossal hit that was Halloween, there have been a slew of movies capturing it's success. Friday the 13th, Just Before Dawn, My Bloody Valentine, The Prowler, Happy Birthday To Me, He Knows When You're Alone, and even Jamie Lee Curtis' own Prom Night and Terror Train were just a few of the slashers that was released from 1980 to 1981. So it wasn't long until a sequel to the 1978 classic was in the works.
To be honest, this movie is mediocre, practically riding on the coattails of the previous slashers I just mentioned. It still has the essence of the original, but it's not as brilliant. Though I still think it's a nice continuation and probably one of the better Halloween sequels. The first half is just a lot of stuff happening, like a paranoid teenager getting attacked by Michael, Dr. Loomis running frantically trying to catch Michael, and finally Laurie's love interest getting blown away in a car accident. By the second part, this is where the story picks up, although there's not much focus on Laurie and probably too much focus on the hospital staff/victims. It's pretty much your standard slasher flick at the end of the day, although I do find it entertaining than most of that era. Nothing mesmerizing but a good enough watch, no less.
The Story: Halloween Night, 1978, a bruised and unconscious Laurie Strode is taken to the local hospital after surviving her attack from the blood-thirsty Michael Myers. But somehow, somewhere, her attacker is still alive and out there waiting for his next prey. Laurie senses that he might find a way to the hospital. Turns out....Her senses are right. With a frantic, determined Dr. Loomis searching for the vicious night stalker and the unwitting hospital staff at bay, Laurie must find a way to survive the night before Michael strikes.....

The cast is good....Well for what they work with. There is just no character development or anything interesting about the characters, they were just there for the most part.

Jamie Lee Curtis is as good as always but she has literally nothing to do here. Most of her scenes consists of either being bedridden or walking around dazed and confused from sedation.

I wish there was more time with her but unfortunately 26 minutes is all we got. Yes, I said it, 26 minutes. It's a shame really because she's actually top billing I wish there was much more to say about Laurie but there really isn't. Though there is an important plot revelation between Laurie and Michael, in which I will discuss later in this review.

Dr. Loomis is in on the action most of the time, which I appreciate because we have more focus on the character now than the first movie. Donald Pleasance is as good as always and provides the right intensity he has for the role. This time he plays more of an amateur detective uncovering hidden secrets about his long lost patient all the while trying to stop his murderous rampage. Along the way, Nurse Marion, a minor character in the first movie, pays a visit with some encrypting evidence about Michael which is a deep dark family secret....So I appreciate that Dr. Loomis becomes the action hero he's known to be.
I know you guys want to know about the BIG secret (which is not shocking to some of you anymore) but first let's talk about the supporting characters, even though there's really not much to talk about.

First, you have Ms. Alves played by Gloria Gifford, the no-nonsense head nurse who runs the hospital with an iron fist.

 Then you have innocent, shy Nurse Janet played by Ana Alicia who is endlessly paranoid by the media surrounded Michael Myers.

Then you have Nurse Jill played by Tawny Moyers....She's blonde. That's all I 've got.

Here you have the loudmouth, obnoxious Bud played by the smokin' Leo Rossi, who rather goof off and fool around with his girlfriend than care for his patients.

Nurse Karen played Pamela Susan Snoop, maybe a uptight maternity nurse but secretly has a wild side.

And lastly, we have Jimmy Lloyd played by the adorably handsome Lance Guest, who is a pseudo-love interest for Laurie. But there is one problem I have with this character. Yeah, Jimmy is cute and all but given that Laurie is injured and critically traumatized by her ordeal, I just don't think that's the right time to ask for a first date.

And here's Michael, the ultimate boogeyman and Night stalker. Nothing has changed from the first movie. Stuntman Dick Warlock did a good job copying the same robotic inhuman movements that Nick Castle did so masterfully. Even the mask looks the same.

Though the main problem I have with Michael is a certain plot thread that is controversial till this day. You see Michael so happens to have a younger sister, and that younger sister turns out to be Laurie Strode herself. I really don't have a problem with this sudden plot revelation, it's just how it comes out of the blue and how it sort of gives Michael a motive when originally that's not was intended. Since Michael killed his older sister, it now seems that his only targets are his family members and kills anyone who gets in the way. It never really gives much information and it leads to nowhere.
The scenes in here are actually suspenseful. This one scene that got me is where Michael stalks and kills the lone teenage girl, Alice, at her house. It all seems quiet and normal all the while she's talking on the phone with her friend....until paranoia creeps in and then suddenly out of nowhere, Michael stabs and kills her while there's a close-up shot of his face. Just watch it for yourself:

Then there is the chase scene with Laurie which is still very effective as it was in the first one. Just imagine being drugged and dazed and this unstoppable killing machine coming after you. It's got to be a pretty scary situation. I mean I was practically at the edge of my seat.

And yes, like any other horror sequel, the movie is filled with creative kills. It's mostly Michael killing most of the hospital staff with surgical instruments. It seems a little over the top for some, but I think the filmmakers tried to keep things fresh and original since seeing a serial killer with a kitchen knife can be a bit clichéd and boring.
I should give note that although some of you may think this a run-of-the mill slasher, Rick Rosenthal really put his heart into this and wanted to make a true Halloween movie. It definitely shows and I give him much credit for that.
Now for some trivia:
John Carpenter did not find Rick Rosenthal original cut all that scary, so he opted to amp up the film's violence and body count, which explains the random (but well-done) scene of Alice's death, which wasn't in the original script.
Halloween 2 also has an alternate version called the "TV cut", which I've seen many times. There is a scene where Laurie finds Jimmy in the ambulance wither her. Which explains that they would later get married and have Jamie in the later sequels:

Jamie Lee Curtis had to wear a wig to keep in the continuity of the movie and it's quite noticeable, sad to say.
Nancy Loomis has a brief as Annie's corpse and Alice's friend on the phone.
John Carpenter had a hard time coming up with a certain plot twist to expand the movie more, so after six cans of beer and a presumably drunken mindstate, that's when he wrote in the concept of the Laurie/Michael siblings subplot. Yes, you guys it was John Carpenter himself who came up with that.
The film debuted with a 7.4 million dollar opening weekend. A good opening  but not as colossal as the first. The critics savaged the movie calling it "another mindless slasher." Sure  you could call it that but it still doesn't deviate from being a true Halloween sequel. Though it is somewhat flawed and drags most of the time, I still think it's an enjoyable movie with it's great suspense and action-packed finale.
My Last Word: It may not capture the magic of the original but it's still a solid horror sequel.

 

Movie Review: Halloween

This movie is one of my all-time favorite classic horror movies. I know I said that with Friday The  13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street, but this movie pretty much tops it for me. The suspense is spine-tingling, the thrills hit you instantly, and the jump scares are actually done right. This is what I call the ultimate slasher movie to it's finest.
It has all the specific tropes to make a slasher film: The isolated setting, the drug-using promiscuous teenagers, the innocent final girl, the masked silent killer, the old man who knows the truth, etc. Some of these tropes might be cliché now but it blends well with this movie, especially at the time it was made. The simplicity of the directing and the feel of the movie, makes the suburban setting much more authentic, especially once Michael arrives, like an erupting black cloud over a safe and domestic environment. It may not have any blood or guts like any horror fan would crave, but the suspense is so chilling it could turn your skin tight. Build-up, tension, atmosphere and suspense is what makes a horror film. I can say that so many times until anyone gets it. And I'm proud to say this movie does.
So without further ado, I would like to present one of the most successful horror movies of the 70's and a legacy that would change horror forever.

The story: in 1963, Haddonfield, Ill. There is a brutal murder in the Myers home. 17 year old Judith Myers is found naked and bloodied on the floor, being stabbed repeatedly by an unknown assailant. A shocking turn of events soon unravels when the unknown assailant turns out to be her seemingly innocent 6 year old brother, Michael. After spending years in a mental institution and primarily under the care of Psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis, Michael escapes  in a flash, prompting Samuel Loomis to go on a desperate search. Meanwhile, Michael Myers begins his rampage by returning to his hometown and stalking three teenage girls, including the introspective Laurie Strode. As the day goes on into Halloween night and the girls do their usual babysitting duties and other indiscretions, Michael, the shadowy figure who quietly creeps at any moment, will see forth his next prey, satisfying his violent urge to kill.....

The cast is phenomenal. Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Loomis, and P.J. Soles are quite the likeable bunch. I just enjoy seeing them together because they actually seem like best friends. It's that connection and chemistry that brings out  the best in the actors. But I would like to introduced to you one of the best of the best in Final Girl history and who paved the way for them ever since:

Laurie Strode played by the enigmatic, charismatic, and the always magnificent Jamie Lee Curtis. She's the one who give Laurie her strength. I mean this woman can act in anything from Comedy, Drama, Action, Fantasy, and especially horror. That's how versatile of an actress she is. The way she portrays Laurie is relatable and captivating. I feel like she was born to play this role. How they build up Laurie is very rich and investing. She's not just some girl who's in the background most of the time and screams and cowers through most of the film, we know her as a person. We identify with her, we relate to her, we feel for her. And that's how you write a heroine in a horror movie. Well, any person who takes a screenwriting class would know that.

She's a typical teenage girl with goals, dreams, and insecurities like the rest of us but in there, somewhere, we see a strong capable heroine who is willing to use her wits to fight for survival. And trust me, Laurie is like the MacGyver of Final Girls. Anyone who could stab an attacker with a knitting needle and make a wire hanger out of a weapon is a true badass in my book. Although Michael is the driving entity of the story, Laurie is the really truly the main character.

Then we have Lynda and Annie. They're you're typical promiscuous, pot-smoking, beer-guzzling teens but what makes them standout is that they're likeable, funny, charismatic, and seem like really good friends. And they're treated with respect unlike most horror movie victims later on in the slasher genre. They're not caricatures, they're characters meaning real people. And it's a shock when you see them die.

Annie is probably my favorite of the two. She's funny, blunt, and a blast to hang around with. Actress Nancy Loomis brings  a lot to the character and I think she did fairly relatable performance. Because, hey, I had friends like that. She's also a character I actually cared about.

Lynda, on the other hand, may come off like a typical blond in a horror film but she had a relatively perky, quirky side to her that was really enjoyable and entertaining. She is known as the "totally" girl because she's use to saying totally a lot which people would find funny and for some annoying. As Laurie would make a name for herself as the first Final Girl, Lynda would make a name for herself as the first valley girl. It has a nice parallel actually.
Here I would gladly introduced to you our hero of the movie:

Dr. Sam Loomis wonderfully played by the legend himself Donald Pleasance. Dr. Loomis is sort of the Van Helsing To Michael's Dracula, going through any lengths to stop the murderous psychopath.

Donald Pleasance gives such a good performance, in fact, he gives a sort of eloquence to the character that makes him much more memorable. The speech he gives about Michael is probably the best performance I've seen in Donald Pleasance's career. Dr. Loomis is like a Shakespeare hero in my mind. Intelligent, brave and willing to stop at nothing to save the people who are in danger, him and Laurie are indeed one of the best characters in this movie.

Now last but not least, here he is, The Shape himself, Michael Myers. There isn't exactly any development about him, which is a good thing. He is a sort of mystery, an entity that hides in the shadows. The way he moves, the way he projects is almost robotic and inhuman.

It all goes back to that pivotal scene where he stabs and kills his sister. Once his parents find him, knife in hand, the look on  his face is almost tragic. It's a blank look of shock, not having any recollection of what he'd done and through the years of maturity and basically having no childhood, his descent into being this evil remorseless serial killer has been set.

He soon becomes this manifestation of the grim reaper. This angel of death that creeps over your every move without knowing. That's what makes Michael Myers such a unique slasher villain.

All the way down to his iconic outfit. but it all goes to the infamous William Shatner mask:

The way the filmmakers mold it into something so eerie and fascinating make this the ultimate slasher movie mask. Yeah, there have been some imitators albeit some lame ones I might say, but this would be at the top of the Halloween memorabilia chain.
However, the one question that boggles everyone's mind is: Why does Michael kill? Well, why do people kill in general. It's the kind of question that could never be answered. That's what makes this movie so different than most slasher movies. It's not some mindless teen horror movie, it's actually a well-crafted psychological story of a man hell-bent on violence. It's something that could be analyzed on a film's studies class, that's how great it is.
What this film also masters is subtly. Subtly is the key, people. There are two scenes that I think are very memorable. First there is the opening scene:

The way it's shot, the way it's handled is very ingenious. You think it's an unknown intruder as you step into the mind of the killer. Once the killer is finally unmasked, it's really shocking. You would never expect a 6 year old to do a brutal murder like that. Though, there is one problem I have with this scene. The parents' reaction is kind of, well....dull. They just stand there for at least a minute, the mom casually putting her hands in her pockets. If the parents reacted in a more realistic way, the scene would've had a more powerful impact.

The second one is Bob's death scene. Once Michael closes in on his prey, he impales him instantly against the wall. He then examines the corpse in a odd, fascinated way. What makes it so creepy is that Michael has a sort of thrill in this, he sees how easily he could murder these people in one second. And that's a pretty scary notion.

Suspense is this movie's specialty. Just I mentioned in these two scenes, the build up to the climax holds up well. The way the camera moves slowly and reels in on a key scene is mastered wonderfully.
Now for some Trivia:
As you all know, the mask is a William Shatner mask. It was clearly inspired by the movie, The Devil's Rain, A 70's B movie he starred in.
The name Laurie Strode came from John Carpenter's first girlfriend.
Dr. Sam Loomis was named after the character in Psycho, the movie in which this inspired from.
Halloween was shot 21 days in the springs. As you can see, there are palm trees in the background and the feeling of the fall season is quite hard to contrast since it's head close to summer.
In the opening scenes, the hands of 6 year old Michael is Producer Debra Hill herself.
John Carpenter plays Annie's boyfriend, never seen but heard on the phone.
Actress Annie Lockhart, From Lassie fame, was the first choice to play Laurie Strode.
The first film in history that the steadicam was used.
It is the fifth scariest film by Entertainment Weekly. And rightfully so.
Halloween grossed over 47 million at the box office making it the most highly successful independent film to date. And through the years it has made it's territory as one of the most classic horror movie of it's time. It should be right beside the classic universal monster movies of the 1930's and 40's. It's that monumental. This movie is also known for creating movie monsters in our generation. It made Jamie Lee Curtis a star and Donald Pleasance a legend. I love everything about this movie. The characters, the acting, the suspense, and especially the classic theme music.
This will forever remain a slasher movie of it's time.
My Last Word: Yes! Go Watch it right now!