Well there are more than what you’d think to chose from, but not one of them comes close to that of the Halloween series. As part of the 31 Days of Halloween, I’ll be posting a review of each film, including the 2007, Rob Zombie film. I hope you enjoy…
A true classic, and one of, if not my favorite horror film. I was watching the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo, and was shocked that this one came in at #13. I thought it would be higher than that. This film captures everything that is so wonderful about Halloween, like nothing else has been able to since. I remember watching this movie at a very young age with my dad, who would make me closes my eyes during the good parts.
Basic Story:
From the dark "pumpkin" opening credits, I knew I was in for something special. The first 10 minutes where the director puts us behind the eyes of the killer are sheer brilliance and what follows is an atmospheric, simple, subtle thriller with an ambiguous ending. This movie has many daytime scenes, where Michael stalks, and those scenes are chilling to say the least. If you’re not safe from Michael Myers in the daytime, you’re doomed when the sun goes down.
For me The Shape is more than a robotic killer, he’s all the evil energy that’s in the air compassed into one being. He can be anywhere and everywhere, day or night, you’re never safe… Once Death arrives in Haddonfield, Michael’s presence seems to swallow the town…he’s death on two legs and he’s ready to strike. Halloween night belongs to him!
Acting:
Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie) is dead on and has great lungs. She owns the title of top scream queen hands down. She’s also an excellent actress. Donald Pleasence (Loomis) gives a focused and engaging performance. It also helps that the dialogue he has is very well written. Nancy Kayes (Annie) gives an OK performance surpassed by the exquisite shape of her bootie. John Michael Graham (Bob) and P.J. Soles (Lynda) are both very annoying to the eyes and ears, lucky for us they annoy Michael too and he takes care of them quickly…thanks Mike…we owe you one…
The Gore:
Very light, but you don't need gore when you have pure, unfiltered terror.
The Good stuff:
P.J. Soles showcases her knockers, too bad her constant giggling and airhead posturing consumes most of our attention. “See anything you like,” she asks. Yes. Yes, I do.
The Music:
One of the best scores ever put to a genre film. It consists of piano and synthesizer. Its a very simplistic score and is one of the films strongest elements.
The Bottom Line:
This movie isn’t without its faults. Annie (Kyes) splashes a few drops of something on her shirt while cooking and proceeds to strip down to her underwear?!? Also who has a washer and dryer outside and far away from the house, kind of inconvenient. But those "slasher flick" inconsistencies are quickly ignored. Halloween has a simple plot, simple soundtrack and proves that sometimes simplicity can be as strong or even stronger then a movie with too many things going on.
Many people condemn the horror genre, saying it’s dumb and overly violent. Well if those people don't see art in Halloween, then they’re blind and missing out on the best slasher film ever.
Trivia:
Nick Castle (Michael) went to film school with Carpenter. He helped co-write "Escape From New York" and directed "The Boy Who Could Fly" and "The Last StarFighter" (I loved both those movies when I was a kid.)
Funny how the movie the kids are watching on TV (the original The Thing) was later on remade by Carpenter.
The Shape mask is a "William Shatner" mask they painted white.
You know, I watched this one the other day, and I had forgotten just how much I liked it. This is one of the best horror-movie sequels ever. It captures the fear and chaos left over from Halloween, and continues it in a very good, chilling way. I've never stayed the night in a hospital since I have seen this...and I can honeslty say that I don't want to.Basic Story:
Continuation of the first Halloween, Michael Myers is on the loose in Haddonfield, Laurie Strode is taken to the hospital, the dumb cops can’t find Michael and Dr. Loomis is losing his mind trying to find our mask-wearing killer.
Michael kills a few people in town but really gets cranking when he reaches the hospital and decides to inflict his own brand of medicine upon big boobed nurses and the doctors drooling over them. Will he get to Laurie? Will Dr. Loomis save the day? Will we get more than one gratuitous boob shot? All those questions…and all I will say is that the Shape is back and he’s not happy. Myers sets out to make sure this is a Halloween no one will forget.
Behind the Scenes:
Plagued by creative differences between director Rick Rosenthal and writer John Carpenter, the movie does suffer from the: "it could have been better" syndrome. The first half could be called "Michael Myers’s Big Adventure" where we see way too much of Myers, follow him around as he goes from house to house killing characters we couldn’t give a damn about. But when Michael and Laurie meet up again, the film gets hit with an adrenaline shot of suspense and terror.
The scene where Michael kills that nurse in front of Laurie is way intense and more scenes like that would have made the film better. A great opening credit scene (pumpkin ripping open to reveal the face of death), good writing, the on and off "feel" of the original, "Night Of the Living Dead" cameos on TV and an intense finale saves this film from being another run of the mill slasher.
The Gore:
Michael seems to enjoy torturing his victims in this one. He drowns a girl in a tub of boiling water, inserts a needle in a girl’s eye (owie!), hammer hits to the head, scalpel action but the worse: he drains this girl of all her blood, through hospital tubing… I supposed shot 6 times made old Mikey really pissed!
The Good stuff:
Some horny tease of a nurse shows us her round, luscious basket balls. For the ladies some fat doctor gives us a shot of his flabby ass…God I love being a man.
The Music:
Carpenter’s classic score is remade (by Carpenter). It’s faster, meaner and it’s awesome.
Bottom Line:
A bleaker sequel with way more violence than in the first one. We find out more about Laurie’s tie to Michael and it’s that kind of back story that elevates this film a notch higher. Seeing less of The Shape would have made the movie scarier, in this one he’s the main character. Halloween 2 could have been better (maybe if Carpenter would have directed) but it still satisfies. Probably one of the best horror sequels ever. And that’s saying a lot.
Movie trivia:
Jamie Lee Curtis wore a wig so her hair would look the same as in the first one.
The kid with the boom-box Michael bumps into is none other than Dick Warlock’s (The Shape) son.
Dick Warlock pulled a "Tom Cruise", he’s only 5’9 so they gave him elevator shoes.
No comments:
Post a Comment