JCC Halloween: 2018 Movie and General Franchise Discussion

Anybody here a fan?

I've been one for many years. It's totally brutal and dark, yet simple, and I love it. Every other slasher franchise just doesn't meet up to Halloween.

Micheal Myers is a fascinating character to me. In fact, I frequently make comparisons of Michael Myers and Darth Vader as being these terrifying and unstoppable yet totally emotionless and expressionless entities.

I have varying opinions about 4 and 5, Curse of Michael Myers, and Rob Zombie's remakes. Season of the Witch, H2O, and Resurrection I just kind of ignore altogether.

What do you think of the fact that they've made all the subsequent Halloween movies after the first one to no longer be canon, and now the 2018 installment will be considered it's direct sequel?

I personally don't like that. I've always seen I & II as basically being one movie. Whenever I reference the original Halloween, in my mind, I imply them as being connected. And I feel like they could have kept Halloween II as being a part of it, and just make the 2018 movie a continuation of it. Obviously, the Laurie Strode being his sister story line is the biggest reason they decided to make a clean break, because that wasn't mentioned until Halloween II. But even with that still being there, they could have dispelled that in the upcoming movie. It's the studio's choice, and I won't let it keep me from enjoying it.

I attended the panel for the 2018 movie at San Diego Comic Con just a few weeks ago. And I must say, Jamie Lee Curtis absolutely killed it! She gave almost an impromptu speech it seemed like about how important it was for her to portray Laurie Strode as a strong female who has come back from this traumatic experience to face her attacker once and for all. That the only reason she returned to the role was as part of an agreement with the producers and writers that Laurie Strode would be written this way. She felt very strongly about it, and would not have returned otherwise. And it's obviously in keeping with the current times we are in, which she totally acknowledged and made no apologies about. She spoke of random acts of violence as being probably the most terrifying reality we face in the world, and how this movie is obviously a depiction of that.

At the end of the panel they debuted about a 3-4 minute uncut sequence from the movie. I won't spoil it for anyone. But it is absolutely brutal, uncompromising, and unforgiving. This movie is not going to be for the faint of heart.

Here's the trailer for it. This one IS watchable.

 

I like the first one and have no issue with this being a direct sequel. Not really a fan of the subsequent movies, but I understand the appeal.

Apparently, they even found a Donald Pleasance sound alike for the sequel. Props to Jamie for insisting on doing Laurie her way.

 

I'm a tremendous admirer of Carpenter's masterpiece, have no use for any of the sequels/remakes, and am consequently delighted that Halloween 2018 jettisons all of the absurd convolutions.

Halloween is a fairy tale of sorts, about a boogeyman who returns to its place of origin to cement its legacy (via the slaying of Haddonfield's youth). Perverting the simplicity of the Shape into a supernatural psycho with family issues was inexcusable (even if Carpenter and Debra Hill themselves were the culprits). This year's film will revivify everything, in the same way Wes Craven's New Nightmare righted the wrongs of the Freddy sequels.

This is my must-see genre film of the year. I can't wait!

 

The only good one was the one with the masks that turned heads into maggots. Prescient.

 

I didn't get into the Halloween movies until about 6-7 years ago. On my first viewing of it, I watched 1 and 2 uninterrupted, starting at around midnight one Halloween night, and was just completely enthralled with it the entire time. So that's always stuck with me and was my first impression of it, which is why I still hold onto 2 as being an integral part of it. From then it grew and became my hands down favorite horror franchise, as well as one of my favorite franchises overall.

But I can see why others might dislike 2 as much as the others. Like I said, I have varying opinions about the others.

 

To me, Halloween II has one thing going for it: Dean Cundey's cinematography. It looks like the original, with all the shadows and foreboding completely intact.

The problem: It doesn't feel like the original. Characters exist merely to be knocked down like bowling pins, the deaths border on the grand guignol, and there's that imbecilic twist. (Is The Shape/Michael Myers the incarnation of evil, or a sexually frustrated sibling? It/He can't be both.) Make no mistake, for an 80s slasher, H2 is above-grade; as a continuation of Halloween, though, it's a misfire. (IMHO, naturally)

For years, I've dreamed of a faithful sequel to Halloween, in which Loomis and/or Laurie grapple with the aftermath of the Shape's rampage. Against all odds, it looks like said dream will be fulfilled in two months.

 

Not to mention the simple fact that 2 literally starts at the very moment that 1 ends. On its own, that kind of set up to make it feel continuous is noteworthy. And you're right, it really is in the cinematography that gives it the same look. And in my opinion, the same feel as well. While I agree that certain characters existed just to be murdered, I found Ben Tramer's death to be quite tragic and thematically dark. Even though he wasn't even killed by Michael Myers, the circumstances that brought him to die, as well as his very violent death, which he had no control over whatsoever, really stuck with me, and was actually the point at which I realized just how dark the Halloween movies were. The scenes of Micheal Myers walking through the town, hearing where Laure is being held and making his way there, all as the Halloween festivities were still going on, I found to be similar in tone and feel to the original. The hospital sequence has its moments like that as well. Like I said, having watched 1 and 2 for the first time back to back like that, I was simply watching a continuation of the first and didn't even question it, so it's impossible for me to separate them.

Glad to hear how much you are looking forward to the new one!

 

MotivateR5: Regarding Dean Cundey, it gets even better. Because of his collaboration with Carpenter, I actually imagine that Halloween, The Fog and The Thing occupy the same narrative universe, to the point that I once watched all three consecutively.

And yeah, Halloween II had its moments. The title sequence with the skull within the pumpkin, the scene in which Myers steals the knife from the kitchen, a number of the hospital stalkings. It's not bad; it's just not Halloween.

 

Some of the same actors also appear in those movies, which lends itself to what you are saying.

 

Nothing tops the original. Some of the sequels had entertaining moments. But they all felt like a different movie universe.

Not sure I’m digging this retcon sequel. Looks like Halloweenator 2: Judgment Day. And they should have come up with a better title.

 

On my first viewing of the trailer a few weeks ago, that was my initial impression. But then it grew on me. And I have to say, attending that panel, hearing Jamie speak about it, watching that footage, is really what put the hook in me. And trust me, that footage I saw takes it to a whole other level than this trailer does.

 

It better be Tom Kane (aka TCM's YODA) because he was fantastic in H20.

Start at 1:20:

 

I can see why 2 was dropped, Carpenter obviously isn't a fan of the family connection aspect.

The original is great, I hope this will carry on in a similar style. It's hard to do slashers effectively these days.

I feel that whether this works or not comes down to how Myers is portrayed.
As the old movies went on he got more & more inhuman & unstoppable, is this one going to have him just be a guy who can be killed by Laurie & some bullets?

 

I hope they involve a believable concept as to why he was such an unstoppable force during his rampage. From the trailer, he appears to have been locked up all these years, and has only now escaped. At this point, there's no way to know what they will make of Michael Myers.

Ultimately, if he does end up being a guy who can be killed by a few bullets, then so be it. It's kind of how things are in real life anyhow. It will probably likely go that route, also based on what I've alluded to above, in that Jamie Lee was insistent on bringing back Laurie specifically to get back at her attacker. And it would be in keeping with that to actually have Laurie take him down once and for all. One thing Jamie also mentioned during the panel was how surreal it is and how grateful she is that 40 years later she is getting back into this iconic role that launched her career when she was so young. So I imagine she wants to bring that resolution complete and full circle for Laurie, which would include taking down Michael Myers.

On the other hand, I'm sure they are going to leave room for at least another sequel to this installment. Whether Laurie remains the main character, or whether Michael is the same Michael from before or a different incarnation, is yet to be seen obviously.

 

What bothered me more about Mi

She probably wants to be able to do it without the studio ret-conning it like they did last time.

Nothing will ever top decapitation imo.

 

New trailer...

 

I enjoyed the original (classic). Never bothered watching the sequels. Watched Rob Zombie's two films, and will probably just watch the new one when it's released on video. I do plan on getting this Michael Myers Bishoujo statue, however.

 

Just watched the second trailer. Holy God, this movie is going to be great.

 

Currently 85% on Rotten Tomatoes

(For point of comparison, the heretofore best-reviewed sequel, H20, scores at 52%)

 

I’m still not in love with the premise of this film.

 

I am in love with the idea of a direct sequel to the only good movie in the series.

 

It's just been passed as an 18 by the BBFC, so it looks like they won't be skimping on the gore:
https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/halloween-film-4

 

You mean the original?

 

the only time I see the original Halloween on the TeeVee is on AMC next Sunday. Has anyone seen the original edited for TV on AMC? It any watchable?