HALLOWEEN Franchise Discussion Thread

[MaulFan]

I completely agree, and that's why I'm going to give it the credit it deserves (on a personal level obviously) by grabbing a copy on DVD this October and adding it to my movie lineup for this year.

Me too, first viewing I shunned as "this isn't Halloween", second viewing, I enjoyed it just taking it's story for what it is.

However, it's lack of popularity, I have to go to certain stores to try and find it, Targets and Walmarts will never have it.

 

[Voorhees27]

This is what I picked up a couple years back ..............

$11.99 but very plain Jane. No special features.

 

[MaulFan]

That's one dissappointment I have, outside of H1 and RZ's H1, there really hasn't been any good behind the scenes or other DVD features for the other films. I love seeing insights like that, very dissappointing.

Does the H2 in that combo pack play in tradition widescreen style. I have another H2, but it's older where it's widescreen movie but the DVD format is full screen so if you play it on a widescreen monitor or TV, it doesn't fill the whole area, kinda sucks.

 

[Voorhees27]

That's one dissappointment I have, outside of H1 and RZ's H1, there really hasn't been any good behind the scenes or other DVD features for the other films. I love seeing insights like that, very dissappointing.

Does the H2 in that combo pack play in tradition widescreen style. I have another H2, but it's older where it's widescreen movie but the DVD format is full screen so if you play it on a widescreen monitor or TV, it doesn't fill the whole area, kinda sucks.

All it says on the back of the cover is:

Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1

I don't remember having the option to pick though.

 

[MaulFan]

Well, for an extra $10, I'll take the gamble, and mine doesn't say anamorphic so maybe that's what makes it what I'm looking for.

Does anyone own these versions of 4 and 5?

I've got the original DVD versions and I'm just wondering if the picture and sound quality is improved, I'm tempted to get them.

 

[Voorhees27]

Hey Sean I have both H4 and H5 in "Divimax" and never owned the older ones so i'm not sure about improved picture and sound. It says it is but I wouldn't be able to compare. I got these 2 as part of the RZ Halloween movie cash deal back a couple years ago.

 

[MaulFan]

Hey Sean I have both H4 and H5 in "Divimax" and never owned the older ones so i'm not sure about improved picture and sound. It says it is but I wouldn't be able to compare. I got these 2 as part of the RZ Halloween movie cash deal back a couple years ago.

Well, the original H4 looks like it was copied straight from a VHS in terms of picture quality, so if it looks better than that, I'd say it is improved.

 

[Bloodsport]

i have the Halloween 2 The ultimate Cut and halloween 666 which are the true versions of these movies.

 

[Blake]

i have the Halloween 2 The ultimate Cut and halloween 666 which are the true versions of these movies.

True for who? The producer? The director?

Isn't the H2 Ultimate cut the one that Rosenthal really wanted to show? If so, I'll take the one that Carpenter put his stamp on, which was the theatrical.

Regarding 666, I am assuming you are talking about the Producer's cut, which is the most maddening movie I have ever seen. I have YET to find one which has even decent picture quality.

 

[ArmoredFoe]

Me too, first viewing I shunned as "this isn't Halloween", second viewing, I enjoyed it just taking it's story for what it is.

However, it's lack of popularity, I have to go to certain stores to try and find it, Targets and Walmarts will never have it.

Same here, when I seen "Halloween 3" I too hated it for the same reason...Wheres Micheal. That was when I was a kid, I remember watching it last year around Halloween time and I was blown away at how awesome the movie stands on its own. A great story and concept that as others noted unfortunately was hurt by having the "Halloween" title slapped on it. A great flick that I too will have to add to the collection. For the sheer fact that its such an underated horror flick.

 

[MaulFan]

The H6 Producer's cut has some better scenes/alternates and some not so good. I don't care much for the plot of Michael swapping outfits with Wynn and Loomis becoming cursed with Thorn, but some of the earlier scenes in the film that are extended or alternate are pretty cool. All in all, I'm happy enough with it as is.

Never knew there was an alternate H2 though.

 

[Blake]

The H6 Producer's cut has some better scenes/alternates and some not so good. I don't care much for the plot of Michael swapping outfits with Wynn and Loomis becoming cursed with Thorn, but some of the earlier scenes in the film that are extended or alternate are pretty cool. All in all, I'm happy enough with it as is.

Never knew there was an alternate H2 though.

I'm not really a fan of H6 in any form to be honest. I thought the whole Thorn, druid, Michael having sexytime with Jamie, etc. plotlines were garbage.

I think the alternate H2 cut has a lot to do with TV. A lot of the scenes that were cut (probably by Carpenter when he "bloodied" it up) got placed back into the movie and shuffled around to increase the running time.

 

[MaulFan]

Well I treat 6 like the other sequels, I just zip through the crap parts in my mind and soak in the good, and there are some nice Michael and Loomis moments in 6, even some fun stuff with Tommy.

 

[Blake]

Paul Rudd is the only thing that occasionally brings me back for H6. I kinda feel bad watching Loomis though. He is just so...old...

I do the zip treatment for H5 though, so I see where you are coming from.

 

[MaulFan]

Yeah, watching H6 it's no surprise really that Pleasance passed away by the time the thing hit theaters or home video (I didn't see it until well after it came out so I don't know when the In Memory of was added). Even in a rather sickly state, he was classic Loomis right up until the end, and I admire his dedication to the role to continue it even in that state. Hollywood needs more of those old school, classical actors like Pleasance, Alec Guinness, Ian McDiarmid, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, those guys just act, they're not a part of the hype machine, just great talents that invest in the work.

 

[Blake]

I agree. It's funny, I would have put Malcolm McDowell in that list as well until Zombie's two Halloween movies. I think it was partly the writing, but he was so poorly cast in that role.

 

[MaulFan]

I though McDowell was really good in RZ's H1, and if it weren't for the character being made into such a ^^^^^^^ in his H2, I might be able to judge that performance but I'm so turned off by what the character became, I couldn't even judge the acting, but in his H1, I though McDowell capture the same quality Pleasance did, the only real departures were the written changes to the character, but he performed him equally, which is impressive since he never watched a performance of Pleasance in the role before playing him.

 

[Blake]

I think it is a combination of a poorly realized character and an average performance. Pleasance's Loomis was a man on a mission, who knew EXACTLY who Michael was from the start. McDowell's Loomis felt like he never quite knew what Michael was.

Plus, for an example of the crappy acting, look no further than when Michael breaks into the car after getting shot in the pool. Listen and try not to cringe when you hear McDowell screaming "Michael!! Oh, no! Michael! Je-sus CHR!ST!" It's pretty funny.

 

[MaulFan]

Well, this may surprise you but McDowell's yelling in that moment is supposedly legit. I decided to watch H1 with the commentary on and Rob comments that even though he knew it was coming, the explosion of the glass and all scared the crap out of McDowell and his yelling was real freaking out but Zombie liked it and kept it in.

As for your comparison of Pleasance and McDowell, you're talking more writing than acting quality. Carpenter was more clear on Loomis and his position, Zombie got caught in half making it Carpenter's Loomis and half his own which results in a bit of a walking contradiction, but McDowell still gave as good a performance of that as possible I think.

 

[Morbach]

His performance was good, no doubt. But it just didn't feel like Loomis to me because RZ's H1 just didn't feel like a Halloween movie. He said something in an interview like "I think this is better than the original, though I've never seen the original." WTF kind of statement is that?