The Halloween Franchise

[thecolorsblend]

Not sure how this thread will play out in a movie forum dedicated to comics, comic movies and specifically Batman.

But over the past few years, I've nursed a burgeoning fandom of the Halloween franchise. Some movies are better than others, sure. But in the horror world, Halloween is a far stronger performer creatively than the great majority of its competition.

I wanted to see Halloween 2018 in theaters but the moment passed me by. Life happens.

The continuity in play is that Halloween 2018 is the new Halloween II (if you want it to be). I don't need a Halloween film to be perfect. We all know what the best Halloween movie is. Since there's no way to ever top the original, the best any sequel can hope for is to follow the spirit and tradition of the original. Anything more than that is probably impossible.

On that basis, I rather enjoy Halloween 2018. It's not immune to today's agenda-mongering. But I suppose the saving grace is that this whole Rah rah, Girl Power thing is that such a thing is hardly foreign to the Halloween series. So if there's an agenda there, it sort of blends in to the history and traditions of the series.

The movie isn't perfect. I think it errs on the side of humanizing The Shape a bit too much. Carpenter's original walked the line perfectly, creating ambiguity about whether he's somehow paranormal or if he's just human. Either interpretation or a mix of the two can be completely valid. But I don't think that's quite as true of the 2018 film. The film more clearly suggests an all- or mostly human framework for The Shape.

Either that works for you or it doesn't. And if it doesn't, am I supposed to tell you you're wrong? Because I can't.

All in all, H2018 is worth seeing. But the canon of Halloween for me begins and ends with the original Halloween film. The various sequels might be interesting in their own right but the original is in a class by itself.

[The Joker]

The canon for the Halloween films is similar to the canon for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films in my estimation. It's literally ALL OVER THE PLACE.

In the case of Halloween 2018, I can't say I blame them for creating yet another timeline. Halloween Resurrection was a sh*t show, and effectively killed the H1-H2-H20 timeline. The Rob Zombie's Halloween films are within their own timeline, and now we have the *new* timeline with H1 and H-2018 being the only two films that count. Which is fine. I dig the original H2, and kinda hated to see it dropped again, but doing that was by no means a deal breaker, and I agree that Halloween 2018 is assuredly a worthy sequel in the overall franchise.

For me, my initial viewing of Halloween 2018 was very similar to my initial viewing of Halloween H20. In that I was overall satisfied with the overall film, and also would be satisfied as a fan in those films being the final conclusions to their respective timelines. Now I know there's not a snowball's chance in hell Halloween 2018 is going to be the final Halloween movie, just like H20, but if it were to be, I would be content. Just like in 1998. However, in comparing the two films, I believe H-2018 is a overall stronger film. There's alot of stuff I like about H-2018. While there's a handful of moments I dig about H20. Both film's address Laurie Strode as suffering from trauma, but take very different routes in how she deals with it. I'm fine with either/or on that front, as I can't say one interpretation of Laurie is more valid than the other. I like Steve Miner's H20 work alright, but I think David Gordon Green's work comes across as more interested, and John Carpenter (along with his son) handling the score duties just beats the hell out of the background noise H20 unfortunately got stuck with during post-production.

But yeah, both Halloween H20 and Halloween 2018 have their own seperate issues, but effectively provided the shot in the arm that the Halloween franchise needed. We know the cluster that happened following H20, it will be interesting to see how Halloween 2018's followup pans out.

(P.S. Not to change the subject too much, but one of the things Halloween 2018 did in affecting me, was making me wish similar care/approach would be taken with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, in by keeping the 1974 original, and making a direct sequel in direction and tone to THAT film and see what happens. Tobe Hooper's TCM2 is alot of fun, and I like it alot now despite being dissatisfied with the sequel in my initial viewing, but Tobe Hooper himself has been quoted in saying that he didn't believe TCM2 was the 'quintessential sequel' to the original. The less said about TCM3D the better. I don't know, Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkle's once-proposed sequel title; "Beyond the Valley of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is just too good not to use. 

[GoNerdYourself]

I enjoyed it a lot. I have a few reservations with the editing at times and some story choices. There's a plot twist that is a little silly, but it kind of works, I guess. Also, there's a character I felt should've died, but disappears completely from the movie.

I absolutely love the score. I've probably listened to the end title track over 30 times by now.

[thecolorsblend]

I enjoyed it a lot. I have a few reservations with the editing at times and some story choices. There's a plot twist that is a little silly, but it kind of works, I guess. Also, there's a character I felt should've died, but disappears completely from the movie.

I absolutely love the score. I've probably listened to the end title track over 30 times by now.

The character who should've died is apparently being held in reserve for the sequel. Because if there was anything people were on pins and needles about in this movie, it was the fate of that character.

Honestly, it's a bit silly either way. The character obviously survived the movie so bringing them back for the sequel is kind of stupid.

...

Of course, that won't stop me from watching the sequel because I'm a big hypocrite.

It'll be interesting if Halloween can deliver two great, enjoyable movies back to back. That's never happened before. At least not for me.

[GoNerdYourself]

It'll be interesting if Halloween can deliver two great, enjoyable movies back to back. That's never happened before. At least not for me.

I keep coming back to this thought. I hope all the key players come back: David Gordon Green, John Carpenter (with Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies), Jamie Lee Curtis, and, I can't believe I am saying this, Danny McBride. Also, I hope the main title jack o' lanterns are here to stay.

[The Joker]

Also, there's a character I felt should've died, but disappears completely from the movie.

If this is the same character I am assuming you are referring to, I think I read somewhere that he's actually the son of one of the kids that bullied Tommy Doyle in the 1978 original, and was also one of the kids that was snooping around the Myers house in that classic scene where Dr. Loomis tells them to get their ass away from there!

Interesting tidbit for die hards, but probably nothing that's going to have any real bearing on story/plot for the next one.

[GoNerdYourself]

I think I read somewhere that he's actually the son of one of the kids that bullied Tommy Doyle in the 1978 original, and was also one of the kids that was snooping around the Myers house in that classic scene where Dr. Loomis tells them to get their ass away from there!

That is true. Lonnie Elam is the boy who bullies Tommy in the original film and is mentioned by name by Karen's husband. PJ Soles is also the voice of Allyson's teacher and Nick Castle returned to play Michael for one scene.

There are also a number of callbacks/similarities to the sequels. One of the victims is dressed like Mrs. Elrod from Halloween II and Oscar mentions Mr. Elrod later in the film. Children can be seen wearing the masks from Season of the Witch. There's even one that takes its DNA from sequences from both Halloween 4 and Halloween H20.

Although I am not sure if it was intentional, there's also a story element that harkens back to something Sherif Brackett says in Halloween II.

[The Joker]

[thecolorsblend]

A few clever nods to other Halloween films there. The fire and the action in the hospital, Halloween 2. Some of the masks, Halloween 3. Slamming someone's head into a wall to kill them, Halloween 4.

Overall, looks pretty interesting. Looking forward to this movie.

[The Joker]

Yeah, the nods are great, and I'm interested in seeing the character's of Tommy Doyle and Lindsey Wallace return as well.

Another thing that's going to be interesting to see play out, is the flashback sequence that's said to be in Halloween Kills, where we see Michael being apprehended by the police back in 1978. I would assume we're going to see a young Frank Hawkins in this, and probably a stand in for Dr. Loomis (perhaps only filmed from behind?), since Hawkins stated in Halloween 2018 that he actually stopped Dr. Loomis that night in finishing the job on Michael.