Slashing has come a long way in American movies…
The bloodier the merrier!
And let’s give credit where credit is due.
John Carpenter first made it a cinematic horror stable some 40 years ago with his introduction of HALLOWEEN.
And so began the genre of the slasher flicks.
Since the original HALLOWEEN first appeared in darkened theaters in 1978, the franchise has gone in various and different directions. Ten sequels, remakes and re-imaginings to be exact.
But there has never been a true and honest sequel to the original—until this weekend!
Which brings us to HALLOWEEN, 2018.
As the story unfolds Michael Myers is about to be transferred from a highly secured mental facility to another asylum.
Surely nothing could go wrong where Michael could possibly escape, right?
Oops….it DOES….and he’s back walking the streets of Haddenfield, Illinois….on Halloween night, no less!
Enter granny Laurie Strode again played by Jamie Lee Curtis. She, of course, being the sole survivor of Michael Myers 1978 killing spree.
No wonder she’s suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
Ahh, but for Michael’s latest rampage there’s also Laurie’s estranged daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) to deal with.
(Sort of a Me Too movement vs. Michael Myers.)
HyperFocal: 0
Yeap, Laurie and company are ready for the Boogeyman—and HOW!
What’s the biggest difference between the original and this week’s version?
Answer: The amount of gore and blood we see flowing from the screen.
I guess that’s to be expected after everything that followed John Carpenter’s original.
The rest is strictly formulaic, with a very R-rated body count climbing as we progress towards the climax.
Our screening audience was eating it up. The gorier the better.
They were more than ready for this rematch between Laurie, the ex-babysitter and the masked madman.
The question now is whether there could be a sequel to this NEW HALLOWEEN?
That would be VERY interesting.
Just saying……..
Oh, and a $60 million-PLUS opening weekend wouldn’t surprise me either.
HALLOWEEN slashes a: C+ grade
Jack Goes To The Movies Friday mornings at 9:50 a.m. during Kansas City’s Morning News on 98.1 FM, KMBZ and anytime on the JackGoesToTheMovies facebook page.
Shane never did come back…The Shape never really leaves. Back another installment, hometown villain Michael Myers resurrects once more to ‘take a licking, and keep on ticking’ latest version ‘Halloween’… part 2018… verse 11.
Like a 1969 pro football team become bad serial (one had it’s 15 minutes half a century ago, but keeps coming back anyway even though we know how things will always end), a now seasoned 61 year old MM will never be confused another (Marilyn Monroe), but unlike her his audience will never overdose on him.
MM as Halloween remains indestructible, Hollywood’s latest sequel the modern day version Cameron Swayze’s Timex pledge and Python’s Black Knight all rolled in one. The gift keeps on giving while thinning the herd, antihero producers hope continues sell at the box office, while also helping to curb Haddonfield, Illinois (if not world at large) overpopulation problem… a public service.
A sneak preview: giving MM voice same as those who wish extinguish him, dialogue:
“I’ve defeated you!”
‘No you haven’t!’
“Yes I did – you’re DEAD!”
‘ No I’m NOT!’
“Yes you ARE!”
‘NO I’M NOT!’
According the original story line, Michael Myers was just 6 years old in 1963 when he gave his sis a few new apertures. Through adolescence and imprisonment, middle age and a thousand deaths theirs and his, and surviving (no doubt) copious slicing left on the cutting room floor, he remains indestructible today.
As previous ‘Halloween’s tenfold, enjoy, and remember: you’re not able see it now, the original ‘I’ll be back!’ guy will be, some point the future. Other hand, a finale featuring ‘Michael Myers vs Jason’ Friday the 13th series, could be epic… only, who loses/which one wins?
An$wer: everybody.
😎