Halloween II | Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence | 2000 years later, we've come no further

Halloween II | Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence | Great Sequel

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Halloween II

	Halloween II Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence Universal Studios, 2001 average customer review:based on 389 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

2000 years later, we've come no further

In putting together this sequel, the powers-that-be decided to combine several of the strongest elements from the original film(Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, the strong Halloween atmosphere)with the standard pace of an early 80's slasher film(people getting killed every 5-10 minutes.) For me, this is the ideal combination. There has not been a slasher movie since that I have liked as well.
Dr. Loomis is my favorite horror hero, and Michael Myers my favorite horror villain. They both enjoy some of their finest moments in this installment. I find this version of Myers creepier than the later incarnations, where he has suddenly grown into something resembling an nfl lineman. There is something in the deliberate movements, and the angular figure, that is decidedly inhuman. And Dr. Loomis elevates all of this to a far higher level than it could ever have achieved otherwise.His strength,courage, and iron will make him a hero. So do his moral concerns about seeing innocent people butchered. But there is also something in his personality that makes him the ideal adversary for the Bogeyman.Of course, as a psychiatrist, he feels professional responsibility. But it goes well beyond that. There is some part of his imagination that is obsessed with Myers, and some part of his humanity that is appalled by him. These feelings, taken in concert with his naturally heroic nature, make him the perfect combatant for Myers.
This movie has the ideal pace. The story is divided between Myers stalking people at the hospital, and Dr. Loomis working with the local police to track him down. Slowly, methodically, Michael Myers begins to remove the employees of the hospital, as he makes his way towards Laurie Strode.As always, he operates like a hunter, or sportsman. Several of his victims are given opportunities to save themselves, as they were in the first film. This is what sets Myers apart from typical killers-he is rather like an artist of the macabre. If it's too easy, he almost seems to regard it as beneath him. Of all the killings, my favorite is the nurse in the room with the aquarium. That whole scene is beautifully shot and lit, with the aquarium casting all sorts of reflections across the darkened room, and the cadaverous face of Myers gradually coming into view over the doomed girl's shoulder.The murder of the security guard is effective, as well.
The atmosphere is perfect. The long, winding hallways are ideal for a movie of this sort.There are just so many places where Michael Myers could be. The effect is only intensified as the night wears on and the primary lights are extinguished.The music is great, too. It incorporates the basic Halloween theme, but it has been altered enough to set it apart from any of the other films. It's not really a tangible thing: all of the elements just work for me.The doomed people, congregated in the dark hospital. The Bogeyman, always lurking in the shadows.Dr. Loomis, making his way ever closer to the scene of the slaughter.This is a film I never get tired of watching.

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Great Sequel

This movie is on par with the original. It takes off where the first one left off. Donald Pleasence is a excellent actor and Jamie Lee Curtis is as well, as the girl in distress. The reason why I like the Halloween series is that there is a story behind the movies. It also feels like an epsiode of the Twilight Zone. I feel trapped with Laurie in the movie and trying to get away from Myers. Its the best horror sequel that has ever been made.

Bloodier, Sillier Sequel; Not a Bad Follow-up

"Is this some kind of joke? I've been trick-or-treated to death tonight."

"You don't know what death is!"

And then, the music...

The sequel to (at the time) the scariest and most successful independent film ever made, HALLOWEEN II is, probably, a better-looking film than the original. After all, there was a major studio behind this one--along with a new director and a disco-fied version of the original soundtrack that, surely, sounded SO COOOOL when the film was originally released. And the good news is that the movie's not half bad. Nowhere nearly as powerful as the original, it goes without saying, but entertaining enough.

Somewhere between the release of the original and the filming of this sequel, two important things happened. First, FRIDAY the 13th was released, ushering in a new era of mandatory gore for horror films. Second, Carpenter and Hill (both producing) realized that they had a lot of night left over from the end of HALLOWEEN. Consequently, new director Rick Rosenthal came in and made the sequel the second half of the same night as the first, and Michael traded in his very traditional kitchen knife for a hammer, scalpel, syringe, and .... steambath? Yikes!

The result is suspenseful, but predictable, horror fare with a lot of silliness. I liked it. Now, on to some trivia:

The ending to the first HALLOWEEN was actually re-shot nearly frame for frame for the beginning of this one (so that the film stock would match, I'm sure), but purists will notice a couple glaring differences: 1) Loomis fires seven shots from his six-shooter in this version, and 2) when the good doctor comes outside, he acts like he only realizes then--as opposed to the balcony shot in part I--that Michael has gone. Quibbles, yes, but I'm a fan.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire novel "Teeth: A Horror Fantasy.")

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What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

If this is true Michael Myers should enter into a world's strongest man competition.

I loved the original Halloween, I think it is one of the greatest horror movies there is and a great movie period. I liked the mystery of Michael Myers in the original and I bought into everything, any plot holes were ignored because I was so into the movie. For me horror is scary when it is realistic or I can relate in someway or the movie does such a good job I buy into what I am seeing. In this sequel i found myself annoyed by things or pointing out things that couldn't happen the movie never really got me.

I'd like to also point out I am not anti remake or sequel. John Carpenter himself has done one of the great horror remakes in The Thing [HD DVD] starring Kurt Russell. I didn't hate this nor did I love it. I think it is essential for horror fans in filling in the connection between Michael and Laurie. If this title had eluded you and you had seen the original and all other sequels you'd still know the connection but would be confused. I also do not believe this was made just for money and think John Carpenter was giving the horror fans what they wanted which was more Michael Myers and I think he makes a good effort trying to feed that hunger picking up literally from the original.

I always like to watch a movie fresh before reviewing and I did that with Halloween 2, however going by memory I would confidently say this is the strongest sequel of the bunch, and is worth a viewing.

I would give the dvd features but on the Goodtimes home video version of Halloween 2 there are none at all. The audio is only done in 3 channel Dolby digital and I have seen much better transfers.

**Interesting facts from the Internet Movie Database**
- This is the only Halloween film to show the morning after the 31st, every other movie ends on Halloween night.

- The film that the security guard and the Elrods are watching is Night of the Living Dead. (Which actually gets interrupted with reports on Michael Myers, maybe someone is trying to say something here.)

- The 17-year-old who was hit by the police car and burnt alive, at first believed to be Michael Myers, was supposed to be Ben Tramer, the boy Laurie confesses to have a crush in in the original Halloween. (Talk about having a bad nite)

- Believing Rick Rosenthal's version of the film to be too tame, John Carpenter shot a few gory scenes that were added into the film despite Rosenthal's objections.

Thanks for reading, share any comments.

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Not bad for a sequel

This is a legendary movie no way it is as good as the first one though the ending kinda sucked.But if u love halloween movies or horror movies then yes pick this movie up to add to youe collection. its short and to the point.the movie starts off right after the first one and all threw its theres killing running screaming so dont let youre kids watch it pick this movie up u will enjoy give it a shot like i did.

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