Halloween

There’s no real need to rehash the plot for you this time around. Familiar to each and every genre fan, we all know what happens and where we’ll end up. The big difference here as when the original hit the scene back in 1978 it was relatively unknown and a surprise hit. This time around, ever since Rob Zombie’s name was mentioned as the director to of this ‘re-imagining-re-launch-re-whatever’ there has been no way to avoid the hype whatsoever. From Zombie’s well oiled hype machine running on Myspace, to interviews, to arguments of internet film nerds declaring the movie shit from early leaked scripts, it’s been impossible to avoid. After a year or two of teasing and embittered internet nerds I was finally able to take in Halloween over its opening weekend. You may note that I’ve mentioned the embittered internet nerds several times. It’s been a long while since we’ve seen a new release that has had this passionate of a group set against it from the very start. Every where from Ain’t it Cool News to Bloody Disgusting have declared it shit without seeing a scrap celluloid, based on what seems to be a predisposed of Mr. Zombie doing a remake as storied as Halloween and leaked scripts. Just for you folks, I want to stress I stayed away from this mind set as well as I could. What did this result in?

To be quite honest; I liked it. I liked it a lot.

In Halloween 2007, we take a more realistic look at Mike Myers changing him from a random supernatural slayer, to a fairly plausible lunatic that in many ways, could really happen. Sure there are some faults to this theory such as his breaking chains, etc. but I’ve always felt that the key to enjoying any horror flick is a strong suspension of disbelief. For this re-launch of the shape, we are given a heavy dose of back story aiming to show us were Mr. Meyers came from and what makes him tick. In the original he was hell bent on the destruction of his sister, and we heard bits and piece of what had happened to the rest of his family. Did we know why he was after his sister? We had an idea. This time around, we know for sure. Starting out as a desire just to be with her he does not seem intent on murder. Not until she turns on him does the rage return and he resumes his rampage. This scene alone gives The Shape a human side, something which many die hard’s will say ruins the character; myself, I say it just makes him more real.

Where I would have liked to have seen more, was in the hospital sequences in the early Michael portion. We were tipped off early on about his issues with small animals, and we understand why he went after his family like he did. What was it that finally pushed him over the edge in the hospital? What was it that made him ‘the Son of Satan’ that Loomis refers to him as in his book tours. What we mostly see his him lumbering about in his masks, saying nothing, with no real hint of him being evil. After his attack on the nurse in the early months of his incarceration, we really don’t receive any more hints that he’s evil. (What more do we need right?) Was it Loomis’s poor handling of his patient that drove him over the edge? Was there an inner turmoil causing him to bubble over? We don’t know clearly. The other minus towards the film is the copious amount of cameo’s spread throughout the entire flick. I love surprise cameo’s as much of the next guy, but it was soon apparent that if the actor wasn’t Mike Meyers or Lori Strode, it was probably a cameo. With such a high number of people sprinkled about you find yourself playing ‘ooo I know them!’ more than watching the movie in certain parts.

As an adult, Mike Meyers was played superbly by Tyler Mane. Large and imposing in real life, he translated well to The Shape. Watching him destroy scenery in his rage was highly entertaining and cheer worthy. Be it a bathroom stall of the walls of the house, none of it stood a chance in his single minded obsession. Adding to Mane’s performance was his mask. I caught a blurb on another blog that mentioned that this was probably the best mask we’ve seen since the first flick, and I’d have to agree. I myself also found the effect of the large mask on young Mikey quite humorous. Bobble headed murderer? Sing me up.

Lori Strode was quite effective as well. Many disbelievers will have written her off already due to the fact that her name is Scout Taylor-Compton and not Jamie Lee Curtis. While she was not Jamie Lee, and really who can live up to that, she was actually fully believable and did not detract from the movie in the least.

Rob Zombie’s attempt at the Mike Meyers story will be written off by many before it even hits the box office. I would urge you to go and see it though. While it’s not the suspense thriller of the original, it’s a completely different film from the original. This time around we’re getting more of an action packed slash fest, as well as a more realistic story and developed characters. There’s no gun shot to the head and the body disappears moment’s later hoodoo here. This time around it’s a more realistic visioning of a mind gone terribly wrong in the suburbs. Furthering the trend of “Devil’s Rejects” Zombie continues to prove that he’s growing into an actual film maker as opposed to the ‘LOOK AT ME I’M SO CRRRRRRRRAZY!’ sensibility of “House of 1k Corpses”.

4 by god he actually did it’s out of 5

Special Note: Halloween marks our longest screen time yet of Sheri Moon’s bare ass, and for that, we salute you Mr. Zombie.