Dimension Films, MGM and Nightfall Productions present an R rated 109 minute horror film based on John Carpenters 1970's classic. Directed by Rob Zombie and starring Malcolm McDowell (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Tyler Mane (Michael Myers), Daeg Faerch (Michael age 10), Sheri Moon (Deborah Myers), Scout Taylor-Compton (Laurie Strode), Danielle Harris (Annie Brackett), Skyler Gisondo (Tommy Doyal), Jenny Gregg Stewart (Lindsey Wallace), Hanna Hall (Judith Myers), Kristina Klebe (Lynda), Adam Weisman (Steve), Dee Wallace (Cynthia Strode), Max Van Ville (Paul), Nick Mennell (Bob Simms), Pat Skipper (Mason Strode), William Forsythe (Ronnie White) and Brad Dourif (Sheriff Lee Brackett).
The beginning of the film really spends quite some time introducing the audience into the family life of Michael Myers. At the age of 10, he lived with his mother who happened to strip in a local bar, her waste of space boyfriend Ronnie, and his older and younger sisters. You discover that this boy is disturbed right from the beginning not only due to the fact of his unadjusted home life, his bullying at school and his fascination with torturing innocent animals. Interesting how the director adds this quality to the boys character. It has been proven that many serial killers in our society of yesterday and today have all been animal abusers as children, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Son of Sam.
October 31st in Haddonfield, Illinois dressed as a clown and wearing his clown mask he brutally kills people within his family as well as in the community. At the age of 10 Michael has gotten a taste of not only animal death but now the thrill of watching a human being gasp their last breathe. Of course, as you know with Rob Zombie he definitely has an act for showing the gruesome side of death right to the bitter end. Just for example young Michael, brilliantly played by young actor Faerch, stabbed his older sister 17 times before she died.
Flashed forward 11 months to Smiths Grove Sanitarium it is learned that Michael wears a mask because he believes it hides his ugliness. Dr. Loomis sees in Michael's eyes that of a psychopath and decides that it is best to institutionalize him. Not until 15 years later does the film start to resemble the original when Michael escapes killing everyone in his path on a journey back to Haddonfield in search of his baby sister. Back home in his original house which is now abandoned and for sale we learn where Michael retrieves his knife and mask. A mask once worn years ago by his sisters boyfriend as a joke during sex.
From this point on there are several similarities in the story from Carpenters adaptation to Zombies but this edition incorporates many new twists and turns. Just when you think you know what is going to happen you may want to think again since Zombie did a great job of adding some new dimensions to the plot. But just when you think the carnage is over and the boggy man is no more, guess again. In a battle between Laurie and Michael only one becomes the victor leaving mystery to the possibilities of Michael Myers, old and new characters, once again continuing this horror classic in many other variations for more generations to come.
This rendition with original theme and score is definitely worth seeing again if you're a horror freak. Be careful who you go with since the intensity of this directors cut can be a bit gruesome and that person next to you may just grab your arm so tight that they almost rip it off making you fear for your own life. Harris, who acted in several of the earlier Halloween versions did a great job fitting in as a young high school girl. Mane, a bit bigger and scarier even without the mask pulled off the role of Michael wonderfully. McDowell did justice to the role of Loomis and Taylor-Compton filled Jamie Lee Curtis's shoes almost as well. But hey it's always hard to top the original classic and the actors that made it one of the best horror films of all times. Speaking of it was also nice to see Dee Wallace back on the big screen since I was always a fan of hers way back to the days when she starred in "Cujo".
Personally, I lived this story at the age of 12 when I lost two of my neighborhood friends to a psychopath from a sanitarium and to my knowledge William Wright still sits in a sanitarium under heavy observations for the gruesome crimes he committed against my friends and the lives of their families. So, is it possible that the boggy man exists? Of course, and not just in the movies.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.