The Official Halloween thread

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  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I always thought Laurie being Michael's sister was completely out of left field and I never thought it worked.

    I've never minded it, and they had to give Michael some reason to be targeting her. I also like the attachment that was created between the two, and how Laurie spends her time almost connected to Michael, like she can sense him.

    It's the same kind of sense Loomis has, but his is of course unconnected through blood. In that we he and Laurie share a lot in common, most prominently being their attempts to stop Michael with no result.

    I don't think he needed a reason. He's the Shape.

    Wel, with his particular fixation on Laurie I think they felt motivated to tell us why that was, and why he kept coming for her out of everyone else. There's always got to be a motivation, or it's better if there is. I only dislike it when horror films try to also explain why that force of evil is in the horror character. Despite sharing the Laurie connection, Carpenter was smart to keep Michael's evil and power ambiguous. Is he a man, or something more?
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Haven't seen either of his Escapes. Anyway back on topic and my disdain of his Halloween 2 notwithstanding I'm very excited about the Halloween sequel in the making.
    They simply ignore H20. As they should I might add.

    H20 is my go to film at Halloween! Love it!
    I watched Halloween 2 last night and I’m in the middle of H20 right now.
    It’s decent, but it sort of feels like ‘Scream’ but with Michael Myers. The comedy overtakes the horror. I remember LL Cool J getting tons of laughs in the theater but he’s kind of annoying now.

    I remember watching the hell out of it in 1998 though!

    If they play their cards right, this new one they’re working on (can we call it H40?) could have potential to be H20 done right.

    @Master_Dahark, it's definitely not a fantastic, paradigm changing film, and nostalgia very much paints a picture of it in my mind and others. It's just a fun Halloween movie to see around this time of year. I definitely agree that it falls a bit too much into comedy than true horror or suspense beyond the beginning (when Laurie starts to make the connection between Michael's rampage and her son's birthday), which has some great paranoid energy. I love LL Cool J though, but maybe that's the writer in me. I feel sympathetic to his attempts to knock out a book, even if it's a romance!

    By the way, with talks of the new Halloween film coming and with the confirmation that Laurie will have a daughter, do you think the script will retread Michael's motivation in H20 for wanting to kill Laurie's son around the same age he tried to kill Laurie? The daughter has to play into the plot somehow, but I hope they have a fresh take on that particular angle.
  • edited October 2017 Posts: 4,813
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7

    ‘Round....melon..... breastststs’ :))
  • Posts: 19,339
    Kinky...
  • Posts: 15,060
    The first movie implies pretty well why Michael targets Laurie: a possible association with his sister (same age, in charge of a young child for the night, etc) and happenstance. I don't think he has that much of a fixation on her, if any: he wants a victim (or more!) on Halloween, he sets his attention on her because she is there. Fate.
  • She also went to his house and left the key. That was when he first started following her
  • Posts: 15,060
    She also went to his house and left the key. That was when he first started following her

    Yes. Like I said it's happenstance and/or fate.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    The first movie implies pretty well why Michael targets Laurie: a possible association with his sister (same age, in charge of a young child for the night, etc) and happenstance. I don't think he has that much of a fixation on her, if any: he wants a victim (or more!) on Halloween, he sets his attention on her because she is there. Fate.

    One could certainly make those perceptions, sure, but ultimately Carpenter and co. went with the brother/sister angle.

    When I rewatch it in the coming weeks I'll have to see what I make of it all when I experience it again (I may watch 2 again as well).
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    I’m almost afraid to admit it, but H20 was actually the first Halloween movie I saw!

    I got you beat. The first one I saw was Halloween: Resurrection... and in theaters. I was 14 when it came out, so I was creeped out by it back then.
  • lol ouch! It's a wonder you saw any more!
  • Posts: 15,060
    Ludovico wrote: »
    The first movie implies pretty well why Michael targets Laurie: a possible association with his sister (same age, in charge of a young child for the night, etc) and happenstance. I don't think he has that much of a fixation on her, if any: he wants a victim (or more!) on Halloween, he sets his attention on her because she is there. Fate.

    One could certainly make those perceptions, sure, but ultimately Carpenter and co. went with the brother/sister angle.

    When I rewatch it in the coming weeks I'll have to see what I make of it all when I experience it again (I may watch 2 again as well).

    Well they did but like I said it was shoehorned and even Carpenter said if I'm not mistaken that it was not a necessary idea.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    The first movie implies pretty well why Michael targets Laurie: a possible association with his sister (same age, in charge of a young child for the night, etc) and happenstance. I don't think he has that much of a fixation on her, if any: he wants a victim (or more!) on Halloween, he sets his attention on her because she is there. Fate.

    One could certainly make those perceptions, sure, but ultimately Carpenter and co. went with the brother/sister angle.

    When I rewatch it in the coming weeks I'll have to see what I make of it all when I experience it again (I may watch 2 again as well).

    Well they did but like I said it was shoehorned and even Carpenter said if I'm not mistaken that it was not a necessary idea.

    I've only seen the original once or twice and it's been years since I have. I've seen the Rob Zombie reboot a few times and more recently than the original. In the Zombie version the fact that they were brother and sister was a major driving point of the movie. Was it not that way in the original or were they brother and sister just for the heck of it?
  • If you watched just the original Halloween and nothing else, there’s not a thing to lead you to believe they’re brother and sister.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    If you watched just the original Halloween and nothing else, there’s not a thing to lead you to believe they’re brother and sister.

    I guess since I've always known they were brother and sister I just assumed it was revealed in the first one that they were. I guess it's time to go back and rewatch the first two.
  • Posts: 15,060
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    The first movie implies pretty well why Michael targets Laurie: a possible association with his sister (same age, in charge of a young child for the night, etc) and happenstance. I don't think he has that much of a fixation on her, if any: he wants a victim (or more!) on Halloween, he sets his attention on her because she is there. Fate.

    One could certainly make those perceptions, sure, but ultimately Carpenter and co. went with the brother/sister angle.

    When I rewatch it in the coming weeks I'll have to see what I make of it all when I experience it again (I may watch 2 again as well).

    Well they did but like I said it was shoehorned and even Carpenter said if I'm not mistaken that it was not a necessary idea.

    I've only seen the original once or twice and it's been years since I have. I've seen the Rob Zombie reboot a few times and more recently than the original. In the Zombie version the fact that they were brother and sister was a major driving point of the movie. Was it not that way in the original or were they brother and sister just for the heck of it?

    The less said of the Rob Zombie remake the better. In the original movie there's no indication whatsoever that they were brother and sister. Laurie is randomly seen by the Shape in the morning of Halloween after his escape. Like say Norman Bates he has seemingly no motivation to kill her in particular. She's at the wrong place at the wrong time, that's it and that's the beautiful simplicity of it. Carpenter added the sister thing writing Halloween 2, when by his own admission he was inebriated and uninspired.
  • Was it necessary? No. But I do think it adds some needed atmospheric creepiness to Part 2 when Loomis discovers the child's drawing in the school. Feels like a page taken from Argento.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    @Ludovico I actually like the Rob Zombie remake. Although it's been years since I've seen it. Maybe I should give it another watch to see how I feel about it now. It's sequel however is terrible. Zombie should've just left it at the first one.
  • Oh come on, the first of his two movies were great! We all had a blast seeing it in the theater opening night. In fact I think I’ll watch it tonight!

    The only thing I didn’t like, actually was in the directors cut, and had to do with Michael’s escape. That bit they added of the two guards raping that poor girl was out of place and uncalled for.

    Fortunately, you can just pop in the theatrical cut and that scene isn’t even there!
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    Oh come on, the first of his two movies were great! We all had a blast seeing it in the theater opening night. In fact I think I’ll watch it tonight!

    The only thing I didn’t like, actually was in the directors cut, and had to do with Michael’s escape. That bit they added of the two guards raping that poor girl was out of place and uncalled for.

    Fortunately, you can just pop in the theatrical cut and that scene isn’t even there!

    I do agree about the director's cut. I hated that scene and I think his escape in the theatrical version was much better.
  • Posts: 15,060
    Was it necessary? No. But I do think it adds some needed atmospheric creepiness to Part 2 when Loomis discovers the child's drawing in the school. Feels like a page taken from Argento.

    It adds nothing to the story and cheapens the first one. People complain about Blofeld being Bond's stepbrother for the same reason. I'd say they could have created atmosphere and creepiness without it. The first one took it's cues from Hitchcock that was the way to do it.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    The first movie implies pretty well why Michael targets Laurie: a possible association with his sister (same age, in charge of a young child for the night, etc) and happenstance. I don't think he has that much of a fixation on her, if any: he wants a victim (or more!) on Halloween, he sets his attention on her because she is there. Fate.

    One could certainly make those perceptions, sure, but ultimately Carpenter and co. went with the brother/sister angle.

    When I rewatch it in the coming weeks I'll have to see what I make of it all when I experience it again (I may watch 2 again as well).

    Well they did but like I said it was shoehorned and even Carpenter said if I'm not mistaken that it was not a necessary idea.

    I've only seen the original once or twice and it's been years since I have. I've seen the Rob Zombie reboot a few times and more recently than the original. In the Zombie version the fact that they were brother and sister was a major driving point of the movie. Was it not that way in the original or were they brother and sister just for the heck of it?

    Well, I always see Michael's ability to keep track of Laurie as his connection to her via blood, like he can just sense her. I've never been upset about it, so can only speak personally. I think it's interesting and slightly poetic in a dark way that the two main "good" characters of the films, Laurie and Loomis, both have a connection with Michael that is shared in blood by the former and one of another kind in the latter. Both characters always seem to know when Michael is around, like they can track him. I dunno.
  • Posts: 15,060
    Make Loomis Michael's granddad and get done with it. No more seriously Laurie's connection to Michael worked fine as something psychological not physical. She is introverted, more analytical, she has better instincts than her friends. She has a sort of spiritual kinship with him. There's also fate. Something very present.
  • Posts: 17,695
    Thanks for the tips! Seems like there are a few films that are mentioned by all of you, so I'll start with those. Searching iTunes I see that none of the Halloween films are available for download, but the original The Fog can be bought – as well as The Thing and a few other titles. Might as well start with The Fog, as I already have the remake.
    Can I offer an opinion? Dive straight into John Carpenter's THE THING.

    If he has your attention and respect, lighten up and don't miss ESCAPE FROM NY and ESCAPE FROM LA.
    And BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA. Plus many scarier features like the HALLOWEEN films.
    dca5e6d1d33ad4bf8d0dd53f9bf0722d--best-t-shirts-awesome-t-shirts.jpg

    Might do just that. None of the Escape films are available on iTunes though, but they might be available to stream somewhere.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Make Loomis Michael's granddad and get done with it. No more seriously Laurie's connection to Michael worked fine as something psychological not physical. She is introverted, more analytical, she has better instincts than her friends. She has a sort of spiritual kinship with him. There's also fate. Something very present.

    Michael's beef is clearly with Laurie, so I think making his blood connection with Loomis would've just distracted from that. Loomis is in danger of Michael too, but that's because Loomis goes looking for Michael and Michael acts against him when he's in his way. If Loomis just retired Michael would never think of him another minute, as that wasn't his goal. It was always Laurie.
  • Posts: 15,060
    It was Laurie... from the moment he saw her leaving the key at the Myers house. I agree Michael doesn't care much about Loomis, in fact I'm not sure he even knows his name.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    It was Laurie... from the moment he saw her leaving the key at the Myers house. I agree Michael doesn't care much about Loomis, in fact I'm not sure he even knows his name.

    I imagined Michael does; I mean, Loomis for sure addressed himself any time they talked. But as we know Michael was just blank faced and focused on something else when they talked, as he was targeting Laurie and waiting. So maybe all that he was told by Loomis for those years was just white noise to him, lost in his hyper-focus?

    It's not easy to tell in the first films, but later on during the ret-con era when Loomis becomes the lead of all the drama Michael does seem to recognize him and sees him as a threat of sorts; at the very least, we can see their history. I just think we never really get to see much of what Michael feels because he's always after someone else, and Loomis is only ever in danger when he places himself there.
  • Posts: 15,060
    He might know it, then again Michael was very much medicated and not quite normal. Who knows what happens in his head? He might think of Loomis as "that man who keeps following me" and Laurie as "that girl I will stalk, freak out then kill." In the first movie it is implied that his mind is still a child's. The whole thing he pulls as an adult is no different that what he did that fateful night: he spies, plays tricks, makes Halloween displays, disguises himself, etc.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    He might know it, then again Michael was very much medicated and not quite normal. Who knows what happens in his head? He might think of Loomis as "that man who keeps following me" and Laurie as "that girl I will stalk, freak out then kill." In the first movie it is implied that his mind is still a child's. The whole thing he pulls as an adult is no different that what he did that fateful night: he spies, plays tricks, makes Halloween displays, disguises himself, etc.

    Very true. I don't know what kind of mind Michael has, but you could be right by comparing it to a kid's. There's one moment in Halloween 6 where, while Loomis is talking to him, Michael slowly cocks his head or something like that and looks at him as a child would a thing they're curious about. He definitely gives off the vibe of someone who has a more childlike sense or behavior.
  • Posts: 15,060
    He bends his head curiously after his last kill in the first movie as well. Michael also has the morality of a child.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote: »
    He bends his head curiously after his last kill in the first movie as well. Michael also has the morality of a child.

    The moment he killed his sister and her boyfriend could've well stunted his growth and sort of mentally froze him in age after that point.
  • Posts: 15,060
    Ludovico wrote: »
    He bends his head curiously after his last kill in the first movie as well. Michael also has the morality of a child.

    The moment he killed his sister and her boyfriend could've well stunted his growth and sort of mentally froze him in age after that point.

    He did not kill her boyfriend. Judith Myers' boyfriend is the biggest unknown of the franchise. What happened to him? Did he have survivor's guilt? Did he move out of town? How did he turn out? That's something I wished they had explored in the subsequent movies. I would have rather seen that than that silly Laurie is really a Myers connection they came up with out of the blue.
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