"Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers" Talkback (Spoilers)

[Kolbar]

Terror Never Rests In Peace!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d6/Halloween6cover.JPG
"I was only 8 years old when I saw him... but I was one of the lucky ones. I survived." - Tommy Doyle

Release Date: September 29, 1995
Studio: Dimension Films
Director: Joe Chappelle
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Paul Stephen Rudd, Marianne Hagan, Mitchell Ryan, Kim Darby, Bradford English, Keith Bogart, Mariah O'Brien, Leo Geter, J.C. Brandy, Devin Gardner, Susan Swift, George P. Wilbur, Janice Knickrehm, Alan Echeverria

Plot Summary: Six years ago, Michael Myers terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois. He and his niece, Jamie Lloyd, have disappeared. Jamie was kidnapped by a bunch of evil druids who protect Michael Myers. And now, six years later, Jamie has escaped after giving birth to Michael's child. She runs to Haddonfield to get Dr. Loomis to help her again. Meanwhile, the family that adopted Laurie Strode is living in the Myers house and are being stalked by Myers. It's the curse of Thorn that Michael is possessed by that makes him kill his family. And it's up to Tommy Doyle, the boy from Halloween, and Dr. Loomis, to stop them all.

Comments?

Related Discussion:
"Halloween" (1978) (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=92725)Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=92725)
"Halloween II" (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196365)Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196365)
"Halloween III: Season of the Witch" (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196473) Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196473)
"Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196516)
"Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers" Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196547)
"Halloween: Resurrection" Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=40920)
"Halloween" (2007) Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=196511)

[The Non Human]

i don't remember much from all the sequels but this one sounds pretty bad...all the druid stuff seems pretty contrived and just takes away from the mystique of who myers is....it really looks like a sci-fi channel version of halloween....did they drop all of these plot elements by the time they brought back jamie lee curtis? i seem to remember those just being the simpler stalk and run style of the first two.

[Sandoz]

did they drop all of these plot elements by the time they brought back jamie lee curtis? i seem to remember those just being the simpler stalk and run style of the first two.
Yeah. H20 totally rebooted the franchise, retconning the Jamie Lloyd/Druid plotlines out of existence.

[Michael24]

Probably my fourth favorite of the series. I found the Curse of Thorn storyline an interesting twist to Michael's madness, as opposed to the broken home and abusive childhood currently being employed in Rob Zombie's remake. Was cool to see Tommy Doyle return and I thought Paul Rudd gave a good performance. A little gorier than usual for a Halloween film, but I like it, though I enjoy the Producer's Cut a little more.

[Movie06]

I never saw the Producer's Cut, is it really that good?

[Robin2099]

I never saw the Producer's Cut, is it really that good?
It's comparable to Highlander 2's directors cut. The directors cut may make it a different movie, but it still doesn't make it any better of a movie. There's a lot of dumb stuff in their still. It's a step up from five though.

[Movie06]

In that case, I'll just wait for an official DVD release of that cut.

[Hanshotfirst113]

I've noticed that the producer's cut kicks around eBay and various online sites quite often.

It's comparable to Highlander 2's directors cut. The directors cut may make it a different movie, but it still doesn't make it any better of a movie. There's a lot of dumb stuff in their still. It's a step up from five though.

I think that that line of reasoning is that it cannot possibly get any worse.

In that case, I'll just wait for an official DVD release of that cut.

You'll probably be waiting until hell freezes over; I think that there's some legal tangle with it. Or maybe just laziness.

[Movie06]

You'll probably be waiting until hell freezes over; I think that there's some legal tangle with it. Or maybe just laziness.

I'm sure Dimension Films will somehow put it out, I mean Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut will have to give them the idea somehow.

[Hanshotfirst113]

I don't think so; Dimension are notorious for such things. Also, as I say, they may not be ABLE to; rights issues.

[Movie06]

I don't think so; Dimension are notorious for such things. Also, as I say, they may not be ABLE to; rights issues.

Rights issues? But they own the film don't they or does the director Joe Chapelle has something to do with that?

[Hanshotfirst113]

For one, as the DVD is OOP, it would appear that they don't own it anymore. Or they just plan on rereleasing it at some point and I'm wrong. The latter is more likely. Plus, there are often issues with alternate cuts of the film, probably with the producers, the directors, the producers, or the Plesence estate. And as I say, I doubt that Dimension care, unfortunately, and thus they encourage the lootbeggers.

We'd need someone with more info though. Let me go ask at Fangoria.

[Movie06]

Well, maybe they'll re-release it at some point as you said. But as for this film which is well the final cut, it's alright but it could've been better.

[Hanshotfirst113]

Actually, this is kind of the opposite of Highlander II. I cannot find the original version of that film anywhere except old VHS copies which are impossible to find.

[Movie06]

Actually, this is kind of the opposite of Highlander II. I cannot find the original version of that film anywhere except old VHS copies which are impossible to find.

Old VHS Copies?

[Hanshotfirst113]

Yes. I don't think that the theatrical version was released on anything except VHS. You do know what VHS is, right :p?

[Damien]

Worst of the series. Awful. No surprise that Danielle Harris turned down the part this time around.

And still, I pop it into the VCR once every year or so. Can't be helped.

[Michael24]

Actually, Danielle Harris wanted to come back, but Dimension refused to pay her asking price and instead signed another actress, who had never even seen a Halloween movie.

[Hanshotfirst113]

That sound like Dimension.

[Damien]

That's not what Danielle Harris says.

[Robin2099]

That's not what Danielle Harris says.
Unless she changed her story, she said that they only wanted to pay her screen minimum which she took as an insult. She also said that she didn't like the fact that they were planning to kill Jamie off.

[Damien]

She also said that she didn't like how Jamie went out, and that the overall story was weird, she didn't get it, and it was taking the series in a strange direction.

[Michael24]

Unless she changed her story, she said that they only wanted to pay her screen minimum which she took as an insult. She also said that she didn't like the fact that they were planning to kill Jamie off.

Yeah, that's basically what she said at the 25th anniversary convention in 2003. Also said (at that point) she had still yet to even see The Curse of Michael Myers, though I think she said she'd since grown curious enough to want to see it after all, after having so many people ask her about it.

[Movie06]

Yes. I don't think that the theatrical version was released on anything except VHS. You do know what VHS is, right :p?

No it's just that my local video store was selling a copy the other day.

[Hanshotfirst113]

It's comparable to Highlander 2's directors cut. The directors cut may make it a different movie, but it still doesn't make it any better of a movie.

Basically you're saying that it's one of those films that's just beyond repair?

[Movie06]

You know, I think no matter which cut, Highlander will always be the lamest sequel of all time.

[Michael24]

I don't meant to keep diverting the thread, but I actually enjoyed the Highlander 2 "Renegade Cut" a little more than the original. Worst Sequel of All Time still leans most heavily toward Jaws 3-D, for me at least. :)

[Robin2099]

Basically you're saying that it's one of those films that's just beyond repair?
Pretty much. The producers cut does fix somethings which help the movie make more sense, but all the stupid stuff that drags it down is still present,and the ending to the producers cut is just as bad as the ending that was shown theatrically. The theatrical one was anti-climactic, but the producers cut ending was just assinine. One interesting thing though is that some scenes from the producers cut show up in the edit that was created when it aired on UPN.

[Movie06]

Pretty much. The producers cut does fix somethings which help the movie make more sense, but all the stupid stuff that drags it down is still present,and the ending to the producers cut is just as bad as the ending that was shown theatrically. The theatrical one was anti-climactic, but the producers cut ending was just assinine. One interesting thing though is that some scenes from the producers cut show up in the edit that was created when it aired on UPN.

Well I wish the film will air on The CW so I could see the scenes from the Producer's Cut.

[Damien]

Not that I condone buying questionable items, but comic/sci-fi conventions seem to carry copies of the cut.

I've seen scenes from the Producer's Cut. (Let me digress. Why is it called that and not the Director's Cut? It's not the director's cut that makes it to theaters and video, but the producer's.) Anyway, what they cut was dumb. Cult gatherings. Thorn appearing on Loomis' wrist. Etc. crap.

[Hanshotfirst113]

Not that I condone buying questionable items, but comic/sci-fi conventions seem to carry copies of the cut.

I've seen scenes from the Producer's Cut. (Let me digress. Why is it called that and not the Director's Cut? It's not the director's cut that makes it to theaters and video, but the producer's.) Anyway, what they cut was dumb. Cult gatherings. Thorn appearing on Loomis' wrist. Etc. crap.

They kick around the web in various places, I'm sure. I'd imagine that they show up on eBay all the time. Sad, but that's unfortunatly the way of things, especially when the company is so dense about it :p. You pose a valid point; who was it that originally intended these things in HVI? The producers? The writers? The directors? Does anybody even know?

[Michael24]

I believe the theatrical version of H6 is director Joe Chappelle's final version, because he went back and reshot the entire ending (among some other scenes) and redid the movie before it's release.

So I think that's why it's called the "Producer's Cut," because it was the version the producer's prefered. Perhaps a better name would be just the "Workprint Version?"

[Hanshotfirst113]

It probably has a lot to do with the death of Pleasence.

[Michael24]

Yeah, I believe that was one of the reasons Chappelle reshot the ending.

There was a rumor that Paul Stephen Rudd (who played Tommy) reportedly stood outside of his local theater on opening day and was trying to persuade people to not see the film.

[Movie06]

There was a rumor that Paul Stephen Rudd (who played Tommy) reportedly stood outside of his local theater on opening day and was trying to persuade people to not see the film.

He did, really? Did he hate working on the film?

[Michael24]

Again, it was just a rumor. I don't think it was ever confirmed one way or the other. The reshoots supposedly pissed off many of the actors because they thought it was unprofessional to have to recall everybody and reshoot portions of the film, though several cast members (excluding Rudd) attended the Halloween 25th anniversary convention in 2003 and spoke rather fondly of their experiences on the film. Lead many fans to believe the stories of cast members being pissed were just exaggerated by the rumors.

[Movie06]

Again, it was just a rumor. I don't think it was ever confirmed one way or the other. The reshoots supposedly pissed off many of the actors because they thought it was unprofessional to have to recall everybody and reshoot portions of the film, though several cast members (excluding Rudd) attended the Halloween 25th anniversary convention in 2003 and spoke rather fondly of their experiences on the film. Lead many fans to believe the stories of cast members being pissed were just exaggerated by the rumors.

So, they enjoyed working on the film no matter what, interesting. But I'm curious if that Rudd rumor is true.

[Michael24]

I've always been curious of it, too. From what I've read, Rudd enjoyed the initial shooting, especially because he was getting to work with Donald Pleasence, but like I said, the reshoots supposedly pissed off a lot of the cast, but apparently not as much as the rumors suggested. But I guess Rudd still was soured by the whole reshoot experience and the final outcome of the film. I don't think he's even rarely if ever talked about the film in any interviews since.

[Movie06]

I've always been curious of it, too. From what I've read, Rudd enjoyed the initial shooting, especially because he was getting to work with Donald Pleasence, but like I said, the reshoots supposedly pissed off a lot of the cast, but apparently not as much as the rumors suggested. But I guess Rudd still was soured by the whole reshoot experience and the final outcome of the film. I don't think he's even rarely if ever talked about the film in any interviews since.

Well first, who wouldn't want to work with Donald Pleasence? Second, I guess Rudd just downright hates the film I guess, which is no surprise.

[Kolbar]

Just re-watched this today as I make my way throughout the series again, and I have to say it's nowhere as bad as I remember it being. I think sometimes I get this one confused with Halloween 5 as to which one is bad, and it is definitely H5.

At least with the Black Thorn plot they were trying to do something different with the franchise while still making it fit into the universe. H5 strayed too far from the trail and suffered for it. A lot of homages to H1 are here as well in different scenes and set-ups (Kara running to the house across the street being chased by Michael, Danny dropping the pumpkin, etc.)

But boy, was Donald Pleasence getting old by this time, but God bless him, he stood by the franchise to his dying days. And they reverted him back to his old self for the movie too after H5 made him into a reckless fool and a bully more than anything else.

The killing of Jamie is a cheap shot that they have to do in all horror sequels like: (Caution: spoilers for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Elm Street movies)
Rachel in H5, Alice in F13 Pt 2, Nancy in ANOES 3, etc.
Not the series at its best, but certainly better than H2, H5, Resurrection, and the Rob Zombie film. Heck, I'd watch H5 on an infinite loop before watching Zombie's Halloween again.

My rankings:
1. H1
2. H20 (H7)
3. H4
4. H3 (Season of the Witch; I love this film for some reason)
5. H6
6. H2
7. H8 (Resurrection)
8. H5
9. H9 (Rob Zombie Remake)