Black cats and goblins and broomsticks and ghosts
Covens of witches with all of their hosts
You may think they scare me,
You're probably right.
Black cats and goblins
On Halloween night
TRICK OR TREAT !
On October 19th, 2018 I will return to Haddonfield once again to face the faceless boogeyman along with Laurie Strode
The first full length trailer has me excited to see this movie. But what kind of movie are we in for as a viewer?
From what I have gathered,while avoiding spoilers, the movie will take place 40 years after the events of John Carpenter's original Halloween. Omitting any of the events that occurred in the series of sequels that followed.No more of the night he came home at the hospital.No pursuing the daughter of Laurie Strode.No stalking of Laurie across the country 20 years later.No Michael Myers in space.....(which was actually,though I hope jokingly, proposed at one point.)
According to the trailer, Michael only killed three innocent teenagers on that fateful night. And as we know, fate never changes.Especially for our Laurie Strode.
But what of her fate this time? For forty years this Laurie has been waiting,anticipating his return.Even praying that Michael would escape and come for her once more.But why?Yes,the traumatic events of that night are sure to leave the poor child in a state of shock with long suffering post traumatic disorder. But what would make her think that he would still be coming for her again? Without the followup of the original Halloween II, where Michael continued to stalk Laurie at the hospital and into the morning,What would be her basis for context to think that he would one day escape and come specifically for her? The trailer says he was captured on the original night and has been locked up ever since.
Has he spoken her name?Carved it into the wall of his cell?Or does Laurie live in fear that this is not over until one of them dies?
Maybe in the movie they may say something along the lines that Michael pursued her to the hospital and THAT'S where he was captured.This would play into her present paranoia that he will never give up. He waited 15 years after killing his sister to one night decide to go trick or treating.Whats another 40?
Well,another 40 would make Michael 61 years old
In regards to Laurie, it's understandable,losing your two best friends in such a horrible way and almost losing your life as well,would be traumatizing. Paranoid inducing,even. I imagine that the kids who have survived watching their friends die violently in a school shooting have experienced something similar to her.
Laurie as a character has been dealing with the implied feared threat of Michael's return ...every single second ..of every single day of her life.
Every moment of her life, from good to bad would be tainted by the thought of Michael's return. Laurie, sick with the flu or some other common illness? There would be the fear of "will I be strong enough to fight back if he returns now?" Laurie grows up and has children of her own,while there are normal everyday worries that come with parenthood, she has to live with the fear and constant thought that her child could be in danger from the boogeyman every time she sends them out her front door.
And....Do you tell your child?in effort to protect them from this extra dangerous "stranger" danger?If so ,at what age....and how? And when you do, you then have to deal with the fact that you've now passed on your fear and grief to a loved one.Albeit in effort to help keep them safe.
Undoubtedly the kids on the playground would be itching to mock the children of the boogeyman,the Halloween killers intended victim. "He's gonna getcha.The boogeyman is coming". As the night unfolds, I wonder if we will see pranksters wearing "The Shape" mask.And will we see Laurie shoot at the person thinking it is the real Michael.This could leave her unwillingly pausing when the real danger is in front of her.
I hope this movie explores the PTSD of surviving a horrific experience where your closest friends were murdered and you have to go on living as the only survivor. How one might cope with that....especially if the killer is still alive?
I'm picturing Laurie thinking about Michael every day. Often finding herself subconsciously driving past Smithsgrove at night.Getting out of her car and going up to the front doors and pulling on them.Checking to make sure they are locked.Has she stood outside the fence staring at Michael.Watching him from afar like he did her on that Halloween day?
The choice for Laurie to be prepared for the confrontation is perfect.It brings home the effects of the experience of her original encounter. She was terrorized and left traumatized to a point that she trained herself to fire a gun with accuracy.And she practices regularly to stay ready.She has installed security measures to her home.She is thinking of the possibilities and how to survive.
Even in the original movie Laurie wasn't a just screaming shrinking violet.I think it's often overlooked that in these horror movies the characters are often still children.Young teenagers,no more than sixteen or seventeen years old.Being played by an actress who is in their early 20's can make one forget that fact. Visually we see a older woman, not a young girl.So when Laurie is confronted with Michael and his handiwork, we need to remember she is experiencing it through the eyes of a 17 year old. Her quiet reserved suburban life of doing homework,laughing with girlfriends, and wanting to go out on a date with a boy is all she has known. She probably has never watched a horror movie before ,other than maybe a Universal black and white classic.Perhaps Psycho.But certainly not a movie about a slasher who stalks teenagers.
Moments where Laurie drops Michael's butcher knife can come across as foolish. But the truth of the matter is that she is reacting as a 17 year old girl who is holding the very knife that murdered her best friends. Its covered in their blood,her blood even. She is repulsed.In shock.This is not normal.But despite the absurdity,Laurie still finds means to be resourceful,to protect herself and the children she is babysitting.Whether its her knitting needle or a wire hanger, Laurie uses her wits to fight back despite the intense fear she is experiencing.
I appreciate the contrast set up between Michael and Laurie and how each has waited many years,though for different reasons, with the intent and desire to kill the other . He for whatever psychologically damaged reasons. She to protect her self and end her terror
The exclusion of the sequel doesn't bother me. It just means that going into this story the starting point is the end of the original John Carpenter's Halloween and not post parts 9,10,20 etc.. Won't take any enjoyment away from watching Halloween II or any of the sequels.
I kind of like the "Choose your own adventure" Halloween viewing option that has existed with the multiple timelines.One can watch the original,part 2 and then H20 if they wish. One could watch the original and then just H20,even. The original and then Part 4. Pick your pumpkin.
It's intriguing that they openly addressed the "Brother" story line so prominently in the trailer. While I have nothing against the idea of Laurie and Michael being related, it did make it a bit ridiculous when it came time for each subsequent sequel for the writers to dig up another relative for Michael to cut off from the family tree.Removing the family aspect returns Michael into just a fate of chance that Laurie happened to be the one he chose to follow that night.Unpredictable,unmotivated evil.
But it still begs the question: why now?40 years later? and why Laurie,again?In the original ,it is assumed Michael is just trying to relive that Halloween night he spent with Judith.Why wouldn't he just pick someone new to play carve the pumpkin with rather than seek out an ex he never x'ed out?
If not brother and sister? what will be the drive? In the original, Michael just one day decided to go trick or treating.It was the fate of Laurie dropping the key under the mat of the old Myers place just when Michael was home for the day that introduced him to her. And then he chose to follow Laurie around for the rest of the day until he could muster up the courage to "ask her out".
What will set Michael off this time? It appears to be indicated that a documentary crew doing a piece on Michael may be the button pushers. For some unexplained reason they are allowed to bring the mask from Michael's first murder spree into the sanitarium and show it to him.Why anyone would be allowed to bring that in knowing it could have a negative effect on the patient ,beggars belief.WHO WOULD ALLOW THIS?!?!?
Ultimately,I think this is a red herring. The scene will build up the tension of the moment with the other patients making noise. The doc crew hopes to illicit and capture on camera a madman response from Michael by showing him "the mask". But I think he will remain stone cold and unresponsive. Making his escape later in the evening like before.Letting the other patients out as a distraction.
Or.....what if it is discovered that this person who has been locked up for the last 40 years is actually NOT Michael Myers.As we saw in Halloween II, there were others walking around wearing that Shatner mask on that night.Poor Ben Tramer never would get to ask out Laurie Strode. What if Michael wasn't the one captured on that night? And has been out there all this time.The trailer gave several nods to moments that happened in previous sequels.This could be another nod to one for both Part 2 and H20.
If this is Michael, Might the film crew reveal something to Michael that sets him off?Could the Doctors have kept the calendar away from Michael so that he never knew what day it was,especially when it was October 31st? Could the Doctors have told Michael, in one of his sessions, that Laurie was dead to prevent him from having the urge to escape again? But the film crew lets slip that Laurie is still alive? Still living in Haddonfield?
And why is she still living in Haddonfield? I would think she would want to get faaaaaaar away from the memories. Townsfolk probably treated her poorly as she grew into an adult. Whispering about her behind her back.Staring.Constant.."Hey, aren't you that Halloween girl?" Always pointing at her.I imagine she received many a prank call on or around Halloween with jerks saying they were coming for her, or just heavy breathing into the phone
One of the reasons for her stay,seems to want to be there to finish this.Laurie appears to have evolved into the Loomis character for this movie. Obsessed with stopping Michael however possible.Training herself to be ready. Convinced of his inevitable evil return.
Out of all of the things to return in this movie, my favorite is the John Carpenter Halloween original score. John Carpenter himself will return to score this movie. And this means more to me than whatever will happen on the screen. I could never see the movie ,but have the soundtrack to listen to, and I would be forever happy.
My love of movie scores began with the original Halloween John Carpenter music.I had taken notice of soundtracks before but nothing ever stuck with me other than the occasional sitcom theme.But this music....
From the moment I heard the opening piano theme on my first viewing of the movie on basic television in the early 1980's, I was hooked.I wanted to listen to this music over an over. It eventually became the first CD I ever owned. And started a love for soundtracks,particularly scores, that has now passed the #1000 in my collection. I've even somehow managed to acquire scores for movies that I have still yet to see.(mostly from clearance bins,but still added to the collection)
I will listen to virtually any version of the Halloween theme.And have. From industrial band covers to parody versions ,complete with lyrics that tell the tale of the first movie, to ,yes, even a version played entirely on the accordion. For the last 13 years I have put together an annual mixtape of Halloween themed music and every year I have found some new version of the original theme to be included somewhere in the mix.
If the trailer is any indication, the John Carpenter theme will return. And how could it not? The Halloween theme is synonymous with Michael Myers.The constant unrelenting drive forward ,the never ceasing presence of the 5/4 time beat.Like Michael, its absence would be detrimental.Its just not a Halloween movie without it.Carpenter himself even spoke of this where he discussed showing a cut of the movie to a reviewer without the score attached and the viewer was left more than unimpressed. The impact was illustrated on a DVD feature where you could watch scenes from the original movie without the score and with it included for comparison.
Like Jaws with its two note theme,Friday the 13th with its "Ki-ki--ma-ma". The 5/4 Halloween riff is a must.Like Jaws and Jason,it tells the viewer that Michael is close.....and coming closer.Dread and tension build up along with the music that refuses to release the listener till the knife plunges and the stinger screams.
In regards to all the sequels,It must be difficult to hire someone to score a movie/sequel that has such an established theme(s). As the hired composer, you would be required to include the theme on several occasions,basically rerecording someone else's music and contributing little of your own. So its good to know that the man himself will return to score the new movie with his own themes,revamped,and maybe some original material. Carpenter has been recording new "score" music and having a great time performing live on tour with his kids. So hopefully some of that enthusiasm carries over to this project.
John Carpenter scores his movies with the eyes and ears of a director.One who had to make the most of what he could do for his movies with their limited budget.So sometimes,his doing the scoring of his own films was what he could afford in order to get the project made.Good thing he was adept at establishing mood and tone.Atmosphere.I still get chills and thrills listening to John Carpenter's "The Fog" score
His original score plays throughout most of the original movie.With very little other music,especially songs, coming into play.It alternates between 3 themes. The main piano riff, Lauries theme, and the stalking theme.
Lauries theme is a wonderfully simple somber introspective sound that gives the listener a peek into the internal struggle of hers that's about to becomes external.There is a loneliness in this piano.Laurie is lonely.Her weekends are full of books and babysitting while her friends go out on dates.You can almost sense that something bad is already going to happen to Laurie,and shes walking towards it,unawares.Fate. In this case, A boy is going to show interest in her for the first time,but in a way she never could have dreamed.She won't wish he had HIM all alone on the night he came home.
I sincerely hope we are treated with another long slow opening camera track into a candle lit pumpkin in a endless black space while the original theme plays its mix of jangled nerves and calliope music as the orange opening credits roll.
If this movie works, it could open up the door for telling new stories to old favorites. For example, what if they did a sequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street that took place years after the first movie and was about what Nancy would do if Freddy returned to terrorize her today as an adult? Eliminate the baggage of the sequels.What if this time Nancy was the parent and it was her child that was being hunted? Because of her experience ,she would believe her child,but maybe be unable to protect the kid because its the child's dreams Freddy now comes to ,and not Nancy's.Wes Craven's New Nightmare touched on this idea.But itself was a look at the idea of Freddy and those who brought him to life.
One last thought from the trailer,the bit when Michael drops the teeth over the partition is a interesting moment.
TRICK OR TREAT !
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