Halloween

Did you know that Rob Zombie directed the trailer “Werewolf Women of the S.S.” which was included in the middle of Grindhouse? On a side note one-half of Grindhouse is coming out on DVD pretty soon, but I am not sure what the reason for only Tarantino's half is coming out, the Zombie trailer is not included.

Halloween, of course, is a remake of the 1978 John Carpenter movie starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Have you ever seen Carpenter's earlier Dark Star? In case you are wondering the slasher theme of the movie is still very well intact, after all Rob Zombie is directing, though there has been a lot added to the story, mostly dealing with how Mike Myers became the slasher Michael Myers that we all know and love.

I have a question. Does Mr. Zombie have to include crazed hillbilly type character in every movie? I had mixed feelings about this film. I liked the second half when we finally get to the adult Myers; it is very well photographed and creepy and doesn't get sidetracked on a lot of talents. If slasher movies are your thing, then you might like this (I get pretty bored with slasher type movies, “Watch out for what is behind that DOOR!). But this doesn't make up for the somewhat lame first half of the movie. The movie has it's scary moments, but I never really got involved with what was going on. The low point is when the poor young Myers is sitting on the curb thinking about his stripper mom while “Love Hurts” blares loud enough to make your hair stand on end. The scene doesn't work as comedy, it doesn't work as drama, it just doesn't work, and that particular scene really left a bad taste in my mouth. The casting in this version is not especially strong, though Tyler Man as the elder Myers, even when we don't see his face, lends a real feeling of menace to the movie. Malcolm Macdowell is a nice surprise though he looks like he sat in the makeup chair a bit too long. Danny Trejo, who was in the “Machete” trailer of Grindhouse , was great to see in a bit part of this movie. They do use a bit of the original's Halloween music, though I was never a big fan of that particular movie's soundtrack, reminds me of a poor man's Philip Glass. The music should be scary, not tedious (see Seven).

You can write James Harper at movielover77061@yahoo.com