I know die-hard fans of the original Halloween are dead-set against this film, but based on what I’ve read of the plot, I want to see it.

The idea of acutally delving into what made Michael Myers what he became, giving him a real psychological foundation for his psychopathology, got my interest right there. Evil for evil’s sake may have worked for everybody twenty years ago, but audiences of horror films today want more a more credible basis for a slasher. And Myers coming from a broken (indeed twisted) home makes him more intersting. He’s not merely a guy with a machete, he’s not “just, plain evil,” he’s a man…only twisted.
A screwed up family, a fetish for mask-making, tormented by family and peers, and a well-developed sense of misogony –what’s wrong with showing an audience that? How does that make the movie bad?
No offense Matt, but it seems the only folks who outright hate this film are people who have such reverance for the original Halloween (and there’s nothing wrong with that BTW) that they can’t and won’t tolerate even the IDEA of a remake. It’s doubtful that any remake, no matter how well-done, would satisfy that particular crowd.
And you hate it because Zombie treated Myers as a real person and not some evil “thing?” He gave the guy an actual reason for being a psycho, rather than have him as some sort of “undead” guy who probably isn’t human, who inexplicably hacks people up. For most folks that would make the movie better, but you hate it precisely because of that? Because you think it weighs it down with unnecessary character psychology. I could see it differenly if that’s all the movie was, if the body count was low, the carnage mild and the girls boobs fully covered. From what I’ve read none of those things is true –quite the opposite, this movie will set a new high (or low) for mindless sex and violence. The only difference is, Zombie tries to give us a reason for it. So why the hate? Scratching my head here.
I can’t fault any filmmaker for taking the material too seriously. Slow pacing, yes. Not having the elements that make the story work (or not having enough of them) –yes. But for taking the material “too seriously”? I have yet to see the movie that’s been hurt by that.
I’ve read a lot of reader reviews, folks not so married to the material, and they’ve all said the same thing -it’s not Carpenter’s vision, it’s Zombie’s, and the movie is better with a real backstory to it. Is there tons of blood, boobs and dead bodies? Of course! Is it gratuituous? Of course. Will I go check it out? Of course.
Then again I’ve never seen the original Halloween, believe it or not, and have no bias against Zombie’s version.
I sympathize with you and the reviewers out there kevetching over the rape of your beloved franchise, but I remind you that when Michael Bay was ripping Transformers to shreds (not with a detailed backstory mind you, but rather with vapid storytelling, a shitty plot, and no respect for cannon) all I heard was, “Get a life! Transformers is just a bunch of robots fighting each other. This isn’t your childhood toy anymore, and it’s not your cartoon either! What you liked about Transformers sucked! We want the movie to be TOTALLY different! Long as the CGI is cool I love it! It’s f*cking awesome!” I heard that I was making too much of it, that it was no big deal. I heard a lot of people towing the studio line.
I also predicted that if successful, Transformers would usher in a new era of studio arrogance and disrespect for franchises. All the hard work that Goyer, Nolan, Singer, Burton et. al. had done the last fifteen years to make respecting the franchise priority-one of movie adapatations would be undone in a single act. First the plans for G.I. Joe, now Halloween.
Amazing how critics are never very passionate about ptotecting the integirty of a franchise…until it’s one they revere, then they go ballistic. Well that ship’s already sailed.

You make some really good points Jaysmack but I have to counter on a couple of things.

The reason we should never see Michael Myers backstory is the same reason we should never have seen the backstory to Anakin Skywalker. Mystery works so much better than being force fed things.

I know I bring this up all the time but when Luke Skywalker is talking to Uncle Ben at that breakfast table and Uncle Ben is telling him about his father and how he was a great friend of Vader until Vader turned to the dark side on him, the sense of wonder I always had with that scene was incredible.

The Star Wars prequels that I had in my head for ten years was amazing. The imagery of these two gladiators who were great friends but one turned their back on the other was so simple that you could create anything around it.

The Star Wars prequel trilogy was not the film I had in my head and telling me every detail about Anakin, including showing him as a cute little kid was a hideous idea. Everyone pretty much agree’s with that right?

Now on to Halloween. I don’t want to see why Michael Myers escaped from the hospital (which I believe in Zombie’s vision is because he raped someone), I always loved that they never delved into it… leaving you to imagine why. I don’t wanna know how we could possibly drive that car to escape when he has been in hospital 18 years.

I don’t wanna know why he suddenely became a killer. Because if they do that I might get some sympathy for him and Carpenter’s film was so good at SUBTLY doing that and not FORCE FEEDING it.

Carpenter MADE us watch things from a camera supposedly inside the mask of Myers. We would he him breathe, we would see him stalk his pray but we would never feel close to him even though we really were. It was an uncomfortable place to be.

In the opening of Halloween, we follow Michael Myers as he kills his sister. We follow his path as he walks to his face and from his point of view we see him murder his story.

He then comes outside and the mask comes off… we are shocked to see that a kid did it and we were following him during the act. The camera slowly pans away from the seen as we leave our connection with Myers and we understand that he is just pure evil.

Which makes him so much more frightening. Donald Plesance knew that. He is the Boogeyman. He has no soul. He has no remorse. He’s not even human.

From what I’ve read, Zombie goes Anakin Skywalker on us and I don’t like it one bit.

“A screwed up family, a fetish for mask-making, tormented by family and peers, and a well-developed sense of misogony –what’s wrong with showing an audience that?”

Well we have seen that movie before it’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and I can’t say I cared much for that remake either.

I do give remakes a chance. I always see them if I can (although many not in the theatre as I disagree with them) and sometimes handled with the right creative team they can turn out ok.

I loved Snyder’s version of Dawn of the Dead although I’m a big fan of Romero’s original. It wasn’t too different but the changes it made I liked and added to his version. The Thing… The Fly… War of the Worlds was OK but it’s rare a remake is even watchable.

The Omen and The Wicker Man certainly wasn’t. Again… The Wicker Man… more backstory to the lead character which was so totally unesscary. Again I reitirate, The Wicker Man is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

Maybe I’ll like Halloween, I just really can’t see it but I will give it a chance.

The original Halloween is just one of those movies where a director was so on form it’s almost impossible to match it. I really believe it’s a sacred film that shouldn’t be touched like Psycho for example. It just shouldn’t be done, it’s way too good. The only thing that is weak in Carpenter’s film is the acting but again these people feel real because of it and are never hightened to anything more than High School kids and it works in the films favour.

Eric and I had to see it, and it is truly awful. The first fifteen minutes of this film might be the most repugnant, pointlessly ugly thing I have seen projected onto a movie screen in quite some time. Every single person except Michael Myers is presented as disgusting and vile – in fact, you WANT Myers to hack these people apart.

It’s almost as if Rob Zombie completely missed the point of what made the original so great in the first place. I have no idea how you screw up a formula as simple and perfect as Halloween, but Zombie managed to do it.

Here’s the thing JaySmack. Rob Zombie gives you random events, not backstory. One minute he wants you to feel sorry for Myers the next he wants us the fear him.

He completely ruined Myers mystique. When Myers is on the screen it means nothing, you’re not scared. He’s the God Damn Boogeyman, he should be scary.

Yeah. Rob Zombie ruined Halloween. Ruined it right into the largest opening weekend take in franchise history. So, for everybody keeping track at home, here’s the scorecard:

Zombie: 1 – Fanboys: 0

Im a huge Halloween fan, I love Carpenter’s version. I think if u never saw the original you might actually of liked this film…….but pretty much any moron has seen the original, and to that u were shaking ur head through out the movie…….too changin every god damn thing that made the 1st one so good…… it led u to want more and more. Zombie’s made me want to vomit. How can you change the best part of the movie….Loomis and his convincing of bracket what kind of person really was. Giving away the reason y the movie was so good that u didnt know that laurie was his sister, u didnt find that out till halloween 2……I didnt mind going back and seeing why micheal became the boogeyman. But it was just too much crap shoved down ur throat. The whole movie was just a way to make money, ruining the classic of Halloween……to me this is selfish and a real cheap shot on the story of Micheal Myers!!!!!!!

PLease stop making dumb movies zombie please and thank, please no sequal PLEASSEEEEEEE!!!!!!! im sick right now thinkn of it

thank u

SteveGrassel

I’m not sure that the box office is anything to pound your chest over. Halloween will make money, but due to a bad product and terrible word of mouth a lot of money is being left on the table. Fans want to see Michael Myers on screen and will support a poor product to do so, that doesn’t excuse or justify mishandling a chance to reinvent him.
Michael Myers is more of a household name than Leatherface. I know this will draw arguments, but most non horror fans have seen a couple Halloweens and can tell you about the series. How many non horror fans (wives, girlfriends) have seen TCM 2? Anyway, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake grossed 80 million. Halloween will end up grossing about the same as the When A Stranger Calls remake, around 48 million. Zombie should have done way better.

I dunno I’M a major fan of Halloween movies.
I liked it I only saw the workprint of it but still enjoyed it.
Yes there were some bad scenes(the Mysers in the sheet scene).
I liked it better than any of the so called sequels past Halloween 4.