Halloween II (1981)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Rick Rosenthal

Writers:

John Carpenter (writer)
Debra Hill (writer)

Release Date:

30 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

More Of The Night He Came Home

Plot:

Laurie Strode is rushed to the hospital, while Sheriff Brackett and Dr. Loomis hunt the streets for Michael Myers, who has found Laurie at the Haddonfield Hospital.

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Michael Myers | Halloween | Sheriff | Blood

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Laurie Strode
Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Sam Loomis
Charles Cyphers	...	Sheriff Leigh Brackett
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Graham
Lance Guest	...	Jimmy Lloyd
Pamela Susan Shoop	...	Karen Bailey
Hunter von Leer	...	Deputy Gary Hunt
Dick Warlock	...	The Shape / Patrolman #3
Leo Rossi	...	Budd
Gloria Gifford	...	Mrs. Alves
Tawny Moyer	...	Nurse Jill Franco
Ana Alicia	...	Janet Marshall
Ford Rainey	...	Dr. Frederick Mixter
Cliff Emmich	...	Mr. Garrett
Nancy Stephens	...	Marion Chambers

Also Known As:

Halloween II: The Horror Continues (USA) (working title)
Halloween II: The Nightmare Isn't Over! (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

92 min | Sweden:90 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Norway:18 (re-release) (cut) (1988) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1982) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1982) | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Italy:VM18 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (Banned) | Iceland:(Banned) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1983) | Norway:15 (video) (re-release) (1999) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1986)

Filming Locations:

Kersting Court at Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Company:

De Laurentiis

Trivia:

The scene where the Boom Box Boy, played by Lance Warlock, runs into Michael in Haddonfield town square was shot on one of three nights of re-shoots done by original Halloween (1978) director John Carpenter.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Other than a patient that Jill responds to, no other patients are ever seen or heard throughout the large hospital, despite the fact that the maternity ward has several newborn babies.

Quotes:

Dr. Mixter: Janet, get me some more coffee!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bad Boys (1983)

Soundtrack:

MR. SANDMAN

Mr. Sandman, Bring me a dream....

What is it about Michael Myers that creeps me out so profoundly?Certainly there is a wealth of other horror icons to choose from;Myers is runner-up in this regard when it comes to the real heavies like Freddy Krueger.Certainly he was one of the first movie-maniacs for many, though not mine (that distinction went to momma's boy Jason Vorhees, who I will hold a special place in my heart for) But that isn't quite it either. Was it the mask? breathe a sigh of relief that John Carpenter chose the modified, captain Kirk apparel instead of the original choice of clown regalia (Everyone knows the scariest clown ever award goes to Pennywise)Its just so damned strange and striking. Maybe it was Carpenter's simple yet brilliantly goosebump evoking score (which, unfortunately, is given the electronic treatment in this installment, one of its biggest faults) combined with the Shape's heavy breathing, or Michael's silent implacability and steady stride that always seemed to outpace his victims even if they were racing in the opposite direction.Or it could've been his utterly passionless approach to his work;Freddy and even Jason at times visibly got off on their murder , making them slightly more acessible.Michael Myers is just so completely alien, a man child garbed in a grey mechanic's suit, never better than when implementing that old slasher stand-by , the butcher knife . Even when hes playing his ghost sheet prank in numero Una, a rare moment where you get the sense The Shape is digging his new gig, it still feels unequivocally distinct, not like the sadistic thrill shared by those other monsters. Maybe I'll never pin down what it is exactly that makes Michael Myers My favorite mass murderer and the scariest of the crop, even among more showy contemporaries like Leatherface and that bastard son of a hundred maniacs, but every time I watch "Haloween", (discard ridiculous sequels 4,5&6)I never cease to get a serious case of the wiggins. Beginning EXACTLY where the original left off, 'Halloween 2 ' charts its own terrible course over an economical 93 minutes, never working itself up to anything special but still remaining an underrated,decent sequel.The opening credits seem to to follow the original's exactly, slow zoom-in towards the sinister looking Jack-o-lantern as the infamous Halloween theme plays steadily in the background, but about halfway through the orange shell suddenly splits open , the pumpkin spreading its insides to reveal it's even blacker

core. The original was fun & games is the implication, but now were getting down to the real meat of the matter, and it isn't going to be pretty. Taking the reins this time out is Rick Rosenthal, ( of the execrable 'Hallloween:Resurection')while original scream-queen Jamie lee Curtis reprises her role as Laurie Strode and previous director John Carpenter co-scripts.From the outset,it seems Michael has no intention of ceasing his relentless pursuit of Laurie, and much of the action eventually transpires in the local hospital, With the forever reliable Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleaseance) always one step behind his favorite patient.Now, the 1st installment of 'Halloween' is an undeniable classic, one of the finest horror films made and initiator, it could be argued, of the entire slasher sub-genre.It was obviously a tough act to follow, but Rosenthal Acquits himself admirably, as 'Halloween 2' retains much of the stifling atmosphere of its predecessor and even attempts to reach a tad higher with an explanation for Michael's madness, admirable if not quite successful . The deaths in no. 2 are decidedly more graphic and splashier, in imitation of the body count films of the early eighties, which certainly adds a flavor of nastiness absent in the original, but in the process negates the possibility of our imaginations filling in the grisly details, like the original chose to do, favoring restrained suspense(surprisingly,the upped gore quotient was Carpenter's decision apparently)and the same genius use of shadows and POV isn't utilized as often, but still.... this genuinely feels like the following hours of Laurie's ordeal, even if 3 years have in actuality have passed.The hospital setting is suitably dark & deserted, (naturally no reason is provided) and just the use of such a device taps into the general populace's uneasiness towards hospital stays.As mentioned before, an explanation IS attempted for Michael's killing spree, but this is an unconvincing misstep, reducing him to a crazed supernatural stalker instead of our earlier interpretation of the boogeyman incarnate. The motive in no.1 was that Michael had no real motive, he'd just returned to paint the town red for no apparent reason other than it being his stomping grounds once;a phantom cipher playing its twisted version of trick-or-treat. Loomis constantly insists on not assigning Myers an identity, other than occasional hammy proclamations of "Pure Evil!!" Here, Myers is rampaging through Haddonfield for a family reunion, apparently;thus, all too human (sorta). Like its villain the film does plod somewhat towards the middle as well, but the conclusion is the pure audience manipulation slasher aficionados have come to know and love with the tension racketed up considerably as Michael relentlessly slices & dices his way towards Curtis; Loomis,Police, and plate glass be damned.Not since 'Terminator' has such single-mindedness to annihilate a lone victim been so frightening. The fabulous final few frames should be noted as well,which consists of Jaime Lee staring listlessly into the camera, her mind replaying the Shape's consumption by fire as the score, that old chestnut "Mr.Sandman" by the Chordettes,juxtaposes brilliantly with her vivid recall of Mikey's fiery demise, his mask literally melting as the blazing inferno engulfs him. The effect is simply,thoroughly haunting, and a sneak-preview of the damaged 'Keri Tate'persona of the Halloween to come,'H2O'.That sweet little oldie will never sound remotely the same again. 'Halloween' pt. Deux doesn't chart any new territory, in fact it sticks to the cat & mouse approach of the previous movie adamantly, but in delivering some of the same style and approach, it succeeds as a moderately successful sequel, and is never less than entertaining.