Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Director:

Dwight H. Little

Writers (WGA):

Danny Lipsius (story) &
Larry Rattner (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Ten Years Ago HE Changed The Face Of Halloween. Tonight HE'S BACK!

Plot:

Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece on Halloween. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?

Plot Keywords:

Halloween | Ambulance | Murder | Blood | Knife

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Sam Loomis
Ellie Cornell	...	Rachel Carruthers
Danielle Harris	...	Jamie Lloyd
George P. Wilbur	...	Michael Myers
Michael Pataki	...	Dr. Hoffman
Beau Starr	...	Sheriff Ben Meeker
Kathleen Kinmont	...	Kelly Meeker
Sasha Jenson	...	Brady
Gene Ross	...	Earl
Carmen Filpi	...	Rev. Jackson P. Sayer
Raymond O'Connor	...	Security Guard
Jeff Olson	...	Richard Carruthers
Karen Alston	...	Darlene Carruthers
Nancy Borgenicht	...	Woman Attendant
David Jensen	...	Man Attendant
Rand Kennedy	...	Trooper #1
Don Glover	...	Trooper #2
Robert Conder	...	Trooper #3
Richard Jewkes	...	Trooper #4
Jordan Bradley	...	Kyle
Richy Cumba	...	Boy
Stephanie Dees	...	Girl
Leslie L. Rohland	...	Lindsey
M.J. McDonnell	...	Dr. Hoffman's Assistant
Harlow Marks	...	Power Worker
Richard Stay	...	Wade
Danny Ray	...	Tommy
Michael Flynn	...	Deputy Pierce
Beverly Rowland	...	Elderly Woman (as Beverly Booth Rowland)
George Sullivan	...	Deputy Logan
Ron Harrison	...	Hick Kid
Tami Sanders	...	Anchorwoman
Walt Logan Field	...	Unger
Michael Ruud	...	Big Al
Eric Hart	...	Orrin Gateway
Donré Sampson	...	State Policeman (as Don Ré Sampson)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kelly Lookinland	...	Dead Penney's Gas Waitress (uncredited)
Erik Preston	...	Young Michael Myers (uncredited)
D.L. Walker	...	Mental Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Dwight H. Little

Writing credits (WGA)
Danny Lipsius		(story) (as Dhani Lipsius) &
Larry Rattner		(story) &
Benjamin Ruffner		(story) and
Alan B. McElroy		(story)
Alan B. McElroy		(screenplay)

Produced by
Moustapha Akkad	....	executive producer
Paul Freeman	....	producer
Anthony Masi	....	commentary producer
Anthony Masi	....	segment producer (bonus segments)
M.N. Sanousi	....	associate producer (as M. Sanousi)

Original Music by
Alan Howarth

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister

Film Editing by
Curtiss Clayton

Casting by
Paul Bengston
David Cohn

Art Direction by
Roger Crandall		(as Roger S. Crandall)

Set Decoration by
Nickle Lauritzen

Costume Design by
Rosalie Wallace

Makeup Department
Ken Horn	....	makeup technician
Diane F. Memmott	....	hair stylist (as Diane Memmott)
Susan Reyes	....	makeup artist
Wayne Toth	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
S. Michael Formica	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Fleck	....	second assistant director
Denis L. Stewart	....	first assistant director (as Denis Stewart)

Art Department
Tom Altobello	....	third props
Gary Bodily	....	carpenter
Les Boothe	....	lead man
Wendy K. Fischer	....	lead man
Matt Golden	....	production illustrator
Craig Graham	....	lead man
Jeff Jones	....	carpenter
Paul La Chance	....	carpenter
Scott MacCaughern	....	assistant props
Richard W. Meyer	....	construction coordinator (as Richard Meyer)
Roy 'Bucky' Moore	....	property master
Bruce Wing	....	lead man

Sound Department
Barbara Barnaby	....	foley editor
David Bartholomew	....	assistant sound editor
Don Crosby	....	sound editor
Flash Deros	....	boom operator
Martin Dreffke	....	sound editor
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound recording mixer (as Charles 'Bud' Grenzbach)
Greg Jacobs	....	adr editor
John Lawson	....	stereo sound consultant: Ultra Stereo
Mark Hopkins McNabb	....	sound mixer (as Mark McNabb)
Anthony Milch	....	supervising sound editor (as Anthony R. Milch)
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound recording mixer
John Wilkinson	....	sound recording mixer (as John 'Doc' Wilkinson)

Special Effects by
John Carl Buechler	....	special effects makeup designer (as John Buechler)
John Carl Buechler	....	special effects makeup supervisor (as John Buechler)
Michael Deak	....	on-set effects supervisor
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator
John Foster	....	special effects production manager
Robert Phillips	....	special effects assistant (as Bob Phillips)
Patrick Simmons	....	special effects technician
Tom Tallon	....	special effects department
Wayne Toth	....	special effects
George Zamora	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunt double: Danielle Harris
Debbie Evans	....	driving stunt double: Ellie Cornell
Kent Hays	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunt coordinator
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Bob Miles	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Patricia M. Peters	....	stunt double: Ellie Cornell
Fenton Quinn	....	stunts (as Fenton G. Quinn)
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul C. Babin	....	camera operator (as Paul Babin)
Alan Caso	....	steadicam operator
Bryan Clifton	....	dolly grip
Harry Conklin	....	dolly grip
Harry Conklin	....	utility grip
John Connell	....	first assistant camera
Rhett E. Fernsten	....	best boy (as Rhett Fernsten)
Jason Fife	....	best boy
Julie Fife	....	electrician
Steve John Grnya Jr.	....	grip
David R. Kohn	....	electrician (as David Kohn)
Chuck La Rocca	....	key grip
Alan Oakes	....	grip
Henning Schellerup	....	electrician
Garlan Wilde	....	gaffer
Sharon Wilson	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Deedee Bradley	....	casting associate
Terri Pappas	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lawane Cole	....	second assistant wardrobe
Marian 'Betsy' Russell	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Carla Christina Formica	....	second assistant editor
Greg Hayden	....	second assistant editor
David R. Jenkins	....	apprentice editor
Caroline Ross	....	assistant editor
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
John Carpenter	....	composer: theme "Halloween"

Transportation Department
Michael 'Crash' Anderson	....	driver (as Mike Anderson)
John R. Baumer	....	driver
Peter Daniels	....	driver
Mickey Guinn	....	driver
Tam Halling	....	transportation coordinator
Chava Monjaraz	....	driver
Daniel Phillips	....	transportation captain
Chris Reiter	....	transportation co-captain
David Shaffer	....	driver

Other crew
Malek Akkad	....	production assistant
Linda 'Bunky' Conklin	....	script supervisor
Nour Dardari	....	assistant production accountant (as M. Nour Dardari)
Tony Habeeb	....	publicist
Kelly Lookinland	....	production secretary (as Kelly W. Lookinland)
Mike Lookinland	....	production assistant
Manuel Lozano	....	caterer
Mary Lou Nelson	....	assistant to executive producer
Louise Pezel	....	studio teacher
Fenton Quinn	....	first aid
Tessa Rodriguez	....	production assistant
German Rodriquez	....	caterer
Troy Rohovit	....	production assistant
John Rymer	....	location utility
Arlene Sibley	....	location coordinator
Dorothy Sidwell	....	production coordinator (as Dorothy M. Sidwell)
Jette Sorensen	....	production accountant
Paul Swearingen	....	audience host
Matt Tapia	....	production assistant
Anthony Vickers	....	craft service
Ronald Walkshorse	....	hot set security
Clint Youngreen	....	animal trainer
Oscar Zoghbi	....	executive in charge of finance
Scott Robertson Price	....	set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Trancas International Films

Distributors

• Galaxy International Releasing (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Filmpac Distribution (1989) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Metropol-Filmverleih (1989) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Sinfonia Films (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1989) (UK) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Blue Diamond Video (19??) (Venezuela) (VHS) (re-release)
• Braveworld (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Digital Entertainment Ltd. (200?) (UK) (DVD)
• Filmpac Home Video (1989) (Australia) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Laser Paradise (200?) (Germany) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• RTL2 (1999) (Germany) (TV)
• Video Film Express (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Vox (????) (Germany) (TV)

Special Effects

• Magical Media Industries (special effects make-up)

Other Companies

• Mario's Catering  caterer
• Ryder Sound Services  sound by
• Howard Anderson Company, The  main titles/opticals (as Howard A. Anderson Co.)
• Electric Melody Studios  music recorded at
• Bedini Audio Special Environment (BASE)  sound track processed with
• Varèse Sarabande  original soundtrack available on (as Varese Sarabande Records, Cassettes, and Compact Discs)
• Redman Movies and Stories  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Halloween 4" - Philippines (English title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | New Zealand:R13 | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG (cut) | Portugal:M/16 | Italy:VM14 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

1300 E 700 S Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Company:

Trancas International Films

Trivia:

Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady) of "The Brady Bunch" (1969) was the production assistant. His wife, Kelly Lookinland, played the dead waitress.

Goofs:

Continuity: The wall behind Michael changes as he takes the gun away from Brady. First, there is a solid wall with decorative hangings, then there is a shot of the front door, then the solid wall again.

Quotes:

Dr. Samuel Loomis:Why wasn't I notified?
Dr. Hoffman:About what?
Dr. Samuel Loomis:You know damn well about what! You let them take it out of here!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

Soundtrack:

Halloween Theme

Not bad . . .

. . . considering Halloween 4 came some eight years after the previous Myers-inclusive Halloween, considering Carpenter had even less influence, considering the plot took a slightly different direction, considering most other franchises really suck before they even get to 3 sequels.

The problem I have with most horror sequels is the fact it switches over to new characters every film, and none of the characters really get much sympathy. I dunno if I ever cared about anyone in Friday the 13th. But in the Halloweens (1,2,4,and 5), they've always taken the time to get to know the main characters first and stick with them for at least one sequel. Also in Halloween, we had a staple character besides Myers - Donald Pleasence - who returned to battle Myers every time until his untimely death.

I really liked the Jamie Lloyd character (I mean, getting decent actors in horror is difficult enough, but getting a good child actor in horror? Look at Child's Play! We struck gold with Danielle), her storyline, and the rest of the new characters for Michael to stalk. Oh yes, and of course, Donald Pleasence.

Alan Howarth parts with Carpenter, and takes the score solo, playing some fun twists to the main Halloween and the stalking theme, giving Jamie a theme appropriately derivative of Laurie's theme and intermingling all the themes in various places for an original sound with music that's been with us for 2 movies now.

Hopefully the viewer won't remember the end of Halloween 2 well enough to recall Laurie shooting Michael's eyes out, and him stumbling around slicing blindly as blood ran down his mask--wait, this is horror, everyone's accustomed to inconsistency with horror. Nevermind. Besides, compared to the plot holes of Curse of Michael Myers and then H20 neglecting Halloween 4 & 5, who cares about that minor detail.

Despite the new look, new characters, new tweaks, Halloween 4 can't escape the fact that it is a sequel slasher and so despite everything that's new (that works) . . . it's all the same. That's where my problem with the film lay, and that's why I can't rank this up there with some of my favorite horror films of all time. It's a good Halloween sequel, but there are better, more original films, within this series and especially in other series. Oh well.