Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Halloween II

  • 1981
  • R
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
107K
YOUR RATING
Halloween II (1981)
Trailer 2 for Halloween II
Play trailer2:20
3 Videos
99+ Photos
B-HorrorSlasher HorrorTeen HorrorHorror

While Dr. Loomis hunts for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, and The Shape is not far behind her.While Dr. Loomis hunts for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, and The Shape is not far behind her.While Dr. Loomis hunts for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, and The Shape is not far behind her.

  • Director
    • Rick Rosenthal
  • Writers
    • John Carpenter
    • Debra Hill
  • Stars
    • Jamie Lee Curtis
    • Donald Pleasence
    • Charles Cyphers
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    107K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Rick Rosenthal
    • Writers
      • John Carpenter
      • Debra Hill
    • Stars
      • Jamie Lee Curtis
      • Donald Pleasence
      • Charles Cyphers
    • 748User reviews
    • 194Critic reviews
    • 40Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations total

    Videos3

    Halloween II
    Trailer 2:20
    Halloween II
    Halloween II (1981)
    Trailer 2:19
    Halloween II (1981)
    Halloween II (1981)
    Trailer 2:19
    Halloween II (1981)
    How David Gordon Green Made the 'Halloween' He Wanted to See
    Interview 2:04
    How David Gordon Green Made the 'Halloween' He Wanted to See

    Photos340

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 333
    View Poster

    Top cast44

    Edit
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    Jamie Lee Curtis
    • Laurie Strode
    Donald Pleasence
    Donald Pleasence
    • Sam Loomis
    Charles Cyphers
    Charles Cyphers
    • Leigh Brackett
    Jeffrey Kramer
    Jeffrey Kramer
    • Graham
    Lance Guest
    Lance Guest
    • Jimmy
    Pamela Susan Shoop
    Pamela Susan Shoop
    • Karen
    Hunter von Leer
    Hunter von Leer
    • Gary Hunt
    Dick Warlock
    Dick Warlock
    • The Shape…
    Leo Rossi
    Leo Rossi
    • Budd
    Gloria Gifford
    Gloria Gifford
    • Mrs. Alves
    Tawny Moyer
    Tawny Moyer
    • Jill
    Ana Alicia
    Ana Alicia
    • Janet
    Ford Rainey
    Ford Rainey
    • Dr. Mixter
    Cliff Emmich
    Cliff Emmich
    • Mr. Garrett
    Nancy Stephens
    Nancy Stephens
    • Marion
    John Zenda
    John Zenda
    • Marshall
    Catherine Bergstrom
    Catherine Bergstrom
    • Producer
    Alan Haufrect
    Alan Haufrect
    • Announcer
    • Director
      • Rick Rosenthal
    • Writers
      • John Carpenter
      • Debra Hill
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews748

    6.5107K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6reeceicy

    More kills, more blood, more Michael

    Michael Meyers is back with a higher kill count, more blood, and more of what happened the night he came home. Iconic opening credits (Mr Sandman), one of my favorite opening scenes of any slasher ever, the Halloween theme with the 80's synth, and some gruesome kills courtesy of the hospital setting. Jaime lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence (RIP) return for their roles, acting is above average by horror standards. But the bottom line is Rick Rosenthal is simply not John Carpenter. The charm and suspense from the first Halloween are mostly void from the second. Although dull at times, the final girl circuit and explosive ending more than make up for it.
    clark-39

    A very good sequel.

    Halloween 2 is a very worthy sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 classic. From the opening sequence we pick up exactly where the first film left off, making the two movies play like one whole movie in two separate parts. We continue focusing on Laurie Strode from the first scene and stay with her as she is rushed to the local Haddonfield Memorial Hospital. Rick Rosenthal is directing John Carpenter's script this time, and although he doesn't pull off the techniques Carpenter used in the original, he brings in some new ones that work just as well. The nonexistant gore in the original is very present in this one, and the mode of death changes for each victim, unlike the first where Michael only uses his knife and a phone cord. Very tense scenes are set up throughout the movie that make your heart pound (one in particular takes place in the hospital hot tub). Michael seems to be much more angry and dangerous in this one. He's not in the shadows anymore and it seems his mask has changed, but oh well. Overall, Michael is alot creepier and scary in this one. Watch out for him when he scrunches up his mask in anger. Someone should say bravo to Carpenter for setting the movie in a hospital. The long hallway shots and the creepy music make the setting a classic in horror. Michael roams the halls, searching for Laurie (and this time we find out why). Putting all the doctors, nurses, and Laurie in a place with someone like Michael walking around makes you terrified to see what's around the corner. Loomis is back, too, still out to stop him before he kills anymore. Some strange references to Samhain and ancient evil are brought up that rack up the creep-o-meter sky high. Overall, Halloween 2 is not better than the original, but it is by no means worse. Yes, some scenes have no purpose and the plot is nothing exceptional, but for a sequel it's good enough and besides you'll be too involved to care. If you liked the original, watch this one with it together. Although Carpenter and Rosenthal's direction take two different turns, both films are highly entertaining. And scary...
    7Tweekums

    A more violent but less scary sequel

    This film follows on straight after the events of the first film. Michael Myers has been shot six times by Dr Loomis but there is no sign of a body. Loomis is convinced that he is still alive and will kill again. As Loomis and the police search for Myers, Laurie Strode is taken to the hospital for treatment. Myers is there soon picking off doctors and nurses in various ways.

    The original film was very scary but not excessively gory; this film notably increases to level of gore but unfortunately it isn't as scary. This is because once Myers gets into the hospital it is just a succession of characters we don't really care about getting brutally murdered. The characters we do care about, Laurie and Dr Loomis, are side-lined for too long as she is in bed, off screen and he is out looking for Myers in places he isn't. The hospital setting is good although one has to suspend ones disbelief more than a little as it seems remarkably quiet. Overall this is a decent enough film but a little disappointing considering how good the first was... that was a classic; this isn't.
    7MissCzarChasm

    It's a Decent follow-up but doesn't come close to the Brilliance of the original

    Halloween 2 was a nice try to follow up a slasher classic. I know that it was made because the first film made a nice amount of money but for some reason I can just tell they tried to keep it on par with the original. In some aspects they succeed but in the end we get a routine horror sequel. I guess it's unfair to expect so much out of it but when you're the follow up to a well made horror film it's pretty hard not to.

    The main problem with this sequel is that it moves entirely too slow and the one location it stays in(the hospital) gets boring pretty fast. As Michael slowly stalks the halls we get the feeling that the film is also moving at the same pace.

    Another problem is that it follows the slasher routine by adding characters that are just there to be victims for our killer. The characters in the first film were likable and were pretty developed, even if you knew they all wouldn't make it to the last frame. In this film we get total brain-dead characters who are just asking to be taken out by Myers. The only new character worth mentioning is the character of Jimmy played by Lance Guest. He gives a decent performance and is the only ne character added to the mix worth mentioning.

    One issue that most Halloween fans debate about is whether or not The Shape, as he is commonly called, needed a backstory. I admit that in the first film is total lack of a motive made him much more frightening because it wasn't reason that was driving him to kill, it was just the fact that he was pure evil. In this film the reason he is after Laurie is revealed and it does kinda strip that aspect of the character and make him less scary. However, for story purposes for this sequel, it would be pretty hard to have a 90 minute film and not explain anything about its killer. For this film in particular i appreciate the fact that they added a method to his madness, it just brings down his fright level a few notches. At least the explanation is well-crafted and comes as some sort of a surprise.

    A definite highlight of the film is that it picks up on the same night of the original. It added a level of suspense and consistency that made the story in the sequel much more interesting.

    Donald Pleasance gets more screentime in this film and you can tell he is having fun with the role. He's quite good in this film and maintains the same dignity that made his character likable in the original. Jamie Lee Curtis gets less screentime in this film. She's still good in this film but more of her would've been appreciated. I also wish we could've seen more of the strong powerhouse that we saw in the original but she is still effective in her scenes. Michael Myers himself is given more screentime something i wish would not have been doen. He was a far more threatening presence when he was reduced to the shadows and the background throughout most of the original. More of him makes him less scary.

    In the end it's a fairly good sequel to the original i just wish it could've stayed away from the 80's slasher mantality that made Friday the 13th so popular. However when the essence of the original shines through in this film you begin to think it's a cut above its many imitators
    7Aaron1375

    The last good horror movie featuring Michael Myers.

    As far as I am concerned this was the last Halloween movie with Myers worth watching. I prefer the third movie which has nothing to do with him to all the mess that follows. This movie is a continuation of the first as it is still the same night. Myers has of course gotten up and Jamie Lee has been taken to a hospital to recuperate from her wounds. Of course this one tries to shock us with its revelations and such, but nothing to shocking. There are kills and once again Dr. Loomis is obsessed with getting Myers. Some good kills are to be found as is to be expected. Though I always feel sorry for the guy that gets hit by the car as he is obviously not Myers. There is a television version of this one that totally blows as it is very toned down and they even have a happier ending. Watch the uncut theater version as it is much better.

    More like this

    Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
    5.8
    Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
    Halloween
    7.7
    Halloween
    Halloween III: Season of the Witch
    5.2
    Halloween III: Season of the Witch
    Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
    4.9
    Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
    Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
    5.8
    Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
    Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
    4.7
    Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
    Halloween
    6.5
    Halloween
    Halloween Kills
    5.5
    Halloween Kills
    Halloween
    6.0
    Halloween
    Halloween: Resurrection
    3.9
    Halloween: Resurrection
    Friday the 13th Part 2
    6.1
    Friday the 13th Part 2
    Halloween Ends
    5.0
    Halloween Ends

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The mask Michael wears is the exact same mask (a repainted and modified Captain Kirk mask) worn in the original Halloween (1978) film. It looks different in the sequel because the paint had faded due to a few reasons, first because Nick Castle, the original Michael, kept it in his back pocket during shoots. Also, Debra Hill kept the mask under her bed for several years until the filming of Halloween II, causing it to collect dust and yellow because Hill was a heavy smoker. Also, the mask appears wider because Dick Warlock is shorter and stockier than Nick Castle, so the mask fit his head differently. As the producers thought it would be the final sequel in the series, they let Warlock keep the mask, scalpel, boots, jumpsuit, and knife used in filming. When they decided to revive Michael in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), the producers realized they had made a mistake and never again gave props out to the cast and crew, therefore subsequent sequels used different masks that looked rather different.
    • Goofs
      (at around 2 mins) In Halloween (1978), Michael falls off the back balcony of the Doyle house, however in this film he falls off the front balcony. The balcony in the first movie is a covered balcony, the balcony in this film is not.
    • Quotes

      Doyle Neighbor: Is this a joke? I've been trick-or-treated to death tonight.

      Sam Loomis: You don't know what death is!

    • Crazy credits
      Michael Myers (age 23) is listed in the ending credits. The film takes place in 1978 when Michael Myers is 21 years old, which is also stated by Dr. Loomis in the movie.
    • Alternate versions
      12 seconds of footage of a violent nature were cut when the film was originally released in Ontario, Canada.
    • Connections
      Edited from Halloween (1978)
    • Soundtracks
      Mr. Sandman
      Written by Pat Ballard (uncredited)

      Performed by The Chordettes

      Courtesy of Barnaby Records

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ25

    • How long is Halloween II?Powered by Alexa
    • Was officer Hunt Judith' s boyfriend from the beginning of part 1?
    • What is 'Halloween II' about?
    • Is 'Halloween II' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 30, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Site
      • Trancas International Films
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Halloween II: The Horror Continues
    • Filming locations
      • Morningside Hospital - 8711 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA(hospital)
    • Production companies
      • Dino De Laurentiis Company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $25,533,818
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,446,508
      • Nov 1, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $25,533,818
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Halloween II (1981)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of Halloween II (1981) in Canada?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.