Halloween II (DVD)

When the runaway success of Halloween shocked everybody, including the distributors, in 1978, it seemed apt that they should attempt to rekindle that in some way with a sequel. On the plus side, the first film ended in such a way that a sequel wasn't hard to justify. However, on the downside, there was very little place to go, considering most of the characters from the first film were slaughtered and the film was virtually plotless anyway. So it was left in the deft hands of original creator John Carpenter to come up with a hook to hang the film upon. Opening where the first film ended, Laurie Strode is being transferred to Haddonfield Memorial ...  Read the complete review

After being shot 6 times you wouldn't think that any man would be able to get up and run away, yet that's just what crazed Michael Myers did on Halloween of 1978, after trying to kill teenager Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) he seemingly met his end after being shot by his doctor (Donald Pleasance). However when Michael is nowhere to be seen it would seem that Halloween is far from over for Laurie and Doctor Loomis. Laurie is rushed to hospital after her ordeal with Michael whilst Doctor Loomis continues on in his hunt for Michael before more people are made to suffer at his hands, but when Michael discovers where Laurie is he makes a beeline for her at the ...  Read the complete review

After the box office success and the ever so open ended finale of the original a sequel to Halloween was always on the cards and three years later, in 1981, Myers returned to our screens. However this time John Carpenter would not be directing the film, instead he and Debra Hill only share writing and producing credits for the film while Rick Rosenthal (who also directed Halloween: Resurrection) takes over at the helm. Halloween II takes place on the same night as Halloween with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) rushed to hospital after her ordeal from Myers. Dr Loomis (Donald Pleasence) and Sheriff Brackett (Charles Cyphers) are in a race against time to ...  Read the complete review

Following on from where the original finished is where Halloween 2 starts off, Laurie Strode injured, Micheal Myers (I'll be calling him MM from now on) escaped even though he was badly injured & Dr Loomis still in pursuit. In case you'd forgotten the ending of Halloween there is a brief reprise here from when Laurie sends the 2 kids to call the police onwards. MM should have been caught as he was watching Loomis talk to the cop, there were a load of children walking down the alley and in the amount of time he was watching Loomis they would have reached where he was standing. I've debunked the film in the opening 10 minutes. The 2nd pretty HUGE ...  Read the complete review

John Carpenter's Halloween was an unprecedented success with the world cinema audience when it was released in 1981 and has remained a classic of the horror genre ever since. Despite being produced on a tiny budget it went on to gross millions of dollars and has continued to do so ever since. Of course, in light of this success a sequel was inevitable and a few years ater along came Halloween 2. Halloween 2 was never going to be as good as the original for a few reasons. Firstly John Carpenter, who then had a modicum of talent, wasn't at the helm of it, the director's chair being filled by a certain Mr. Rick Rosenthal instead. secondly, due to its ...  Read the complete review