Screen Rant » halloween 2

Halloween II Director’s Cut: Is It Worth Another Look?

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:46:42 +0000

According to Shock Til You Drop, director Rob Zombie has been saying for some time now that Halloween II – the second chapter in his reboot of the Halloween franchise first started by John Carpenter back in 1978 – has a whole different version that never made it to theaters. Of course, as with all these cases, Halloween II “The Alterno Version” was promised as a “director’s cut” to be released on DVD.

Well, with Halloween II passing quietly through theaters back in August, and the DVD release not far off, the subject of the director’s cut has once again come up, with Zombie dropping a few details about what we would get from this cut-never-seen.

So is it worth your time to take another stab at Halloween II? You be the judge:

Said Zombie:

“There is another version of the movie that’s very, very different..Laurie Strode’s character is the main difference…(In the theatrical) She’s holding it together, getting her life together and it starts spiraling downward. In the other version, she’s an incredible mess and gets worse. She never has any good moments, she’s just messed up, she’s lashing out at everyone, she’s horrible. Messed up on drugs, she’s just completely spun out through the whole movie. It makes for a real challenging movie to watch and I feel like I don’t know if fans would’ve embraced so much darkness.”

Whoa… Is he kidding?

Despite what you may have thought about Halloween II – here’s what I thought about it – one thing that can’t be debated is that it is one dark, intense, film that doesn’t have one ray of light within it. At all. Hearing Zombie describe this director’s cut makes me wonder one thing and one thing only – what the hell is up with this guy? Did somebody stomp his favorite puppy’s head in as a child, or what?

Zombie also noted at least one specific difference between the two cuts of the film:

“…[Laurie's] relationship with Annie is horrible and they’re at each other’s throats through the whole movie. They are not in the theatrical version.”

Cat fighting? Now that DOES sound kind of interesting… LOL. Seriously though, this unseen version of the movie must have been a real treat for actress Scout Taylor-Compton, who plays Laurie Strode: she gets beat up, cut up, bloodied, crazied, drugged-out, ridiculed, humiliated and ostracized. Yep, everything a young actress is looking for in a role!

Scout Taylor-Compton enjoying the life of a Thespian

I’m poking fun, but I must confess that hearing about “Halloween II: Extra Dark” has baited me on the hook; I’ve got to check it out now, if only to garner some answer to my earlier question: what the hell is up with Rob Zombie? I’m a morbid guy, so this is pretty much my alley to play in.

How about you, though – you interested in seeing the black hole version of Halloween II that was too bleak for theaters? Or have you had your fill of Rob Zombie cinema for awhile?

No word yet on when the DVD (with director’s cut) will become available, but we’ll keep you posted.

Source: Shock Til You Drop

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‘My Bloody Valentine’ Director In Talks For Halloween 3D?

Scott Miller — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:44:38 +0000

Patrick Lussier, director of My Bloody Valentine 3D and editor of a ton of Wes Craven movies, (including the Scream series) has been apparently chatting with Dimension Films about directing the upcoming Halloween 3D, which is supposedly due out in the summer of 2010.

Rob Zombie (The Devil’s Rejects) had taken on directing responsibilities for the 2007 Halloween reboot and Halloween II which is in theaters now. Bob Weinstein (co-head of the Weinstein Co., parent corporation of Dimension Films) recently let it be known that Zombie won’t be directing Halloween 3D, despite the fact that the film is set to pick up right where Halloween II left off.

Halloween 3D is the eleventh film in the horror franchise, which dates back to 1978 with the original Halloween under director John Carpenter. The franchise has centered around the fictional (and doggedly murderous) character of Michael Myers, who goes on rampage after rampage – after rampage after rampage – on Halloween night. The franchise has grossed more than $300MM worldwide.

Halloween 3D will join the Iron Man (allegedly) and Toy Story franchises – among others – in the salon of 3D makeovers. A knife covered in blood sounds like the perfect object to be seen jutting out beyond the movie screen to me (but then again I have yet to see My Bloody Valentine 3D, so I have yet to be jaded by cheesy 3D horror gimmicks).

Aaannyway, it’s interesting that Halloween 3D hasn’t received an official green-light, yet the studio is already scouting directors? After what many considered a lackluster follow up from Zombie (including SR’s Kofi Outlaw) – and with the the box office returns for Halloween II looking slimmer and slimmer as the weeks go on, no doubt the Weinsteins will be thinking long and hard about the man (or woman) to helm the next installment.

Our friends over at Bloody-Disgusting dug up this bit of information, go check ‘em out for a little more on it. Or if you’re in the mood to ponder and share, who would you like to see directing Halloween 3D?

Source: Bloody Disgusting

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Halloween II Review

Kofi Outlaw — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:59:59 +0000

Short Version: Halloween II is the most ambitious and most accomplished movie I’ve seen from Rob Zombie. But it’s still not quite what I would call “a good film.”

Screen Rant Reviews Halloween II

Halloween II picks up literally where writer/director Rob Zombie’s 2007 Halloween reboot left off: Michael Myers shot down by his little sister Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton), while Laurie herself is left battered, bloody and half-crazed by her ordeal. The first third of the sequel pretty much revels in the repercussions of the first film, focusing on the survivors and the hell they go through physically, mentally and emotionally as their wounds (literal and metaphorical) are treated and the gore is wiped clean. This first third is also the only real nod to Rick Rosenthal’s 1981 sequel to John Carpenter’s original Halloween, which was almost entirely set in the hospital Laurie Strode is being treated in following Michael’s Halloween massacre.

However, even as Laurie’s body heals with time, her mind is still deeply wounded – so much so that almost every time she closes her eyes to sleep she is terrorized by waking nightmares (shot in the surreal style of a White Zombie video), which get a bit tiresome after the third sequence or so. Helping Laurie deal are her best friend Annie (Danielle Harris), also a survivor of the massacre, and Annie’s father Sheriff Brackett (Brad Dourif). Meanwhile, Michael’s former shrink Dr. Sam Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) is out and about trying to push his much-despised book exploiting the Meyers family history.

A full year passes and as Halloween once again rolls around, the ripples of Michael Myers’ violence start to eat away at the peace of the survivors, even as the killer himself appears once again to finish what he started.

Now, when Rob Zombie set out to reboot the Halloween franchise, he made it clear from the get-go that he wouldn’t be trying to remake John Carpenter’s 1978 original about a mysterious, murderous stalker. Zombie’s ambition was to get (literally) beneath the mask of Michael Myers in order to explore larger themes of love, hatred and violence and how pervasive and destructive those forces can be.

It was an interesting concept, especially in the case of Michael Myers. The horror icon wasn’t even a “character” in Carpenter’s original film – in fact, the closing credits bill Nick Castle, the first actor to play Myers, as “The Shape” and not Michael Myers. Only in the increasingly absurd sequels to Carpenter’s film was the modern myth of Michael Myers truly born, and even as that mythology grew, the character of Myers himself became increasingly drab and stale: a robotic murder-man with the supernatural ability to resurrect himself from any and every death.

Flash-forward to Zombie’s reboot: I thought the ambition was honorable, but the execution of the film wasn’t nearly up to the challenge of its goals. What we ended up with was an overdone origin story about young Michael Myers and his trashy family (yawn), ending in a by-the-numbers slasher flick that paled in comparison to Carpenter’s deliciously slow-burning stalker creep-fest.

Which brings us back to Halloween II. With this sequel I think Zombie had a much firmer grasp on themes he was trying to explore and the story he was trying tell in the first installment. And while this sequel certainly does offer a fresh look at the Halloween mythos, with some very strong (read: disturbing) scenes, ultimately Zombie’s skills as a filmmaker – while showing signs of vast improvement – still need time to flourish.

The killing scenes in this film are undoubtedly the high point. Gone are the gleefully formulaic and emotionally vapid death scenes of the average slasher flick; actor Tyler Mane (Sabertooth from X-Men) succeeds in portraying Michael Myers like a flesh and blood reality, rather than a supernatural phenomenon. Each time Michael kills, Zombie lets the camera linger over the fallen victim while Mane provides a distinct and disturbing “performance,” grunting and huffing as he stabs and stabs and stabs, catches his breath and then stabs and stabs again until the walls are crying blood. They are shockingly real and brutal moments of violence that make you actually feel the despair, horror and all the sick emotions you SHOULD feel when witnessing a murder.

A particular sequence set in the strip club where Michael’s mother (Sheri Moon Zombie) used to dance is especially memorable (read: gruesome). You really have to see it to appreciate how brutal it is. Every instance of violence in this film conveys a clear and pointed understanding of Michael Myers’ total disconnect from the rest of humanity. Tyler Mane is easily my favorite actor to take on the role, and even though many people freaked when they first heard he would appear maskless for a significant portion of the film, Mane without the mask turns out to be a far more terrifying presence. Through him we can actually see just how insignificant life looks to those shark’s eyes glistening through the shadows of “Hobo Myers’” hooded jacket; the big man has never been more real, or more scary.

Equally accomplished is the performance from Scout Taylor-Compton. One of the things I hate about slasher flick sequels is that I almost never believe that the surviving main character has been through any kind of real ordeal – they don’t have scars, they seem pretty well adjusted to life again, and if they have ANY mental issues it’s usually that corny thought-I-saw-him-in-the-mirror stuff. Not Laurie Strode, though. This girl DOES have scars (the opening scenes of her being treated for her extensive wounds in the ER is pretty gut-wrenching); she’s fighting to hold onto any semblance of a life worth living; and all the while she’s slipping further and further down the banks of insanity, her mind wholly perverted by the violence and hurt she cannot exercise. And Taylor-Compton pulls off that twisted performance pretty well, IMO. By the end of the film, I truly believe that Laurie ends up where she does, making the last frame of the film (Taylor-Compton’s smiling face) truly haunting.

Taylor-Compton as Laurie Strode

So why is this film, which has some strong positives, earning such horrible reviews and being lambasted by horror fans?

Well, the “surrealist” aspects of the film certainly help to drag it down. The movie opens with a definition lifted from a college psychology text book, explaining the significance of white horses in dreams and how the image relates to anger and violence. After that erroneous start (having to explain your major themes and imagery upfront is never a good sign), we go through the entire movie having to watch the “ghost” of Sheri Moon Zombie, costumed in a virginal white gown, leading a white stag and a young version of Michael around the screen. Huh?

Yes, Rob Zombie once again makes the misstep of trying to take us into Michael Myers’ psyche, wasting time on the killer’s warped POV instead of letting the premise – Laurie Strode is actually Angel Myers, Michael’s sister who he wants to “bring home” – provide the motivation, while Taylor Mane’s able performance provides the insight into Michael’s rage-fueled bloodlust.

It’s this same “get inside Michael’s head” theme that completely derails Halloween II in its third act. Like Carpenter’s original, Zombie’s sequel is a slow-burning story, gradually cranking up the tension until Halloween night once again comes around. Only, when we finally do get to the titular holiday, suddenly the film shifts from 40mph to 80mph, and all those standout moments of disturbing violence and tension give way to a surrealist “climax” between Michael and Laurie, which hardly makes sense on paper or onscreen. After that massive deflation, the film sputters to a dark, disturbing end without a ray of hope in sight – which would’ve been a very real and mature way of looking at the effects of great violence, IF it hadn’t been so poorly executed from a filmmaking standpoint.

Even Malcolm McDowell’s Dr. Loomis – somewhat of a throwaway character in this sequel – had interesting thematic potential at the outset, only to have that arch totally fizzle out and be cast aside at the end. It’s the problem of much of Halloween II, and really Zombie’s entire venture into the franchise: the cinematic abilities of the filmmaker fall short of the story’s ambitions.

There are a few rays of hope for Zombie’s future career, though: the hospital sequence at the start of the film is pretty intense and well done, as are many of the killing scenes. There are shades of a really talented horror director at work here, even if those talents aren’t yet fully realized. To be fair: I thought this sequel improved upon its predecessor and is certainly better than Zombie’s horrendous early work like House of 1,000 Corpses or The Devil’s Rejects.

Slasher flick fans, I’ll be honest: you will HATE this film. It isn’t “fun,” it isn’t “scary” and it certainly isn’t “funny.” It is dark, it is disturbing, it is brutal, weird and depressing. Who WILL enjoy it, then? Horror fans with open minds for new styles and people like me, who have stayed loyal to the Halloween franchise through all of its terrible, terrible sequels. Because for all of its massive faults, I have to confess that Halloween II was the most interest I’ve had in Michael Myers since John Carpenter’s original. It’s too bad I can’t extend that praise to the film as a whole.

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Unreleased Halloween 2 Trailer Best One Yet

Jacob Waldman — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:44:54 +0000

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll tell you right up front that I am not a fan of the Halloween franchise; never have been, never will be. However, on some carnal, visceral, murderous, sadistic level I appreciate Rob Zombie, even if he is a one-trick pony. I feel like every time I see one of his movies, there’s a haunting scene around a dinner table; a tense scene with someone silhouetted in moonlight/headlights; a startling scene where someone is revealed as the mirror closes; and of course there’s gratuitous everything: violence, nudity, profanity – the Zombie triple-play.

However, just because I know what’s coming doesn’t mean I won’t partake; I mean damn I saw Titanic, and no matter how much you hope and pray, that boat’s going down.

And now we all have to opportunity to see a little more of what’s coming. Bloody-Disgusting recently released a heretofore unused trailer of Zombie’s upcoming sequel, Halloween 2, which is surprisingly superior to the previously released trailer we’ve seen. And the masses seem to concur.

I’m not sure WHY this unreleased trailer was left to gather dust, but I’m sure the powers that be have their reasons. Either way, we have it now:

The trailer doesn’t seem to reveal any more than we already knew, or could be divined from the mere knowledge that another Michael Meyers film was on its way. Allow me to elaborate: we thought he was dead. Turns out he’s not. Now he’s after his sister/cousin/niece/dog walker, and anyone within a 200 foot radius is doomed. Throw in a cast of a bunch relative unknowns, toss in one or two familiar faces, and there you have it. That pretty much sums them all up, give or take a few details, no?

The trailer does reveal a few things that we didn’t know before, like the death of a slew of characters carried over from the first film (e.g. – Danielle Harris’s Annie Brackett, which I’m inferring from the Sheriff’s haunting “NO NO NO!”) – oh, and that Michael Meyers can lift a car without getting a hernia. Check out a better version of the trailer on Bloody-Disgusting.

Like I said, I’m not a fan. I find these films to be predictable, formulaic, contrived, and on the cusp between horror films and a waste of my time and money. But, given the success of this film’s predecessor, I’m sure this one will do just fine. And don’t expect any end in sight; Meyers has yet to battle Aliens, Predator, Freddy Kruegar, Shrek, Jason Voorhees, Jigsaw, Teddy Ruxpin, Hannibal Lecter, and Dracula. Bring it on.

What did you think?

Halloween 2 hits theaters on August 28, 2009.

Source: Bloody-Disgusting

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Rob Zombie Says ‘Never’ to Halloween 3

Paul Young — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:07:39 +0000

In case you are wondering, NO, you aren’t reading a title with a twist. It would appear that Rob Zombie is actually done with the Halloween franchise after his latest attempt, Halloween 2, hits theaters August 28, 2009.

In the quick video interview below with MTV, Zombie was asked if he would ever consider doing Halloween 3. Before the interviewer could even get the sentence out Zombie responded:

“No. I could not see that in any shape, way or form. Never!”

When asked why he stated:

“If I told you [why], you wouldn’t believe me.”

Movie Trailers – Movies Blog

Well guess that settles that then. No more questions Rob, have a good day thanks for stopping by. All your extremely loyal fans should be very pleased and satisfied with that answer. WHAT?!? Come on Rob, seriously. This is the Comic Con, sci-fi, horror, action crowd you are talking to. If we can believe that a man can fly, that Nixon is still President in 1985, or Shia LaBeouf would be dating Megan Fox with a giant alien robot car in his garage then I’m pretty sure we can accept whatever reason you have for not doing another masterpiece of modern day horror.

The last time I talked about Halloween 2, I was probably a bit overzealous in my opinion of Zombie, his filmmaking styles and his approach to the movie. Still though, I have to give the guy credit for building a rather large fan base on just a handful of movies. He at least seemed gung-ho and confident in his abilities as a director and was certain he would bring something to the table that hadn’t been done before in both the horror genre and the Halloween franchise.

Now, he seems content to just brush off an obvious question about the future of, what is really, his horror legacy with a flippant answer. I’d say it was almost rude, but who knows what might have happened behiind the scenes that he may not be able (or want) to talk about.

It’s too bad really; I was actually looking forward to him directing a segment in the upcoming Heavy Metal film. Now with his amateurish response to a legitimate question, I have to wonder if he was even the right man to remake Halloween in the first place?

The way he answers the question is sort of telling. I have no information to back this up but my guess the reason he will “never” do a Halloween 3 was due to a creative control or editing conflict between him and the studios execs at Dimension Films backing Halloween 2.

He did, however, verify that “Weird Al” is in the film and said:

“I would get Weird Al back before I did ‘Halloween 3.’ Weird Al is awesome.”

You get kudos for putting him in there to begin with Mr. Zombie. I know it’s the last thing anyone reading this would expect from me but I hope Rob Zombie changes his mind and decides to make a Halloween 3. The movie industry is all about trying over and over again until you get it right. Uwe Bolle keeps trying so why not Rob Zombie?

So are you willing to accept Zombie’s answer for not making a third installment of Halloween and would you have liked to see a third Halloween movie?

Halloween 2 gets unmasked August 28^th, 2009.

Source: MTV Movies Blog

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New Poster & Trailer For Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2

Ross Miller — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:38:05 +0000

Rob Zombie’s upcoming horror remake sequel, Halloween II, has a new poster and trailer. It’s not the first we’ve seen of each for the movie, but none have been particularly awesome so far and these latest two items do nothing to change that impression.

Halloween II is (in case you couldn’t guess) a sequel to Halloween, Zombie’s violent and vicious remake of the classic 1970s John Carpenter slasher flick of the same name. A sequel to Zombie’s remake was pretty inevitable, considering both the way it ended (not to give too much away but it’s open ended) and the fact that it did quite respectably at the box office (making over $110 million if you include DVD sales). The sequel picks up right where the first installment ended, with Michael Myers returning to his home in Haddonfield, Illinois to reek horror-havoc once again.

Without further ado, check out the newest poster and trailer for Halloween II:

click image for larger size

I can see what they’re going for with the design of the latest Halloween II poster: They’re paying homage to one of Michael’s classic and recognizable ways of attacking and/or killing someone. But I don’t think it works for an official poster -- perhaps it would be more suited as art for the official Halloween II website.

I will admit that the trailer doesn’t look HORRIBLE, just rather… bland. It does nothing to really set it apart from any other horror trailer that we see every other week, and the attempt at subtly weaving in a slightly alternative version of the Halloween theme music doesn’t mask the fact that it just looks like more of the same of what we got with Zombie’s first Halloween film.

It’s no secret around here that I am not a fan of Mr. Zombie’s movies, and that includes his horrible remake of Halloween. I think he uses explicit language and harsh, gory, violence just for the sake of seeming edgy, and as a result any sense of tension or fright is completely lost on me. Needless to say I’m not looking forward to Halloween II, although I fully welcome Zombie to prove me wrong about him.

What do you make of the latest poster and trailer for Halloween II? Are you a fan of Rob Zombie as a director and are you looking forward to what he’s got in store for us with this sequel?

Halloween II is set to hit theaters on August 28th, 2009.

Sources: ComingSoon and ShockTillYouDrop

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Halloween 2: Does Zombie Think He’s Better Than Carpenter?

Paul Young — Sun, 31 May 2009 04:12:45 +0000

The past couple of months we have been bringing news on Rob Zombie’s upcoming horror sequel remake –this might be the first sequel remake I’ve heard of – Halloween 2. The title has flip-flopped between H2 and Halloween 2 over the course of filming. IMDB still lists the movie as H2 but by watching the trailer, it would appear the Zombie and Dimension Films have settled on Halloween 2.

Dimension Films and The Weinstein Company have started a new YouTube channel dedicated to their upcoming horror films, but right now there are only three clips from Halloween 2 posted there. One is the trailer, one is a behind the scenes clip, both of which you can watch below, and the third is a “special message” from Zombie.

The “special message” is utter horse poop and shows the reason why Zombie should be neither in front nor behind a camera. The trailer leaves me with mixed feelings. Sure it’s cut together decently enough but it doesn’t have any scenes which stand out and grab your attention. What it does do is give us everything but a photograph of Michael Myers’ face.

Personally, I don’t want to see Michael’s face. Hiding his face to the audience is what made him a mystery and watching him kill with literally no emotion made it even scarier. By letting us see Michael’s face, Zombie takes that edge away. What’s next, Jason Voorhees without a mask? Removing the mask is not original nor is it fresh; it’s just plain stupid horror story-telling.

Watch the trailer and see what you think:

The behind the scenes clip seems very self-indulgent to me. It’s a minute and a half long and Zombie’s voice or face is present for almost thirty seconds of the clip and he’s mostly giving his opinion the entire time.

Come to think of it, Zombie is a very self-indulgent person anyway. It showed in his music, the title of both bands, White Zombie and Rob Zombie, so it stands to reason that he would bring that same attitude to his movie making.

Watch the clip and listen for this line were he says:

“You know the first movie you’re trying to deal in a John Carpenter world, and those are characters he wrote and not me. So they’re not characters I would have come up with or the way I would have handled it.”

Really Rob? So you and John Carpenter do not have the same story writing skills? That would be the BIGGEST understatement I’ve heard in a while. To tell the truth, if Zombie didn’t have the brand name Halloween to help push this nonsense, his movie would be an utter flop. To see an example his writing (I use that term very loosely) go rent House of 1000 Corpses -- compare that with any of Carpenter’s movies and then tell me who is better.

Also, don’t tell us that everything in this movie is “fresh” and we won’t say “been there, done that” when the start of your trailer is a lone woman covered in blood walking down the street. (Begin sarcasm) Oh yeah, the scene where the girl is in the bathroom and closes the medicine cabinet to see Michael standing there, that’s completely “fresh.” As is the scene of the girl being grabbed from behind with a knife to her throat. Simply amazing direction and screen writing there! I don’t know why directors haven’t put that into more horror films. You are truly cutting edge! (end sarcasm)

He did get slightly better on the second film, The Devils Rejects, but ultimately all of his films rely on the same type of horror to scare people – people getting viciously hurt and killed. Zombie and his also strange wife Sheri Moon Zombie are basically getting paid to bring their sadistic thoughts and tendencies to life. Now that is scary!

The only two positives with this film so far I can think of are Malcolm McDowell (Clockwork Orange) and “Weird” Al Yankovic (UHF) are in the movie. That’s right, IMDB reports Yankovic playing a bit part. Weird Al is to music, what Bruce Campbell is to movies so if he really plays a part in the movie, I’ll watch it just to find him.

Am I being overly critical of Rob Zombie and his latest cinematic effort or do you think he deserves more credit than I am giving him? Are you actually looking forward to Halloween 2?

Halloween 2 (the re-quel) comes to theaters on August 28, 2009.

Source: Coming Soon

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Halloween 2: Mask Or No Mask? (Bonus: New Poster)

Ross Miller — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:58:16 +0000

Last month Screen Rant reported that Michael Myers would appear mask-less for most (try 70%) of the upcoming horror sequel H2: Halloween 2, by director Rob Zombie. The information came from FX artist Wayne Toth, who assured fans that the change really works.

Well, new information has come to light from Zombie himself that that information given by Toth was taken out of context, and isn’t true.

Along with that new piece of info, a new poster for the sequel to Zombie’s horrible Halloween remake from 2007 (I always like to have a dig at the guy whenever the opportunity arises…). Check out the poster before we get onto what Zombie said:

Ooh, so moody and atmospheric…

Zombie’s thoughts and denial of the reported lack-of-Myer’s-mask information was during an interview with our good friends over at /Film. Here’s what the horror filmmaker had to say:

“[The lack of mask information] is total bullsh*t. (laughs) See, I think Wayne Toth [SFX] said [70% mask-less] when you guys were down on the set. Wayne wasn’t bullsh**ting you, but that was taken out of context, and to an extreme [online]. We’ve filmed so much stuff and at this point nobody but me knows what we’re going to use or not use. There are more shots of Michael Myers running around in his mask in this movie than in any of the other movies. I don’t think anybody has to worry. Yeah. Michael Myers never looked so good. (laughs).”

In my previous post about the mask-less nature of Myers in the sequel, I bashed it for not keeping that essence (the masked-killer angle) as it’s one of the most crucial things that makes the original character so effective and memorable. I guess I have to retract that criticism now that we know (well, according to the director… he would know, right?) the information isn’t true, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking the film will be just as bad as the first one was.

I’m at least glad they are having the mask for most of the film as it’s the way it rightly should be. But then again that didn’t help the first film…

So are you glad to hear that Myers will have his mask on for most of the movie? What do you make of the new poster for it?

H2: Halloween 2 is to be released on August 28th this year.

Source: /Film

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First Official Image Of Michael Myers In Halloween 2

Ross Miller — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:04:46 +0000

It was only a few days ago that Screen Rant reported on the news that Michael Myers will be mask-less for most of H2: Halloween 2, Rob Zombie’s upcoming sequel to his take on the classic horror Halloween. And yet the first official image released of him has the masked killer, well… fully masked.

Reportedly this sequel picks up right after where the last one ended which, not to give too much away mind you, admittedly is an interesting idea to go with considering just how the last one left off. Anyway, check out the first official image of Myers from the movie below:

Looks like he skipped ahead of the wrong guy in the grocery store line…

I make it no secret that I loathed Rob Zombie’s remake of Halloween from a couple of years ago. I thought he took a brilliant concept for a horror film and added a bunch or dispicable, pointless harsh language and brutal violence that had the opposite effect of “scary.”

I guess the only reason Zombie was given the chance to make another one of these things was the fact that his remake did pretty well at the box office for what it was, making a pretty respectable $26 million opening weekend and $77 million in total worldwide (it only had a $15 million budget). My hate for the first film might just be because I think Zombie is a terrible director, and I can’t see past the harsh stuff he includes just for the sake of it.

However, as a committed film fan I am always willing to give every movie a shot, even if I have a few strong signs beforehand telling me to skip it. I’m always willing to be pleasantly surprised by a movie I don’t like the look of or even don’t care all that much about – who knows, this could be Zombie’s example of that.

Though, I’m not exactly holding my breath…

I will admit that I do like the look of this first official image of Myers in the bloodied and battered mask (although if you want to get technical, the first image would the teaser poster that was released, which sort of showed a shadowed version of Myers).

I was dismayed when we found out that he’d be mask-less for over 70% of the movie ( I still am), but this image at least shows that when they do have him in the mask at any point within the film, that they’ve at least gotten something right.

What are your thoughts on this first image of Myers, showing him wearing the trademark mask? Did you like Zombie’s remake of Halloween and are you looking forward to his sequel?

H2: Halloween 2 is set to open on August 28th this year.

Sources: FirstShowing.net and Beyond Hollywood

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Michael Myers To Be Mask-less For Most Of Halloween 2

Ross Miller — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:34:00 +0000

One of the things fans of the original Halloween (and the character of Michael Myers) would consider most important would be the mask. Even for those who may not have seen the film, the look of the character (but particularly that mask) is iconic.

They obviously updated the mask for Rob Zombie’s horrible remake of the film – not drastically, mind you, but enough to make it work better in our current movie-going age. Taking that into consideration, you’d expect that they’d continue with that mask for the sequel H2: Halloween 2, right? Wrong. According to make-up FX artist Wayne Toth, Myers will be without the mask for at least 70% of the movie!

Here’s what Toth had to say:

“That’s Michael’s new look for a lot of the film. Fans will be shocked. They seem pretty responsive to it. But it’s like anything else, as long as you’re doing something cool, people get it.”

However, Toth also lets fans know they will see some new versions of the mask:

“There are a couple different versions of the mask, but none of them are the same mask from the first film. He wanted to take them a step further, even though one of them is basically supposed to be the last mask. We’ve changed it anyway. Then towards the end of the film is the current version of the mask which is a lot different from any of them we’ve seen. People are going to be surprised when they see it. It’s going to throw the Myers’ fans for a loop.”

When older movies get remade, I understand that some things need to be changed, and some things are simply changed for the director to put their unique stamp on the idea. Although I am not a fan of what Zombie did with his remake of Halloween (IMHO, he’s a horrible director who should never be allowed near a film camera again), I can appreciate that he wanted to go his own, fresh, way with it. No matter how bad it turned out.

At least he didn’t slavishly stick shot-by-shot to the original (hint).

However, there’s a difference between putting your own stamp on a classic idea and neutering the whole thing altogether. Having a character known distinctly for wearing a creepy and mysterious mask suddenly without that mask for almost three quarters of the film is a plain ridiculous idea.

Who knows, maybe what they come up with will work fantastically, but to me, the essence of Michael Myers is he’s a masked killer. For some reason, they’re deciding to let that mask slip…

But enough talk from me, you judge for yourself. Here’s a pic of actor Tyler Mane on the set of H2 as Michael Myers, sans mask:

[SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!]

Tyler Mane as a mask-less Michael Myers. Scary.

[END SPOILERS]

Do you agree that Michael Myers going mask-less for most of H2 is a bad idea? Were you a fan of Zombie’s remake and are you looking forward to this one?

H2: Halloween 2 is set to be released on August 28, 2009.

Sources: ShockTillYouDrop & Worst Previews

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: January 4, 2009

Niall Browne — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:00:09 +0000

It’s that time of the week again. Sunday is here and therefore we must be due a Weekend Movie News Wrap Up. This week we look at the box office as well as:

No Cleo for Hugh Jackman; Mars attacks G.I. Joe; Thor lands in present day and Zombie unleashes a look at Michael Myers in Halloween 2.

Box Office

Marley And Me was top dog at the box office again. The Owen Wilson/Jennifer Aniston pic should bark up another $25 million over the weekend taking its total over $100 million. Adam Sandler’s Bedtime Stories should bank another $23 million bringing the film’s gross to around $88 million. It looks like Sandler has another $100 million grosser on his hands. Ainiston’s ex, a Brad Pitt is next with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The David Fincher film should manage another $18 million. For a film that wasn’t expected to be a huge hit it’s doing pretty darn well. Yes Man and Valkyrie should both bank another $15 million each, proving that Jim Carrey and Tom Cruise are still viable movie stars. Meanwhile Will Smith’s Seven Pounds should manage another $10 million. Overall it’s a pretty A-List – centric time at the box office. In fact it could be 1999 and nobody would bat and eyelid.

Movie News

1. Hugh Jackman has pulled out of Steven Soderbergh’s forthcoming musical Cleo. Jackman was in negotiations to star as Marc Antony, however he has dropped out due to “scheduling conflicts”. I can only imagine that the rehearsing for the film somehow conflicts with Jackman’s hosting of the Oscars or another unknown film or stage role. As the film is looking for financing at the moment expect a replacement to be announced soon. Catherine Zeta-Jones will play the titular character.

Source: Variety

2. G.I Joe is an unknown quantity of a film. It’s got a great concept and an interesting cast (come on, it has Dennis Quaid) but Stephen Sommers did not earn a lot of fans with Van Hesling. In fact word on the street is that Sommers’ own mother disowned him following a private screening of the film. That was a joke

Anyway, here are a couple of images of the Mars Troopers from the film.

I still have no idea if this is going to be great or terrible, but the fact that it opens this August and we haven’t seen ANY footage from the film sounds like a bad sign.

Source: HissTank.com

3. News is slowly starting to leak out on Kenneth Branagh’s forthcoming Thor movie. The character of Donald Blake (Thor’s alter ego) has now been written into the current draft of the script. This is pretty big news as the film was previously going to be 100% set in the land of the Norse Gods.

Branagh will also act in the film – it’s not certain what role, but I’d bet money on it not being Thor.

Thor is due to open July 16, 2010.

Source: iesb.net

4. Rob Zombie has released an early picture of Michael Myers’ mask for Halloween 2. Well, considering the loathing of The Love Guru I’m guessing that Myers needs a disguise. Geddit? Mike Myers – The Love Guru…oh never mind.

I’m guessing at some point they’ll paint the mask and add hair. Or maybe in the new film Myers has discovered a loving of fake tan. Check it out below:

Source: Rob Zombie

That’s it for now. See you at the movies.

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: December 07, 2008

Niall Browne — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:39:47 +0000

It’s hard to believe that we are now into December. It seems like only yesterday I was talking about the big summer releases – and now we are looking forward to next years big movies.

This weeks Weekend Movie News Wrap Up features the obligatory box office wrap up as well as:

La Beouf is The Associate; Stiller talks Zoolander 2; who is Angelina Jolie? Zombie returns to Halloween and Brownlow Vs Captain Blood.

Box Office

America just loves Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. How do I know this? Simple: Four Christmases grossed another $18 million over the weekend, keeping it the top movie at the box office despite terrible reviews. That’s only a 41% drop from opening weekend, usually an indication of a movie being very popular.

Twilight should bag another $14 million keeping it in the No. 2 position. Man, it must suck being a Studio Executive who turned this vampire flick down.

Bolt should manage another $10 million, keeping Disney quite happy with its gross. $100 million is well on target.

Bond, James Bond should collect another $8 million or so giving Quantum of Solace a little over $150 million.

Australia should manage another $6 million giving the Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman film a weak $30 million gross. Not good. After Deception flopped earlier in the year and now this – Jackman must be praying that Wolverine does well.

Punisher: War Zone flopped HUGE on its opening, grossing just $4 (four!) million – about half of what Thomas Jane’s The Punisher grossed in 2004. It looks like the movie-going public just don’t dig Frank Castle. This is the third attempt to bring The Punisher to the screen and it will probably be the last. It looks like the Lexi Alexander directed film didn’t benefit from all of the pre-release rumor that was floating about over the summer. It should make a killing on DVD, so maybe a series of straight to DVD Punisher films is what is needed. Just a thought.

Movie News

1. Shia La Beouf goes where Tom Cruise, Matt Damon and Matthew McConaughey have gone before. Get your mind out of the gutter – it has nothing to do with Penelope Cruz. He will be top-lining a John Grisham adaptation. La Beouf will star in The Associate, a legal thriller based on an as yet unpublished novel by Grisham.

According to Variety:

“LaBeouf will play a student who’s about to graduate from Yale Law School when he’s manipulated into accepting a job at a prestige law firm and given privileged information about a multibillion-dollar lawsuit.”

Sounds like pure Grisham. Should be another $100 million hit under Shia’s belt.

La Beouf’s Transformer producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing.

Source: Variety

2. Ben Stiller must be in the sequel mood as he’s developing a follow-up to 2001’s cult favorite Zoolander.

Stiller currently in the UK promoting Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa told The Sun:

“I’ve been trying to get Zoolander 2 together and we’ve had a few scripts. I feel that is the sequel I really would like to do some day because I like the original and I would make sure it was something new and worthy of it first.”

He also reportedly threatened another Meet The Parents.

Take these rumors with a pinch of salt a British tabloids have a habit of being creative with the truth.

Source: The Sun

3. Speaking of Salt, there appears to be some confusion of Angelina Jolie’s forthcoming action-thriller Salt.

Salt is a thriller that Jolie inherited from Tom Cruise – originally titled Edwin A.Salt. Some believe that the film may be Erika Salt, while others are of the opinion that the film will be simply called Salt – with the character called Evelyn..

Apparently in the sequel she teams up with a soldier from the US Army called Sgt. Pepper. This follow-up will be called Salt and Pepper.

Sorry – I just made up the last bit.

Source: Joblo

4. It looks like shock-rocker Rob Zombie will helm the sequel to his re-imagining/remake/rehash of John Carpenter’s Halloween.

Originally Zombie had stated that he would not return, but I’m guessing that Dimension made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo were originally signed to make the film, but they left due to “creative differences.”

Apparently shooting is due to star in March, however there is no confirmation of a script being in place.

That’s never stopped a movie though!

Source: Shock Till You Drop

5. John Brownlow will write the script for Phillip Noyce’s remake of the legendary Captain Blood.

The original starred Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland and Basil Rathbone. The remake won’t have anyone half as cool.

Source: Dark Horizons

That’s it for now. See you at the movies!

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