THE RATING
THE LAIR EXPERTS
Matt: Ahh, yes, 'Halloween III', the polarizing film that ended John Carpenter's association with the franchise for many years. After the success of the first two films, Carpenter and Co. grew tired of the Michael Myers storyline and felt it was time to take the franchise in a new direction. However, this was FAR different than anyone expected and taught Carpenter, his crew, and Trancas International that the public just can't get enough Michael Myers, and wouldn't accept anything less. It was rumored that if this film succeeded, they would have produced different stand-alone films related to the lore of 'Halloween' and not Michael Myers. Alas, the film tanked and had the lowest box office total of any 'Halloween' film to date. Luckily, Moustapha Akkad had the good sense to bring Michael back for Part 4, and the rest is history.
As for the film itself, it wasn't half bad and has gained quite a cult following over the years. The storyline was pretty good, even if it didn't fit the 'Halloween' universe Carpenter so eloquently created in the first two films. The acting was surprisingly good, as Tom Atkins and Dan O'Herlihy brought forth strong performances as Challis and Cochran, respectively. We even get cameo appearances of Dick Warlock (The Assassin), Nancy Loomis (Challis' wife), as well as Jamie Lee Curtis, who is the voice of Santa Mira announcing the curfew. This was a nice touch, but its far from what it should have been.
Carpenter once again teamed with Alan Howarth to deliver a fantastic score. It is very different from the first two, yet still maintains a creep factor within itself. My personal favorites are "Drive To Santa Mira" and "Chariots Of Pumpkins", which seem to make my Halloween playlist every year. And who can forget the now infamous Silver Shamrock jingle? Once it gets stuck in your head, it's there for days.
The first time I saw this film, I didn't know the story didn't include Michael, so I kept waiting for him to show up. The next thing I knew, the credits were rolling, and still no Michael. Needless to say, I was very annoyed. But, as time has gone on, I've grown to appreciate the film for what it truly is, a frightening standalone that brings the terror in a very different way. 6 out of 10.
A.J.: Do I even need to waste my time writing a damn review for this piece of wanna-be Halloween garbage? Yeah, okay, that's what I thought. 1 out of 10.
THE FANS
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