HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER
US, 1998, 87 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Adam Arkin, Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt?, L.L. Cool J, Adam Hann-Byrd?, Janet Leigh.
Directed by Steve Miner.
Halloween H20 is the anniversary film. Halloween made a great impact in 1978, introducing Michael Myers as the serial killer, struggling with his sister Jamie Lee Curtis. They appeared in a sequel the next year. However, the franchise then developed without the immediate contributions of John Carpenter and those responsible for the original film. They decided that it was time to go back to the sources and so Jamie Lee Curtis is reintroduced, principal of a school, alcoholic, with a 17-year-old son, apprehensive of what will happen on the twentieth anniversary of Halloween. She has reason to be afraid because Michael Myers visits the filing cabinets of the institution where Dr Loomis (Donald Pleasence in the original and seen here in a photo) treated him and he finds the address of his sister.
There is the usual pursuit of victims. It seems sad that Jamie Lee Curtis finding a romantic lead with Adam Arkin only has him killed off by Michael Myers. Josh Hartnett is introduced in the film and went on to much bigger and better things, including Pearl Harbor and Hollywood Homicide. Janet Leigh gets a small opportunity to act with her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis. Director Steve Miner made a number of Friday the 13th films.
1. The continuing popularity of the Halloween films? Michael Myers as a cult horror figure? The contribution of Jamie Lee Curtis to the series? Director John Carpenter's invention - and the creature living on for several decades.
2. The Illinois settings, middle America, the high school, homes? The ordinariness of American life? The musical score?
3. The twentieth anniversary of the original, Laurie and her apprehensions, communicated to her son? People and their scepticism about the return of Michael Myers?
4. Michael Myers as a cult horror figure, the original, his madness, slashing killings, the work of Dr Loomis? His mask? His continued returns? His killing the nurse at the opening of the film, getting the information, arriving in Illinois for Halloween, the attacks, the pursuit of the young people, the confrontations with Laurie, Will and his death? Laurie trapping him, driving him away, reaching out and touching his fingers - his pleading look? The decapitation?
5. Laurie, her age, drinking, separated from her husband, comments on his late birthday cards, her having trouble with John, his age? Her work in the school, Norma and her being busy around Laurie? The relationship with Will, out with him, the meals, the discussions, the explanation of the situation? His courage - his death? Her feeling she was losing John, his getting out of the school but her taking him back? His telling her that Michael Myers would not return? The Halloween night, the pursuit, her fears? Her killing her brother?
6. The young people, at school, Josh, his friendships, Charlie and Sarah, his relationship with Molly? Persuading Ronnie to let them out from detention? Meeting his mother? His stance at independence? Not wanting to go on the trip? Reassuring his mother, with his friends in the school, the pursuit, the deaths? His future?
7. Ronnie, caretaker, composing novels, reading them to his wife over the phone, continually interrupted, gates opening, creaking noises, his being attacked - but surviving and helping in the attack on Michael Myers?
8. The school, classes, Norma and her worries, talking with Laurie about trauma? The other members of the staff? The students?
9. The popularity of this kind of film, audiences getting frights, the emphasis on the horror and the monster rather than on character development? Yet the screen presence of Michael Myers and what this implies?
