May 2007 - Horrorphile

Horrorphile

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Vimu Subscription

Horrorphile - May 2007

The SHAPE of Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN

May 31st 2007 00:59

It’s one of the most highly anticipated horror releases in years, but the older horrorphiles are grinding their teeth with mixed emotions. They’ve only announced a North American release date at this stage: August 31st. It’d be kinda cool if Australasian audiences got it released down under on October 31st, y’know to soften the blow of expectation a little …

Michael admires his deadly handiwork

Despite my initial contempt at one of my all-time favourite horror movies being remade, I am now slowly and steadily embracing the inevitable. Perhaps embrace is the wrong word. More like I’ve resigned myself. I’m not really a fan of Rob Zombie’s horror movies, House of 1000 Corpses (2003) and The Devil’s Rejects (2005), although I appreciate the passion he has for the genre and his take-no-prisoners approach.

Your neck reminds me of my sister's!

Co-writer and director of the original Halloween (1978), John Carpenter is Consulting Producer on Rob Zombie’s version. Does that mean Carpenter has final approval over any of the scripting changes? What about the casting? What about the music? Tyler Bates is the film’s composer, an accomplished scorer who has down the soundtracks for Dawn of the Dead (2004), Devil’s Rejects, Slither (2006), 300 (2006), as well as the upcoming remake of Romero’s Day of the Dead (arghh! noooo!) and Resident Evil: Extinction (2007). One would assume Carpenter has insisted upon Zombie and Bates using his original theme (it’s used in the trailer …)

Daeg Faerch as young Michael

From the stills being released it looks as though many of the original movie’s scenes are being faithfully re-staged, but is this a good thing? Not really. Gus Van Sant’s Psycho (1998) was an utter waste of time and a squandering of Hitchcock’s imagination. Supposedly Rob Zombie’s Halloween is a re-imagining (the trailer spouts that he’s re-inventing a legend); a hybrid remake-cum-prequel, delving into the whys and hows which Carpenter never disclosed, yet apparently had written in his original treatment. Daeg Faerch has been cast as the young Michael Myers, with Zombie’s version having him killing his teenage sister Judith at the age of 10, instead of age 6 in the original movie.

Danielle Harris as Annie, Scout as Laurie and Kristina Klebe as Lynda

Scout Taylor-Compton is playing Laurie Strode, with Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Sam Loomis. Zombie’s wife Sheri Moon plays a character called Deborah Myers (presumably another sister??), while Hanna Hall plays the doomed Judith Myers, Dee Wallace Stone has been cast as Laurie’s mother Cynthia (whom was never seen in the original movie) and Brad Dourif is Sheriff Leigh Brackett.

Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis

Other cult horror actors have been cast in small parts such as Udo Kier, Ken Foree, Danny Trejo, Adrienne Barbeau (once married to Carpenter), Clint Howard, Sybil Danning and Richard Lynch.

Have kitchen knife, will travel

The original tagline of “The night He came home.” has been replaced by “When darkness fell, He arrived.” Hmmm, I’m not sold. And just how much bloodshed will there actually be in Zombie’s version? Carpenter’s original very cleverly avoided any overt bloodletting, pushing the film into a highly respected, yet unusual, league of its own.

Well, the trailer looks okay, the cinematography is good (Dean Cundey’s camerawork in the original is brilliant), the opening murder looks quite different, but possibly just as effective. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the movie offers as a whole. I call it baited breath, yet my head still moves side to side …

Destination Haddonfield, Illinois

Here by thy hallowed trailer:

* images on this page are courtesy of www.bloody-disgusting.com