Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | My Orble | Login
 
"I RECOGNISE TERROR AS THE FINEST EMOTION AND SO I WILL TRY TO TERRORISE THE READER. BUT IF I CANNOT TERRIFY, I WILL TRY TO HORRIFY, AND IF I CANNOT HORRIFY, I'LL GO FOR THE GROSS-OUT. I'M NOT PROUD." --- STEPHEN KING ::::::::::::: Spoilers for plot points and resolutions can occur within my movie reviews with or without warning. Read at your own risk.

The SHAPE of Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN

May 31st 2007 00:59
Halloween 2007 poster art
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 Myers in Halloween 2007
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.

Michael Myers strangles Laurie Strode
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 in Halloween 2007
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 in Halloween 2007
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.

Michael Myers in Halloween 2007
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 …
Micahel Myers in Halloween 2007
Destination Haddonfield, Illinois

Here by thy hallowed trailer:



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

117
Vote

   

   

   

[ Link ]
Posted By: Bryn - Category: bait
Related Posts:

Comments
10 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

May 31st 2007 01:21
You know I kinda enjoyed the first one.
This does look a bit more hollywoody and slick but that does not always translate to scary and creepy.
The shame with remakes is you already know the plot, who gets killed and when.
We need more new scripts.

Comment by Kleonaptra

May 31st 2007 02:03


Kalikapsychosis
As a lover of horror, Im disgusted to admit I havnt seen the originals....
Is 'dawn of the dead' the zombie one where they get stuck in the mall? I love that one.
The first time I saw 'house of 1000 corpses' I was high as a kite and I loved it.....Someone threw on the dvd when I was sober as a judge and I lasted about 5 mins before I left the room in disgust saying "this isnt entertainment..."
So, Im not hopeful. Stick with the music Rob.....Still lovin 'grease paint and monkey brains'.....

Comment by Nickoftime's Sanity Corner

May 31st 2007 03:26
Bryn,

loved the original, but this looks sorta like Halloween meets Beverly Hills 90210...think I'll give it a pass..

But a great review none the less! Well done!

take care,

Nick

Comment by KylieW

May 31st 2007 03:59


Celebrity Obsession
Bryn,

Hmmm...the trailer looks better than I thought it would. I'm also a bit sceptical about the remake. I'm not a big fan of Rob Zombie.....House of 1000 Corpses did nothing for me at all.

Lets hope the film surprises us all and is good

Kylie

Comment by Bryn

May 31st 2007 05:18


Horrorphile
Damo,
you're so right ... new scripts, new scripts!!!

Kleo,
shame on you! the first is brilliant, the second is good, the third is unrelated, but interesting ... forget the rest.

Nick,
yeah, you can't go past the original ... period.

Kylie,
I agree, the trailer was better than I expected, but never, ever trust a trailer!

Cheers everyone!!


Comment by JohnDoe

May 31st 2007 08:24


Film & TV on DVD
Torn at the moment on this, but I think we can all agree Haloween did NOT need a remake...the original still feels contemporary and intelligent.

Comment by Bryn

May 31st 2007 08:57


Horrorphile
JD .... word.

Comment by Ruby

June 1st 2007 01:56


The Rubik's Cube
Bryn, great review as always... However, not quite a Halloween fan. The first was pretty ok, but I don't think I'll be watching any remakes of it...

Cheers!

Comment by Bryn

June 1st 2007 03:17


Horrorphile
Ruby, I understand and appreciate your reservation. Duly noted.
And cheers for the props.

Comment by Anonymous

April 21st 2008 17:36
does anyone know the name of that classical piece in the scene when the mother visits the boy in the psych prison?

Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.


CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag
Home Page (optional)
Comments
Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Separator Left Center Right Separator Quote Insert Link Insert Email
Notify me of replies
Notify extra people about this comment
Is this a private comment?
List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment


One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.


One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)
Your Email Address
(optional)
(required for reply notification)
Submit
More Posts
March 2010
5 Posts
February 2010
12 Posts
January 2010
12 Posts
Older Posts
720 Posts dating from August 2006
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
0
[ View Blog Summary ] [ Create A New Post ] [ Add A Comment ]
Moderated by Bryn
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]