Any reviews for "Halloween" yet....?????

Dave Mack · 07-26-2003, 12:44 PM

Hey Y'all...

Specifically, the new transfer. The last one looked pretty good, and I am curious to see how the new one will (hopefully) improve the image. Let's just hope they don't lay on the EE!!!!

Gordon McMurphy · 07-26-2003, 02:17 PM

I've scoured the Web looking for reviews, but it seems that none are up yet. Anchor Bay can be lax with their screeners sometimes, but I'm sure there will be some reviews up early next week, though.

And there's all those Warner horror/sci-fi titles, plus Casablanca, as far as vintage films go and sites understand that they need to balance the 'old' with the 'new'.

But I can't wait to get this DVD!

Halloween 4 was on TV last night. That's all I can muster in regard to that film. Okay - it has some good moments, but as the years fly past, Carpenter's original just looks better and better. $300,000 budget / 21-day shoot - get outta here!

Gordy

Matt Stone · 07-26-2003, 02:37 PM

Halloween 6 was on one of the HBOs the other night, and I was mesmerized. I couldn't take my eyes off of the TV...it was like watching a big-ass train wreck

I definitely agree that as the years (and sequels) add up, the original looks even better. It's amazing how Carpenter was able to make a relatively simple story and tell it in such a frightening way. There are no gimmicks, just pure evil.

Hopefully they'll take care of some of the aliasing problems in the new transfer. Aside from that, there isn't all that much to improve on.

Kevin M · 07-26-2003, 03:00 PM

IMO Carpenter's wise inspiration for Halloween's success was (in some part) Dario Argento & his method of laying down style & mood where the script may be lacking in true substance. Also to rely on competent actors to carry the film into genuine realism as far as the lives & motivations of most of these kids...not as complex as some other films to be sure but certainly not cardboard cutout's, we all knew kids just like this growing up and it was shocking to see them get killed before our eyes. Hell many of us were these kids growing up.

Also Carpenter is simply a fine director who has more hit's than misses in my book...he has a better hitting average than Argento IMHO.

Now as far as the DVD is concerned....I will be double dipping simply because I don't trust that my Criterion LD will stand the test of time so I want a back up for the very good commentary...although I do have it backed up on CD-R anyway...you know...just in case.

Matt Butler · 07-26-2003, 03:21 PM

I had the Criterion LD but it went away wih my ld player.

I have the 2 disc LE from a few years ago but I am double dipping for this new one. Loved the commentary from the LD.

**HTF Ads**

Gordon McMurphy · 07-26-2003, 03:22 PM

Carpenter pulled together many inpirations for Halloween, among them, Hitchcock's Psycho, Bava's Blood And Black Lace, Argento's Deep Red and Suspiria, Polanski's Chinatown and, of course, Bob Clarke's seminal 1974 Canadian horror classic, Black Christmas. Clarke actually had the idea for a horror film set on Halloween night which he told Carpenter about, but nothing came of it, and it was Irwin Yablans' idea to set The Babysitter Murders on Halloween night and even call ot Halloween! But Clarke has no bad feelings about this. Black Christmas is, in my opinion, the equal of Halloween, but they are different films in subtle ways.

Halloween is a great example of filmmakers pulling together many great inpirations and fusing them with their own individual talents - Dean Cundey's cinematography is astonishing, the virtuoso use of Panaglide (pre-Steadicam) was a great choice and Carpenter's score will never die! Amazing stuff, really.

And they all did it again 2 years later with The Fog - one of the best shot horror movies of all time.

Gordy

Mitch Stevens · 07-26-2003, 04:26 PM

I found the transfer of the "restored" edition really distracting. There were tons of block-noise throughout the movie. More so in the night-time scenes than the daytime, but even in daylight, you could see them. When Laurie is in her room and she's about to lay down on her bed (the scene where she see's the shape out of her window) on the wall (behind her bed) there is major block-noise. Also when Dr. Loomis and the nurse are driving at night with the rain pouring down...TONS of block-noise. I really hope this transfer is much better!

Kevin M · 07-26-2003, 08:41 PM

Yes, I am aware of the many inspirations that Carpenter had on this film (and indeed in his entire career) but both he and Debra Hill admit on the commentary track, and I happen to agree, that "Halloween Owes a great debt to Deep Red, Suspiria & Dario Argento" who in turn was obviously influenced by everyone that Carpenter was such as Hitchcock, Bava, Ford (protecting the children) & Hawks among others.
However on Halloween I see the closest ties to how Dario took the classic Hitchcock formula and wove it into the standard Giallo, right down to the music IMO.
The other influences are clear but I feel the biggest credit lies in what Dario did with those same influences.

Jamie Lee Curtis on the LD commentary however finds that creative people have bad breath.

MattGuyOR · 07-27-2003, 12:44 AM

Is the new dvd going to have the 2 versions via seamless branching or have both versions on dual layers? I hope it's seamless branching, that will alleviate the "blocking" that I noticed on the limited edition version.

Matt Stone · 07-27-2003, 12:56 AM

It's not going to have both versions at all. Only the theatrical cut.

T r o y · 07-27-2003, 08:43 AM

I haven't bought any of the previously released Halloween's. I've just held back from buying one I guess.
But......... I plan on buying this 25th Anniv. edition though. What other special material will be on this one?

After all it is the 25th anniversary of this great horror film and I figured it would be loaded with special stuff.

Thanks!
Troy