BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 31: HALLOWEEN IV

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Back in the days of VHS and video rental stores (days when I was a young lad) often I'd find myself drawn to the horror section and become awestruck by the imagery before me. My imagination ran wild scanning cover after frightening cover, wondering what horrors awaited inside each movie. No other section of the video store had as lurid, graphic, and evocative VHS covers as Horror, and perhaps it was these striking covers that lured me into the world of horror cinema.

Of the hundreds of VHS covers assaulting my senses, filling me with dread, two particular covers caught my attention: HALLOWEEN IV - THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS and HALLOWEEN V - THE REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS (back when Halloween V was the latest entry in the series). They weren't the most terrifying covers nor was the artwork the most dynamic. They're admittedly simple covers. What made them standout was The Shape's mask. Halloween IV's original VHS cover was a close up of the mask. Something about the mask was arresting. And the longer I looked at it the more terrifying it became, as if it was looking back at me, boring into my mind and channeling my greatest fears.

I couldn't get it out of my head. Luckily the clerk either didn't care or was a sadist because he let an under-aged child rent the R-rated movie. Halloween IV became the first film in the series I ever saw and has long been one of my favorites of the franchise. As the title suggests, this movie brought Michael Myers back to the series, and at a time when horror movies were dying off because the MPAA was butchering them, Halloween IV was met with tremendous success. Had this film failed the Halloween series as we know it today might not exist.

As you've probably gathered, I love Halloween IV and think the world of it. You can probably guess how this review is going to go.

THE UNIQUE LANDSCAPE AFTER HALLOWEEN III

Halloween III deviated greatly from the first two films in the series, dropping Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis entirely for an almost completely unrelated story and premise. Looking back on the film now we can see the strengths and values of Halloween III, but at the time it failed to connect with audiences, especially those who came in expecting Michael Myers. As a result, H3 marked the end of the franchise. At least for 6 years. While Michael Myers was seemingly dead, his copycats and imitators continued to flourish. The subgenre that Halloween made so successful continued on without it. But why wasn't Halloween there to reap the benefits of the seeds itself had sown?

In 1988, during the waning days of the 80's horror boom and when the MPAA was growing exceedingly harsh with their censorship of horror media, the caretaker and patriarch of the Halloween series, Moustapha Akkad, decided to take a chance and restart the Halloween franchise. Mr. Akkad wanted to bring Michael Myers back as well as the elements that made the first two films so successful. As a result Halloween IV was #1 at the box office for two weeks and made a tidy profit. The franchise was reignited! All of us Halloween fans owe a tremendous debt to Moustapha Akkad, for many reasons, but for maybe the biggest reason being his decision to make Halloween IV.

THE PLOT

Ten years have passed since Michael Myers terrorized Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween night. After the fire in the hospital Michael Myers has been in a coma and incarcerated in Ridgemont Maximum Security Prison. No longer deemed a threat, Michael has been transferred back to his previous mental hospital of Smith's Grove. During the transfer the former killer springs to life, slaughters all five of the transfer attendants, and escapes. Once again in Haddonfield, Michael discovers that his sister, Laurie, has been killed in a car accident, leaving an eight year old daughter behind. Donning the mask once again, The Shape sets his murderous sights on the last member of his bloodline, his eight year old niece, Jamie. One man foresaw Michael's escape however, and has come to stop him: Michael's former psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. Loomis maybe the one man standing against The Shape and another Halloween night massacre.

WHAT I LIKED

A Smart Villain. What I love about this movie and still endures it to me today is how precise and tactical Michael Myers is. Through a series of events Michael Myers cuts off Haddonfield from outside help, taking out the phone lines, and knocking out the power. He does his reconnaissance on his intended victim, takes out the local police, and secretly gets inside the house and waits for them to lock themselves in before striking. He forces the protagonists into impossible situations making for thrilling sequences such as the rooftop scene. And at the end he even hides under a truck as it drives down the road (something Robert De Niro copied in 1991's CAPE FEAR). More than ever Michael Myers is a force to be reckoned with. And he had to up his game in this movie too. The first time around he took everybody by surprise, but this time they all remember, they all know what he's capable of, and Dr. Loomis has warned them all. In turn Michael shows them all that it still won't save them.

Smart Heroes. If you pat attention the protagonists almost always do the right thing in this movie too. Well not always but close to it. Dr. Loomis doesn't waste a second on tracking down Michael. He notifies the police and the police listen and mobilize. They securely barricade themselves in the sheriff's house. They call for help from the State Police. They don't make the dumb decisions typical of slasher film characters but still Michael Myers is one step ahead of them. You want them to succeed and when they're put in peril you empathize with them all the more. The Rooftop Chase scene, perhaps the most exciting sequence in the film, is all the powerful in that you care for the characters.

Having Donald Pleasence return in addition to Michael Myers was a stroke of brilliance. Not only does Dr. Loomis' character realign this film more closely with the first two but he also elevates the power and mystique surrounding Michael Myers. Every time he speaks of Michael you get this sense that Michael is more than he seems, a force of nature rather than a mere human. It's like how everyone refers to John Wick in a terrified yet reverential way. Donald Pleasence, like Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee, brings legitimacy and pedigree to the film. He could spout the most ludicrous dialog but through him it sounds real and believable and amazing. The cat & mouse chase between Loomis and Michael is as entertaining and exciting as Michael's assault on his niece.

Danielle Harris and Ellie Cornell. Not only is Michael Myers even more intense in this movie but his intended victim is even more vulnerable and innocent. The character of Jamie Lloyd is the embodiment of innocence and purity of life. Danielle Harris is incredible in her performance. Ellie Cornell is a very strong second to Harris as the stepsister Rachel. With Jamie the chase becomes fresh and ever more terrifying as children aren't often the main victims in horror films. And Rachel's character too is quite different from the typical Jamie Lee Curtis/Laurie Strode "Final Girl" archetype cliche of so many horror films. While possessing similarities to the typical Final Girl, Rachel is cast in a protector role, acting as heroic as Loomis or the police. Both Ellie Cornell and Danielle Harris imbue their characters with empathy and charm making them not only smart and likeable characters in this film but standouts among the entire franchise.

The incredible performance by Harris too is what makes the ending so horrifying and striking as well.

Alan Howarth's Music. Long time collaborator and friend of John Carpenter, Alan Howarth stayed with the Halloween franchise, imparting one of the franchise's most essential ingredients: the music. John Carpenter's original score for 1978's Halloween is, in my opinion, one of the greatest strengths of the film and one of the greatest horror film scores of all time (if not the greatest). Moustapha Akkad recognized the value of Carpenter's score and pushed to have the music retained throughout the sequels. One of the powerful elements of Halloween IV is Alan Howarth's reprisals of the various themes and signature music of the original film, while adding original themes of his own where necessary. These themes elevate Halloween IV to a new level, lending power and gravitas to the narrative. Personally I feel Howarth updated and improved upon those original themes and the scores he provided for Halloween IV and Part V are my favorites of the series.

NITPICKS

Perhaps it's the longtime appreciation I've had for this film or maybe the film, to me, is just that good because I don't have a whole lot of nitpicks. Sometimes Michael's signature white mask looks odd at moments. There are some rather odd kills, like the shotgun barrel through the chest and the thumb gouge to the forehead (which I have grown to love over the years for their strangeness). Ultimately though this film crosses its T's and dots its I's very well. I think the MPAA dealt a few blows to the film by forcing cuts in gore and nudity (and still making it rated R). By today's standards this movie would probably receive a PG-13 rating. It has long been my hope that an uncut version of the film would be restored and released someday, reintegrating the censored elements. Even still, Halloween IV remains a favorite of mine in its current form.

THE VERDICT

Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers brings the franchise back to its roots, restoring the titular villain and his nemesis, Dr. Loomis, as well the signature music and themes. This film keeps the series (as well as the genre) fresh by deviating from slasher film cliches and norms, providing intelligent and endearing characters, a smart killer, and exciting sequences like the Rooftop Chase. Alan Howarth reinvigorates John Carpenter's classic score, further demonstrating why Halloween's score is the best horror score of all time. And Michael Myers shows audiences again why he is a cut above his fellow horror villain competitors. Halloween IV is one of my personal favorites and a solid entry of the series.

Overall Ranking: 9 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10

An Introduction to Horror Through Halloween IV

I have several biases for this film and I am self-aware enough to admit it. Halloween IV was far from my initial exposure to the horror genre but it was my first real investment into "Modern Horror." I was about twelve years when I first saw Halloween IV. It was my first exposure to the Halloween series and to the characters of Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis. This was the first time I remember feeling the adrenaline rush of fear and excitement while watching a horror film. It terrified me but also gave me a roller coaster ride like thrill. The source of the thrill was the villainous Shape. Michael Myers was such a frightening character to me and has come to be my top favorite horror icon.

Halloween IV is the genesis of my Halloween and Slasher film fandom. From there I went to Halloween V and then back Halloween I, II, & III (this was before Halloween 6 had come out). As I went on through the series I discovered my favorite director too, John Carpenter, as well as one of my favorite actors, Donald Pleasence. From I discovered the other famous horror franchises and slasher icons. And through it all Halloween, Michael Myers, and John Carpenter became the bars with which I measured all others against. And it was all thanks to Halloween IV. I owe H4 a lot. While it is not a perfect film by any means it certainly is a strong film among the series and the Slasher horror subgenre.