The Halloween Franchise

[johnoclock]

I feel odd about a 40 year franchise shoehorning the pandemic in one of the installments. Nothing wrong with dealing with real life events in art and I'm sure there will be an onslaught of movies, tv shows and music about the pandemic in the years ahead but it feels a bit opportunistic and superficial to do it like this unless you can come up with something substantial to say about it and not just use it as an attempt to be "topical".

Not to mention it will date the movie forever. Horror films often react to the social context around them, particularly in the 70s and 80s, but not explicitly. I can't imagine Texas Chainsaw Massacre referencing Vietnam or a F13 sequel being about Reagan.

 

[Guyhawke!]

The interview comment is very broad:

I mean, where we’re leaving these characters on Halloween 2018, the world is a different place. So not only do they have their immediate world affected by that trauma, having time to process that trauma – and that’s a specific and immediate traumatic event in the community of Haddonfield. But then they also had a worldwide pandemic and peculiar politics and another million things that turned their world upside down.

It sounds like he is referring to how the characters have been through the experience of isolation, something that threatened a large group of people rather than individuals, etc. This could just be the contextual backdrop to inform the action, the same way that 'Halloween' 2018 could be a timely response to the #metoo movement with women taking back their power and transforming trauma into action.


x

 

[Steve003]

Yeah I don't think he means it's actually taking place during the pandemic.

 

[xtophermorrison]

I feel odd about a 40 year franchise shoehorning the pandemic in one of the installments. Nothing wrong with dealing with real life events in art and I'm sure there will be an onslaught of movies, tv shows and music about the pandemic in the years ahead but it feels a bit opportunistic and superficial to do it like this unless you can come up with something substantial to say about it and not just use it as an attempt to be "topical".

Not to mention it will date the movie forever. Horror films often react to the social context around them, particularly in the 70s and 80s, but not explicitly. I can't imagine Texas Chainsaw Massacre referencing Vietnam or a F13 sequel being about Reagan.

Didn’t the prequel to the Jessica Biel reboot of Texas Chainsaw Massacre reference Vietnam? Weren’t the two brothers going to the draft and the younger one attempted to burn his card?

Or were you referring to the initial film?

 

[johnoclock]

Didn’t the prequel to the Jessica Biel reboot of Texas Chainsaw Massacre reference Vietnam? Weren’t the two brothers going to the draft and the younger one attempted to burn his card?

Or were you referring to the initial film?

I was talking about the original whose violent nature was apparently a reaction to the turmoil at the time. Actually, they say a lot of the ultra violent, naturalistic horror films of the time like Last House on the Left were a reaction to Vietnam. That's why I said horror films often reflect the social circumstances of the time, albeit not directly.

 

[DangerousHun]

Honestly still not over Kyle Richards in her big scene. She had Michael shook.

 

[Roey_says]

She’s finally fresh!

View attachment 30271

 

[sesita]

I’m…tired already.

Michael will wear a mask over his mask and will struggle trying to murder everyone while social distancing.

 

[steste]

Not into pandemic Halloween (even if horror films have long mirrored what the present audience is scared of). However, splitting up the films and not having one slog of a night is great.

The original Halloween 1 and Halloween 2 back to back is exhausting. I hope Halloween 2018 and Halloween Kills are a coherent watch together. At least the latter isn't going to be set in a hospital all night.

 

[VicePresidentJocasta]

The disparity between reviews for the 2018 film (79% on RT) and this sequel (46% on RT) has me a bit concerned about what to expect here.

 

[johnoclock]

Α 44 on metacritic. Ouch.


Edit: Owen Gleiberman of Variety called the original Halloween a 'mayhem-by-the-numbers knockoff of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”' which like, wtf man?

 

[ohaimanabu]

Seeing it in 4 hours with my mom!

 

[MC54]

Is it on Peacock at midnight?

 

[aboutyounow]

Is it on Peacock at midnight?

That’s the rumor. 12am EST. Peacock won’t say on Twitter.

 

[ohaimanabu]

Spoiler

wow, I hated that ending, rather the whole film aside from a few moments.

 

[4Roses]

 

[torontodj]

For some reason, I thought they were shooting both movies together. I hope this is not another Rise of Skywalker situation where they just make it up as they go along.

 

[MC54]

Just hit play. Here we go...

 

[LetsGetToIt]

For some reason, I thought they were shooting both movies together. I hope this is not another Rise of Skywalker situation where they just make it up as they go along.

This was the original plan which leads me to believe there must be a script written for Ends. Now with time things could change, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

I just got home from theaters and spoiler free I’ll say: I don’t feel like the trailer really spoiled anything. There was so much that happened in the film that I had no idea would happen. Characters, deaths and most of the big action pieces were unspoiled. That gives me hope for Scream in regards to the trailer.

Spoiler Talk:

Spoiler

I loved pretty much everything about it. Going in spoiler free I was surprised by everything and didn’t expect them to take this angle. For all the characters we didn’t know about, I thought they did a good job of developing pretty much everybody which made the deaths count more.

The 1978 flashbacks were EXCELLENT! In an age where so many movies set in the 70s-90s look like they’re set in the present day, those scenes meshed really well with the flashbacks to the original. I also was shocked to see Dr. Loomis and however they did that was successful.

While it was sad to see Marion and Tommy go, it was nice to see them again and I’m glad Lindsay survived for a sequel.

I also liked that they firmly took the focus off Laurie and Michael having a connection. Karen’s death was expected, mainly because I think Alyson logically will be the only Strode to survive, but I didn’t expect Karen to die when she did. I figured they’d save that for the next movie. I’m torn on how I feel about her death, but on first watch I’ll say I think I liked it.

 

[Steve003]

People's reactions are so mixed. I'm hearing it's fantastic and one of the best in the franchise. Others are saying it's one of the worst. I feel like 2018 had a much better fan reception when it first came out but then again sometimes movies that are so divisive are more interesting? I don't know what to expect and I'm someone who read the script! I guess I will see tomorrow night.....