Halloween - Resurrection (DVD)

...iNTRODUCTIOn ♥

Halloween is one of the most loved and possibly the most famous horror series of all time. It all began with Halloween, directed by John Carpenter which was released in 1978, almost thirty years ago now. It was only intended to be a small film for drive-in movies but word of mouth spread and it went on to be released worldwide, making millions. It is still ranked as one of the greatest horror movies or just movies ...
...which are just laughable now, Halloween is still terrifying to people who have never seen it. It starred Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, a teenage babysitter who is for some reason being stalked by this masked maniac. It all comes to a soaring finale where Michael Myers (the masked maniac) is shot 6 times but still manages to get up and walk away...

It was only a matter of time before a sequel was called for after the originals ... more

♥ iNTRODUCTIOn ♥

Halloween is one of the most loved and possibly the most famous horror series of all time. It all began with Halloween, directed by John Carpenter which was released in 1978, almost thirty years ago now. It was only intended to be a small film for drive-in movies but word of mouth spread and it went on to be released worldwide, making millions. It is still ranked as one of the greatest horror movies or just movies in general of all time and will remain there. Unlike some oldies like Friday The 13th which are just laughable now, Halloween is still terrifying to people who have never seen it. It starred Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, a teenage babysitter who is for some reason being stalked by this masked maniac. It all comes to a soaring finale where Michael Myers (the masked maniac) is shot 6 times but still manages to get up and walk away...

It was only a matter of time before a sequel was called for after the originals success and Halloween 2 was released in 1981 which recieved mixed reviews. It's still, like the original, a great movie but is basically a more gruesome re-hash of the first but it is the movie that revealed to us that Michael Myers was Laurie Strode's brother. It seemingly ended the series when Michael was burned to death and Laurie was saved and with Halloween 3 (1982) completely ignoring the myers storyline.

But the fans wanted more Myers, they literally begged for his return...so it happened. Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers was released a decade after the original in 1988. It was a decent movie but without Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in it and presumed dead after a fatal car crash it was never the same and neither were the following two sequels: the dire Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989) and the decent Halloween 6: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995) which was to be Donald Pleasance's final appearence in the series.

It was all going a bit downhill to be honest, ticket sales had slumped and the movies were just getting worse reviews as they went on untill the series was re-invented and invigorated with the exciting and fresh Halloween H20, released two decades after the original in 1998. It starred the return of Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode who has faked her death, changed her name and runs a private school but still being haunted by the twenty year old memories which are to become a reality when he finally tracks her down and finds her. It is, to me, the greatest and most powerful in the series and ended with an amazing, tense, nail biting chase between the two and a brilliant final showdown which i believe should have ended the series on a high. But noooooooooo, they had to spoil it didn't they which is a shame because if they were so desperate to make another one it could have been so much better.

Halloween Resurrection was released in 2002, abolishing everything H20 had achieved in 86 mins.

♥ wHATS THIS MOVIE ABOUT AND WHY DO YOU HATE IT SO MUCh ♥

Well firstly, let's take a look at the movie and it's storyline...

Halloween Resurrection opens with a brilliant eerie version of the original score which is the best part. We are then once again introduced to Laurie Strode (Why oh Why did you do this Jamie?) who is now institutionalised and a bit nuts. She is waiting for the time to come. After discovering that she has killed the wrong person at the end of H20 she knows that Michael is still out there and after her. He finally shows up which leads to a mediocre opening chase where Laurie is finally killed off and Michael once again dissapears into the night. After this, there really is no point to watching the rest but if you insist...

A reality-tv-style-internet company run by Freddie (Busta Rhymes) and Nora (Tyra Banks, who may I say is the most under-used character in the whole movie which is funny because her character and acting are a breath of fresh air in her scenes) called...wait for it...DangerTainment who have enlisted 6 students:

Sara (Bianca Kajlich)
Rudy (Sean Patrick Thomas)
Jenna (Katee Sackhoff)
Donna (Daisy McCrackin)
Jim (Luke Kirby) and
Bill (Thomas Ian Nicholas)

...to star in an internet web cast of an exploration of the original Myers house on Halloween night. But we know things are going to turn sour when Michael comes home to see what the hell is going on in his home.

I don't want to just fob you guys off but the rest of the movie is basically each of them getting killed off one-by-one in unscary, unsuspensful ways. The movie switches between a grainy view through the cameras each of the characters are wearing (to emphasize that it is being broadcast on the internet) to a glossy film production view which is interesting at times but it's already been done before (Blair Witch, My Little Eye...) better. The movie is focused around Freddie, Sara and Myers as they are the main characters but the rest seem to just be there to higher the body count and don't have much character development which makes you not really care what happens to them. It tries to be hip and cool by firstly hiring Busta Rhymes (who can't act at all) and then having him do a shameless karate fight with Myers which...is...just...awful.

It has a not-so-bad final chase scene, a certain ammount of atmosphere thanks to the brilliant score and Myers performance by Brad Loree but unfortunately it just doesn't make up for the rest. It is not the worst Halloween movie (uh-hum Halloween 5) but it certainly destroyed the series which is probably why a re-make or re-imagining is being made as this review is being written because now Laurie is dead the series really hasn't got anywhere left to go.

♥ eXTRAs ♥

The DVD has actually got a decent set of Extra's but are they any good?

⇒ Director's (Rick Rosenthal who also directed the second movie) commentary which I found myself getting bored of as the movie went on because although they do explain quite a lot about the production and movie they don't sound too enthusiastic, they sound bored which doesn't help.

⇒ Deleted & Alternate scenes which includes:

Freddie & Nora in control room, contestant interviews, Sara & Jenna dropping out, Michael driving up to house which is the most hilarious as Michael actually presses that beepy button on the set of car keys to lock the car, photo album and Sara & Freddy at car.

⇒ It also offers 3 alternate endings which are interesting but not so good, they are:

Deckard ending, CSI hand in man-hole which I thought was the best as it did make me jump when his hand reaches out and drags her into the darkness and axe ending.

⇒ Web Cam special which is basically almost the entire movie through the view of the grainy internet cameras they have on their heads.

⇒ Tour of set with production designer which shows basically a tour of the set and how all the trees and grass were brought in and how the house was completely built from scratch and how they needed several hours of darkness blah de blah de blah...

⇒ On the set with Jamie Lee Curtis which features a statement by Busta Rhymes who says 'just trying to give America a good show'...hmmm yes...and Jamie Lee Curtis who states 'I think you need to end that Halloween story before you go into the new Halloween story' which is a bit sad as if the new Halloween story is what Resurrection offers then it's not very promising.

⇒ Head Cam Featurette which tells us of how the actors basically had the cameras on their heads the entire time they filmed and Tyra Banks explaining why she liked the idea of the movie stating 'what I liked is that Halloween 8 is very current and on the pulse of what the world is about right now...the internet' which is correct but not what H:R does well.

⇒ Storyboard Comparisons which is scenes from the movie but shown with their original artwork concepts.

I thought the extra's were a good ammount but most of it is dull and boring. The only one I enjoyed watching really was on the set with Jamie Lee Curtis as she lights up the screen and injects life which is still great to see.

♥ rOUNDING Up ♥

If your not already a fan of Halloween then your not missing much here and it's probably not one that's going to convert you but if you are a fan of Halloween and have not yet seen this then i do advise you to at most watch it once just to see for yourself but I won't beg you. It's just kinda sad really to see how a series regained all of it's credibility with H20 and lost it all with H:R but I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Rob Zombie does with his re-imagining. To be honest though, I'm not gonna get my hopes up. Jamie Lee Curtis defined Halloween and without her it's just not the same as I've already said.

♥ pRICES & WHERE TO BUy ♥

Play.com : for 4 pounds 99
ebay.co.uk : for as little as 1 pounds 70 without P&P
tesco.com : for a whopping 16 pounds 24 (Don't bother)
cd-wow.com: for 8 pounds 99

If you really want to give it a go and get it delivered promptly then i suggest buying it from Play.com as although ebay is cheaper some sellers take forever to post! Thanks for reading ;) 

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