Post by 7 on Aug 31, 2007 22:51:13 GMT -5
Halloween
Written and Directed by Rob Zombie
Based on a screenplay by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
How do you survive asphyxiating hype? Hype doomed to ruin any movie?
You tell 'em to fuck off, that's how. And this is exactly what Rob Zombie does with his interpretation of horror genre staple Halloween.
Now, like any true cultist in the the horror genre, I have seen John Carpenter's classic at least a dozen times, probably well beyond that, and I was extremely leery at first. The remake craze has left nothing but chains for us die-hard horror fanatics, and has introduced a multitude of unwanted new "fans". You know the kind, the ones that think Saw is the greatest thing to hit planet earth. Ever.
So when the Weinstein's announced that a remake of what I would have thought to be sacred text was coming out, I was pissed. I started asking questions such as: who else but Donald Pleasence could play Dr. Loomis? What "it" girl of the week would they get to play Laurie Strode? What hack director begging for a film credit would they get to helm it?
Then I heard Rob Zombie signed as director and screenwriter. I sighed a sigh of relief when I read those words. Not because Zombie is the Fellini of the horror world, but because he truly loves and cherishes horror films. He adores the original Halloween film, and has been quoted saying (with sincerity) that he is a fan first, a director second. It basically amounts to one of our own directing a remake of our favorite film.
But, the real question is, does he pull it off?
Well. . . yes and no.
First of all, you can see this film was made with love and respect to the original. The love is ingrained into the very celluloid of the print. He succeeds where Gus Van Sant failed in the horrible joke that was the Psycho remake, he creates a film uniquely his own, while paying homage to a legend.
Where he falters is the style he chose to take with the film. Picture his masterwork of exploitation cinema, The Devil's Rejects, and place it in Haddonfield with Michael Myers wandering around. This film is bloody. This film is raunchy. This film will make your grandmother cry. Halloween '79 is none of those things.
On the one hand, this is where he creates Rob Zombie's Halloween, and not "that remake of John Carpenter's Halloween". On the other hand, it goes against the nearly bloodless original. Zombie leaves nothing to the imagination with this one, and I did not like that. There is no mystery surrounding Michael Myers (place yourself in 1979, not knowing that sequels would come out to explain the series), he is completely explained, in depth, during the first act.
As for as Dr. Loomis goes, well, if Donald Pleasence owned the role, Malcolm McDowell is leasing it. He does a stellar job. It's great to still see him in movies after so long, he really is one of the best actors of his generation.
My other main gripe, and it was really a let down for me, was the casting of "the girls". I did enjoy seeing Danielle Harris, because she really is a sweetheart, but the hired hands who took charge of Laurie and Linda really left me cold. The acting was fucking horrible on their parts. The both of them ruined otherwise pitch-perfect scenes.
I do have one complaint to make, one that Rob Zombie can be held in no way responsible for. It is the release date. I know film politics better then most, and I know exactly why they chose late summer, but to be honest, walking out of a film titled Halloween and having 90 degree heat slap you in the face. . . is not good atmosphere. Why not October, damn you!
While you're watching look for cameos from the typical Zombie troupe, but also from other horror legends. I won't spoil the fun of playing the "who is that guy!?" game, but I will say I saw people from: Dawn of the Dead '78, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and even some familiar faces from previous Halloween installments.
To sum it up:
Go see it. Despite being a remake it is fresh and it is original. It has my seal of approval and I judge horror films as harsh as anyone.
Written and Directed by Rob Zombie
Based on a screenplay by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
How do you survive asphyxiating hype? Hype doomed to ruin any movie?
You tell 'em to fuck off, that's how. And this is exactly what Rob Zombie does with his interpretation of horror genre staple Halloween.
Now, like any true cultist in the the horror genre, I have seen John Carpenter's classic at least a dozen times, probably well beyond that, and I was extremely leery at first. The remake craze has left nothing but chains for us die-hard horror fanatics, and has introduced a multitude of unwanted new "fans". You know the kind, the ones that think Saw is the greatest thing to hit planet earth. Ever.
So when the Weinstein's announced that a remake of what I would have thought to be sacred text was coming out, I was pissed. I started asking questions such as: who else but Donald Pleasence could play Dr. Loomis? What "it" girl of the week would they get to play Laurie Strode? What hack director begging for a film credit would they get to helm it?
Then I heard Rob Zombie signed as director and screenwriter. I sighed a sigh of relief when I read those words. Not because Zombie is the Fellini of the horror world, but because he truly loves and cherishes horror films. He adores the original Halloween film, and has been quoted saying (with sincerity) that he is a fan first, a director second. It basically amounts to one of our own directing a remake of our favorite film.
But, the real question is, does he pull it off?
Well. . . yes and no.
First of all, you can see this film was made with love and respect to the original. The love is ingrained into the very celluloid of the print. He succeeds where Gus Van Sant failed in the horrible joke that was the Psycho remake, he creates a film uniquely his own, while paying homage to a legend.
Where he falters is the style he chose to take with the film. Picture his masterwork of exploitation cinema, The Devil's Rejects, and place it in Haddonfield with Michael Myers wandering around. This film is bloody. This film is raunchy. This film will make your grandmother cry. Halloween '79 is none of those things.
On the one hand, this is where he creates Rob Zombie's Halloween, and not "that remake of John Carpenter's Halloween". On the other hand, it goes against the nearly bloodless original. Zombie leaves nothing to the imagination with this one, and I did not like that. There is no mystery surrounding Michael Myers (place yourself in 1979, not knowing that sequels would come out to explain the series), he is completely explained, in depth, during the first act.
As for as Dr. Loomis goes, well, if Donald Pleasence owned the role, Malcolm McDowell is leasing it. He does a stellar job. It's great to still see him in movies after so long, he really is one of the best actors of his generation.
My other main gripe, and it was really a let down for me, was the casting of "the girls". I did enjoy seeing Danielle Harris, because she really is a sweetheart, but the hired hands who took charge of Laurie and Linda really left me cold. The acting was fucking horrible on their parts. The both of them ruined otherwise pitch-perfect scenes.
I do have one complaint to make, one that Rob Zombie can be held in no way responsible for. It is the release date. I know film politics better then most, and I know exactly why they chose late summer, but to be honest, walking out of a film titled Halloween and having 90 degree heat slap you in the face. . . is not good atmosphere. Why not October, damn you!
While you're watching look for cameos from the typical Zombie troupe, but also from other horror legends. I won't spoil the fun of playing the "who is that guy!?" game, but I will say I saw people from: Dawn of the Dead '78, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and even some familiar faces from previous Halloween installments.
To sum it up:
Go see it. Despite being a remake it is fresh and it is original. It has my seal of approval and I judge horror films as harsh as anyone.
HMaM Global Mod
Grizzled HMaM Vet
HMaM Global Mod
I actually dislike that movie so much that when I had a chance to own it for less than four dollars.... I didn't pick it up. And considering the crap I DO buy just because it happens to be cheap, and I may one day decide to revisit it, I guess that is saying something. But I do own TCM: The Beginning. Don't ask me to explain that one. 