James C. Clay // Film Critic
The year 2018 brought us another installment of HALLOWEEN. This time, bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis and ushering in a new generation to the Shape that is Michael Myers. And, to be honest, aside from the series having 11 entries, newbies to the series can jump right into this film and have a good time all the same. I wouldn’t advise that, but you can do it!
Three months and a quarter of a billion (with a capital B) dollars later, the film is all but solidified itself as the definitive film of the series since the original. Fans (and non fans alike) will find elements to enjoy about this slash and laugh horror picture. Director David Gordon Green (STRONGER and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS) crafted a film that basks in the streets of suburban middle America with one of the best looking films (if not the best) in the series. (I don’t want to split too many hairs, or try to rank all of the photography of these films, but I will say 1981’s HALLOWEEN II is way up there.)
Rarely do standard studio releases come with artwork that is worth keeping on the shelf, but Universal/Blumhouse made a case worthy of admiring. Complete with a sturdy slipcover, the artwork features the aged Michael Myers mask from the film with a little extra texturing. I just find myself admiring the look of this release; it fits the aesthetic of the film and gives you a little something to hold onto when the scares keep coming. (Even though this film isn’t very scary at all.)
I can think back to the Blu-ray for GET OUT (also a Universal/Blumhouse production), which had a potent mix of features and a dynamite feature-length commentary by Jordan Peele. The special features on this thing are a bit standard and lacking. There is a mix of deleted scenes that were, thankfully, cut from the film, and a few dinky featurettes on Ms. Curtis’ return, Mr. Carpenter’s score and the legacy of HALLOWEEN.
Now that you have finished yawning, let’s move on and watch these anyway… you know you want to.
No Audio Commentary? How are you not going to get David Gordon Green, Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter in a room and watch this movie together? Opportunity wasted.
Deleted/Extended Scenes: Deleted scenes are typically cut for a reason – for tone, brevity, or some reason unbeknownst to the viewer.
Featurettes
HALLOWEEN is available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital HD today.
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