Honestly, we’re not going to do yet another traditional review of the film Halloween II. It has been reviewed to death since 1981 and there’s really no point in diving in again since we’ve already done reviews on In Poor Taste and a full podcast episode about it, which I will link below.
So instead, we’re going to do something a bit different. On Halloween this year I livetweeted my viewing experience while watching thisย steelbook edition of Halloween II, and I present the entire stream in order.
We like to say that Halloween II picks up directly after Halloween but the real truth is… it picks up during Halloween. With that nice continuity goof with Loomisโ shots.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
This new 4k transfer really accentuates the greens of the grass. You can actually see Michaelโs grass angel quite well. Good olโ Mikeyโs a kid at heart.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
I love the neighbor that comes outside after the gunshots sounding absolutely exhausted. โIโve been trick-or-treated to death!โ Well my friend, it sounds like youโve had a tough Halloween. But tougher than Laurieโs?!
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
The pumpkin in the credits of this film looks simple but have you actually tried to carve it? Getting the teeth right is a bitch. Props to pumpkin carvers.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Mayonnaise on ham sandwiches – yay or nay? Thatโs a big no from me.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Coke getting a nice placement in this whereas Hellmanโs and Guldenโs get short shrift.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
You know Sally is really disinterested in the fact that Alice lives right down the street from the murders. Just no concern at all.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
These EMTs dressed for the hospital or the mechanicโs shop?
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Always loved the razor blade in the candy reference that hints at other bad shit happening in Haddonfield. It would be great to see an alternate reality where that was a sequel to the series.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
I totally get the Sheriffโs point of view in this situation. A quack comes along ordering you around on Halloween night looking for a guy who was shot six times – no wonder the guyโs at his witโs end.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Also – that cop was fucking motoring down a village street. โHe came out of nowhere.โ Except we see that he was in fact walking in the street.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Jimmy, the not so creepy EMT who pervs on women in the hospital. What a good guy.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Love the cowboy with the boom box walking around listening to the news. A sign of the times.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
I have to say the Halloween decorations in this are far better than the first one. The hospitalโs got some cool shit up.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Cats get a bad rap for their jump scares. Theyโre just doing cat things and getting into shit.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
You can just see that this security guard is a hospital security guard because heโs expecting no trouble. Heโs genuinely shook when he figures out someone broke into the storeroom.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Thereโs a number of good tools in the storeroom but what does vanilla Mikey use? A hammer.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Always comment on this – the coroner has a wicked awesome sweater. pic.twitter.com/vjCnjoQzEY
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Just see the wheels turning in Loomisโ mind when the boys talk about missing Tramer. No remorse, more just thinking that Michaelโs still out there.
RIP Ben Tramer you poor bastard.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Not gonna lie, the hot tub scene might be the best scene in the Halloween franchise for some big, bountiful reasons.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Itโs a little grating to hear Loomis mispronounce Samhain. Youโd think for such a big part of the film theyโd have researched it more. But… Supernatural made the same mistake in โItโs the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester.โ
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Hereโs a reminder you should check out our NSFW nudity post: https://t.co/NmlrMR4ohc
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
The lighting in Dr. Mixterโs office is great when it reveals Michaelโs face, even if the logistics donโt make sense.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
The blood drip from the IV is so red and I love that shit. I know some people complain about it looking too much like paint but the vibrancy is giallo-like and I dig.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
You gotta love that the timpani player gets a lot of work with the updated theme for Halloween II during Michael chases. โThe timpaniโs not tuned.โ Carpenter & Howarth: โWho cares!โ
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Hospitals be making their doors out of sugar glass now. The amount of force for Michael to walk through a door – commendable.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
โWhen life throws doors at you, crash through them.โ – Michael Myers, 1981 TED Talk
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Is Haddonfield Memorial up to safety code with big tanks of ether just laying around in a poorly-staffed hospital?
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Love the newscaster giving play-by-play about Laurie getting into the ambulance. Now just needs some Madden-style Xs and Os.
— ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐ (@cultsploitation) October 31, 2019
Steelbook Blu-ray
This new steelbook release of Halloween II from Scream Factory ports over all of the previous extras from their 2012 Blu-ray edition, including the 45-minute series of interviews about the making of the film, deleted scenes and alternate ending with or without commentary from Rick Rosenthal, trailers, still galleries, audio commentaries from Rick Rosenthal and Dick Warlock, and a DVD version of the TV cut. However, Scream Factory did give the film a new 4k scan of the interpositive, previously notated as the original camera negative incorrectly (and still listed that way on the box).
This new 4k scan looks quite good, giving the film lush and bright color depth that accentuates a number of elements in the storyline including the Myers mask’s blonde hair, the verdant greenery in Haddonfield, and a more vibrant aesthetic within the hospital. Darks are well-preserved, and the grain field remains naturally present throughout. However, the interpositive does yield a little less detail than previous releases that is negligibly noticeable during actual viewing.
Audio is both a 5.1 DTS-HD MA and 2.0 track, both sounding quite good with no apparent noise or volume drops. English subtitles have been added to this release.
The other main draw for this release is the steelbook itself with new cover artwork, seen below. Ultimately, for Halloween II fans and steelbook collectors, this is certainly worth picking up, though it might not be as big of a jump in quality as some might expect.
Packaging Details
Extra Features
- NEW 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative (error: it is actually from the interpositive)
- Audio Commentary With Director Rick Rosenthal
- Audio Commentary With Stunt Coordinator Dick Warlock
- “The Nightmare Isn’t Over – The Making Of Halloween II” Featuring Rick Rosenthal, Actors Lance Guest and Leo Rossi, Dick Warlock, Composer Alan Howarth, Director Of Photography Dean Cundey And More (HD; 44:56)
- Horror’s Hallowed Grounds โ Revisiting The Original Shooting Locations With Host Sean Clark (HD; 13:11)
- TV cut (SD DVD version)
- Still Gallery (chapter breaks; 4:34)
- Posters and lobby cards (chapter breaks; 6:58)
- Theatrical Trailer (unrestored HD; 2:19)
- TV Spots (unrestored HD; 1:42)
- Radio Spots (3:17)
- Alternate ending (w/ commentary by Rick Rosenthal (unrestored HD; 1:45)
- Deleted scenes (w/ commentary by Rick Rosenthal (unrestored HD; 8:07)
- DVD-ROM film script
What’s Missing?
Show FeaturesUniversal Pictures 30th Anniversary
- Terror in the Aisles documentary
BD Info
