Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Halloween II 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 11, 2021

We live in an age when sequels are planned out before the first film even reaches theaters, but 1978’s “Halloween” was such an out-of-nowhere success, it left co-writers John Carpenter and Debra Hill temporarily stunned. The creators were caught between using the moment to advance their careers and being put on the spot for a follow-up, tasked with figuring out a way to resurrect the “Halloween” experience for another survival quest featuring The Shape. It took three years for “Halloween II” to hit screens, which is a surprising amount of time considering how routine the sequel is, as Carpenter and Hill return with very little invention for the continuation. “Halloween II” has the novelty of taking place on the same night as the original feature, but this idea hurts the picture as much as it helps it, asking audience to return to the same dramatic starting point with Michael Myers, who’s once again on the loose, out to slaughter innocent people on Halloween night.

Directed by Rick Rosenthal, “Halloween II” makes a valiant attempt to line up with Carpenter’s movie, offering a similar sense of style and performance, with Donald Pleasance a bit more unwound as Dr. Loomis. Jamie Lee Curtis is mostly used as decoration in the picture, finding Laurie more of an idea than a participant in the sequel, with the screenplay showing greater interest in the lives of the hospital staff called in to care for Laurie while Michael Myers works his way across town. Some sequences work quite well, playing into growing slasher film trends of the day, watching The Shape take out victims in a variety of ways. And it’s entertaining to watch Dr. Loomis grow increasingly frantic as the night unfolds, but there’s an overall staleness to “Halloween II” that keeps it restrained, even with a killer score from Carpenter and Alan Howarth and outstanding cinematography from Dean Cundey.

For additional information and analysis, please read:

The 2011 Blu-ray review by Kenneth Brown.

The 2012 Blu-ray review by Kenneth Brown.

The 2018 Blu-ray review by Stephen Larson.

Halloween II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray release of "Halloween II."

After many releases on Blu-ray, "Halloween II" makes the leap to 4K (sourced from a scan of the original camera negative, approved by cinematographer Dean Cundey), with a Dolby Vision presentation that's quite similar to the one found on "Halloween." Being the second half of the Laurie Strode story, "Halloween II" remains stylistically in step with the previous feature, resulting in multiple scenes of limited lighting and evening activities. Blacks are deep throughout the viewing experience, preserving shadow play with Michael Myers and his hospital attacks, and nighttime events retain their natural appearance. Colors are precise, with bright red and blue police lighting and greenish dashboard glow. Yellow tables and red soda cups at the hospital are distinct, along with rich red blood. Costuming secures the blues and whites of medical outfits. Skintones are natural. Neighborhood tours offer compelling hues, and main titles provide a strong yellow and orange glow. Detail provides a clear view of skin particulars, and mask textures on Myers showcase intended wear and tear. Hospital rooms and hallways provide clear decoration, and exteriors are deep, exploring parking lots and town streets. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in excellent condition.

Halloween II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Joining 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD MA mixes is a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD track, which makes an early impression with the main title sequence, pumping up the chirpy synth score to capture the refreshed electronic dread of "Halloween II." Scoring cues are crisp throughout the listening event, filling the soundstage, supporting thriller and horror moods. Dialogue exchanges are clean, offering defined argumentative behavior and panicked reactions. Atmospherics are compelling, with neighborhood bustle and hospital movement appreciable, and occasional panning and separation effects add to the flow of the action. Low-end isn't in demand, but explosive elements offer some weight.

Halloween II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

UHD

• Commentary #1 features director Rick Rosenthal and actor Leo Rossi.

• Commentary #2 features actor/stunt coordinator Dick Warlock.

Blu-ray #1

• Commentary #1 features director Rick Rosenthal and actor Leo Rossi.

• Commentary #2 features actor/stunt coordinator Dick Warlock.

• "The Nightmare Isn't Over: The Making of 'Halloween II'" (44:55, HD) features interviews with director Rick Rosenthal, producer Irwin Yablans, filmmaker Tommy Lee Wallace, cinematographer Dean Cundey, actor/stunt coordinator Dick Warlock, costume designer Jane Ruhm, co-editor Skip Schoolnik, co-composer Alan Howarth, and actors Leo Rossi, Ana Alicia, Tawny Moyer, Lance Guest, and Nancy Stephens. Initial sequel plans are charted by Yablans, who wanted to get back to work right away, encountering a hesitant John Carpenter, who moved on to "The Fog," resulting in a lawsuit against him. Also reluctant to participate in the follow-up is Wallace, who hated the script, rejecting a directorial offer. Getting the gang back together from "Halloween," sacrifices are highlighted, with Cundey turning down "Poltergeist" for "Halloween II." The hospital location and its sound problems are detailed, along with time spent with Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasance. Performance choices are examined, including Warlock's work as Michael Myers and his attention to safe stunt work. Kills are analyzed, and the ending is debated, with an alternate ending attached to the feature without Rosenthal's prior knowledge. Going into the "too many cooks in the kitchen" argument, the interviewees mostly seem pleased "Halloween II" came out a well as it did, and Howarth inspects scoring offerings, working over Carpenter's original music.

• "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" (13:11, HD) is hosted by Sean Clark, who visits California locations used during the making of "Halloween II," running into actor Robert Rusler, who demands an episode on "A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge."

• Deleted Scenes (8:06, SD) offer pieces of characterization and hospital atmosphere that were trimmed to help fix the slow pace of the feature. Deleted Scenes can be viewed with or without commentary from director Rick Rosenthal.

• Alternate Ending (1:44, SD) is provided. Alternate Ending can be viewed with or without commentary from director Rick Rosenthal.

• T.V. Spots (2:31, SD) provide five commercials for "Halloween II," including promos for its television premiere.

• Radio Spots (3:17) offer six ads, including a Spanish spot for "Halloween Dos."

• T.V. Promo (:27, SD) is a short commercial for "Halloween II," which is billed as a film "by John Carpenter."

• Newsprint Ad Gallery (2:20) gathers advertisements from various cities and dates, also including re-releases and television airings.

• Still Gallery (5:04) collects publicity shots, film stills, and BTS snaps.

• Posters and Lobby Cards (6:58) collects international art, film stills, and newspaper ads.

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:04, HD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:18, HD) are included.

DVD

• T.V. Version (93:16) is offered.

• Film Script for "Halloween II" is available for download.

Halloween II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's the writing that ultimately keeps "Halloween II" from growing into something passably haunting. Family ties revealed here are ridiculous (the boogeyman doesn't need such an absurd motivation to kill), and the picture never exactly identifies what's going on inside Jimmy's (Lance Guest) head, with the character's love at first sight arc adding some uneasy energy to the endeavor, which Rosenthal doesn't know what to do with. "Halloween II" is certainly a technical achievement, with a neat location and emphasis on the next wave of murderous intent from Michael Myers, but as a sequel, it doesn't compare to the sheer creative achievement of "Halloween."