Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Blu-ray Movie Review

Two cuts, one film? Nope. Two cuts, two entirely different films...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown September 19, 2014

John Carpenter's original Halloween (1978) begat Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. In an ironic twist, though, The Curse of Michael Myers, the sixth film in the Halloween franchise, was inspired not just by its own vision but by its slasher genre offspring. Myers, once upon a time a terrifying, very human murder machine, was suddenly revealed to have connections to something more sinister and, you guessed it, supernatural. How else could he have survived the events of the first five films? The answer? Horror fans don't really care. What the producers, writer Daniel Farrands and director Joe Chappelle failed to understand was the power of suspension of disbelief. We don't need an explanation. I never spent much time mulling over the how of Myers' decades-long killing spree, just the why. The horror of Michael Myers lies in his crazed, dogged persistence. The eerie silence with which he stalks his prey. The cold, calculating drive born somewhere deep inside. Not his origins, his ability to soldier on through death or the source of his inhuman strength.

It's no coincidence that wrestling with how far to push the series into the supernatural directly led to Curse's production woes. Officially presented for the first time via its theatrical version and vastly different producer's cut, it's clear the real struggle was in where to go with a series that was in danger of repeating itself ad nauseum. The theatrical version rapidly retreats from the supernatural, delivering a more traditional Halloween experience. The producer's cut charges ahead -- rather boldly -- and, regardless of the outcome, offers a more unique take on the mythos. (One heavily influenced by The Omen and Rosemary's Baby.) Which is the more effective installment? Let the debate rage.

In a single horrifying night, Michael Myers' masked reign of terror changed Halloween forever. Now, six years after he was presumed dead in a fire, Myers has returned to kill again, and this time there's no escape. As the homicidal fury builds to a spine-tingling climax, the long-hidden secrets of the screen's most maniacal murderer are revealed, with shocking results.

In the disc's special features, Farrands and several others clarify that the producer's cut, as assembled and presented, is a workprint version rather than an ideal cut; that the final film would have been even more different from what it is had the initial filmmakers been given free reign from start to finish. Even so, watching the producer's cut is a fascinating trip through Troubled Production Hell. It isn't simply an alternate version, it's a whole other movie. Similarities abound early on, but it isn't long before previously exorcised sequences and subplots begin to twist the sequel into something more complex and ambitious. Soon after, Curse takes a sharp right turn into bizarro territory, embracing its supernatural elements and shrugging off its cheese-tastic tone with a confidence that's commendable. Character roles are dramatically changed. Entire arcs are drastically overhauled. The last half hour is almost unrecognizable. And the ending... well, no one will accuse the producer's cut of pulling back at the last second. That doesn't mean the workprint version is necessarily a better sequel, although I did find myself admiring it more than the theatrical cut. (If only because it so enthusiastically runs with its Celtic cult hijinks and last gotcha reveal.) In many ways it falls short, descending into a film that's more akin to Season of the Witch than a proper entry in the saga. (By film's end, Michael Myers is little more than a background standee.) In many ways it's an improvement, in that it isn't another routine rehash of the same old motions.

As to the actors, Marianne Hagan's Kara Strode, though still effective in the producer's cut, is eventually forced to sit the damsel-in-distress bench. Paul Rudd's Tommy Doyle gets a bigger shot at being a hero, some more time in the spotlight and, yep, more opportunities to unleash that god-awful accent on horror fandom. Donald Pleasance's Dr. Loomis, meanwhile, is a more central player in the producer's cut. Is more Pleasance ever a bad thing? The only downside here is that more Pleasance means more Mitchell Ryan. Don't get me wrong, Ryan does fine with the scenes he's given (steel-jawed '70s delivery and all), but the more the good Dr. Terence Wynn appears, the more the camp meter inches into the red, the more the film's baddies position the producer's cut as an inadvertent Rosemary's Baby parody, and the more the third act becomes an exercise in hooded-figure predictability and sacrificial inevitability. Ultimately, like the theatrical version, the producer's cut is spooky but never quite scary, its story full of frights but rarely frightening, and its role as a sequel diminished by the superiority of the original Halloween.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented on a separate disc from the theatrical version, the producer's cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers features an excellent 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer some will wrongfully dismiss as a lesser presentation. The theatrical version is crisper and more vibrant, which is sure to lead to some confusion among casual viewers. However, that crispness and vibrancy is the result of an over-processed image, and suffers from the typical side effects of artificial sharpening and contrast boosting: edge halos, unnatural detail, crush and over-saturation. The producer's cut offers a more filmic, more faithful presentation, with more restrained colors, much more refined and revealing shadow delineation, more eye-pleasing detail, a more consistent grain field, and, in general, a more satisfying encode. Granted, the theatrical version has its merits -- the producer's cut occasionally appears a bit dull and washed out, especially by comparison -- and I'm sure there will be some who prefer the flashier, splashier palette. But there's no indication that the producer's cut boasts anything but the image that was intended. (Or as close to it as a workprint can come.) Yes, there are still instances of slight ringing and a few faint halos to be found (the bright hallways in the third act being home to the worst of it). Yes, black levels aren't exactly inky. And yes, there are other indications that Scream Factory's remaster isn't perfect (minor print damage, among other negligible issues). But in terms of quality and purity, this is the kind of restoration/remastering/presentation Curse's theatrical version, Halloween H20 and Halloween Resurrection should have received.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like the theatrical version, the producer's cut of The Curse of Michael Myers includes a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. There are a few more prioritization and fidelity inconsistencies; most, if not all, tied to the nature of the film's workprint AV presentation. The good news is this is one of the more stable and consistent workprints I've encountered, with very little in the way of distractions. Similar to the theatrical version's lossless mix, LFE output isn't mind-blowing, but is aggressive enough to lend some much-needed oomph to stretches of the movie that feature Myers, the mysterious man in black, and the cult. The rear speakers, though subdued, are pleasantly engaging, even when used sparingly or simply to bolster the fullness of the score. Dialogue is reasonably clear and intelligible throughout as well, and voices aren't significantly thin or tinny often enough to raise any red flags. Bottom line? For all intents and purposes, the lossless track that accompanies the producer's cut is comparable to its theatrical counterpart, without any serious mishaps to report.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: Writer Daniel Farrands and composer Alan Howarth discuss the oft-bootlegged cut of the film with a fair bit of amazement; first, that it's finally being released, and second, that they've been given the opportunity to outline the differences between the two versions (pointing out deleted scenes, trimmed footage and alterations along the way), the reasons for the producer's cut's demise, the obstacles faced during the production, and the newly released version's place in the Halloween saga. The two deliver a terrifically candid discussion, and while the movie itself isn't my favorite in the series, theirs was probably my favorite commentary track in the Deluxe Edition set.
• Acting Scared: A Look at the Film's Cast (HD, 19 minutes): Actresses Mariah O'Brien and J.C. Brandy reflect on the sixth entry in the Halloween franchise, touching on everything from director Joe Chappelle's style and approach to the rest of the cast, their experience on set (O'Brien was one of the gang, Brandy was typically isolated in separate scenes), and the manner in which they tackled significant moments in the film.
• The Shape of Things (HD, 12 minutes): More production woes are revealed. Special make-up effects creator John Carl Buechler talks about the return of a more iconic Michael Myers mask (after the departure that was the Halloween 5 design), but soon turns the spotlight onto actor George P. Wilbur, the original man behind the sixth film's mask, who was replaced midway through the movie with a smaller statured actor. From there, Buechler and special effects make-up artist Brad Hardin recall Curse's gory kills and tricky FX.
• Haddonfield's Horrors (HD, 11 minutes): This "Visual Design of Halloween 6" featurette passes the behind-the-scenes baton to director of photography Billy Dickson and production designer Bryan Ryman, who dive into the movie's splashier, more surreal imagery, the film's pacing, and other aspects of the sixquel's sets, costumes and props.
• A Cursed Curse (HD, 10 minutes): An interview with Trancas International president and Curse associate producer Malek Akkad (who says "in retrospect" a lot) and producer Paul Freeman (who gets very little screentime).
• Full Circle (HD, 7 minutes): Composer Alan Howarth muses about his career, his contributions to the saga and, more specifically, The Curse of Michael Myers, the elements used to build a Halloween score, and the aspects of the sixth film that allowed him to play with old themes in new ways.
• Alternate and Deleted Scenes (HD/SD, 7 minutes): A collection of extended scenes, alternate footage and extra bits of graphic violence that doesn't appear in either cut of the film. Though quite rough, the footage "was transferred from the best available materials that were located by the production staff."
• Archival Interviews and Behind-the-Scenes Footage (HD/SD, 8 minutes): An assortment of interviews and production footage, chief among them a brief sit-down with the late Donald Pleasance.
• Additional BTS Footage (HD/SD, 24 minutes): Footage shot by Farrands during the first week of production.
• Jamie's Story (HD, 8 minutes): A not-so-notable interview with actress Danielle Harris.
• Cast & Crew Tribute to Donald Pleasance (HD, 3 minutes): A short tribute to Pleasance.
• Teaser Trailer (SD, 1 minute): A short trailer.
• Electronic Press Kit (SD, 5 minutes): A vintage promo reel.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Is the producer's cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers better than the theatrical version? It's certainly a more interesting viewing experience. The theatrical version is a rather routine sequel. The producer's cut is a wildly different film; a more divisive film, but one that at least tries something different. That said, once the mystique of the producer's cut wears off -- this is, after all, a version that was only previously available as an unofficial bootleg -- the myth, the legend, the mystery *shiver* amounts to another so-so sequel. It's more ambitious, but better? That's for you to decide. Thankfully, the Blu-ray edition arrives with a strong AV presentation and a generous helping of candid retrospectives and other bonus content. Even if you don't dig the producer's cut, the behind-the-scenes material is worth the cost of admission. Whether it's worth the cost of the Limited Deluxe Edition box set is another matter...