Halloween IV on the Big Screen!

Last night, my wife and I were lucky enough to have

one of my favorite horror films show on a big screen!

Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers was screened in 35mm

at the Columbus Theatre in Providence, R.I.

thanks to The Arkham Film Society and Rock and Shock

to benefit the sCare Foundation.

Not only was Halloween IV screened, but we got to see a ton of old trailers

for classic films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Final Exam, Slumber Party Massacre

- as well as all the trailers for the Halloween films from Part 2 to 6!

On hand was Justin Beahm, who is the writer of You Can't Kill the Bogeyman, a short about the impact of Michael Myers and the Halloween films and who is currently writing what he calls "the definitive book on the Halloween franchise." I will be getting that book! He talked last night about the films, not just Part IV, but all of the movies and he answered questions, as well. It was interesting to hear him talk about something he obviously has a lot of love for. Very cool.

After Halloween IV and the trailers, there was a screening of a second film, Boo, from 2005. It was good to see this again, as I didn't recall my first viewing. After this film, its writer/director Anthony C. Ferrante was on hand to talk about the making of the film and answer questions from the audience. Interesting to hear him talk about the movie, which was his first film, and what he would do differently now. You might know him better as the director of Syfy's Sharknado.

It was a great night in a very old, beautiful theater.

Thanks to Joshua Thomas Gravel and the Arkham Film Society for this event.

I truly hope they do more in the future!

Here's one of the trailers that they showed last night,

for the 1981 film Final Exam,

one I have never seen but want to now so badly!

Who I'd Save - Halloween Edition

Last year, I did a post about

13 Friday the 13th Victims I Would Have Saved!

This year, I will cover the Halloween film franchise,

not including the Rob Zombie films.

Here are the 8 Halloween victims I would have saved:

Halloween (1978)

Linda Van Der Klok (P.J. Soles)

Had a hard time right off the bat,

since I think all the deaths in the first film

are essential to what makes it work.

But, if have to choose someone, I will go with Linda,

just because I love P.J. Soles.

Totally.

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Halloween II (1981)

Ben Tramer (Jack Verbois)

Poor Ben Tramer. All he wanted to do was have fun!

But the really, really bad choice to dress exactly like a serial killer on the prowl

when the town was filled with anxious police, a desperate doctor

and a driver not paying attention spelled a sad end to this teen's life.

Laurie must have been a mental wreck when she realized

how many high school friends she lost that Halloween night.

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Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Buddy Kupfer, Jr. (Brad Schacter)

Wow. Poor little Buddy.

Not only is he saddled with those parents of his,

he ends up being a test subject for Cochran's evil plan

to use masks to turn kid's heads into bugs and snakes.

What a horrible, disgusting way to go.

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Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Ted Hollister (no actor portrayal)

Hollister made the bad choice to lurk around the bushes

of Haddonfield after the town had been warned to stay indoors,

due to the menace of Michael Myers.

A trigger-happy posse freaks out and pretty much erases

Hollister from existence. Dumb fool.

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Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Rachel Carruthers (Ellie Cornell)

I don't know who made the decision to kill of Rachel,

but it was a major mistake.

Not only did she survive the events of Part 4,

but she stuck by her foster sister, even after the girl

went scissor-happy on her mother.

Rachel should have been a long-standing foe

for Michael and not just killed and tossed in the attic.

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Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Jamie Lloyd (J.C. Brandy in this film; Danielle Harris in 4 & 5)

Another dumb-ass move.

Jamie - the daughter of original heroine Laurie Strode -

survives parts 4 and 5 and into the beginning of this one,

only to be horrifically dispatched by Michael on some farm equipment.

Why? So whacked-out Tommy Doyle and wooden Kara Strode

can take up the lead roles?

So freaking misguided and unnecessary.

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Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Nurse Marion Chambers Whittington (Nancy Stephens)

Another film where I am okay with all the deaths,

but I will choose Marion because,

not only did she avoid Myers grasp in parts 1 & 2,

but she obviously became some sort of caretaker

to Dr. Loomis in his later years.

She didn't deserve to be killed, especially since

Michael had already gotten the information he needed.

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Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis)

I am sure Jamie Lee Curtis was on board with this,

since she had wanted the previous film to be the end.

But, the producers wanted more and, I believe,

used a clause in her contract to bring her back for this one.

After succesfully avoiding being killed by Michael

for over 20 years, Laurie sets a trap to kill him once and for all.

But what does she do? She falls for a sentimental ploy and

is stabbed and tossed off the roof to her demise.

Lame.

I wrote up a way for this film to have been shot/edited differently,

a way which would have sent Laurie away but kept her alive.

If you want to read it, go to:

Halloween: Resurrection - My Cut

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Those are my choices.

Agree? Disagree?

Let me know!

Memorable Horror Movie Moments

Wanted to do a post with some of the creepy or memorable

horror movie scenes I like.

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First up, the opening to Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers:

Just so evocative of the entire Halloween season, no?

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I have never seen Excorcist III,

but this scene always creeps the hell out of me:

Stuff of nightmares.

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The commercials in Halloween III: Season of the Witch,

to sell the masks to the unsuspecting public:

Try getting that ditty out of your head today.

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Hopefully that is set-up enough,

here is the entire, uploaded-to-YouTube version of

100 Scariest Movie Moments.

Leave it on and just enjoy it or come back and watch it in parts.

Awesome that someone uploaded that huge video!

Have a great Countdown to Halloween Weekend!

Another One Bites the Dust

Here it is, December 1st yet again and where have I been all November?

Completing yet another NaNoWriMo!

Yup, I made it over 50,000 words and wrote a novel. Sadly, this novel isn't one I am particularly proud of. The damn story just got away from me. Luckily, it is fanfic, a story dealing with my version of what happened after Halloween 2 and before Halloween 4. Yeah, I know, a tale told many a time by many a fan, but hey, it is my version, as creaky as it turned out.

The important part is I did it.

Another year, another NaNoWriMo successfully accomplished.

Also, as an added bonus this year, my two youngest kids (ages 15 and 13) also completed 50,000 plus word novels of their own! I am very proud of them for even attempting it, much less completing it! Kudos to you both!

Now, on to Christmastime!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Theme Thursday - Roof

Two ideas for this week's Theme Thursday, which is "Roof".

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First, this joke:

There are two brothers, Sam and Dean. Sam asks Dean to to watch his house and cat while he is away on vacation. After a few days, Sam calls Dean.

"Hey, how are things? House still standing? How's my cat doing?"

Dean swallowed hard, "Well yeah man, your house is still standing. Nice place you have here. Sorry to tell you this, though, but you cat died."

"What?" Sam said. "You just can't tell someone that their cat is dead. You have to break it to them gently. The first time I call you should say that the cat is on the roof, trying to catch a bird. The second call you should say the cat fell trying to catch the bird as it flew away, and now it's at the vet. The third call you should be to tell me that the vet says that it's not looking good for the cat. On the fourth call you let me know that my cat died peacefully in its sleep."

Dean agreed.

"So," Sam continues. "How's Grandma?"

"Well, Grandma's on the roof."

This is a great joke that my wife and I, and others in the family, still refer to. "They're on the roof." is all we have to say, and we know what we are talking about!

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Scene from "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers"

(just the first 2 minutes of the following video involve "roof")



Love how brave Rachel is, trying to save Jamie and herself, with Michael right on their tails! This movie is okay, not as good as the original, but not as bad as Part 6!

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Click here for more takes on "Roof" from other participants of "TT"!