Wednesday, October 23, 2013

"DON'T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR MASKS.......THE CLOCK IS TICKING."

The majority of viewers have never "gotten" Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (even ME, for several years) because it's the only film from the franchise which didn't include Michael Myers.  There was a reason for this - after two movies of "Laurie VS. Michael", Carpenter, Akkad & company wanted to try something new.  Halloween III was the first (and only) film in this experimental new direction.  

Conal Cochran (Dan O'Herlihy) is the new villain, and ten times more evil than slothish ol' Michael Myers.  Cochran's on the same level as Hitler or Chancellor Palpatine: instead of one victim here and there, Cochran's intentions with his Silver Shamrock Halloween masks, is to wipe out millions of children and teens, as some kind of sacrifice.  While watching a flashing pumpkin commercial, the unknowing victims wear their Silver Shamrock mask, anticipating a prize giveaway at the end of the horror-thon.  At that point, a stonehedge tag with the Shamrock logo attached to the mask activates and flashes, with some hideous results on the person wearing it.  

You'll never want to wear a latex mask ever again.

The key to enjoying Halloween III is this:  

FORGET Michael Myers ever existed.  Watch Halloween III as a standalone film, ZERO association with the Halloween franchise.  THERE.  Now you have just another one of those corny early 80's horror films, and one of the most disturbing ones, at that.  Nigel Kneale initially had written the script but abandoned it, so Tommy Wallace used that script while removing some of Kneale's "cynicism" to it.  I'd like to get ahold of and read Nigel's script someday, he's done some pretty off the wall stuff decades ago.  

Here's a short documentary on the most misunderstood (and under-rated) horror/sci-fi films of all time, definitely the silent killer of the Halloween franchise, And I've noticed that people are finally, 30 years later, enjoying it for what it is, not for what it lacks (Myers).


I remember Paul over @ JediTempleArchives and I a couple years ago talked about this one, and recall him saying he didn't like Halloween III.  Paul, if you're bored Halloween this year, follow my steps to watching this (posted above) and give it another shot!  Trust me on this, it's not as bad as you might remember it three decades ago!  LOL  I had the same opinion back then too, now I like this one as much as the original from 1978.  If any of my readers is in contact with him, pass my message along to Paul for me, plz!  ;)



HALLOWEEN III: COLLECTOR'S EDITION 
(DVD/BLU-RAY RELEASED 2012) - Amazon URL


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