Halloween: Resurrection | |
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Directed by | Rick Rosenthal |
Screenplay by |
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Story by | Larry Brand |
Based on | Characters Created by Debra Hill John Carpenter |
Produced by | Paul Freeman |
Starring | |
Cinematography | David Geddes |
Edited by | Robert A. Ferretti |
Music by | Danny Lux |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Dimension Films [1] |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $15 million [1] |
Box office | $37.6 million [1] |
Halloween: Resurrection is a 2002 American slasher film directed by Rick Rosenthal, who had also directed Halloween II (1981), was written by Larry Brand and Sean Hood, and is a direct sequel to Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later and the eighth installment of the Halloween franchise. It stars Busta Rhymes, Bianca Kajlich, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Ryan Merriman, Sean Patrick Thomas, Tyra Banks, and Jamie Lee Curtis, with Brad Loree as Michael Myers. This was the final installment of the H20 timeline of the Halloween franchise, which had just been rebooted with the previous film in 1998, before it was rebooted again in 2007 with a remake and again in 2018. The film follows Myers continuing his murderous rampage in his hometown of Haddonfield when his childhood house is used for a live internet horror show.
Halloween: Resurrection was released on July 12, 2002, and was critically panned, with critics considering it an unnecessary sequel to Halloween H20 and deeming it to be one of the worst films in the Halloween franchise. [2] [3] Although the film is technically a box office success, grossing $37.6 million worldwide against a $15 million budget, it was considered a underperformance at the box office, in contrast to its franchise predecessor earning $75 million. [4] Although another sequel was planned to follow Resurrection, the next film in the franchise was a 2007 remake of the 1978 film directed by Rob Zombie.
Three years after the murders at Hillcrest Academy, a guilt-ridden Laurie Strode is institutionalized in Grace Andersen Sanitarium. It is revealed that the person she previously decapitated, whom she believed to be Michael Myers, was in fact a paramedic that Michael had switched clothes with and rendered mute. Anticipating her brother's inevitable return, Laurie sets a trap on the sanitarium's roof.
Michael appears and chases Laurie to the rooftop, where her trap works and temporarily incapacitates Michael. However, Laurie's fears of killing the wrong person again get the better of her. When she attempts to remove his mask to confirm his identity, Michael stabs and throws her off the rooftop to her death. He gives his knife to a mental patient as a souvenir, framing him for the murder of Laurie and two security guards.
A year later, college students Sara Moyer, Bill Woodlake, Donna Chang, Jen Danzig, Jim Morgan and Rudy Grimes win a competition to appear on an Internet reality show called Dangertainment, directed by Freddie Harris and Nora Winston. The students have to spend a night in Michael's abandoned childhood house in order to figure out what led him to kill. However, while setting up cameras throughout the house in preparation for the show, cameraman Charlie is killed by Michael, who has returned to Haddonfield. On Halloween night, equipped with head cameras, Sara, Bill, Donna, Jen, Jim, and Rudy enter the house and separate into three groups to search for clues. While Sara messages the others, Myles "Deckard" Barton watches the live broadcast during a party. During the search, Michael suddenly appears and kills Bill.
Donna and Jim discover a wall filled with fake corpses and realize that the show is a setup, before the former is killed by Michael. At the party, Deckard and other partygoers witness the murder; only Deckard realizes that it was real. Meanwhile, Freddie enters the house dressed as Michael in order to scare the competitors. He is followed by the real Michael, whom he mistakes for Charlie and shoos out of the house towards the garage where Nora is. When Rudy, Sara, and Jim find Freddie in the Michael costume, he reveals the scheme to them and begs them to cooperate, telling them that they will all be paid well if the show works out. After Freddie leaves, the trio decides to gather up the rest and leave. Jen discovers Bill's corpse, and Michael decapitates her in front of Rudy, Sara, and Jim, who soon realize that it isn't Freddie. Michael proceeds to kill Jim and Rudy before chasing Sara upstairs.
Locking herself in a bedroom, Sara begs Deckard to help her. As the other partygoers realize that all the murders are real, Deckard begins to message Sara Michael's locations to help her avoid him. Sara runs into Freddie just as Michael finds them and stabs the latter. Sara runs into the tunnels and finds an exit leading to the garage, where she discovers Nora's body [nb 1] . Michael again arrives and attacks Sara, but a still-living Freddie finds them and fights Michael as an electrical fire starts in the garage. After electrocuting Michael, Freddie carries Sara to safety, leaving Michael to die in the burning garage. Later, Freddie and Sara are interviewed by the local news, during which Sara thanks Deckard for saving her life and Freddie assaults the reporter. Meanwhile, Michael is presumed dead and his body is taken to the morgue. However, as the coroner prepares to examine his body, Michael suddenly awakens.
In an alternate ending, Sara requests to look at the bodybag seemingly containing Michael's corpse. Upon opening, Michael awakens and chokes Freddie until Sara kills Michael by stabbing him in the face with an axe.
The writers of Halloween H20: 20 Years Later were left with a dilemma when Jamie Lee Curtis wanted to end the series, but Moustapha Akkad had a clause that legally wouldn't allow the writers to kill Michael Myers off. According to the Blu-ray released by Scream Factory, Curtis almost left the project just weeks before filming, until Kevin Williamson came up with the paramedic story line and presented it to Akkad. Curtis finally agreed to be a part of the film under the condition that no footage hinting toward a sequel would be presented by the film, and that the audience would believe that Michael was dead until the inevitable sequel was announced. Resurrection's first shot of Michael in the paramedic uniform was filmed the day after H20's principal photography ended, according to H20's editor, Patrick Lussier. [5] Daniel Farrands, screenwriter of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers , unsuccessfully proposed Halloween 8: Lord of the Dead, which would have featured Laurie Strode as the main antagonist. [6] Instead producer Paul Freeman brought in writer Larry Brand, with whom he shared an agent. Brand decided to repurpose a slasher concept he had conceived inspired by the rise of reality television, where a killer enters a house full of cameras and makes the viewer unsure if the murders were real or staged. Brand had pitched his script as Halloween: MichaelMyers.com, changed it to Halloween: Homecoming and then the producers picked the subtitle Resurrection as they wanted a title that let audiences know Michael Myers was alive. Brand's original ending had Michael left in the burning house, and when the firemen would arrive the next day they would find his inert body which would jump on them only to turn out to be a cadaveric spasm before Michael collapsed into ash. After an original draft by Ehren Kruger was rejected, Sean Hood was brought in to write a script based on Brand's work. [7]
Both Whitney Ransick and Dwight H. Little were approached to direct the film but turned it down. Later Rick Rosenthal, the director of Halloween II , was chosen to direct. During the casting period of the film, producers considered Danielle Harris (who played Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers ) for a role in the film. After the producers liked working with LL Cool J in H20 but he turned out to be more expensive for a second appearance, the role of Freddie was envisioned to be played by another rapper, with Coolio also auditioning before the casting of Busta Rhymes. Brand said both Rhymes and Tyra Banks were brought into the movie to make it more appealing to a Black audience. Bianca Kajlich's screams had to be dubbed in postproduction because of her inability to scream. The film's trailer was delivered on April 26, 2002, with the release of Jason X . Principal photography began in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 14, 2001 with the opening scene filmed at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, BC. [7] [8]
The score for Halloween: Resurrection was composed by Danny Lux. The score incorporates electro-acoustic instrumentation with roots in synthesizer-heavy scores of the early 1980s. [9] The film also features several rap and hip-hop songs. [10]
In direct contrast to general critical reviews of the film, some assessments of its sound and theme music have been praising. For example, critic Steve Newton complimented the film's "creepy" and "unsettling" revival of the original iconic theme, while criticizing the film itself, as well as the rap tracks included. [10]
Halloween: Resurrection was released on VHS and DVD on December 10, 2002, which includes a web cam special using as found footage featuring the film's characters are set inside of Michael Myers' haunted house with alternate and deleted scenes. [11]
Halloween: Resurrection was released on July 12, 2002 in the US to moderate reception which did not change in its later international release. The film finished in fourth place in its opening weekend with $12.3 million, behind Reign of Fire , Road to Perdition , and Men in Black II . It went on to gross a total of $30.4 million domestically, and an additional $7.3 million overseas, for a worldwide total of $37.7 million; domestically, the film's approximate 5,233,524 ticket sales were down over 55% from the approximate 11,735,978 of its predecessor. [12]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 10% based on 70 reviews, with an average rating of 3.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "The only thing this tired slasher flick may resurrect is nostalgia for when the genre was still fresh and scary." [13] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 19 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike". [14] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. [15]
Dave Kehr of the New York Times said, "Spectators will indeed sit open-mouthed before the screen, not screaming but yawning." [16] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said, "Every sequel you skip will be two hours gained. Consider this review life-affirming." [17] Joe Leydon of Variety said, "[Seems] even more uselessly redundant and shamelessly money-grubbing than most third-rate horror sequels." [18]
In 2018, while promoting the sequel to the original 1978 film, John Carpenter revealed that he had seen Halloween: Resurrection stating, "I watched the one in that house, with all the cameras. Oh my god. Oh lord, god. And then the guy gives the speech at the end about violence. What the hell? Oh my lord. I couldn't believe." [19]
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress, producer, and children's author. Known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, she is regarded as a scream queen, in addition to roles in comedies. Curtis has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as a nomination for a Grammy Award.
Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later is a 1998 American slasher film directed by Steve Miner, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, LL Cool J, Adam Arkin, Michelle Williams, Janet Leigh, and Josh Hartnett, in his film debut. It is the seventh installment in the Halloween franchise. H20 is a direct sequel to Halloween (1978) and Halloween II (1981), ignoring the Jamie Lloyd story arc of the previous three installments. It follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode, who has faked her death in order to go into hiding from her murderous brother, Michael Myers, who finds her working at a private boarding school in California.
Michael Myers is a character from the slasher film series Halloween. He first appears in 1978 in John Carpenter's Halloween as a young boy who murders his elder sister, Judith Myers. Fifteen years later, he returns home to Haddonfield, Illinois, to murder more teenagers. In the original Halloween, the adult Michael Myers, referred to as The Shape in the closing credits, was portrayed by Nick Castle for most of the film and substituted by Tony Moran in the final scene where Michael's face is revealed. The character was created by John Carpenter and has been featured in twelve films, as well as novels, video games, and comic books.
Halloween II is a 1981 American slasher film directed by Rick Rosenthal, in his directorial debut, written and produced by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, who reprise their respective roles as Laurie Strode and Dr. Sam Loomis. It is the second installment in the Halloween film series and serves as a direct sequel to Halloween (1978). The story picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of the first film, with Michael Myers following survivor Laurie Strode to the local hospital, while his psychiatrist Dr. Loomis continues his pursuit of him.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 American slasher film directed by Dwight H. Little, written by Alan B. McElroy, and starring Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Danielle Harris in her film debut, and Michael Pataki. It is the fourth entry in the Halloween franchise and a direct sequel to Halloween II (1981), and marks the return of Michael Myers as the primary antagonist, ignoring the events of Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982).
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is a 1995 American slasher film directed by Joe Chappelle, written by Daniel Farrands, and starring Donald Pleasence, Paul Rudd, Marianne Hagan, and Mitch Ryan. The sixth installment in the Halloween film series, the plot depicts Michael Myers hunting down the infant son of his niece, Jamie Lloyd. It expands significantly upon the supernatural horror elements that were sparsely introduced in the previous film, mainly the subplot of a cult that controls Myers and drives him to murder his bloodline using the ancient rune of Thorn. It marks the final appearance of Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis before his death, as well as the feature film debut of Rudd, who portrays an adult Tommy Doyle from the original Halloween (1978). This also marks the last major role of George P. Wilbur before his death in 2023.
Jamie Lloyd is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists of the Halloween franchise. Introduced in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers as the series' new protagonist after Jamie Lee Curtis declined to return as Laurie Strode, the character also appears in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. Jamie was created by Alan B. McElroy and portrayed by child actress Danielle Harris in the fourth and fifth films of the series, and J.C. Brandy in the sixth film of the series. Originally, the character was named Brittany "Britti" Lloyd, before her name was changed to Jamie, in an homage to Jamie Lee Curtis.
Laurie Strode is a character from the Halloween series. She first appeared in Halloween (1978) as a high school student who becomes targeted by serial killer Michael Myers, in which she was portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis. Created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, Laurie appeared in nine of thirteen films in the series. The character has subsequently been represented in various other media, including novels, video games, and comic books.
Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. It is a remake of John Carpenter's 1978 horror film of the same name and the ninth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor-Compton, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, and William Forsythe. The "reimagining" follows Michael Myers who murdered his family as a child and becomes institutionalized at an asylum, before breaking out and stalking Laurie Strode and her friends on Halloween night.
Halloween is an American slasher media franchise that consists of thirteen films, as well as novels, comic books, a video game and other merchandise. The films primarily focus on Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his sister, Judith Myers. Fifteen years later, he escapes to stalk and kill the people of the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois. Michael's killings occur on the holiday of Halloween, on which all of the films primarily take place. Throughout the series various protagonists try to stop Myers including, most notably Laurie Strode and psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis. The original Halloween, released in 1978, was written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill—the film's director and producer respectively. The film, itself inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Bob Clark's Black Christmas, is known to have inspired a long line of slasher films.
Dr. Samuel J. Loomis is a fictional character in the Halloween franchise. A main protagonist of the overall series, Loomis appears on-screen in eight of the thirteen Halloween films, first appearing in John Carpenter's original 1978 film. Donald Pleasence portrayed the character in five films, with Malcolm McDowell taking on the role in the 2007 reimagining and its sequel. In both portrayals, Loomis is introduced as the psychiatrist of series antagonist Michael Myers, driven to pursue and restrain his murderous former patient. He also appears in a flashback in Halloween Kills.
Annie Brackett is a fictional character in the Halloween franchise. The character was created by screenwriters John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Annie first appears in Halloween (1978) as a high school student babysitting Lindsey Wallace who unwittingly encounters an escaped mental patient—Michael Myers. In this film, she is portrayed by Nancy Kyes, who briefly reprises the role in the sequel Halloween II (1981). Kyes's image is used to reference the character throughout the franchise except for in the remake (2007) and its sequel (2009), in which she is portrayed by Danielle Harris. Harris had previously appeared in Halloween 4 (1988) and 5 (1989) as Laurie's daughter, Jamie Lloyd.
Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher film directed and scored by John Carpenter, who co-wrote it with its producer Debra Hill. It stars Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P. J. Soles, and Nancy Loomis. Set mostly in the fictional Illinois town of Haddonfield, the film follows mental patient Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium for murdering his teenage sister one Halloween night during his childhood; he escapes 15 years later and returns to Haddonfield, where he stalks teenage babysitter Laurie Strode and her friends while his psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis pursues him.
Halloween II is a 2009 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is the sequel to Zombie's 2007 remake of 1978's Halloween and the tenth installment in the Halloween franchise. The story follows Laurie Strode as she deals with the aftermath of the events of the previous film, Dr. Loomis trying to capitalize on those events with a new book, and Michael Myers as he seeks to reunite with his sister. The film sees the return of lead cast members from the 2007 film; Tyler Mane as Michael Myers, Scout Taylor-Compton as Laurie Strode, and Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis, respectively. Sheri Moon Zombie, Brad Douriff, and Danielle Harris also return from the 2007 film.
Halloween is a 2018 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green, and co-written by Green, Jeff Fradley and Danny McBride. It is the eleventh installment in the Halloween film series and a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while disregarding all previous sequels. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis who reprises her role as Laurie Strode. James Jude Courtney portrays Michael Myers, with Nick Castle returning to the role for a cameo. Halloween also stars Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Haluk Bilginer, and Virginia Gardner. Its plot follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode who prepares to face an escaped Michael Myers in a final showdown on Halloween night, forty years after she survived his killing spree.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 film in the Halloween franchise.
Halloween Kills is a 2021 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green, and co-written by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems. It is the sequel to Halloween (2018) and the twelfth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Thomas Mann, and Anthony Michael Hall. The film begins on the same night where the previous film ended with James Jude Courtney reprising his role as Michael Myers whose presence has become apparent to the residents of Haddonfield.
Rachel Carruthers is a fictional character in the Halloween series of slasher films, and is the final girl of the film Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988). Rachel is the foster sister of Jamie Lloyd, who is the niece of serial killer Michael Myers. In Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), she becomes Myers' 35th victim. Rachel was portrayed by actress Ellie Cornell.
Halloween Ends is a 2022 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green, and co-written by Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier. It is the sequel to Halloween Kills (2021), the thirteenth installment in the Halloween franchise, and the final film in the trilogy of sequels that started with the 2018 film, which directly follows the 1978 film. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, and James Jude Courtney. The plot follows the outcast Corey Cunningham who falls in love with Laurie Strode's granddaughter while a series of events, including crossing paths with Michael Myers, drives him to become a serial killer.
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