MOTW #38 HALLOWEEN III: THE SEASON OF THE WITCH

[Kikabi]

The Movie of the Week #38:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/Kikabi/HalloweenIII.jpg

Halloween III: The Season of the Witch - 1982

. . . and now the earth will run with blood again!

Written by Nigel Kneale (uncredited), Tommy Lee Wallace
Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace

Original Music: John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
Cinematography: Dean Cundey
Special Makeup Effects: Thomas R. Burman

Tom Atkins: Dr. Daniel "Dan" Challis
Stacey Nelkin: Ellie Grimbridge
Dan O'Herlihy: Conal Cochran
Michael Currie: Rafferty
Wendy Wessberg: Teddy
Ralph Strait: Buddy Kupfer
Jadeen Barbor: Betty Kupfer
_________________________________

Upcoming Schedule:

May 4th - MOTW #39: Audition (Odishon)
May 11th - MOTW #40: Slumber Party Massacre
Movie of the Week #41?? Please go to The Schmoe Horror Movie of the Week (http://www.joblo.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2736724#post2736724)thread to VOTE for which movie you'd like to see for Week #41

[Kikabi]

It's the first time I've seen this, and I enjoyed it until things started to fall apart in the third act. Tom Atkins gave a solid performance and made me care about him and as curious as he was about what was going on. Although I feel they pulled their punches as far as his character - was he supposed to have a drinking problem or wasn't he? Making him a drunk would have made him less likable (being an absentee dad's bad enough), so why all the alcohol and drinking references?

I was happy with the movie (except the score became annoying at points, and so did that commercial,) and all the mystery aspects of it until Dan gets captured. From around that point to the end, it wasn't very satisfying. Naturally, I wanted to know why Cochran was doing all of this, but his explanation felt rather flat because it came out of a vacuum. That is, nothing in the movie ever pointed to his motivation until he spoke it. It would have been very cool if it had and I was looking forward to the "Witch" part of the sub-title. But it didn't come to pass. The androids were cool, though.

The timing of the commercial was confusing. We see kids out and about across the US, then we're told the commercial will run at 9pm. Yet, presumably, Cochran wanted all the kids to see it all at one precise time. And how can Dan get all the TV stations in the US to stop the commercials? Well, I guess he didn't since the movie ended before its conclusion. Pretty unsatisfying.

Still, I really liked the first 2/3rds of the movie, so I'll give it a 7/10 to be generous.

[biff_debris]

I agree that the plot and script is rather half-baked, but still think that H3 is a lot of fun, and shouldn't be compared with the other two films (not even going near the following ones). Of course, when it shares the title that sort of thing is inevitable.

While TLW didn't exactly come through with a solid story, he did an admirable job with direction -- and thanks to Dean Cundey, gave things a proper Carpenter-esque vibe. Outside of Body Bags, I think this should be seen almost as Carpenter's version of "Amazing Stories" -- but instead of a heavy Spielberg touch on proceedings, its done with the stark clutch of Carpenter.

Again, it's just cheesy fun, flaws and all -- and one of my faves to review every once in a while.

[Ratlehed]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/wiss-x/fd907fd0.gif




I have seen this one many times and just re-watched it. I used to hate it but it grew on me as I got older. A few things make the movie average enough to be enjoyable.


Tom Atkins of course. Playing a Dr. with a booze problem turned Detective was cool. He was tough but not too tough. He also got the ladies. His ex was played by Nancy Loomis who played Annie in the original Halloween. The salesmans grieving daughter?? No problem for Atkins. He had her in the sack after a long drive. I am sure he was messing around with the lab lady that was trying to do an autopsy on the murderer. So Atkins delivered.

The music was cool. It had a little Halloween feel to it. But it was more Sci-fi. Kinda like the music in Precinct 13, Escape from NY and The Thing. I thought the music was good though. The commercial and the Silver Shamrock song worked. Kids like annoying stuff. That song would have drove me nuts if I had to hear it everyday.

The acting was good for the most part. Dan O'Herily played Chochran well. He was very straight faced and delivered his lines good. Kind of like a President. Stacy Nelkin did a good job as Ellie. The charectar wasnt that deep but she wasnt annoying. The Kupfer family was amusing. The avg. loud American family.

The story was alright. If stuff got complicated it would get fixed with a sentence. Cochran would answer questions by saying "A good magician never reveals his secrets." and about the whole Stone Henge thing he simply states "It has great power." and "You couldnt imagine how we got it here." when reffering to the stolen rock.

Not enough scares for a Halloween flick. There is some bloody moments, but no tension or suspense.


The ending is great.


2/4 stars.

[clepto]

I dont care what anyone says I love this movie, and I am dabated by many people, evan made fun of at times, in fact the only thing I get made fun of for more is the fact I like the band weezer, but fuck that huflaa, This movie is for anyone who can vibe to the cheese factor and I surely can, I mean for one Tom Atkins is the lead and he kicks serious ass, and when most people would say this is the worste of the franchise I count it as the fourth best, I love Cochrans cheesy scooby doo esc plan to kill the children,(its super fun)
The musical score also kicks ass, (love carpenter on the synthisizer) plus we get a slew of genre vets acting in it and to top it all off theres no happy ending and i love it Evan atkins couldnt foil this plan and he can useually handle everything(hes better than Miggiuver)

all in all 8/10

[Cronos]

Easily the best of the Halloween sequels, fantastic story and held together with some great acting and direction. Very entertaining film with one of the best endings ever put on film. Also can't beat the Silver Shamrock song, I used to sing that constantly in high school :D

9/10

[JJFlamingo]

VERY underrated in the Halloween ouerve, Atkins does a fine job, and O'Herlithy is Evil Incarnate as Cochran. The great thing is how the film is played deadly serious, yet the story elements push it to the level of dark absurdity. Even if Myers only cameos on a TV screen, it's still dark, original, and twisted enough to be considered a classic...

8/10

[Kikabi]

Also can't beat the Silver Shamrock song, I used to sing that constantly in high school :D

And annoyed your teachers to no end, no doubt!

I have to disagree about the score. I honestly found it annoying at times. It's a variation of the original Halloween theme, but not a good one. I wish Carpenter just stuck with the original for this one.

There's a lot of positive comments here - so why do I hear so much dislike for this movie elsewhere, even on JoBlo? It's by far not perfect, but its positives out weigh the negatives.

[Cronos]

And annoyed your teachers to no end, no doubt!
I got one of my friends in on the Silver Shamrock love and we did it in unison during lunch breaks, started to really annoy some of my other friends :D.

[nayland]

I didn't like it when it came out and i still don't like it. Maybe because it had the HALLOWEEN name tacked to it. I do not knock anybody who liked it just giving my own opinion.

[KillerKlown]

Very underrated film.

[son_of_arrow]

wow ... all the love for this brilliant film makes me weepy. Five years ago on this board one mention of this flick would be returned with stones via post-reply. I'm glad to see so many shmoes into it now. It is one of my favorite horror films of the 80's, I love Atkins alot in this movie - he can do no wrong!! "I could use a drink", "Thats a stupid question Miss.Grimbridge" etc. The score was amazing, Mr.Howarth never fails to deliver. Although the pace can be a little slow from time to time I think it fits the vibe of the "loney halloween in a small irish town" theme, very spooky. Mr.Wallace provides the goods on this one and I consider it the second best HalloweeN sequel behind 4. It's too bad it wasn't loved during it's release....

After so many years of near conversions (to liking this film) I'm glad to see so many finally come around. Gotta love the skull mask...

8.5/10

[Cunning Visions]

Yeah this film is a guilty pleasue. Very flawed, but entertaining.

Oh and I'm the proud owner of an original 1-sheet poster for this film. Am I the only one who thinks it's pretty badass?

http://www.cinemarts.com/itemimages/item_432_1.jpg

[Brendan M.]

There's a heavy metal band called Helloween that used the silver shamrock tune at the beginning of one of their songs.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jHqzi9RRyOk

[snoopmish]

I have it only because it was a double feature DVD with Halloween II. Re watched it recently......and it's still stupid. Saw it when it first came out and liked it more then....but I was 13 so there ya go. The acting is horrible, the story is.....ugh. I just don't get the love for it......I'm actually baffled. Atkins has made WAY better films than this. I get how it is better than most crap we get today in the stupid ass PC world we live in.......but there are way better, way more cheesy fun, bad acted 80's films out there.....this films bores me. The girl in this is just AWFUL and annoying. I would love to bitch slap the character to start some brain activity. I play it in my office for back ground noise.

Guess I am in the minority.