I’ve admitted to this before but I have always found HALLOWEEN II to be one of my favorite horror films ever. Obviously it could have never existed without John Carpenter’s groundbreaking original but the second one built upon that original perfectly and for my money there was and has been no better Michael Myers than the amazing Mr. Dick Warlock.
I’ve had the honor to hang with Mr. Warlock on several different occasions and those opportunities hold a special place in this horror fans heart. For me, Dick Warlock is Michael Myers and it’s great to see his amazing work finally gets its due in this amazing Blu-ray release of HALLOWEEN II.
SHOUT! Factory, known by fans as a top-notch provider of assorted genre fare has branch into the horror only world with their new line going under the SCREAM! Factory banner. They have an amazing slate of releases coming up for this Halloween season and they kick it all off with the much anticipated, much needed Blu-ray of HALLOWEEN II. In this day and age it’s hard to think of a title that fans want- no make that demand on Blu-ray but HALLOWEEN II was one such title.
As is the case with a lot of these older films that make their trip to Blu the biggest thrill for long time fans (me included) comes from viewing awesome special features and this disc has some of the best I have viewed in quite a while.
First though, lets talk a little about the film itself. Unless you are a complete tool you already know that HALLOWEEN II picks up right where the first one left off, with Dr. Loomis shooting Michael who falls off the balcony and vanishes into the night. From there we travel the streets of Haddonfield and eventually end up at the local hospital where Michael slices and dices his way through the halls searching for Laurie.
As I stated above, what really sets this one apart for me is the way that Dick Warlock portrays Michael, the epitome of the mindless, stalking killing machine.
The disc itself comes in a 2 disc Collector’s set. Disc one is the Blu-ray with all the special features; Disc two is a standard DVD that features the TV version of the film with an alternate ending. Very cool! Some new artwork was commissioned for this release and it’s awesome but it’s also printed on a reversible insert sleeve and on the other side is the old artwork that features the pumpkin with the skull inside.
The meat and potatoes of this disc though is the outstanding slate of special features that are literally crammed onto this disc. There are the usual selection of audio commentaries and deleted scenes, also TV spots and still galleries. Where the coolness really kicks in is a feature titled THE NIGHTMARE ISN’T OVER!: THE MAKING OF HALLOWEEN II.
Put together by Michael Felsher and his group over at Red Shirt Pictures this really is a special look at the film. It’s obvious that Mike and his minions love this film and they really gave the project some love. A great view that offers a lot of behind the scenes info and great stories, I really enjoyed the piece, worth the price of the disc itself. Also included, Sean Clark and his great HORROR’S HALLOWED GROUND show.
For those not in the know, Sean travels around and brings fans to the shooting locations really giving us all a true behind the scenes look at where our favorite films where shot. I’ve enjoyed all Sean???s travels and his trip to Haddonfield is every bit as fun and informational as all the others he???s done and it is the perfect addition to this exceptional Blu-ray release.
So, what does it all add up to? For my money it’s THE Blu-ray release of the year, so far but with that being said, SCREAM! Factory has an impressive slate on the way. I’ve got the Blu-ray of HALLOWEEN III sitting right here next to me and it’s looking to be every bit the disc that HALLOWEEN II is. It’s a good time to be a horror fan.
This is a disc set that is must have for any true fan of horror so run to the store and get this one now.
