Synopsis-
I’m willing to bet that most of you who read this review have never seen Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch from start to finish. It’s OK, neither had I up until about a year ago. Luckily, a cable network decided to run a marathon of these movies, and I found myself extremely curious about this entry that clearly didn’t have the iconic Micheal Myers character in the mix. Most would think that’s a recipe for disaster, and judging by the box office numbers for this film in 1982 it certainly wasn’t up to par financially. However, thanks to the old adage that time heals wounds, this entry in the Halloween franchise has apparently found an audience after roughly 31 years.
So what makes this extremely unique Halloween movie work? Well aside from removing the classic, one dimensional slasher element to it, it manages to capture a very creepy vibe overall. For starters, late actor Dan O’Herlihy, who plays the head of a company that manufactures Halloween masks for all the little kiddies to put on and wear for Halloween night, truly allows this film to have a creep-show vibe to it. (Some of you may recognize him as the old CEO in Robocop) Additionally, the soundtrack right in the opening credits hits just the right notes that remind you this isn’t going to be a Disney movie, and carries on throughout to set the stage for a disturbing aura for the main characters involved.
Enter: Tom Atkins, who plays the film’s lead, Daniel Challis. Not enough horror films have the balls to cast an older, and not Ryan Reynolds archetype these days, and thankfully producer John Carpenter, and director Tommy Lee Wallace went with a more mature actor here. In my eyes this film wouldn’t have worked as well with a younger teenager in the role.
Regardless, Atkin’s character along with Stacy Nelkin, who plays something of a sidekick named Ellie Grimbridge, go off on a wild goose chase, attempting to find why her father was murdered, and by whom. This leads them into the kind of town that time forgot years ago, that has one major employer, Silver Shamrock, that makes Halloween masks for children. Now, I don’t want to spoil the rest of the plot for those who haven’t taken a dip into this pond, but rest assure, if you do, this would be a Halloween film which will serve to make you uneasy, and even gross you out at the same time. This film didn’t need Micheal Myers as it had plenty of other facets going for it. In particular, it has one hell of a theme song you’ll hear at different parts of the film that I guarantee you’ll be humming days later.
The real shame? John Carpenter didn’t get his wish to produce one new, and original story for the Halloween films every year after this one. That had been the plan all along until this film disappointed financially…
Video Quality- A+
Blown up on my wall, this film could never look better. So many subtle details pop from random items stacked on a hospital ward desk, to an extremely clear image on close-ups of the actors involved. (that could be good or bad, ha) Also, Dean Cundey, the director of cinematography, knocks the various shots in this film out of the park. I didn’t even realize who shot this film as of last night, but kept feeling extremely impressed, particularly at many of the long shots in the town with the Shamrock factory. And sure enough, Mr. Cundey was also the cinematographer on classics such as Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and Apollo 13!
Either way, this film visually shines on Blu-ray, from the colors, to the deep blacks in night scenes, and uniform images throughout. Shout Factory did a remarkable job taking a film that barely received several bare-bones DVD releases in the last decade, with sub-par image quality, and put some real time and effort into remastering this forgotten gem correctly. Kudos to all involved.
Audio Quality- A+
I mentioned in the synopsis that the soundtrack really stands out in this movie, and thanks to modern day DTS digital surround sound you’ll notice from the get-go how effectively creepy this film’s score really is. It’s almost like an added character in the film. Overall, from beginning to end I noticed no flaws in how it was mastered for the Blu-ray disc. Everything from the sound effects, to the dialogue coming out of the center channel are crystal clear. And like I said, the musical score will serve to make an impression on you when all is said and done.
Extras- A+
OK, maybe giving the extras in this set a top grade is a bit much, however, this film went from never having any sort of release with behind the scenes or interviews to having the following: Two audio commentary tracks, present day interviews, and advertising material. Never in a million years did I think this film would have received this treatment on home video, but here we are.
Here’s the specific rundown of extras:
- Stand Alone: The Making of Halloween III: Season of the Witch- This is the best of the extras in my opinion since you get to see the director, Tommy Lee Jones, along with Tom Atkins, and Stacy Nelkin reflect on their experience making this, at the time, under appreciated horror film. I got the distinct vibe that Jones really his and John Carpenter’s intentions to create a wholly original storyline for a Halloween movie had the right ingredients. It was obvious that they were, along with many other production members a little let down the general public couldn’t warm to the idea of a storyline without Micheal Myers as the main star. Nonetheless, actor Tom Atkins seemed more flattered than anything else that he’s been hearing positive opinions about this film in present day. It was also funny hearing him joke about some of the character flaws for his role in the film as an ER doctor, but I won’t spoil that for all of you. It was great getting to hear people reflect on this film some 30 years after the fact.
- Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: Revisiting the Original Shooting Locales- This supplemental extra is interesting because you get to see someone tour the original shooting locations of Halloween III, roughly three decades later. I’ve heard others suggest that more studios should consider this sort of segment on future Blu-ray releases, going back to where it all began, and I fully agree.
- Audio Commentary- There are two to choose from here, one with the star of the film, Tom Atkins, who provides some great anecdotes about making this movie, and another with the film’s director, Tommy Lee Wallace. Both are interesting, and admittedly I haven’t gotten to listen to each one entirely, but from what I did hear it was obvious both of them offer up plenty of extra insight into the making-of, and fan reaction to the movie over the course of time.
- Still Gallery
- TV Spots
- Halloween III: Season of the Witch Trailer
In the end, I strongly recommend you all find a way to check out this definitive release of Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch. It has everything one would want in a horror film, even if it doesn’t have the one thing that carried this franchise into the 90s with Mike Myers at the forefront. Having a more mature cast with less teenager, and more adult centered characters is a great foundation. If nothing else, the iconic soundtrack, and outright disturbing storyline that targets little kids on Halloween night should serve to make you wonder why this film wasn’t more lauded upon its initial release in 1982. As always, thanks for reading, and leave comments below about the film or my review. Cheers!
Leave Us Your Comments.