Plot: What’s it about?
Just after it seemed Michael Myers was laid to rest once and for all, things take a turn and the nightmare begins once again. Myers has killed several townsfolk and been put through the paces, but even six bullets haven’t caused an end to his assault. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is rushed to the local hospital to be treated, while Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) and the local police begin another search for Myers. As she is cared for at the hospital, Laurie wonders why Myers has come after her and at the same, she has taken an interest in one of the hospital workers. As time passes, Myers heads toward the hospital to get to Laurie again, while Loomis battles against time to stop him, but he knows it won’t be a simple task. Can Loomis manage to track down Myers in time, even with the local police on his case, all while the monster keeps closing in on Laurie?
After the smash success of Halloween, a sequel was a no brainer and as time has passed, we’ve seen a number of Halloween films. Although none come close to the original, I think the best of the lot is Halloween II, which has just been release from Universal. A long rumored special edition was expected here, but Universal has done little aside from a new transfer, even though there is a ton of supplemental material around. But it is nice to have the movie in anamorphic widescreen, even if the disc offers little beyond the basics in terms of extras. As I mentioned, this is not as good as the first film, but it offers some cool moments and of course, it’s always nice to see Michael Myers back in action. The storyline is shaky here, but the tension is solid and the eerie atmosphere is still there, which makes it more than worth a look. If you’re a fan of horror movies, then I recommend this release without hesitation. As this film is available in a dirt cheap edition from Goodtimes, I am sure some will skip this one and opt for the less costly choice. But I think the anamorphic enhancement makes this version the one to own, especially if you own a widescreen television.
It couldn’t have been easy to step into the director’s shoes of John Carpenter here, but Rick Rosenthal seems to have handled the situation well enough. Of course, he is unable to hit the same horror heights as Carpenter did in the original, but Rosenthal delivers some solid chills, suspense, and of course, blood and guts. This seems more like a routine slasher picture when compared to the first film, but it has some stylish moments and remains above average, even with some misguided source material to work with. He is able to keep the same tone and dark atmosphere, which helps things out a lot, to be certain. Other films directed by Rosenthal include Bad Boys, The Birds II: Land’s End, Just a Little Harmless Sex, Distant Thunder, and Ruskies. The cast here includes Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Prom Night), Donald Pleasance (Fatal Frames, The Flesh and the Fiends), and Lance Guest (Jaws: The Revenge, The Last Starfighter).
Video: How does it look?
Halloween II is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The previous Goodtimes disc was also widescreen, but not anamorphic and the difference is great, if you ask me. I saw minimal edge enhancement and moire patterns here, while the Goodtimes version was laden with both problems. The contrast is also sharper and more refined, which is important in a darker film like this, without a doubt. I found the colors to be bolder and more natural, although some grain is still evident in this transfer. In the end, this is a much improved visual effort and the best the flick has looked on home video, which should please fans.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 2.0 surround track is solid, if a little thin at times, due to the nature of the production and material involved. The surrounds are used very well at times however, to enhance the eerie atmosphere and add tension, which are welcome touches in this kind of flick. But I wish the rear channels were used more often, as the mix seems flat without them and a few scenes sound too tame, like they needed a boost of some kind. The dialogue is clean and well presented however, so it all seems to pan out well enough in the end. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, production notes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
