When I first watched Rob Zombie’s remake of John Carpenter’s Halloween in the seventh grade, I thought it was the sickest (affectionate) movie ever. Zombie’s approach was brutal and visceral, and I thought that was really neat. Conversely, I hated his take on Halloween II, ranking it among the worst in the franchise. Now? Those roles have reversed. I don’t think Halloween is necessarily abhorrent, but while Zombie’s Halloween II is a cult gem, I have little love for his first go-round with the Michael Myers mythos. Famously, John Carpenter himself is a vocal hater, and at a convention appearance earlier this year, Carpenter recertified his disdain for Zombie’s effort.
Per Peacock: Nearly two decades after killing his stepfather and older sister, Michael Myers returns to his hometown to hunt down his younger sister, Laurie.
Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II, both streaming free on Peacock, were controversial when first released. While the latter half of Zombie’s 2007 remake piled more gore (and sex) onto Carpenter’s familiar template, the first half radically reworked the Myers mythos. Carpenter dedicated an entire act to Michael Myers’ backstory, tracking his shift from violent kid to full-borne boogeyman. It worked for some, alienated others, and with Halloween II, Zombie would shift further from convention, imbuing his sequel with cosmic, supernatural logic.
John Carpenter, remarking on his admiration for David Gordon Green’s recent trilogy—controversial in its own right, particularly Halloween Ends—concluded his thoughts by sharing, “I don’t particularly applaud Rob Zombie for his efforts.” Blunt and straight to the point, which is pretty par for the course with Carpenter at this point in his career.
You can catch a shortened clip of the full presentation below and view the full clip here.
The disdain in his voice is so funny pic.twitter.com/z8YzoPDIxF
— John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) October 21, 2024
While I can see where Carpenter is coming from with Halloween, I’d argue Zombie accomplished considerably more with Halloween II than any of the recent trilogy entries. Sure, they were more successful commercial hits, but beyond Halloween Ends, both 2018’s Halloween and Kills were by and large safe. Safe might be good for box office returns, but it doesn’t necessarily make for an enduring piece of art. Halloween II? That’s art.
With both films now streaming free on Peacock, I want to know what you think. Do you agree with John Carpenter? How would you rate Rob Zombie’s two efforts? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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