Tag: Donald Pleasance

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers [AKA Halloween 6] (1995, dir. Joe Chapelle)

Michael’s niece has a child: the baby is at the centre of a cult’s attempts to harness the energies compelling Michael Myers. Some distance from the linear plotting of the first films, this conclusion to the arc begun in Part 4 is soapy, scrappy, scattershot: only for indulgent series and Paul Rudd completists.

Here’s the trailer.

Halloween 5 [AKA Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers] (1989, dir. Dominique Othenin-Girard)

Michael Myers returns again to Haddonfield, this time to kill his institutionalized niece, who is still traumatised from their previous encounter. Developing new plot ideas from its immediate predecessor, Part 5 struggles for coherence and focus throughout: by this stage of things the franchise is a weary beast indeed.

Here’s the trailer.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988, dir. Dwight H Little)

A decade after the events of Parts 1 and 2, Michael Myers escapes again, and returns to Haddonfield once more. Contrived series continuation that, despite some good moments and stunt work, has to rely on soap operatics for a story engine. Still, fun for fans, plus the ending has some verve.

Here’s the trailer.

Halloween II (1981, dir. Rick Rosenthal)

A young woman continues to be stalked by an implacable killer. Straightforward slasher sequel (albeit with some very effective moments) continuing directly from the superior 1978 original. Has to work hard to justify itself: soap and mythic elements intrude in lieu of story/that much for Jamie Lee Curtis to do.

Here’s the trailer.

Escape From New York (1981, dir. John Carpenter)

An infamous criminal is sent into the island prison of Manhattan to rescue the US President. Defiantly odd post-apocalyptic piece, much happier with its production design and oddball characters than delivering on action/horror. Not quite the film you remember.

You Only Live Twice (1967, dir. Lewis Gilbert)

Bond investigates stolen spacecraft so he can avert a nuclear war. Fifth in the franchise and the cracks are starting to show. Connery is jaded, and the Roald Dahl script is awkwardly dated at best. Impressive production design and a couple of neat directorial moments lift some of the tiredness.