Halloween

We live in a world with not one, not two, but three films titled Halloween: the original legendary film by our savior John Carpenter from 1978, the 2007 remake by Rob Zombie, and the unusual 2018 sequel. Then again, you could say David Cronenberg pulled off something similar, with two films bearing the exact same title half a century apart (Crimes of the Future from 1970 and 2022).

The remarkable thing is that all three movies titled HALLOWEEN are at worst very respectable and at best outright iconic. Here I want to share a few thoughts on the 2007 remake, which doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves compared to the other two, which are often rightly considered the strongest entries.

If there was ever a person suited to remake the most iconic slasher of all time, the one that shaped the very idea of “The Shape” on the big screen, it was Rob Zombie. His love, or rather his devotion, and his respect for the genre are both unquestionable and unmistakable in this film. His entire musical career, after all, is practically a hymn to horror.

The 2007 Halloween, in its first half, is simply a good movie. Strong performances, well handled camera work. Even the color palette stands out, with vivid tones that still fit the darker and more haunting shades of autumn. The film could have stayed in that direction, but in its second half Rob Zombie chooses to turn it into a faithful recreation of the original, perhaps more than necessary. Still, I don’t think this weakens the final result. He handles that material very well and adds new elements too, such as the expanded focus on Michael’s relationship with his sister, which I really liked.

And speaking of performances, Malcolm McDowell plays Michael’s psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. Yes, the lead actor from A Clockwork Orange, who has also appeared in Star Trek. He delivers an excellent performance, something expected from him but not necessarily from the slasher genre at that stage. His interpretation makes the character far more human and approachable compared to Donald Pleasance’s version, whom we of course adore for all his wonderful horror and B-movie work. Overall, the film was a very pleasant surprise.

During an era when remakes of classic slashers were trending, alongside the mediocre Texas Chainsaw from 2003 and the awful Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street reboots of that decade, Rob Zombie’s Halloween stands out as a dark, cold, autumn vision.

That’s all and, as Uncle Al says, “Everyday is Halloween.”