In 1978, Halloween became the most successful independent horror film. Director John Carpenter thought it was time to carry out with the new trend that Jaws 2 created. Give a sequel to the fans that loved the original so much. Shockingly, Halloween II was a critical failure.
However, Myers was written to have died at the end of H2. Carpenter who was a big fan of Twilight Zone and other horror serials believed the Halloween franchise could become a lot bigger and more sophisticated than his relatively small, simple Michael Myers idea.
John Carpenter still working as the producer of the budding, new horror series came up with a very innovative, novel, and fresh idea: the Halloween series would continue with the next film consisting a new horror story each different from the last entries. Halloween III would begin this new trend that would make Carpenter’s horror series different from others.
Editor Tommy Lee Wallace of the original Halloween and Halloween II was appointed to the very large chairs of director and writer as well. However, as a writer, Wallace had a lot less to worry about in designing this particular sequel. This film was not continuing the storyline of the last two films. He was starting out with a clean slate. This new story was born out of the horror of multiple mediums from the past and future. The possibility that magic and witchcraft did not die, nor ceased to exist, but was merely forgotten and had been brought back through the workings of technology and the media.
Another concept introduced into this film was its science-fiction ideologies concerning artificial intelligence. The fear that the person next to you could quite possibly not be real. A fear we have with the growing technology around us against the occult background of the film and our very own early ancient history. This all relates to our deepest, darkest fears: what we see in our nightmares. The third act throws the main character in moments chased alone by unrecognizable, dark figures.
Other things we dream about are the strange mixture of impossible elements. Upon discovery of the androids in the film, these ’’individuals’’ bleed a different color other than the red of blood. The result is shocking and mind boggling. Then like a real, intense feverish nightmare, people you care about start to attack you for no reason only for you to discover: they’re not real anymore. All together with the scope of the picture, creates one of the few truly epic horror films of all cinema.
The film also tangles many psychological fears other than just gore scare tactics. It experiments the possibilities of how mentally the audience is prepared for what they’re about to see and what they are not prepared to see. The violence of the first murder of the film is only realized through sound effects. The grotesque sounds creates a picture in the audience’s head of what is going on. Though in this case, they have absolutely seen nothing out of the ordinary in this particular scene. This is called ’closure’ in visual mediums.
The audience assumes from what they have seen before in other violent films or in their imagination what could possibly happen. Later in the film however, Wallace then gives us the full effect of the violence through psychological fear and tension. Through shadows, quick peeks, and wide shots, we only get to see bits of the violence. The fear is now, ’’what more macabre effects are we in for?’’ The villain really shows off his power by executing a family on camera through unorthodox means.
The point of the scene though is to inflict terror upon our most secure and comfortable environment: the family. Wallace seems to almost satirize the nature of the typical American family, but then shows you despite any bits of previous dislike or annoyance in first viewing this particular family that one can still really care. Especially so done in such nightmarish and inconceivable circumstances. However, the last victim of the film is killed in a rather grotesque way that the audience was so sure they would see due to the last uncensored killings. As just said, director Wallace leaves our imagination to fill in the gaps for the last death scene. Proves to be another clever way to play with the audience’s imaginations and how far it can go.
In most cases, the usage of multiple concepts in a film can prove to be a dangerous road to take, however Halloween III proved its slow reveal of such elements beneficial. Like a James Bond film, the film starts off in somewhat extraordinary, yet realistic circumstances. As the film progresses, the audience is slowly introduced into the universe of the villain.
Since we start off with a practical foundation, we seem psychologically prepared for anything whether its from the experience of watching other films or real life incidents where things seem to go manic. One thing that seems to have been forgotten by the public involving this film and yet to this day remains a famous iconic situation is of the town watching you. The film pivots the main characters in isolation away from civilization in a small rural company town run by the employees who drop their daily chores to overanalyze the ’’outsiders’’ coming into town.
The town is also flanked by a freaky set of surveillance cameras, curfew limits, and motionless/emotionless men all dressed in the same type of business suits. There is certainly one thing an audience member needs to make sure not to do before watching this film. It is very important not to carry or develop any preconceived notion or feeling in what this film may be for them. Otherwise, it may end in disappointment or a shock in a negative way. It is true that Halloween III plays off more as a classic mad-scientist, science-fiction than as a straight-up horror slasher flick. In fact, this film was never purely directed toward the teenage population.
The film does not even star any obviously teenage looking actors, nor does it have any lead teenage characters. This film on its own merits has been more likely and often compared to other great sci-fi films of that period like Alien, Blade Runner, The Terminator, and the original Stepford Wives. And for obvious reasons. The ending of this film is also without a doubt probably one of the most absolutely shocking and courageous endings of all time. This ending in its power and climatic tension is comparable to the endings of Vertigo, Planet Of The Apes, and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It is an ending you can only do once in all of cinema.
When the film was released in 1982, reviews were divided. It was compared to the original Halloween for how dissimilar they were. Even though it is all too obvious that the third installment was intentionally done to be nothing like the original. Audiences also were not prepared for this film expecting it to be another episode starring their favorite serial killer Michael Myers. However, the film did get rave reviews for what it did demonstrate on its own. The cinematography by Dean Cundey was and still is considered exceptional with its nightmarish, scared of the dark look.
Carpenter also very disappointed in the misunderstanding of his intentions with the series also with Hill left the series. To this day, Carpenter still regrets how the sequels he produced turned out with audiences. Executive Producer Moustapha Akkad who financed the first 3 films was unable to release another Halloween film till 1988 returning to the (un)original elements with the aptly titled, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.
This film however, is evidence of what Carpenter originally wanted the Halloween series to become. Today, Halloween III: Season Of The Witch has aged to become a respected film.