Dr. K's Waiting Room

---

Starting as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, Halloween is also a long-running series of horror movies. Beginning with John Carpenter’s Halloween (Carpenter, 1978), largely credited with birthing the “slasher” sub-genre and one of the most influential films in all of horror.

---

Quick Facts:
Universally panned as one of the worst of the franchise, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (Chappelle, 1995) was almost the death knell of the series, notable only for its troubled production. For decades, the original workprint was available only as poor quality bootlegs that hinted at the differences between the two versions. After a brief theatrical release, this superior version of the film was finally released on home media…for a short time.

The Review:
Essentially, this Producer’s Cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is the same basic film as the theatrical version, with basically the same plot but with additional scenes added in, extra context behind the “Curse of Thorn” and its cult, and an alternative ending. Therefore, much of the same framework remains: it’s been six years since Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (Othenin-Girard, 1989) and Haddonfield, Illinois has largely moved on from Michael Myers/The Shape (George P. Wilbur/A. Michael Lerner/Brad Hardin) by downplaying the Halloween season. This year, frustrated teens like Beth (Mariah O’Brien) are eager to reclaim the holiday, rallying around shock DJ Barry Simms (Leo Geter) as he aims to expose the urban legend of Michael Myers. Houses are still decorated for the season, though, and kids still use the Shape’s iconography to rile up abuse realtor John Strode (Bradford English), and sadly even this version of the film doesn’t dwell on this presumed (but barely enforced) anti-Halloween mindset of Haddonfield. Michael is still considered long dead, Doctor Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) has long since retired (though now explains to his old friend and colleague, Doctor Terence Wynn (Mitch Ryan), that he largely fixed his burns with expensive skin grafts), and Kara Strode (Marianne Hagan) still endures her father’s harsh criticism while dealing with her son, Danny Strode’s (Devin Gardner), nightmares of an intimidating “Man in Black”. The Producer’s Cut slightly expands on John with a short, additional scene where he denounces Kara to his long-suffering wife, Debra Strode (Kim Darby). We still don’t find out what Kara did five years ago, but whatever it was pissed John off so badly that he not only dismisses Danny as a “bastard” and strikes his daughter but washes his hands of Kara entirely.

Dr. Loomis greatly benefits from the additional screen time and even replaces Tommy Doyle (Paul Rudd) in delivering the opening narration. It’s revealed that Dr. Loomis suffered a stroke six years ago and this version places more emphasis on him having buried his past and found a sense of peace. However, he immediately switches back to his old ways after hearing Jamie Lloyd (J. C. Brandy) on the radio. Dr. Loomis returns to Smith’s Grove and delivers more of his soliloquies about Michael and the nature of his evil, even arguing with the police, who don’t want him around like in previous films. Dr. Loomis is again desperate to warn others of Michael’s pending threat but also devastated when Jamie’s grievously injured body is recovered, heartbroken at having failed her and therefore much more determined to help Tommy protect Jamie’s newborn, Steven (Emily Haterson), from the cult. Danny also benefits from this version of the film. We see more of his hallucinations of the Man in Black, get a better idea of how close he is to his older brother, Tim (Keith Bogart), and this version actually delivers on the plot point of Danny hearing “the voice” as it’s revealed that the Cult of Thorn want Michael to kill Steven and end his bloodline to pass his curse on to Danny. John striking Kara triggers Danny to hear the Man in Black’s voice, showing that violence is a catalyst for his hallucinations, though this version still doesn’t dwell much on that. Danny is framed as an unsuspecting and unwilling victim, one often enthralled and helpless and fearful of the quasi-supernatural influences around him, but at least there’s a payoff in the sense that we see why he’s having those visions. It’s still not clear why the Cult of Thorn didn’t just have Michael kill Jamie, especially as they had her in captivity, however, and this plot hole is made even stranger by perhaps this version’s most disturbing addition.

In the Producer’s Cut, Jamie is left in a coma. Right before she’s executed by the Man in Black, we see a flashback of her time in captivity, which shows Michael nearby and watching as she’s tormented by the cult. The implications of this are then made explicit in the finale, where the cult leader, Dr. Wynn, urges Michael to kill Kara and Steven. Yes, for some reason, the original intention was that Michael raped or was used to impregnate his niece! Again, I don’t understand why as killing Jamie would’ve ended his bloodline, but it’s certainly an unsettling addition. Otherwise, Michael is depicted as less of a lapdog and more like his usual self in this version. The camera follows his point of view or is placed over his shoulder as he stalks his prey, reflecting his portrayal in the original film, and he’s much more in the bogeyman role than in the last two movies. He’s still under the thrall of the Curse of Thorn, however. When it’s not Halloween or he’s at the Cult of Thorn’s facility, he’s largely docile, as if waiting to be “activated”. Additional dialogue from Tommy also explains that the Curse of Thorn saw a child from a tribe possessed by a demon to increase bounty for the tribe, that Michael views anyone living in his house as his “family”, and that he’s driven to kill and appear on Halloween because that’s when the stars are aligned into the Thorn symbol. Tommy also theorises that Michael’s threat would end once his bloodline is ended and his curse would pass onto another child, which he turns out to be Dr. Wynn’s intention for Danny and the cult’s objective. Dr. Wynn believes that the world is suffering and that the Cult of Thorn are trying to restore “balance” through Michael, supporting Dr. Loomis’s claims that Dr. Wynn is a “madman” as it’s ridiculous to think a serial killer driven to murder his family could end poverty, war, or famine!

This version of the film ditches the synth-style remix of the classic Halloween film in favour of a more traditional Halloween score, which strengthens its ties to John Carpenter’s original movie. In fact, many elements echo the first film: Michael stalks Haddonfield and is therefore scarier, and the Producer’s Cut features far less gore and is less reliant on jump scares, favouring tense atmosphere and grounded kills like the first film. When Michael snaps a guy’s neck, the effect is much less gruesome, for example. Rather than being minced on farm equipment, Jamie collapses from her wounds and is stabbed and finally executed via gunshot offscreen. John’s head also doesn’t comically explode in this version, which is so much more effective as a chilling and brutal kill. The “raining red” scene is also altered so the little girl (Raquelle Anderson) is singing, rather than just calling for her mother, which makes it a bit more whimsical. We also get a flashback to Halloween 5 featuring archival footage of Danielle Harris and a few additional scenes, mostly just slightly extended dialogue or a few seconds to let things breathe a bit, which don’t add all that much to the plot but help make things a bit more coherent. It’s still weird that Dr. Wynn wants Dr. Loomis to succeed him at Smith’s Grove, and as Michael’s protector, as Dr. Loomis is older than him and some of the worst elements of the theatrical version remain in this version. Kara still foolishly throws herself out a window to escape the cult, for example, and Dr. Loomis and Tommy are still “drugged” offscreen after discovering Dr. Wynn’s true nature.

Tommy’s research into the Curse of Thorn also plays a greater role in this version, especially in the end, when he and Dr. Loomis venture into Smith’s Grove Sanatorium to rescue Kara and Steven. Tommy suggests that “Runes of Light” may hold Michael at bay, if not destroy him, upping the supernatural focus of this version and almost tying it into the third film. The Man in Black is noticeably more prominent in the Producer’s Cut: he takes baby Steven at start, we see how he abducted Jamie in Halloween 5, he appears a bit more in Danny’s nightmares, we see him execute Jamie at the hospital, and the scene of him (as Dr. Wynn) visiting Dr. Loomis is thankfully extended to better establish their friendship and therefore make his reveal as the big bad more impactful. Rather than randomly performing some unexplained surgery as in the theatrical film or the vague implication that the Cult of Thorn are performing genetic experiments, Dr. Wynn rallies his robed followers in witnessing a ritual that would have Michael kill Kara and baby Steven to transfer his curse onto Danny, a plot thread left dangling in the theatrical version. Tommy easily infiltrates the ritual and saves them, holding Dr. Wynn at knifepoint and then uses a combination of runes, his blood, and the word “Samhain” to stop Michael in his tracks. Tommy doesn’t go all twitchy and weird around Michael, but it is bizarre to see the Shape frozen in place by a few stones. However, although Michael’s bloody rampage throughout Smith’s Grove is missing, the ending is also much more coherent as we see Dr. Loomis return to the sanatorium to weep over Michael’s downed form, clearly still pained at failing his patient, only to be stunned when it turns out to be Dr. Wynn in the mask! Dr. Wynn then grabs Dr. Loomis and passes the Mark of Thorn to him, explaining his agonised screams as he realises he’s doomed to watch over Michael, who escapes into the night in the guise of the Man in Black.

Final Thoughts:
Let’s not mince words: the Producer’s Cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers isn’t exactly a “better” film, it’s just more tolerable. Everything I disliked about the theatrical version is still here, it’s just that the ending is far more coherent and sets up an interesting next chapter for Michael and Dr. Loomis that we sadly (I guess…?) never got to see. The pacing and overall atmosphere are much improved, however, channelling the quiet dread of the original film and returning Michael to his roots as a fearsome, silent stalker. The added lore around the Curse of Thorn was appreciated; however, while I find the semi-supernatural explanation of Michael’s motives interesting, it still feels tacked on and clumsily executed. The additional screen time for Dr. Loomis elevated the weak-ass material and really makes me mad that his scenes were cut in the theatrical version as he’s the heart and soul of these movies. The kills surprisingly benefited from being less gory and the film tries for a more cerebral approach, which is largely hit and miss. I liked that Danny’s subplot got more focus and a better payoff, but the ending felt a little rushed and anti-climactic, especially with how easily Michael is stopped. I think this version would’ve benefited from a slightly longer and more thrilling conclusion, but it’s still a better ending than the theatrical version as it’s not a mangled mishmash of random scenes! Ultimately, this is the version of the film you should watch between the two, but it’s still one of the weakest entries in the Halloween franchise and a poor tribute to the late, great Donald Pleasence.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

Do you prefer the Producer’s Cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers? Were you glad to see more of Dr. Loomis and Danny’s subplot? What’s your opinion on the Curse of Thorn as an explanation for Michael’s motives? Did you prefer the cliff-hanger ending and would you like to see a return to this timeline? How are you celebrating Halloween this year? Whatever your thoughts on Halloween, and the Halloween franchise, drop a comment below, support me on Ko-Fi, and have a spook-tacular Halloween!