Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988) - Movie Review

The changing of the guard?

Good news folks! Halloween is just around the corner... Are you excited? I know I am, and one of the things that I look forward to doing every year (at least till they run out,) is doing a review for one of the, 'Halloween' movies!

I mean let's be honest folks, these movies really do symbolize the haunting awesomeness that makes doing a horror movie marathon so awesome!

Wit that said, the next movie that I am doing in this lot is: Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988)!

A killer movie, that ushered in one of the great scream queens!

Directed by: Dwight H. Little (Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid), and starring: Danielle Harris (Halloween), Ellie Cornell (House Of The Dead), Donald Pleasence (Halloween 2), George P. Wilbur (Die Hard), Beau Starr (Goodfellas), Kathleen Kinmont (Bride Of Re-Animator) & Sasha Jenson (Buffy The Vampire Slayer).

Now before I continue on with the story, I should say this, when John Carpenter tried to take the Halloween series back to where he had originally wanted it to be (basically as an anthology series of movies with different stories,) and made Halloween 3: Season Of The Witches (1982) as it's own independent movie completely separate from the original story line... Well that concept pretty much didn't work, and so the studios brought us back to, 'Haddonfield', with Halloween: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988)!

"Why now? You waited ten years. I knew this day would come. Don't go to Haddonfield, If you want another victim, take me. But leave those people in peace. Please, Michael?" - Dr. Sam Loomis to Michael Myers (a quote from Donald Pleasence in, Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988)!)

It looks like is niece is not to happy to see her uncle!

As for the story, this movie takes place about ten years after that fateful Halloween night of 1978... Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) is in a coma, the scarred Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) has never really gotten over it, and Laurie Strode is dead... And the rest of the town has begun to forget about it... Including Laurie's daughter, 'Jamie Lloyd' (Daniel Harris), who seems to know nothing about it!

All seems to be quiet, eh?

Well when a team is sent in to bring the slumbering giant mass murderer, he learns something new about the family he likes to visit on Halloween... And that is that he has a niece living in his home town!

This of course wakes ole Mickey up, and takes out his jailers, and heads home to, 'meet' his young niece...

And as for the new family that Jamie is living with... Well they are about to discover the deadly secret of her family when they meet her uncle, and he tries to take them all out!

Jamie's new family after meeting Jamie's old family!

In the end, this movie I am gonna say is not quiet as good as the classic movie that John Carpenter (Halloween) made, but considering how young Danielle Harris was in this movie, she did an absolutely brilliant job portraying Jamie, and Ellie Cornell... Lets just put it this way, after seeing this movie and the element of scary realism that those two put in to this film... Well... Danielle Harris became my favorite actress after this, and when ever I get the chance, I do try to find any Ellie Cornell movie that I can, because she is just fantastic!

Two great actresses, that really brought this series 

And as for everyone else... Well lets just put it this way, they did a brilliant job!

And the story... Awesome! The only things I didn't like about this movie are as follows:

1. There are a ton of retconned story lines in this franchise, and when I found out that Laurie Strode was still alive, and faked her death so that she could go and live in California... Well let's just put it this way, it kind of destroyed a little bit of both story lines for the Jamie Lloyd Halloween films, and original series as well...

2. The last thing that I am I going to have to say that I really didn't like about this movie is the mask... I know it is a dumb thing, but this one in my opinion is the worst of the entire batch of movies!

Anyway, if you haven't seen this movie yet, check it out... It is a good, one and well worth it! I thought so, and I suspect you will to!

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The Hiddien Story In Horror Movies

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor Compton) running away from, 'Michael Myers' in, 'Halloween' (2007)[/caption]

You know, in my family I am unfortunately the only person left who is a major fan of horror movies... And so, a lot of time when I try to talk to my mom, or my wife about my love of horror movies, a lot of times they kind of look at me cross eyed and tease me for my interest in these movies...

They think that most of the horror movies that I really like to watch are to gory... They're not, they also believe that these horror movies that I watch have no plot to them at all... On this, they couldn't be more wrong!

And I say to all of those who don't think of the story with horror movies... There is one, and even though I am pretty convinced that most of the time this little known truth about this genre is generally overlooked, I also think it is one of the most important aspects of a horror movie... Trust me, it is true!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] The start of one of the most famous scenes in horror movie history, from the movie, 'Psycho'... A movie that has a truly amazing story attached to it![/caption]

I mean, to be honest horror fans, how many of you fright fans can say that you would watch just a straight blood bath... I wouldn't... As a matter of fact, the one movie I did see that was pretty much had the plot of some Geisha being brutally and sadistically tortured... Well to say the least, it is the one horror movie I have seen that I have shut off!

No, you see, I believe despite how good the talent naturally is (or cheesy awesome they are), no matter what legendary filmmaker they get for the film that the main story is the most important part of the movie!

I mean despite the fact that the story sets a template for the cast and crew to follow, it also often times has themes that believe it or not generally have some sort of message to it... The most often being the power of women to overcome anything no matter how big or overwhelming the odds maybe.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Heather Langenkamp in, 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'... A movie with a great and empowering message of strength![/caption]

A great example of this is, Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989)... You see in this movie, Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris) is essentially on her own against her uncle, (Michael Myers)... And at one point she is alone against him, while he is driving a car against her... In the end she pulls out of the situation with out resorting to any real histerics (Jamie Lloyd was about 10 in the movie)... In this movie, and in all of the other movies that has this character in it, this child essentially survives her Uncle's attacks each time, with a strength well beyond her position as a child in the early movies!

In the end I guess what I am trying to say dear reader, is if you are a horror fan and you got some one teasing you about horror movies having no story line... They do, and not only do they, but story lines like (Dracula), have been around since well before the advent of movies... And also are movies that proudly demonstrates the power and strength of will that women have in abundance... And lastly, all horror movie story lines are essentially what makes a movie, and well... After several decades, these stories have to have proven themselves by now!

http://youtu.be/fTabuTNAZMQ

http://youtu.be/y9klJA1JMbM

http://youtu.be/jdb_HSvf2Zk

5 Final Girls Of The 1980s That Kick Ass

Say what you will about Horror movies, one of the things that they do really well, is empowering women and girls, by showing the fact that 99% of the time it is not the, 'man' (or the hero), that is the final survivor against the, 'big bad' monster, but the girl/women that are the one's that are going up against the big bad monster in an effort to finally destroy these big bad monsters once and for all!

Now these women who end up going up against the big bad monster and finally take him or her out once and for all... Well they are called, 'Final Girls'... I think the name is pretty self explanatory... I mean they are either the last surviving member of the group that the big bad monster has been killing off one by one, or is the girl who ends up winning the final battle against the big bad monster!

And so I thought that I would mention here, '5 Final Girls Of The 1980s That Kick Ass!'

At number 5: Adrienne King (What's Eating Gilbert Grape) in, Friday The 13th (1980):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Alice Hardy (Adrienne King) as she is beginning to realize that there is one more person at, 'Camp Crystal Lake' and that person is not particularly happy![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for, Friday The 13th (1980):

http://youtu.be/bcoi-Zgg8BU

At number 4: 'Kirsty Cotton' - Played by: Ashley Laurence (Deuce Coupe) in, Hellraiser (1987), Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1988) & Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320"] Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence).[/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for, Hellraiser (1987):

http://youtu.be/P7TWm3Akw-s

At number 3: 'Jamie Lloyd' - for the 1980s, she was played by: Danielle Harris (Hatchet 3) in, Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988) & Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris) as, 'Uncle Mike' is about to wake up and attempt to put her down for a little more then a nap![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy the trailer for the movie, Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988):

http://youtu.be/tozboaohpbk

At number 2: 'Stephanie' - Played by: Jill Schoelen (Cutting Class) in, Stepfather (1987):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Stephanie, (Jill Schoelen) is about to learn the disturbing truth about her new, 'Step Dad'![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for, Stepfather (1987):

http://youtu.be/C6dg84FhA9k

At number 1: 'Nancy Thompson' - Played by: Heather Langenkamp (Shocker) in, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) and, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987) as well as, Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)... (Although as a side note, she is not a final girl in, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warrior.):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="470"] Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), as she is about to face her greatest nightmare![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for: A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984):

http://youtu.be/jdb_HSvf2Zk