Hey all! So last night my friend Dawn invited me as a guest to catch a "Director's Cut" screening of Rob Zombie's "Halloween, in Chatsworth, CA.  So, of course, I went.

The crowd was all the way down the outside of the theatre and around to the back!  We were a good 60 people in, no worries; we'll get a good seat.  And we did!

So, as most of you know I have been reluctant towards seeing Rob Zombie TOUCH My All-Time Favorite Movie... after reading an early script I was downright SCARED!  Last month I had read reviews from a screening in New York.  Needless to say I was still curious, and decided to just watch it with low expectations and see what happens.

I WAS BLOWN THE FREAK AWAY!!!

Mr. Zombie - All I can say is that you made one GREAT version!!!

I wasn't totally crazy about the Michael Myers back-story, but it could have been a lot worse.
In my opinion a good 5 minutes should be cut from the whole back-story.

There was one scene I absolutely HATED.
All I can say is: The Song "Love Hurts" has NO Business In A "Halloween" Movie, nonetheless a scene with young Michael Myers on Halloween night, double shot with Sheri Moon Zombie stripping atta local strip joint.
That's the absolute ONLY thing I absolutely HATED about the movie!!!

Let me tell you...the death of Judith Myers was very, very intense.  I was on the edge of my seat this time around.

I did have a problem with young Michael in Smiths Grove Sanitarium.  There were a couple One-On-One scenes with Dr. Loomis that felt, just thrown-in and really didn't do anything for the story or characters, rather useless scenes.

However, There IS a scene in the sanitarium with the young Michael that kinda snuck-up on me! [JUMP Number 1 For Ruben!!!]

So, I'll cut to when he escapes [a really good escape scene - A La Zombie]  We meet Laurie, Lynda and Annie, complete with a great homage to Laurie first seeing Michael outside the school window  - CREEPY!!!  As far as the rest of the movie actually BEING "Halloween" - This is TRUE.

The camerawork was a little too shaky in some scenes, but... All I can say is INTENSE!!!  I never, ever thought I'd leave a Rob Zombie movie feeling that...WORN OUT!
 
Dawn and I were pulled aside after the movie for a panel discussion with 18 other audience members for the filmmakers to hear.  Oh! Did I mention ROB ZOMBIE was there in the audience as well? I didn't? Sorry...

Anyway, after the movie we got to talk freely about the movie and how we felt.  I was verbal, go figure, and told them they needed more with the Girls story, a little less back-story.  They asked me how I'd describe the movie, I told them: "INTENSE" then the moderator asked the group how many of them felt it was intense.  19 out of 20 hands were raised.

Most of the death scenes were very, very realistic, brutal almost.  Extremely well acted.  Daniele Harris as Annie Bracket? AMAZING!  I felt that she WAS ANNIE.  However, the poor unfortunate girl playing Lynda...not enough story for her,  I didn't really feel anything for her during her "Final Scene".

Now...The ending...

I was on the edge of my seat!  It was way beyond a "Good Ending".  The final showdown between Michael and Laurie was very emotional.  All I can say here is the last 20 minutes was what every "Halloween" fan will love the most.  Brutally intense, edge-of-your-seat, just draws you in!!!

I also remember, very well, "Jumping" 3 times in this movie! -Good rating there!

As far as the acting and believability in the movie, the acting was above-average, for a horror movie, the believability? It's a Horror Movie! Check that at the door.  I liked the fact that Michael Myers doesn't drive a car in this movie.  NOW THAT'S BELIEVABLE!!!

And though I love Malcolm McDowell, I didn't find his Dr. Samuel Loomis to be AS memorable as Donald Pleasance's performance; others in the group said the same.

In conclusion, I HIGHLY recommend seeing this movie on August 31st.  I know I'LL BE THERE!!!  I guarantee it's going to be a hit!

I'm sure there will be a few fans of the original that won't like it simply because it IS a remake, but I say, just go in and sit down and enjoy a GREAT INTERPRETATION of the original.  If not for me, then for the Dark Gritty Intensity that IS:

ROB ZOMBIE'S "HALLOWEEN"

*** And you ALL know I cannot stand Zombie's first two movies,
so that HAS to tell you SOMETHING!!!

Yerr Pal, Ruben Sandwich-Burger
July 10th, 2007