Review of Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) by Michael O — 25 Jan 2009

I'm going to go against the tide of popular opinion and say not only do I think this is a great horror movie, I think it succeeds completely what it sets out to do and I also think it's easily the 2nd best instalment in the Halloween series.

I also believe strongly that had this movie been released simply under the title "Season of the Witch" instead of "Halloween III: Season of the Witch", people might have given it more of a chance when it was released and it might be more widely recognised as the horror classic that it is rather than the black sheep of the Halloween franchise.

The original Halloween was such a resounding success on all levels and indeed ground breaking in the slasher sub-genre that immediately the Halloween name became synonymous with Michael Myers. Any Halloween titled movie was going to come in for an enormous amount of stick if it didn't have Myers and his attached mythology involved, and he's nowhere near "Season of the Witch". Kudos has got to be given to the John Carpenter and Debra Hill production team for having the balls to try something completely different with the franchise and believe that it might actually work! A misguided decision in the end, but as I said before, a classic horror movie was made in the process.

The story is unbelievably simple and quite unbelievable, but this is entertainment, and not intended to be a documentary.

A famous toy and novelty maker is selling Halloween masks which have proven amazingly popular with kids across the USA, it is THE Halloween accessory to have. Only trouble is the toymaker is not only a genius, but some kind of warlock and with the aid of small pieces of a giant Stonehenge stone implanted into each of the masks plans to wipe out all of the children when they watch a particular TV advert on TV at 9pm on Halloween night when they are told to be watchign wearing one of their "Silver Shamrock" branded masks.

A doctor working at a hospital where casualties resulting from the toy makers enterprises are admitted decides to start playing detective with the aid of the daughter of a man murdered by the toy makers henchmen (later discovered to be androids, or at least rather deadly human sized toys themselves!) and they both head off to Silver Shamrocks "company town" to investigate, weird and creepy events ensue!

The movie has an unrelentingly dark tone, the characters are rather morose on the whole, the experimental synthesizer score is moody and many scenes take place either at night, dusk or in claustrophobic spaces.

The cinematography is one of the stars here. Dean Cundey is the director of photography here and along with John Carpenters "The Fog", delivers some of his best work here. He uses natural and available light to it's fullest effect and makes open spaces seem full, and closed spaces seem empty.

The overall dark tone adds to the air of menace that pervades throughout and is one of the movies great strengths. An early scene involving a man being chased by the suit wearing emotionless "employees" of Silver Shamrock is most effective. You are as scared as the man being chased and want him to escape as he uses every shadow and object to avoid those hunting him.

Tom Atkins plays the lead role in this, he proves to be an excellent character actor, effectively portraying the romance of being down and out but plodding on regardless.

The script is minimal, and serves a purpose but doesn't explain anything as to why the toy maker wants to murder all the children. Indeed he is asked directly when Tom Atkin's character confronts him, to which he replies 'Do I even need a reason?' You're left to wonder that by yourself, as we are with a great many serial killers.

The ending is not at all a happy one nor is everything explained - including how anybody can call a TV station and have an advert in progress pulled from the airwaves (suspend your disbelief!). But it does leave you feeling creeped out!

Halloween III delivers where a good horror movie should, in the atmosphere created, the feeling of menace and being generally very creepy. Give it a shot.