[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Halloween (2007)

Rob Zombie's remake / re-imagining of John Carpenter's horror classic is largely very successful. The first forty minutes are where Zombie excels, giving us a lot of previously unexplored background information on Michael Myers' childhood and attempting to deal with the hows and whys of him becoming a mass murderer. Arguably this isn't a direction the film needed to go in as many agree the almost motiveless killer doesn't require back story but by going down this avenue Zombie tries something new rather than just a typical retread of familiar ground. It's an idea the director clearly has fun with - the whole dysfunctional family is bread and butter to him following films such as House of 1000 Corpses.

The second third is indeed familiar ground as it's basically a revamp of the Carpenter film. Introducing us to Laurie Strode, with the likable Scout Taylor-Compton replacing Jamie Lee Curtis
and her family and friends, among them Danielle Harris playing a different character to the one she played in Halloween 4 and 5 in decades past.

The final twenty minutes still feels like a run of the mill trip into generic lights out slasher territory with Zombie unable to bring any of the tension or scares Carpenter managed with his original.

Zombie brings in an impressive cast with several horror icons taking roles - Ken Foree, Dee Wallace, Udo Keir, Sybil Danning, Richard Lynch, Brad Dourif, and Clint Howard as well as jobs for the boys - Sid Haig, Bill Moseley - and the missus - Sheri Moon. The casting of Malcolm McDowell is spot on as a different Dr. Loomis.

All in all, Halloween is a good film with, i should add a terrific soundtrack, which mixes classic rock - Kiss, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush - with John Carpenter's iconic original score. it's also tremendously violent. There are certainly enough differences to warrant watching Rob Zombie's Halloween and i think it's one of the better remakes of classic horror films this century has thrust upon us.