Trying to Understand Rob Zombie's Halloween II - Blu-ray Forum

TheManWhoIsReady1969 · 11-04-2014, 07:33 AM

Hi,
I'm a big fan of the original 8 Halloween films and wasn't a big fan of Rob Zombie's first effort in the Halloween franchise but I recently been hearing from a lot of fans that Rob Zombie's Halloween II is a underrated masterpiece and I'm simply trying to be convinced by that statement.So please leave your overall thought's on the film either positive or negative down bellow so I can understand.
Thank you,

Terrorfirmer · 11-04-2014, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheManWhoIsReady1969

Hi,
I'm a big fan of the original 8 Halloween films and wasn't a big fan of Rob Zombie's first effort in the Halloween franchise but I recently been hearing from a lot of fans that Rob Zombie's Halloween II is a underrated masterpiece and I'm simply trying to be convinced by that statement.So please leave your overall thought's on the film either positive or negative down bellow so I can understand.
Thank you,

theyre lying.

Blu-ray Neo · 11-04-2014, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terrorfirmer

theyre lying.

This is the absolute truth.

L.J. · 11-04-2014, 10:12 AM

I like the film but a masterpeice no. Actually like his Halloween better than his sequel. Of course neither measure up to Carpenter's. I do like how it portrays Myer's as some one who has a tortured soul. When he kills in 2 its like he's trying to drive or stab the pain out of himself. In the end the only way he got peace was to kill everyone that was involved with him. Again I like it but don't consider it a masterpiece or classic.

Steedeel · 11-04-2014, 10:42 AM

First of all, RZ H2 is far superior to Ressurection.
I found H2 to be interesting. Laurie and Annie really seemed to have been traumatised by previous events and that isn't alaways realistically potrayed in horror.
The film was brutal (myers especially) and the first 30 minutes were well done. Things did tail off in the second half but there was still enough in this film for me to enjoy it as a whole.
I dont think I have bad taste. I watch many genres of film and my favourites are shawshank, Alien/Aliens, T1/T2, Elephant man, Goodfellas, Leon, The Exorcist, Halloween (original), Silence Of The Lambs, The Shining etc.. Just to give you guys a idea of my taste. I cant bring myself to hate Rob Zombie's efforts.
I also dont subscribe to this 'spoils the franchise' nonsense. The original Halloween 2 did that all by itself. It was a sterile, soulless film and a cash in imo. The original Halloween will always stand alone as a classic. Even if Halloween was reinvented every five years it still would not diminish the original film.

For reference, here is my list
Five star ratings

Halloween (original) *****
Halloween H20***
Halloween remake ***
Halloween 2 (RZ) ***
Halloween 4 **
Halloween 5 **
Halloween 2 **
Halloween 6 *
Halloween Resurrection no stars

Blu-ray Neo · 11-04-2014, 12:22 PM

This is the only known way of ridding ourselves of ALL copies of RZH2 on DVD and BD...

dissention · 11-04-2014, 12:51 PM

The one where Michael Myers flips over a car and Laurie Strode adorns her bedroom with a giant poster of Charles Manson's mugshot? It's a piece of shit and that doesn't need convincing, it's all right there on the screen.

Blu Myers · 11-04-2014, 01:03 PM

Ok I'll bite. I personally love Zombie's Halloween II, and I don't like his first outing nearly as much. It is a very different film than any other Halloween film (or even slasher films in general), right down to the film stock. It's a dark, grim movie. I love the grainy 16mm stock that was used. Zombie really tried to make this HIS Halloween movie, with no apologies. He didn't even use the iconic theme and I think it works given the vastly different tone of the film.

This story is about the aftermath of a massacre, and the effect it has on the survivors. STC really dug in and gave a chilling performance (and I couldn't stand her in the first one). She's beaten down and it really shows. Her relationship with Annie is scarred and the director's cut really focuses on this. Danielle Harris is great too, and there is one scene at the end that is beautifully executed (again, in the director's cut). If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about.

I think it is important to separate yourself from the rest of the Halloween films before watching HII, because it is very different.

I actually prefer the ending of the theatrical cut, but overall the DC is the way to go...maybe another editing project will be added to my to-do list

Spencer_Kain92 · 11-04-2014, 01:25 PM

The Carpenter version is undoubtedly a masterpiece, and the other films I like, and I actually really did enjoy Rob's Halloween 1 but number 2, not so much, most definitley not a masterpiece.

Steedeel · 11-04-2014, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu Myers

Ok I'll bite. I personally love Zombie's Halloween II, and I don't like his first outing nearly as much. It is a very different film than any other Halloween film (or even slasher films in general), right down to the film stock. It's a dark, grim movie. I love the grainy 16mm stock that was used. Zombie really tried to make this HIS Halloween movie, with no apologies. He didn't even use the iconic theme and I think it works given the vastly different tone of the film.

This story is about the aftermath of a massacre, and the effect it has on the survivors. STC really dug in and gave a chilling performance (and I couldn't stand her in the first one). She's beaten down and it really shows. Her relationship with Annie is scarred and the director's cut really focuses on this. Danielle Harris is great too, and there is one scene at the end that is beautifully executed (again, in the director's cut). If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about.

I think it is important to separate yourself from the rest of the Halloween films before watching HII, because it is very different.

I actually prefer the ending of the theatrical cut, but overall the DC is the way to go...maybe another editing project will be added to my to-do list

Agree with this.

Steedeel · 11-04-2014, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

The one where Michael Myers flips over a car and Laurie Strode adorns her bedroom with a giant poster of Charles Manson's mugshot? It's a piece of shit and that doesn't need convincing, it's all right there on the screen.

Good job we can all interpret films in different ways then isn't it?

SymbioticFunction · 11-04-2014, 03:55 PM

Have only ever seen the director's cut. Thought photography was excellent throughout, liked the script, liked the brutality of the film and that it spent time dealing with the consequences of it, liked that it wasn't just another tired re-hash and did something original, liked the scripted dialogue, liked the performances, even liked the live band in the movie. I give it 4/5. I didn't like the first RZ Halloween effort very much but thought this was a very good genre movie. btw I've read people complaining about Myers being portrayed as homeless and bearded - doesn't make a lot of sense as I can't see the character shaving every day or holding down a job.

SymbioticFunction · 11-04-2014, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

The one where Michael Myers flips over a car...

Was thinking about that. Is that any more unbelievable than his behaviour in this short clip?

megafan2000 · 11-04-2014, 04:52 PM

I'll chime in since I marathon-ed all the theatrical films this past weekend. I had never seen 3, Resurrection and the Zombies and also had not seen the other films in at least 10 years each, so as far as I was concerned I had a blank slate to judge. In the end I ranked it:

1-2-RZ1-H20-4-5-6-Resurrection-RZ2-3

As far as Zombie 2 goes, I double featured 1 and 2 on Saturday but I didn't get as immersive an experience I wanted as my brother and his friend arrived halfway through part 2 and began having a full blown conversation in the kitchen while I'm trying to listen to the dialogue in the living room. But from what I managed to take in - I was not a fan of Michael being so damn brutal (vs what we saw in part I). I understood and liked the basic concept of what Zombie was going for (how damaged Laurie and Annie are one year later) but felt the actual execution of it was really really bad IMO in the theatrical cut. It just did not flow at all. Maybe the Director's Cut addresses these issues, I'll wait and see. I'm Halloweened out and will watch the PC and both versions of Zombie's movies in a few weeks or something.

Leslie Dame · 11-04-2014, 05:00 PM

Rob Zombie's Halloween II is the new Halloween III: Season of the Witch.
I connected immediately with Rob's sequel, and I tip my hat to Rob for the "different" approach. It's an Arthouse slasher that most people dislike because it doesn't follow the usual pattern.
There's really no use in trying to understand. Either you like Rob's vision or you don't. Doesn't seem to be much room for middleground.

Scottie · 11-04-2014, 05:06 PM

I have never heard anyone proclaim this film to be good, let alone a masterpiece. I will admit that the whole concept of the white horse seemed cool towards the beginning of the film, but it was so forced upon the viewer that it became laughable.

I also want to throw it out there that Scout Taylor-Compton is a terrible actress and a very poor choice for Laurie Strode.

demonknight · 11-04-2014, 07:20 PM

Anyone calling Rob Zombie's Halloween II arthouse has clearly never seen an arthouse picture. H2 is poorly written, poorly edited, poorly acted (outside of Douriff, McDowell, Harris, and Hardwick), and poorly conceived. I liked the first twenty minutes, aside from the guy randomly yelling "F*ck!" for three minutes. But it was all downhill from there.

Some people are making it out to be something inspired, like Todd Solandz or someone like him directed it.

And I'm not just hating Rob Zombie, as this is his only film I don't like. That said, I still have to watch Lords of Salem.

Shawn Elestren · 11-04-2014, 07:31 PM

A hugely underestimated and powerful film. Zombie's H2 is, by far, the most intense Halloween sequel with some truly outstanding acting. Dourif breaking down over his daughter's dead body is gut-wrenching stuff.

I will never understand the hate for this film. Never.

RockzillaXD · 11-04-2014, 07:43 PM

Despite some of the bad dialogue, and the white trash angle I thought Rob Zombie's Halloween was better than it had any right to be. The second film was a disaster though, which is sad because I really enjoyed the first 20 mins or so of the film.

As bad as RZH2 was it still couldn't beat Resurrection for being the worst film in the franchise though.

BluCoop · 11-04-2014, 07:55 PM

I have the Halloween Boxset, but still have yet to watch RZ Halloween 2, so I need to get on that ASAP. Most people I hear do not like the film at all, I definitely haven't heard anyone call it an underrated masterpiece, but like I said before I have yet to see it.

11-04-2014, 07:33 AM	#1
TheManWhoIsReady1969 Banned Member since:Sep 2014 Location:Loomis Ca, & Citrus Height Ca,	Trying to Understand Rob Zombie's Halloween II Hi, I'm a big fan of the original 8 Halloween films and wasn't a big fan of Rob Zombie's first effort in the Halloween franchise but I recently been hearing from a lot of fans that Rob Zombie's Halloween II is a underrated masterpiece and I'm simply trying to be convinced by that statement.So please leave your overall thought's on the film either positive or negative down bellow so I can understand. Thank you,

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11-04-2014, 10:12 AM	#4
L.J. Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Aug 2013 Location:South Carolina 4K collection:249 Blu-ray collection:752 DVD collection:23 Blu-ray reviews: 145 Trading Score:56	I like the film but a masterpeice no. Actually like his Halloween better than his sequel. Of course neither measure up to Carpenter's. I do like how it portrays Myer's as some one who has a tortured soul. When he kills in 2 its like he's trying to drive or stab the pain out of himself. In the end the only way he got peace was to kill everyone that was involved with him. Again I like it but don't consider it a masterpiece or classic.

11-04-2014, 10:42 AM	#5
Steedeel Blu-ray King Member since:Apr 2011 Location:England 4K collection:284 Blu-ray collection:1253	First of all, RZ H2 is far superior to Ressurection. I found H2 to be interesting. Laurie and Annie really seemed to have been traumatised by previous events and that isn't alaways realistically potrayed in horror. The film was brutal (myers especially) and the first 30 minutes were well done. Things did tail off in the second half but there was still enough in this film for me to enjoy it as a whole. I dont think I have bad taste. I watch many genres of film and my favourites are shawshank, Alien/Aliens, T1/T2, Elephant man, Goodfellas, Leon, The Exorcist, Halloween (original), Silence Of The Lambs, The Shining etc.. Just to give you guys a idea of my taste. I cant bring myself to hate Rob Zombie's efforts. I also dont subscribe to this 'spoils the franchise' nonsense. The original Halloween 2 did that all by itself. It was a sterile, soulless film and a cash in imo. The original Halloween will always stand alone as a classic. Even if Halloween was reinvented every five years it still would not diminish the original film. For reference, here is my list Five star ratings Halloween (original) *** Halloween H20* Halloween remake * Halloween 2 (RZ) * Halloween 4 Halloween 5 Halloween 2 ** Halloween 6 * Halloween Resurrection no stars

11-04-2014, 12:22 PM	#6
Blu-ray Neo Special Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Duncan, SC USA 4K collection:186 Blu-ray collection:2087 DVD collection:71 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:156	This is the only known way of ridding ourselves of ALL copies of RZH2 on DVD and BD...

11-04-2014, 12:51 PM	#7
dissention Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Dec 2011 4K collection:156 Blu-ray collection:1880 DVD collection:225	The one where Michael Myers flips over a car and Laurie Strode adorns her bedroom with a giant poster of Charles Manson's mugshot? It's a piece of shit and that doesn't need convincing, it's all right there on the screen.

11-04-2014, 01:03 PM	#8
Blu Myers Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Haddonfield, IL Home Theater Gallery:17 4K collection:37 Blu-ray collection:655 Digital collection:10 Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:108	Ok I'll bite. I personally love Zombie's Halloween II, and I don't like his first outing nearly as much. It is a very different film than any other Halloween film (or even slasher films in general), right down to the film stock. It's a dark, grim movie. I love the grainy 16mm stock that was used. Zombie really tried to make this HIS Halloween movie, with no apologies. He didn't even use the iconic theme and I think it works given the vastly different tone of the film. This story is about the aftermath of a massacre, and the effect it has on the survivors. STC really dug in and gave a chilling performance (and I couldn't stand her in the first one). She's beaten down and it really shows. Her relationship with Annie is scarred and the director's cut really focuses on this. Danielle Harris is great too, and there is one scene at the end that is beautifully executed (again, in the director's cut). If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. I think it is important to separate yourself from the rest of the Halloween films before watching HII, because it is very different. I actually prefer the ending of the theatrical cut, but overall the DC is the way to go...maybe another editing project will be added to my to-do list

11-04-2014, 01:25 PM	#9
Spencer_Kain92 Power Member Member since:Jan 2013 Location:Texas 4K collection:182 Blu-ray collection:1861 DVD collection:15 Trading Score:157	The Carpenter version is undoubtedly a masterpiece, and the other films I like, and I actually really did enjoy Rob's Halloween 1 but number 2, not so much, most definitley not a masterpiece.

11-04-2014, 03:55 PM	#12
SymbioticFunction Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2009 Location:Chichester, UK 4K collection:153 Blu-ray collection:986 DVD collection:120 Prime collection:2 Blu-ray reviews:2	Have only ever seen the director's cut. Thought photography was excellent throughout, liked the script, liked the brutality of the film and that it spent time dealing with the consequences of it, liked that it wasn't just another tired re-hash and did something original, liked the scripted dialogue, liked the performances, even liked the live band in the movie. I give it 4/5. I didn't like the first RZ Halloween effort very much but thought this was a very good genre movie. btw I've read people complaining about Myers being portrayed as homeless and bearded - doesn't make a lot of sense as I can't see the character shaving every day or holding down a job.

11-04-2014, 04:52 PM	#14
megafan2000 Special Member Member since:Sep 2013 Location:Queens, NY Blu-ray collection:330 Trading Score:68	I'll chime in since I marathon-ed all the theatrical films this past weekend. I had never seen 3, Resurrection and the Zombies and also had not seen the other films in at least 10 years each, so as far as I was concerned I had a blank slate to judge. In the end I ranked it: 1-2-RZ1-H20-4-5-6-Resurrection-RZ2-3 As far as Zombie 2 goes, I double featured 1 and 2 on Saturday but I didn't get as immersive an experience I wanted as my brother and his friend arrived halfway through part 2 and began having a full blown conversation in the kitchen while I'm trying to listen to the dialogue in the living room. But from what I managed to take in - I was not a fan of Michael being so damn brutal (vs what we saw in part I). I understood and liked the basic concept of what Zombie was going for (how damaged Laurie and Annie are one year later) but felt the actual execution of it was really really bad IMO in the theatrical cut. It just did not flow at all. Maybe the Director's Cut addresses these issues, I'll wait and see. I'm Halloweened out and will watch the PC and both versions of Zombie's movies in a few weeks or something.

11-04-2014, 05:00 PM	#15
Leslie Dame Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Dec 2010 Location:Germany Blu-ray collection:1003 DVD collection:1857 Blu-ray reviews: 7	Rob Zombie's Halloween II is the new Halloween III: Season of the Witch. I connected immediately with Rob's sequel, and I tip my hat to Rob for the "different" approach. It's an Arthouse slasher that most people dislike because it doesn't follow the usual pattern. There's really no use in trying to understand. Either you like Rob's vision or you don't. Doesn't seem to be much room for middleground.

11-04-2014, 05:06 PM	#16
Scottie Moderator Top contributor Member since:Oct 2010 Location:Rhode Island Trading Score:647	I have never heard anyone proclaim this film to be good, let alone a masterpiece. I will admit that the whole concept of the white horse seemed cool towards the beginning of the film, but it was so forced upon the viewer that it became laughable. I also want to throw it out there that Scout Taylor-Compton is a terrible actress and a very poor choice for Laurie Strode.

11-04-2014, 07:20 PM	#17
demonknight Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Apr 2013 Blu-ray collection:17	Anyone calling Rob Zombie's Halloween II arthouse has clearly never seen an arthouse picture. H2 is poorly written, poorly edited, poorly acted (outside of Douriff, McDowell, Harris, and Hardwick), and poorly conceived. I liked the first twenty minutes, aside from the guy randomly yelling "F*ck!" for three minutes. But it was all downhill from there. Some people are making it out to be something inspired, like Todd Solandz or someone like him directed it. And I'm not just hating Rob Zombie, as this is his only film I don't like. That said, I still have to watch Lords of Salem.

11-04-2014, 07:31 PM	#18
Shawn Elestren Power Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2010 Location:Edinburgh, Scotland 4K collection:45 Blu-ray collection:386 DVD collection:12 Prime collection:1 Blu-ray reviews: 295	A hugely underestimated and powerful film. Zombie's H2 is, by far, the most intense Halloween sequel with some truly outstanding acting. Dourif breaking down over his daughter's dead body is gut-wrenching stuff. I will never understand the hate for this film. Never.

11-04-2014, 07:43 PM	#19
RockzillaXD Banned Member since:May 2011 Blu-ray collection:345	Despite some of the bad dialogue, and the white trash angle I thought Rob Zombie's Halloween was better than it had any right to be. The second film was a disaster though, which is sad because I really enjoyed the first 20 mins or so of the film. As bad as RZH2 was it still couldn't beat Resurrection for being the worst film in the franchise though.

11-04-2014, 07:55 PM	#20
BluCoop Active Member Member since:Sep 2014 Location:Hawaii 4K collection:207 Blu-ray collection:870 DVD collection:62 Trading Score:7	I have the Halloween Boxset, but still have yet to watch RZ Halloween 2, so I need to get on that ASAP. Most people I hear do not like the film at all, I definitely haven't heard anyone call it an underrated masterpiece, but like I said before I have yet to see it.

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