Halloween II (1981) (Collector's Edition)

[WJWS Channel 13:Amity]

Originally Posted by Yankees0222

Thats what I did! I switched it with the Winnie The Pooh 3-disc case and chucked the Winnie The Pooh Digital Copy. I think it looks amazing

couldnt resist

[sancho]

"F" It! I am ordering Part 2 from Amazon.

[Project-Zep]

Originally Posted by mzupeman

The theatrical cut is superior.... and that's the version on the blu-ray disc. It's the inferior television version that's on the DVD man.

Really? Wasn't the tv cut closer to Rosenthal's vision though lol?

[beckmen]

Originally Posted by Blu Balls

That's the cover (minus the All New banner) Universal should have went with. How is the audio compared to the corrected Universal release?

The 'All New' banner was apparently part of the original poster art, and not added by Shout Factory.

Kind of surprised these aren't in stores. Shouldn't these movies be part of store's Halloween seasonal displays?

[Blu-Superman]

Originally Posted by DeanCorso

Halloween 2 and 3 nowhere to be found in stores (Future Shop, Best Buy, WallMart and HMV) not even Halloween 4 and 5, i think stores are become aware that people mostly buy online these days so they dont bother having those kind of titles in stores.

I went on a scavenger hunt earlier today in hopes of finding it at some store. I was momentarily excited and shortly disappointed when I saw the Shout Factory Collector's Editions of "Halloween II" and "III" at Target, of all places; unfortunately, they only had the DVD versions and for $14.99 each. No Blu-Rays.

[DeanCorso]

Originally Posted by Blu-Superman

I went on a scavenger hunt earlier today in hopes of finding it at some store. I was momentarily excited and shortly disappointed when I saw the Shout Factory Collector's Editions of "Halloween II" and "III" at Target, of all places; unfortunately, they only had the DVD versions and for $14.99 each. No Blu-Rays.

Our Target stores opens only in spring of 2013 Yea i hear that Target only has the DVDs.....Shout Factory said it on thier facebook page that Target only have the DVD and not Blu-Rays.

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by Project-Zep

Really? Wasn't the tv cut closer to Rosenthal's vision though lol?

I'm sure few will agree with me, but in many ways I prefer the TV cut. I know Carpenter was down on Rosenthal's version because its pacing was slower (more like the original Halloween, actually) and there were too few bodies, but I think it generates more tension.

In the theatrical cut, we have Michael committing an on-screen murder (for no apparent reason) in the first few minutes. The character barely has enough time to say her perfunctory dialogue into a phone before getting iced. It's not an ineffective scene necessarily, but to me it's Michael "blowing his suspense wad" right out of the gate.

The TV version holds back several of the murders, with characters in the hospital simply disappearing. Now, obviously we all know where they've gone, and we see Mikey stalking around hospital corridors, but losing the requisite, Friday-the-13th-esque creative kills arguably doesn't hurt the film much.

And what do we get instead? Quite a bit of added dialogue material around the hospital, which gives the film a more lived-in quality. We also get an explanation as to why the hospital's lights are out.

It's not perfect by any means (some of the "edited for TV" bits are hilariously inept -- Budd's cursing, the encounter with Mrs. Elrod, etc.) but I think slowing down the first hour of the movie makes the final half hour go much faster.

Once again, many thanks to Shout Factory; I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to even see the TV version again, let alone own such a good quality copy. Yes, it's improperly framed and only DVD-quality, but aside from that it looks as good as can be expected.

[mzupeman]

Originally Posted by Project-Zep

Really? Wasn't the tv cut closer to Rosenthal's vision though lol?

And your point? Carpenter thought the original cut wasn't scary and made some tweaks himself. Ill take a Carpenter cut over a Rosenthal any day of the week.

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by mzupeman

Ill take a Carpenter cut over a Rosenthal any day of the week.

I'm as big a John Carpenter fan as anyone, but if there are problems with Halloween II, they start with the writing.

Somewhere between the sanitized, (somewhat) plodding TV version and the cut-to-the-chase theatrical version featuring Carpenter reshoots there is a phantom version that is the best of both worlds. I really think Rosenthal did a pretty good job of creating a spooky atmosphere around the hospital, and the theatrical version doesn't make full use of that. Conversely, Carpenter's problems with the original cut were (likely) justified.

But then, he wrote the script, so we're back where we started.

[Greengoblin]

I am confused with this one, I want to buy this but is it cut or uncut, also why do you Americans have everything cut and uncut lol aren't 18 year olds allowed to see boobies or nudity or gore lol, I live in Australia and we only have Halloween the first one out now so let me know pls?

[hamchuck1]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

I'm sure few will agree with me, but in many ways I prefer the TV cut. I know Carpenter was down on Rosenthal's version because its pacing was slower (more like the original Halloween, actually) and there were too few bodies, but I think it generates more tension.

In the theatrical cut, we have Michael committing an on-screen murder (for no apparent reason) in the first few minutes. The character barely has enough time to say her perfunctory dialogue into a phone before getting iced. It's not an ineffective scene necessarily, but to me it's Michael "blowing his suspense wad" right out of the gate.

The TV version holds back several of the murders, with characters in the hospital simply disappearing. Now, obviously we all know where they've gone, and we see Mikey stalking around hospital corridors, but losing the requisite, Friday-the-13th-esque creative kills arguably doesn't hurt the film much.

And what do we get instead? Quite a bit of added dialogue material around the hospital, which gives the film a more lived-in quality. We also get an explanation as to why the hospital's lights are out.

It's not perfect by any means (some of the "edited for TV" bits are hilariously inept -- Budd's cursing, the encounter with Mrs. Elrod, etc.) but I think slowing down the first hour of the movie makes the final half hour go much faster.

Once again, many thanks to Shout Factory; I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to even see the TV version again, let alone own such a good quality copy. Yes, it's improperly framed and only DVD-quality, but aside from that it looks as good as can be expected.

I am also excited to see the TV version again. It was what I grew up on when I was younger. I recorded it off of TV one year on a vhs and watched it for many years after that. But for probably that last 10-15 years, I've only watched the DVD. It'll be good to have for nostalgia's sake.

[lcummins]

I was still waiting on my order of II and III from Shout Factory themselves; got an email last night that because of the web site overhaul, some orders were not correctly sent to the shipper, so they upgraded the shipping to overnight at their cost and I should have them today!

[dawgyjay]

For those looking for these in stores you might want to check Barnes and Noble. I did an in-store search online and it's listed in stock at one of my local stores. Website lists price at $25.50. It looks like B&N is having a 15% off one item coupon for 9/20-9/23. It would bring the price down to 21.67+tax.

I'm going to give it a look later today. I know B&N sometimes removes the slips. They're a must have for these releases.

[Scoot79]

I got my Halloween II Blu-ray at Hastings for $19.99 and my Halloween II DVD at Target for $14.99.

[BluProofie]

Originally Posted by Greengoblin

I am confused with this one, I want to buy this but is it cut or uncut, also why do you Americans have everything cut and uncut lol aren't 18 year olds allowed to see boobies or nudity or gore lol, I live in Australia and we only have Halloween the first one out now so let me know pls?

Uh, what? Almost all movies released here are uncut. You must be talking about Unrated versions of horror movies studios sometimes release on Blu-ray. This movie is uncut obviously. Also, the discs are Region A so you won't be able to watch them unless you have a Region free player.

It surprises me you are talking about cut and uncut things when Austrailia censors and bans all adult and gorey video games like Mortal Kombat.

[dawgyjay]

Originally Posted by dawgyjay

For those looking for these in stores you might want to check Barnes and Noble. I did an in-store search online and it's listed in stock at one of my local stores. Website lists price at $25.50. It looks like B&N is having a 15% off one item coupon for 9/20-9/23. It would bring the price down to 21.67+tax.

I'm going to give it a look later today. I know B&N sometimes removes the slips. They're a must have for these releases.

Made a run at my lunch and as I thought, no slips. They were also $29.99. I passed.

[Yankees0222]

Originally Posted by Greengoblin

I am confused with this one, I want to buy this but is it cut or uncut, also why do you Americans have everything cut and uncut lol aren't 18 year olds allowed to see boobies or nudity or gore lol, I live in Australia and we only have Halloween the first one out now so let me know pls?

I think you're mistaken. This release contains BOTH the orginal theatrical release which is on blu and it also contains a DVD of the television cut as well since there seems to be a cult following that prefers the tv cut (closer to the directors orginal film before some of it got recut)

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by hamchuck1

I am also excited to see the TV version again. It was what I grew up on when I was younger. I recorded it off of TV one year on a vhs and watched it for many years after that. But for probably that last 10-15 years, I've only watched the DVD. It'll be good to have for nostalgia's sake.

This was also my situation, exactly. I think Halloween 2 was the first movie I managed to tape off of network TV -- WUTV, Buffalo 29 as I recall. Must've been 7 or 8. Man, I watched that thing a lot. Then DVD came along and I assumed I'd never see it again. Nice to be proven wrong, in this case.

[Wizard-of-Wars]

Just found a copy at a Rasputin Records here in California! It cost $29.99 and had slip...I bought it!! Amazon has it for $19.99 and with shipping would probably be $8 less then I payed, oh well cause....

I got to MEET Jamie Lee Curtis here in Fresno,CA yesterday!!!!!!
She was signing her new childrens book. I bought it and got to meet her and sign the book and shake her hand!!!! She is a SUPER nice person!!
I had her inscribe "To Scott, a huge Halloween Fan" she asked me if I was going to Indianapolis(where she's making her first ever and only convention appearance!)

It was such a serial experience!!!

[GxyExpress999]

Originally Posted by Blu Balls

That's the cover (minus the All New banner) Universal should have went with. How is the audio compared to the corrected Universal release?

I compared the HDMA 5.1 audio tracks - the opening / end credits

[Show spoiler]and the explosion scene

- but TBH, I could not tell the difference much. Maybe Shout version is just a tiny bit better?

Originally Posted by Liquid_Swords

So glad we got that

Shout for the win!!

Yeah, I love the original art.