Halloween II [Halloween 2] ** (1981, Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Charles Cyphers, Dick Warlock, Jeffrey Kramer, Lance Guest) – Classic Movie Review 4,240

Michael Myers again terrorises the feisty Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in the 1981 film Halloween II from original writer/ producers John Carpenter and Debra Hill, with Donald Pleasence also back as Dr Sam Loomis.

The Halloween killer Michael Myers again terrorises the feisty Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in the hospital where she has been taken immediately after part one, Halloween (1978).

Director Rick Rosenthal’s 1981 horror movie Halloween II gets more mileage from the same material in an acceptable if uninspired direct sequel from original writer/ producers John Carpenter and Debra Hill, with the same stars in Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence as Laurie Strode and Dr Sam Loomis.

The only real difference is that the gore count is much higher this time, and that it doesn’t seem anything like as clever without Carpenter at the helm. Another difference is that Dick Warlock takes over from Tony Moran as Michael Myers. However, script-wise it does a decent job of finishing the story of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode. Well, that was the plan, anyway… And, when a third film was made, there was an unrelated story.

Carpenter declined to direct and hired Rick Rosenthal in his directorial debut. It was shot in spring 1981, mainly at Morningside Hospital in Los Angeles, on a budget of $2.5 million. It earned $25.5 million at the North American box office.

Halloween II was made by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation and released by Universal Pictures, premiering in the US on Halloween, 30 October, 1981

It also features Charles Cyphers, Dick Warlock, Jeffrey Kramer, Lance Guest, Pamela Susan Shoop, Hunter von Leer, Leo Rossi, Gloria Gifford, Tawny Moyer, Ana Alicia, Ford Rainey, Cliff Emmich, Nancy Stephens, Nancy Loomis [Nancy Kyes], Lucille Benson, Dana Carvey and the 21-year-old Billy Warlock in his second film, as Craig.

Next up is Halloween III: Season of the Witch directed by Tommy Lee Wallace in 1983, with an unrelated story, starring Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin and Dan O’Herlihy.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers was released in 1988. Then Halloween H20: 20 Years Later was released in 1998, a story sequel to the first two films only.

The rebooted Halloween II is directed by Rob Zombie in 2009.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4,240

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