by John Bizub, Contributing Writer
Welcome to the third issue in my series titled, Another Person’s Treasure. In this series, I discuss films that have not been well received by critics and have not been well liked by the general public. However, I think there are films that deserve to be given a second chance. Let us begin, shall we?
Horror as a genre is in such an ambiguous state as right now, as with all Hollywood films as of late. With every exceptionally crafted piece of terror that scares audiences around the world comes hundreds of either copycats or retreads of familiar territories. This past decade has been filled with “popcorn horror” titles — films that are meant to be seen in a theater with a packed crowd with the lights turned off and it’s up for the audience to decide what scares them. And while I am not shaming this type of horror medium, I tend to think those are the most fun times at the cinema, but they do not hit me on a personal level. The only horror film that truly has struck a chord with me on a deeper level over this past year was M. Night Shyamalan’s Old. It’s a film that succeeds at reinventing the wheel when it comes to scaring an audience and telling an engaging story, while also allowing a talented filmmaker to operate at the highest level of precision and thematic depth. I have seen the film four times in theaters and I still gain a new perspective on what it is trying to tell the audience on a discreet level, while also being excited that an auteur can still surprise audiences.
A filmmaker who I think not only revitalizes the grindhouse horror subgenre the best, while also offering themes of trauma, abuse, and the emotional turmoil an evil presence has on the innocent is none other than Rob Zombie. Ever since his directorial debut in 2003 with House of 1000 Corpses, I always knew that Zombie was trying to expand the normalcy of showing violence to audiences. Zombie portrays life in a very musty and grim atmosphere. Sure, most of the films take place in the south and give off a rotten notion of citizens in the southern part of the U.S., but, even in one of his recent films, Lords of Salem, he provides audiences with a grim look at reality in a grungy and nihilistic portrayal without trying to shock them. Unlike someone like Eli Roth, Zombie has something to say with the heavy uses of violence, to show the weight of the object onto someone, to emphasize how much it could leave people. It is all done with some inventive sound design and choreography. However, if there is one film that I have seen throughout my life that hits me more on an emotional level every time I watch, it is Halloween II.
When being interviewed by SlashFilm, Zombie explains what he wanted to set out when being tasked to do a sequel. He explains, “Well, I looked back at the first film and I thought, What would be the most realistic fall-out from the events that occurred previously? So, I started with Laurie Strode. The reality now is this: here is a girl who wakes up, her parents are murdered, most of her friends are murdered, and she finds out her brother is the person who killed everybody. What is the reality of that? What does that do to a person? I felt it would be much more interesting this time to make Laurie this dark, damaged character. And everyone else too.” While the first film from 2007 focuses on Michael Myers, his upbringing, his motivations for wanting to kill, and his spiritual presence in Haddonfield, Zombie places the 2009 sequel on the mental turmoil on Laurie. It leaves where the previous film left off as Laurie is struggling to get by, while also fighting the deep trauma that has been left since her encounters with Myers. Laurie is a different person before she comes across Myers. She was a normal high school student who was well-liked by others, but since Myers came into her life, she drives people away, letting her emotions drive her personality and has a hard time accepting what has happened.
Keep in mind this film also revolves around Michael and his relationship with his mother and younger self. While I am not going to express my personal life too in depth, I see myself in Myers and Laurie’s eyes. Myers is constantly haunted by the way he has been treated at home by his family for trying to be different. And Laurie cannot shake the level of mental and physical abuse and mind games being played after being affected by such a grim tragedy. Zombie balances both storylines in the only way that it could be handled: like a living and breathing nightmare. Scout Taylor-Compton’s portrayal of Laurie Strode is played with such range and uneasiness that she blends into the character, as Laurie has to come to terms with meeting Michael again and also being constantly reminded of Michael as books and television programs are being presented about him. Not only does Michael have a huge impact on her trauma, but seeing her friends after the encounter with Myers and everything the town of Haddonfield went through, every little thing acts as a reminder for Laurie, which is the main stigmata of her downfall.
Halloween II is a tour de force in the psychological horror genre, tackling themes of abandonment and trauma in a film that only Zombie can capture. He views the world through Laurie and Michael’s eyes in a very black and white picture with a dazzlement of red. This will forever be a staple when defining the horror genre and truly rocks me to the core when rewatching it. If you are curious about watching this for yourself, please watch the director’s cut because it is the superior version and Zombie even says to watch this version.