The Duality of Perception: Rob Zombie's Double Take on an Already Mistook Movie

[Madloomis78]

There is already much debate about whether or not Rob Zombie's Halloween 2 re-envisioning is a good movie, so I will spare you that debate in this article. But what I want to discuss is my disgust for the ending of the Director's Cut version. My biggest gripe is that on the Director's Cut version there is no option to view the theatrical version, which I thought was a great way to end the film.

The Theatrical Version:


The Director's Cut Version:


To me, what made the Theatrical version so great was the fact that through the whole film, never until then did you hear any resemblance of the Original Halloween's theme. With “Laurie's Theme,” it brings all of Zombie's work and effort and creativity back to where is seems to be inspired most: the music and tone of the 1978 original film. In both versions, the white clinical setting brings full circle what Zombie was trying to accomplish with telling us the back story of Michael. With “Laurie's Theme” playing in the background it represents Micheal's madness being honed in the quote on quote white rooms as Laurie's also, is recognized, and to the imagination of the audience, also built upon, leaving an open ending, to me, almost as provocative as the first film's.

[sinful Celluloid]

That's the first good argument I've read in defense of the Theatrical cut. :) Very nice and a good point as well.

[TheSkeletonCrew]

I really never cared either way, it's one of my fav horror movies ever regardless. I do see what you mean though. Good point.

[Madloomis78]

Thanks you all. Yea, this is one of my favorites as well. What made it that way was the theatrical ending and all that Zombie put in this film that was his own vision. I was left stunned. After I saw the Director's Cut I was disappointed.

[Preston Eleven]

I hate to admit it, but I have been obsessed with Rob Zombie's Halloween films since their release. I am not quite sure what it is, but I think it has something to do with the bizarre and surreal nature of seeing my favorite film of all time twisted and distorted by Zombie into something that is at times alternately very familiar and intriguingly different, but many other times a complete misfire on a variety of narrative and filmmaking levels. I cannot fully endorse either film, but at the same time I have watched both of them over and over because I find them to be such interesting failures, which is actually a compliment of sorts compared to a majority of the current horror output which are largely outright failures with no originality or passion. Say what you will about Zombie, but he is clearly passionate (although it seems a lot of that passion was diminished thanks to the infamous Weinstein intrusions).

In particular, I was extremely disappointed with Halloween II. I won't go on a rant about the entire film because that's not what this thread is about but, as usual, Zombie's mise en scene is incredible while his writing is juvenile. He had a chance to really reinvent the series and make it his own but, much like the first film, he was still too mired in the dogma of the series. If he actually tried to write CHARACTERS instead of CARICATURES then, perhaps, this could have worked. Alas, Zombie's skills as a scribe languish in the netherworld of middle school fantasy. But I digress.

As far as the ending...I agree that the theatrical ending is FAR superior to the director's cut. I like the image of Laurie collapsing after walking out of the shack, totally betrayed by life and irreparably broken as a character. Very heavy and dark imagery. This is far more powerful than the overused "everyone dies" ending that Zombie prefers. The idea of Michael's madness being hereditary and somehow passed to Laurie at that climactic moment is novel, but ultimately plays as a tired cliche in execution. The overdone slow motion kills it even more, not to mention that idiotically literal reprise of "Love Hurts", albeit in a hauntingly eerie sounding rendition.

While I do like the theatrical ending, it is not without its faults. I like the (almost) visual poetry and symbolism of Laurie wearing Michael's mask but, like many other things in Zombie's Halloween universe, it is far too forced to have any real impact. If I could redirect that scene, I would keep everything the same except Laurie would walk out just holding the mask. When will Rob learn that often times LESS IS MORE!

On a related note, I can't wait to see what The Lords of Salem has in store for us! The visuals in the bootleg trailer blew my mind! If only someone else would handle the writing the next time around, I think Zombie could be one of the best currently working in the genre.

[joshk1986]

In my opinion - the theatrical cut is the best of a bad pair of films. Halloween II was just disgraceful, but at least in the theatrical ending it managed to create something slightly interesting and ambiguous. The director's cut ending with Michael yelling "DIE!" is just the worst hands down.

[Preston Eleven]

The director's cut ending with Michael yelling "DIE!" is just the worst hands down.

And, just like with the awful Halloween 6 "Producer's Cut", for some reason Halloween fans think "alternate" is equivalent to superior. So many people rave about the excellency of the alternate H6 and the director's cut of Halloween II compared to the theatrical versions and, while there may be minor points of interest, I personally feel those are weak arguments in both cases.

HOWEVER, I must eat my words slightly by saying that the majority of the "work print" of Rob Zombie's Halloween is far better than either the theatrical or "unrated" version. That's a whole other thread and I am going to log off before I go on another tangent.