Search - Halloween: 25 Years of Terror on DVD

Lots Of Nostalgia, And Then Some.

Andrew Estes | Maine | 07/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Certainly John Carpenter had no idea what sort of an impact he would be making when he created his masterpiece, "Halloween" in 1978. Not only did the movie go on to be the most successful independent feature of it's time, but it spawned seven sequels, which in turn gave birth to a large and loyal fanbase. "Halloween: 25 Years Of Terror," a two-disc DVD set, centered around an in-depth documentary, celebrates that. Captured at a 2003 convention to mark the 25th anniversary (hence the title), this set beautifully covers nearly every angle of all eight "Halloween" films, their effect on the industry, their successes, their failures, and so on and so forth.

The documentary itself, clocking it at the length of the average "Halloween" film, traces the history of the franchise, from the baby stages of the original film, to the ridiculous nature of the most recent installment, "Halloween: Resurrection." Nothing is really held back here. The producers, directors and castmembers are not shy about revealing certain problems encountered during production (especially on parts 2 and 6) but also don't treat the films as complete failures, or as cinematic scum, as some critics might label it. If you own access to the internet and have done enough research on the films, this information may not be any news to you, but it's nice to have all the wrinkles ironed out and to hear it straight from the source. We get interviews from the legends, such as Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter and Danielle Harris, to the lesser-knowns like Sasha Jenson, Marianne Hagan and Pamela Susan Shoop, and are even treated to input from everyone from internet critic John Fallon (Arrow In The Head) to future "Halloween" director/reinventor himself, Rob Zombie. I was intrigued by the documentary, and was only disappointed when it ended.

Now, for Special Features, we have more than enough to overlap the feature presentation. Most of the footage you will see is from the previously mentioned convention. We are treated to loads of panel discussions, centering around the first film, part 2 and part 6, and also featuring a wealth of cast and crew. Probably one of the best and most nostalgic features would be the on-set footage of "Halloween 5," while "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" is a well done tour of Haddonfield (Pasadena, CA) as it appears today. I was very satisfied with this release, but it also left me a little depressed. Afterall, with the announcement of the upcoming remake/reinvention/reimagining/ -- whatever you wanna call it -- of the original film, it is officially clear that all these storylines are dead. I guess we all knew it. It was essentially over when "H20" came on the scene and tried to end the series definitively, and then "Halloween: Resurrection" came out and dragged the series through the mud and put the nail in the coffin. It's sad to see such great characters and, for better of for worse, great stories reach a dead-end. As a hardcore "Halloween" fan who also loved parts 4-6, it was a vindicating feeling to see that virtually no one from "H20" or "Resurrection" bothered to show up and discuss the films. It was all people from the older films. After witnessing the older, mid-section films being treated as dirt over the years, it was nice to see it gets it's respect here. If you are a "Halloween" fan, regardless of what your opinion of the rest of the franchise is/was, this set is worth every penny. With so many "Halloween" DVD's and so little features, it's nice to have a place that holds just about everything you could ever want."

A FINE TRIBUTE TO THE GENRE...

Anton Tobias | The vast cornfields of the Midwest | 05/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD was definitely worth the excruciating wait. With the title floating around for years Anchor Bay took years to release this DVD. When it finally hit store shelves I had mine reserved and it was a good thing because they were all sold out once I got there. I guess that just goes to show how popular this series is.

This is a two DVD set, which I find suitable considering Anchor Bay had years to put this together. It contains interviews, fan footage, a lot of scenes filmed from the "Halloween Returns To Haddonfield" convention from 2003, and my personal favorite...filming locations presented by Sean Clark.

For those who are unaware this in NOT a new Halloween sequel nor is it a newly released version of the classic. It is a documentary on the Halloween film series. So if you are interested in the Halloween franchise or a fan of the genre this is a film that is sure to interest you.

For the truly dedicated fans of the original film who lust after seeing the actual filming locations but are having trouble finding the exact spot on the map I have listed the addresses below for you:

- The Myers House - located at 1000 Mission Street in South Pasadena, California

- Hardware Store - located at 966 Mission Street in South Pasadena, California

- Opening Shot Of Haddonfield - located at the intersection of Montrose Avenue and Oxley Street in South Pasadena, California

- The Strode House - located at 1115 Oxley Street In South Pasadena, California

- Haddonfield High School - located at 1401 Freemont Avenue in South Pasadena, California

- Haddonfield Elementary School - located at 110 West McLean Street in Alhambra, California

- "Isn't That Devon Graham?" - located on the 1000th block of Highland Street in South Pasadena, California

- The Hedge - located at 1019 Montrose Avenue in South Pasadena, California

- The Graveyard - located at the corner of Coburn Avenue and Sierra Madre Boulevard in Sierra Madre, California

- The Doyle House - located at 1530 Orange Grove Avenue in West Hollywood, California

- The Wallace House - located at 1537 Orange Grove Avenue In West Hollywood, California
"

The Night They ALL Came Home

Barry | 07/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Three years overdue, but worth every minute of the wait. Folks, if you are die hard Halloween fans, then this is your holy grail. The 2 disc release is jam packed with nothing but great Halloween goodness. I don't know where to even begin!. First, there's the documentary. Clocking in at 84 minutes(with credits), this is the definitive Halloween docu that every one has been waiting for. It traces the series' history and it's legacy. The usuals like John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, PJ Soles, and so on are there, but you will see other people who were involved that you(or at least I)hardly ever see. I'm talking about Nancy Loomis, Sasha Jenson, Kathleen Kinmont, and all the Michaels. It really is a treat. It's narrated by Soles as well. The documentary is great and well made. It touches on everything, and maybe some things you didn't know about. It wasn't afraid to hit upon the series' failures either. The dysmal box office of Part 5, and the incredible mess that was Part 6. It's all here. The rest of the disc is filled to the breaking point with great features. A lot of material was filmed at the 25th anniversary convention in Pasadena. There is a still gallery of the event, plus a live montage of the festivities. You get to see the panel discussions for Halloween 1, Halloween 2, Halloween 6, and a panel discussion with Ellie Cornell(Rachel), Irwin Yablans and Moustapha Akkad, DP Dean Cundey, and one with all the Michaels!. There is a great 18 minute feature where we get a tour on some of the filming locations used in Halloween 1. There is also a still gallery of shooting locations as well. PJ Soles even comes along on the tour. Halloween 5 gets singled out a bit, as there is never before seen footage from the set!. One of the best features here is the work done by the fans. There is a segment where we get to see the fans' homemade movies, and some of them are doozies!. Check out the stop animation one. Fans' artwork is also on display. There is a short section on a Halloween 9 coontest where a lucky attendee wins a walk on role in the next film. Now that the next film has changed drastically, I wonder if she will still get to be a part of it?. I'm sure she will. What else?. An interesting comin book also comes with the package. Interviews abound on the disc. There are extended interviews with some Halloween 2 cast members, and an interview segment on Halloween 3(Tom Atkins, Tommy Lee Wallace, and others). I don't know what's going to happen with the future of Halloween, or how Rob Zombie is going to treat it. Hopefully, he will see this release and know what the people like and want. I don't want a 'Devil's Rejects' kind of Halloween movie. As a life long fan who has gotten his hands on the big Halloween re-issues and stuff, this one takes the cake. You need to get this and enjoy the night he came home over and over again."

Nancy Loomis surfaces!! Great footage packed DVD!

J. Zenone | Los Angeles, CA | 11/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of the original since it's 1981 TV premiere. This DVD captures the spirit of the fans and their love of the film franchise. Packed with trivia, movie stills, footage from the sets, and interviews - it's a fan's delight.

Of special note is the interview of NANCY LOOMIS (Annie, H1). Ms. Loomis stepped away from the spotlight a number of years ago, so what a treat to hear her thoughts on her character and the classic film.

An added bonus is the inclusion of clips from the 2003 Halloween Returns to Haddonfield Convention. These clips are panel discussions with cast members and behind the scenes artists.

This DVD is a most complete look at one of the scariest movie horror franchise that refuses to die! Enjoy.."