YOU FOUND IT!!!
These are the differences between the workprint and theatrical cuts of Rob Zombie's Halloween. I have also added a less comprehensive list of some of the changes in the new DVD "Director's Cut" (I can't bring myself to watch the other 2 versions again to confirm everything). If anyone notices errors, please report them.
Enjoy!
SCENES IN WORKPRINT NOT IN THEATRICAL VERSION:
*1. During the breakfast scene, there’s additional dialogue between Judith and Deborah concerning eggs. Judith alludes to Deborah having an abortion.
2. The workprint has an opening credits sequence. It plays over the scene of Michael running from the school, Loomis’ introduction, and the bully walking through the woods. These scenes are all longer as a result, most significantly more dialogue between Loomis and Deborah, presented in voice over as Michael runs.
*3. There’s an additional shot when Deborah confronts Michael outside the house after the murders.
*4. The montage of Loomis and Michael getting to know each other has more dialogue/scene snippets
5. In the workprint, there is an additional scene of young Michael with Deborah at the institution, where he expresses his need to “get out of here”. When he learns he cannot leave, he says “Then I have nothing left to say.”
*6. When the nurse looks at the photo of Michael and “Boo”, there is an additional line where she alludes to Michael being ugly. This provides more of a motive for her killing than is present in the theatrical version.
7. The “Fifteen Years Later” scene begins with a newscast about Michael’s possible transfer.
8. Following this newscast begins one of the biggest changes: Udo Kier’s character. In the theatrical he is only in ONE scene, but here he has quite a few as the head of Smith’s Grove. He is joined by Clint Howard and Tom Towles as other hospital higherups. They disagree with Loomis’ instructions for Michael’s care. This is followed by the scene where Loomis tells Michael he can no longer be his doctor.
*9. The scene of Ishmael Cruz and the new orderly in Michael’s room is a bit longer.
*10. An additional shot of Loomis leaving Smith’s Grove, looking back with a look on his face showing that he is clearly conflicted about his decision to quit on Michael.
*11. Additional shots of Michael watching Joe Grizzly.
*12. The scene where we meet Laurie and the Strode's is lengthened, there is more talk about the “pervert” hardware store owner.
13. After Loomis speaks at the lecture, there is a scene of him walking with a colleague, asking how he thought he did in the speech.
14. When Laurie and Lynda leave the school, Lynda harasses another female student for some reason, pouring a drink on her head (this is one of the few changes that were for the better, as it makes Lynda even more annoying than she already is)
*15. Additional sex talk between the three girls as they walk home
16. When they see Michael, there are additional shots of him standing across the street (in the theatrical we only see his blurry shape)
*17. A scene of Laurie walking to her house where her mother is putting up decorations outside. Michael is seen following her in the background.
18. A scene showing Michael in the graveyard, finding the tombstone and then removing it.
19. After Laurie leaves to baby-sit, we hear Michael breathing as her parents chat. When the mother goes inside, Michael approaches. The father sees him and assumes he is a trick or treater.
*20. A scene showing Laurie watching horror movies with the kids. Laurie tells Lindsay it’s time for her to go.
*21. The chase from the Wallace’s to the Doyle’s is a bit longer
*22. The pool scene is a bit longer
23. A scene of Loomis and Laurie walking to the car is longer, and it really resonates that Loomis is feeling guilty, a moment that is truncated in the theatrical.
*24. When Laurie drops the envelope off at the Myers' house, Michael sniffs it. This provides a possible explanation for how he knew it was his sister. (reader submitted!)
*25. An additional shot of Michael on the balcony as Lynda and Bob make love. (reader submitted!)
*These scenes have been restored in the DVD "Unrated Director's Cut". This cut otherwise follows the theatrical version, with the exception of the escape scene which is the workprint/"rape" scene version with the two orderlies instead of the scene with Bill Moseley and other guards being killed during Michael's transfer.
SCENES IN THE THEATRICAL THAT ARE NOT IN THE WORKPRINT
1. A scene of Loomis explaining the color spectrum to Michael
2. The death of Ishmael Cruz.
3. A scene of Brackett pulling up alongside the girls as they walk home. Brackett offers a ride, which only Annie accepts.
4. The graveyard scene with Sid Haig.
5. A scene where Lynda calls Laurie right before Bob’s death.
6. A quick bit where the Strodes express confusion over what Annie means by saying her dad is “same as always”
7. Loomis buys a gun
8. A shot of Bob backing his van into the driveway at the Myers house. Also, this scene occurs much earlier in the theatrical version than it does in the workprint.
9. A scene where Brackett explains how he knows who Laurie Strode’s real family is (a much needed addition as it is never explained in the workprint how she came to be with that family or how Loomis would know where to find her).
10. Loomis running up to the house and finding the kids is not in the workprint.
SCENES THAT ARE DIFFERENT ENTIRELY
1. Michael listens to Monster Mash in the first scene instead of classic rock (note – a lot of the music is different, more usages of the original music, but that is to be expected from a workprint – this was the only one I will point out)
2. The biggest one that almost everyone knows about, when Michael escapes. In the workprint, an orderly and his friend harass and then rape a female inmate in Michael’s room. Michael ignores them until they begin playing with his masks (this pays off the line about him not liking it when people touch his things). He kills them both, gets their keys, and escapes. In the theatrical, he is being moved for some reason and suddenly kills the four guards, including Tom Towles (who plays a different character in the workprint), as well as Bill Moseley, and Leslie Easterbrook, neither of whom appear in the workprint).
3. The scene where Loomis is told that Michael escapes is entirely different, and features more Udo Kier.
4. The scene where Loomis leaves for Haddonfield after arguing with Udo Kier and Clint Howard is completely different.
5. The scene where Loomis meets Brackett takes place in a different location (a diner in the theatrical, and what appears to be the graveyard in the workprint), and the dialogue is different.
6. Mrs. Strode is brutally killed; in the workprint it is just sort of suggested.
7. Bob’s death is completely different. In the workprint, he is killed in his van when he goes out to get beer. In the theatrical, he is killed in the exact same way he was killed in the 1978 film.
8. The ending is completely different from the moment Michael pulls Laurie out of the car. In the workprint, Loomis talks to Michael for a while longer than he does in the theatrical version. Then the cops show up, guns drawn. Loomis convinces them all to stand down while he continues to try to calm Michael. He succeeds, and Michael lets Laurie go. As she runs to Loomis, the cops (including Brackett) open fire, shooting him dozens of times. Loomis screams for them to stop but it’s too late. Michael appears dead. The film ends on a very nice shot of Loomis standing over Michael’s body, clearly realizing how he failed his patient, as we hear the audio recording of their very first meeting at Smith’s Grove. In the theatrical, Michael kills Loomis, then spends about 10 minutes smashing his house trying to find Laurie. He finally does, and then rushes her. They go out the window, then Laurie shoots him, screams, and the film ends.
9. The shot of Michael standing across the street, watching Laurie at the library, has been reshot for some reason. (reader submitted!)
NEW SCENES IN THE DVD DIRECTOR'S CUT
(these scenes did not appear in either the workprint or theatrical release of the film)
1. Additional shots of young Michael in the bathroom.
2. When Michael tells the principal "Fuck you", the principal responds "Fuck me?" (I can't remember if this was in the other versions - seemed new to me).
3. In the asylum montage, there is an additional scene of Michael and Loomis where neither of them speak. Loomis shuts off the recorder, which we assume has been turned on for nothing.
4. Throughout the asylum sequence, we see "home video" shots of young Michael wearing masks. Loomis narrates these shots, which help explain the point of all of the masks, as well as revealing that Michael's human side is becoming increasingly obsolete.
5. The scene where Laurie comes home from school, removed entirely in the theatrical version, is now back and even longer than it was in the workprint.
6. A title reading "Trick Or Treat" is inserted as night falls.
7. OK, not sure on this one, and I feel dirty pointing it out, but I'm pretty sure we did not see Lynda's "lower" lady parts in the previous versions.
8. A quick bit during the finale where Loomis regains consciousness, grabbing at Michael which gives Laurie more time to flee. It is unclear, but it would seem he survives the film after all (Michael does not further injure him, he just shakes Loomis off and resumes chasing Laurie).
Am I really the first person to find this?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this list, all in all the theatrical cut does sound like a great improvement.
ReplyDeleteThat isn't saying a whole lot, however.
It's never PROVEN that Loomis died, he may just be knocked out...
ReplyDeleteClearly, the original ending would have been a lot more effective. At least in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWow, some pretty good differences, I'd say about a good 15 minutes of change, at the least. I've only seen the workprint, and I highly doubt these changes will make me enjoy this piece of shit any more, but plenty less. When's Eli Roth going to remake "A Nightmare on Elm Street" or "Scream" so I can take all the hate off of this movie? Those cocksuckers.
ReplyDeleteI agree i like the original ending WAY better
ReplyDeleteI thought this movie rocked...
ReplyDeleteMan, I really like aspects of both break outs, and some of the choice cuts of material for pacing, but damn the original cut sounds so much better.
ReplyDeletethis film was God awful. An insult.
ReplyDeleteI like the original ending on the workprint..Loomis dying just didnt feel right.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that it was never clearly established that Loomis was killed.
ReplyDeleteAnd my take on the movie? Zombie did a phenomenal job. Thanks, Rob.
i have always thought these movies were too cheesy. well they portrayed michael to be human, which in my case, made no sense, considering humans die if someone shoots them 3 times, gets stabbed numerous times..etc. if he gets stabbed, shot.. i dont think he could have the strength to kill anymore people until he got medical help, which of course, he cant because hes a mass murderer. in the oringinal, nothing affects him. he will get shot, and just stumble.. but keep walking on. if he was human, he wouldnt be able to keep walking on, which he was doing. ah well it was still something to see... i just dont understand what is with these movies and numerous sex scenes. it seemed like a lot was left out.
ReplyDeleteOkay, here's my take. First of all at least it had a semblance of a storyline unlike the other piece of shit Rob Zombie movies. And at least Mikey Myers didn't kill/get killed to fucking FREE BIRD or some gay-ass 70's shit like TDR.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen the work print. Speaking as a Myers nut who's seen every movie repeatedly, including Halloween 2 over 147 times (stopped counting there...only horror tape I could own as a kid...don't ask...), let me be frank:
Half of me enjoyed it, half of me hated it. I did like seeing Myers as a super tall, super strong, thick, muscular bad ass and not that Topher Grace-sized pussy from H20 and Resurrection. I did like some of the "Myers as a kid and this is why he's psycho" shit but to take up over half the movie on that shit was a waste.
I think the movie could have dealth without all the profane, disgusting language and rape scenes. And fuck all you cocksucking, ball licking, twat hating fucks who think I can't handle cursing or crudeness. But I think THERES A TIME AND PLACE for that shit, and it should be used to emphasize character. NOT just because you're an asshole director/writer who wants to prove you can say dirty words to make up for your height/body physique smallness in a heavy metal world.
We get the mom's trailer trash and so is the entire Myers family. Didn't have to be so crude. The guards raping the retard, yeah, was that really needed? Trying to drum up sympathy for your villain again, Rob? Next time have him try to help her out instead of just having it as an after thought. What would have been better, albeit just as depraved, would be if Danny Trejo was piddling the kid.
JUST SAYING that might help add to why he went nutso and killed people.
But watching a retard get raped by two redneck assholes? What was the point of it? Except that they opened the door to his cell? Couldn't think up something better? Maybe they were just drunk and wanted to go jerk off on his pretty, nice hair? Makes as MUCH SENSE.
ANYWAYS.
Just a quick note--we Halloween 4 and 5 fans have waited a long time to see Danielle Harris (aka Jamie Lloyd in 4&5, aka Annie in the remake) get topless so yeah, thanks for at least that Rob. Made it completely worth the hour I spent downloading, errr, accidentally stumbling upon the work print.
Beyond seeing Dani Harris topless, and seeing Myers buff and tuff like Schwarzenegger on snuff...yeah, the movie sucked.
Though kudos to Malcom McDowell for pulling a great rendition of Sam Loomis. And Sabretooth errrr Tyler Mane was a great Myers. And whoever played Myer's older sister was just flat out hot.
So...to sum up?
The good shit:
* the hot myers sister topless
* Dani Harris topless
* Dee Wallance Stone getting killed
* Myers played by a strong, big guy and not Topher Grace's evil twin brother
* Roddy McDowell (or is it Malcome?) as Sam Loomis
* Dani Harris topless and LEGAL
The bad shit:
* An hour of watching some little girl play Mikey Myers as a kid (sure looked like a little girl)
* TOO much vulgarity when it wasn't needed...proved the writer can't write well.
* Raping of the Retard - pointless, added nothing to plot or story. And we didn't even get a good look at her so it's useless for the cheap sex-thrill ticket, too!
* William Forsythe as a CRIPPLED "abusive" boyfriend. If you ask me, you can't be abusive unless you beat the shit outta the chick. And he had broken arms, so it looks more like she beat the shit outta him.
* The ending...don't definitely kill off a major franchise star. And where the hell's the Fall-from-the-Balcony,-Disappear-Into_Darkness "death" scene from the original? Would have been nice.
All in all, as a Halloween fan I have to give this 4/10. As a horror flick retard aka normal citizen unfamiliar with horror lore? Maybe a 5/10. Not enough back plot on some cases, too much on others.
After all, who gives a shit that Sheri Moon Zombie's character killed herself? Just one less crackwhore in the world.
I so can't wait for the Ugi Boll remake of "Friday the 13th" so all my childhood role models will have been bastardized by inept filmmakers and I can go ahead and kill myself.
Hey assholes making the Friday the 13th remake?? Just fucking email ME, I'll write the script for FREE just let me do it justice! If you bastardize Vorhees, I WILL burn your studio down! Assholes!
Quit remaking shit and come up with something original! Make a sequel that's worth it! Can anyone say "Bourne Ultimatum"?? THATS A FUCKING SEQUEL, BUDDY!
Father Chaos
chaos444_99 at hotmail.com - send me feedback, bitches.
Awful. One of the worst remakes yet. Rob Zombie should not be allowed to make movies anymore. This one was his worst and his previous efforts weren't any good either.
ReplyDeleteStupid to think you can improve the original masterpiece by John Carpenter or not be compared heavily to it.
Just watch Jamie Lee Curtis and Carpenter's direction in the brilliant original. The 2007 version is a waste of time and a way for Dimension to make money...and nothing else.
Actually, the first difference is wrong ... Judith refers to the eggs as "chicken abortions" ... she wasn't talking about her mom.
ReplyDeleteSecond, there is no mention of sequence leading to Mr. Strode's death which is entirely different between the two.
No, Judith says "You'd know about abortions" or something under her breath after the egg talk.
ReplyDeleteAnd difference #19 explains the difference during the Mr. Strode scene.
But thanks for the offers, and if anyone else catches any mistakes (I caught 2 after watching the theatrical for the 3rd ungodly time - 1st time I paid for it!!!) please let me know...
This movie didn't wow me, but I didn't expect it to, either.
ReplyDeletePros:
Tons and tons of nudity. Every part of a woman that could be naked is shown in this film!
They kept the original score.
Did I mention nudity?
Cons:
Everything else.
At the risk of losing any goodwill bc has toward me, I have to say I liked Halloween 07. I think it's the "exploitation" version of Halloween--i.e., lots more blood and guts and tits--and if you can get behind it on that level, you can have a good time, which I did.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Zombie raped Carpenter's version--it's still there, on your dvd shelf, safe and sound--I think he just did what the credits say: he made his own version of the story. His version is much more white-trash grimy and ugly, perhaps, but hey, that's Rob Zombie. You knew he was a scorpion before you started swimming, or something.
So for someone being damned if he did or damned if he didn't--if he was slavishly faithful people would say he Van Zant-ed it, and if he changed anything the fans held sacred he'd be burned at the stake--I thought he pretty bravely made something that fits in well with the visions of his other flicks and his overall directorial style. If you don't like that style, then it's no surprise you wouldn't like this. But as for me, I dug it.
And though it may be faint praise, I thought it was wayyy better than the TCM remake, and I liked that one just fine too. :)
So anyway, there goes all my respect from BC, if I ever had any. Have fun.
Hahahah YOU'RE BANNED!!!
ReplyDeleteNah, I knew it would be like every other movie - some love it, some hate it. As long as you back up your opinion coherently and intelligently (as you have done) instead of just calling me a retard and saying ZOMBIE RULLLLLZZZZ (as anonymous has, in the other thread) I would actually love to read more opinions from folks who really dug it.
in the theatrical version, we saw a bit more of joe grizzly before he was killed (in particular, his glimpse of himself in the mirror where he makes a comment).
ReplyDeletethis list is great, btw. although i seem to be the only one who thinks that the theatrical version's ending is better! the whole "you made the right decision" bit is lame. and i didn't like malcolm mcdowell's acting, so less dr loomis is a plus for me. one part in particular (which is in both films) that irritates me was loomis' response to "was that the boogeyman?". after seeing donald pleasance respond to that question time & time again, it just sounds totally awkward to have mcdowell's response "as a matter of fact...i do believe...that was".
I've only seen the workprint (living in the UK it won't be out theatrically for a while yet), but I have to say I loved it. Some of the changes sound good, but I'm not sure about the ending. I thought the workprint one rounded the film off nicely.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I love what rob did with this film. But I do think that the original ending would have been more effective. Some of the changes he did for the theatrical cut were needed. I love how Micheal escaped from Smith's Grove. But I would have loved to see some of the other scenes that were in the workprint; however I am very happy with the outcome of the film. And I also agree that it was not proven that Loomis was dead.
ReplyDeletei really enjoyed both versions of this film its probally my fav halloween besides the orginal I like how the workprint ended but i like everything else from the theatrical and hopefully they will make a sequal to this
ReplyDeleteI actually really enjoyed this movie. I hate Rob Zombie for the fact that he actually made me care about Michael and have conflicting feelings. I actually think it was smart to not just make a prequel because that would have been boring. Also making a straight remake would have been dumb as well since it's basically the most popular slasher ever and any small tweak would have gotten Zombie killed.
ReplyDeleteI might be alone, but I have a serious crush on Sheri Moon, both as a person and an actress. She's just a good actress in my eyes. I felt bad during his entire childhood for Michael and Sheri's character, because I know they could have had a better life and Michael not turned out the way he did if a few small changes events in his life were different.
I thought the acting was good for the three modern teens as well. I at least got some backstory from them. I wasn't expecting to care about them. It was obvious from the start the movie was about Michael, so the larger portion of the movie devoted to him was fine. I also really enjoyed the new portrayl of Loomis. A lot. Maybe I'm a heartless bastard, but I did not find the movie crude or horribly gory like some people say. I found most of it to be tastefully done. I think Hostel has fucked me up.
The one thing I read from the workprint that sounds better is the ending. The ending left a bad taste in my mouth to some extent. I did not like Loomis's knockout/death as it just seemed random, but I liked Laurie's ending scream. I felt that was the perfect way to end it. If they could have found some way to combine it, I think it would be for the best.
The main thing I liked about the movie is that we understood that Michael is a human and does not have some sort of supernatural thing that keeps him alive which got very old by the 5th and 6th Halloween movie. Michael was a person and died like a person. I sincerely hope that they just leave Michael dead instead of caving into temptation. That being said I won't be shocked for a Halloween 2 because, you know, a bullet to the head doesn't mean you're dead.
All in all I went in there with expectations to see a good movie and I left with a better feeling. It was just a good movie to me. Yeah, there are some things which could have been different, like Zombie's freakish love for swearing every 5 minutes. Jesus christ, I love to swear, but is it needed that much? I'm proud of what Zombie did, I think Sheri needs a decent dramatic movie role one day, and I don't see any movie really topping this until Cloverfield comes out, for me.
Just like Rob Zombie said himself, "Would you rather a part 9? Did you enjoy part 8 so much that you would rather see a part 9?" I personally loved the movie.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you want to bring up Rob Zombie quotes...
ReplyDelete“I feel it’s the worst thing any filmmaker can do. I actually got a call from my agent and they asked me if I wanted to be involved in a remake of CHAINSAW. I said no fucking way! Those movies are perfect — you’re only going to make yourself look like an asshole by remaking them. Go remake something that’s a piece of shit and make it good. Like with my movie I have elements of CHAINSAW in it because I love that movie so much, but I wouldn’t dare want to “remake” it. It’s like a band trying to be another band.”
"In the theatrical, Michael kills Loomis, then spends about 10 minutes smashing his house trying to find Laurie. He finally does, and then rushes her. They go out the window, then Laurie shoots him, screams, and the film ends.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the theatrical version I saw two days ago.
Well, don't know what to tell you... that's how the film ends.
ReplyDeleteYeah, ^ that's what happens in the theatrical cut I saw too.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this list of differences... it's very interesting to see what was changed from the workprint. I saw the movie in the theatre a couple of days a go, then watched the workprint afterwards. All in all - save for a few slight differences - I think the workprint is the better movie. The 3 main/most important differences - to me - are:
1. The rape scene/Michael escaping. I thought the work-print version was better... sure, it was a bit stupid going into Michael's room to rape the girl in front of him (and they could have thought up something better) - but I do think it was much better than the standard "escapes while being transferred" scene we got in the theatrical version.
2. Michael killing the friendly orderly, Ishmael Cruz. I didn't like this is the theatrical cut... there was no need for it (except maybe to show that he has lost all reason - but then this clearly isn't the case as we see his feeling towards Laurie later). Whatever the reason was though, I don't think it worked.
3. The ending (of course!). I was disappointed in the ending when I saw it at the theatre. All I knew was that it had been changed from the workprint version somehow. But she just shoots him... that's it!? I watched the workprint version the next day and MUCH preferred the original ending... it was excellent - very atmospheric. The sad notion that Loomis had failed his patient - and the final "fade-out" scene of the two of them was just superb... why on earth did he/they change it? :o(
So overall, I preferred the workprint version... the ending is just so much better. I think Zombi did a fairly decent job of the movie (let's face it - he was always on a hiding to nothing). It wasn't as good as I was hoping, but by no means was it as bad as it could have been. I'd give it a 6 (or 7 with the workprint ending) out of 10.
While the movie itself is just fair... both versions have pros and cons worth noting. The best thing the workprint did that should have definitely stayed in the theatrical version was the character development, and the couple scenes where Michael followed Laurie, which were totally cut out of the theatrical.
ReplyDeleteThe scene in the workprint that showed Michael removing Judith's headstone was a very good scene that should have stayed.
I did like that Michael brutally killed Mrs. Strode. It served a purpose that maybe only I understand. And I'm even more glad that they redid Bob's death and kept it like the original rather him being stabbed in the van.
Other than that, the second part of the theatrical was way too rushed. Mr. Zombie gave us no time at all to connect with any of the characters and just killed them right away.
I'm torn about the ending on both versions. I like the workprint ending more because it showed how much Dr. Loomis cared for Michael, as if he were a son or something. But the new ending was also nice because it added more time to the final chase. However... I didn't at all like seeing Laurie fall from the ceiling, then falling from the balcony with Michael.. getting up, face all bloodied, shooting michael and screaming like a deranged Texas Chainsaw Massacre final victim. it didn't fit in at all with the rest of the movie and should have been better thought out.
I thought this movie was AWESOME, Zombie took the story and put his own twist on it. so i wish people would quit complaining that he butchered it. why the hell would he make the same thing over again. it isnt worth making if it wasnt different, if thats what you want go watch the original again. He gave Halloween the Zombie style, which i really like....sick, twisted and violent as hell....i really enjoyed it. if you dont like it, quit bitching cause you dont have to watch it again......i think Rob should be respected for what he has accomplished...the man is a Modern Master.......
ReplyDeleteForever a Fan
Xombie 666
If you read the review, you would know that it wasn't the differences that killed the movie; if anything, it was his insistence on copying elements from the original and not doing 'zombie's version ENOUGH.
ReplyDeletei think that this film was made quite well. i'm going to make my own cut by adding all the scenes from the theatrical to the workprint and all from the directors cut to the workprint. i'm going to put bobs original '78 death in and generally make a kick ass ultimate cut. if anyone agrees leave me a message on my site.
ReplyDeletestay high till you die.