Secret Post #2!

Well, once again we have a new cut of a Rob Zombie Halloween film, so in turn I shall put my inexplicable tendency to watch these movies multiple times to some use and provide a list of key changes between the theatrical version and the director's cut. This is of course not 100% complete and as before, if you notice something I missed or got wrong, please let me know!

NOTE - Several scenes have an extra line or two, or maybe an added shot of someone walking. Unless they are significant to the story in some way, I won’t be mentioning these as there are so many and also without the theatrical cut at my disposal I might be mistaken anyway.

Director’s cut changes for Halloween II (2009):

1. The opening scene is much longer: Laurie clearly walks quite a ways away from the crime scene, and there is more with the coroners and additional shots of Loomis being put into the ambulance. Nothing really significant, but helps clarify that Loomis has indeed survived.

2. The hospital chase scene has an extra sequence where Laurie tries to cross over a pile of bodies on the floor, and fails. This sort of helps clarify that the scene IS indeed a dream. It also adds to the “remake” feel, as the red lit basement that the scene takes place in looks a lot like the one where Jamie Lee was chased in the original Halloween II.

3. The biggest difference is actually a simple change of an onscreen title: it is now two years later instead of one as it was in the theatrical. This helps solve some problems (such as why her shrink says “Halloween is a big trigger for you”) but adds others, namely that it means Michael skipped a Halloween despite being awake/alive. Perhaps the Thorn constellation didn’t appear the previous year and forced Michael to sit it out?

4. The breakfast scene is expanded; Laurie and Annie begin to bicker about going to the shrink. This is foreshadowing a plot thread that was absent from the theatrical release, which is that the two girls are no longer as close as they were.

5. The shrink scene is greatly expanded. Most interesting is when Laurie looks at an inkblot that is made up of two white horses, and the pattern between them resembles a ghostly figure of some sort. It’s a ludicrous execution (the blot is a giant framed picture on her wall) but an interesting idea, and helps tie in the “connection” Laurie and Michael have throughout the film.

6. Loomis’ press conference is much longer, as he discusses Michael’s Oedipal complex as well as the idea that Michael perhaps saw Loomis as a father figure. Sort of helps clarify how important Michael used to be to Loomis, though I’m not sure if further painting the character as a jerk was the best idea.

7. There is a scene where Laurie runs a bath and begins to freak out.

8. There are only two scenes from the theatrical that are missing in this cut (again, as far as I can recall), and this is the first, sort of. Instead of Laurie stopping to play with a pig on her way to work, she goes to the shrink and tells her about playing with the pig (and we see maybe 3-4 seconds of it, in flashback), and how it triggered a nervous breakdown of sorts. She then demands more pills and then, when the shrink denies her that, she freaks out and swears at her some more. In fact, the most noticeable change about this cut is that it gives Scout Taylor Compton several more opportunities to say the word “fuck” and all of its variations.

9. Another fight between Annie and Laurie (including the line from the trailer where Annie says “You act like you’re the only one who got messed up!”), which kicks off when Annie finds Laurie drinking a beer in her room.

10. In the scene that is most likely to piss off the “purists”, a non-masked Michael walks through yet another field, albeit in broad daylight this time. He comes across a billboard for Loomis’ book, and he looks at it angrily along with the ghosts of his young self and Sheri Moon.

11. When Laurie and Maya (Brea Grant) come home from the party, there is a short added scene of them making tea in the kitchen prior to going upstairs. We also get a shot of Michael seemingly walking out of the house.

12. The best addition to the film is a longer version of Brackett finding Annie’s body. After a few “No!!!”s, we see quick video flashback footage of a young Annie (obviously personal footage of Danielle Harris from when she was 7 or 8) as he weeps near the bathroom door.

13. The 2nd scene that is changed and thus removing theatrical version footage is the climax. Once Loomis enters the cabin the film is completely different. Michael doesn’t kill Loomis inside, instead he throws him through the wall of the cabin and yells "DIE!" (for real) before thrashing him in plain view of the cops. The cops then open fire and kill Michael (similar to the original ending of H1). Laurie then comes out, takes Michael’s knife, and approaches Loomis with it, apparently planning to stab him. The cops then open fire on her and seemingly kill her. We then fade to the same hospital footage from the end of the theatrical cut, only now it appears (to me anyway) that we are seeing Laurie’s version of the afterlife.

The only other significant change is that the "Halloween" and "Laurie" themes are no longer in the actual film, only in the end credits. The cover of “Love Hurts” now plays over the film’s final (pre-credits) moments.

Overall I think this is a better cut, though Zombie’s claim that it was “completely different” was, as usual for him, an exaggeration/lie. The focus is a bit more on Laurie’s damaged psyche in this cut, which is good, but the main problems with the film (Michael’s whereabouts for (now) two years, Loomis’ complete 180 and lack of any real connection to the rest of the film, and the boring/repetitive kill scenes) are just as evident. I will provide a full review of the cut along with the disc’s extras when I am able to go through them all. I can say this though - I do know for sure now that this is a better film than his original, if not by much.

What say you?

Secret Post!

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).