by Don (“of the Dead”) Morton With the chill of October in the air, time to dust off all those cobwebs, and sit back and enjoy a little fright flick. Horror Fans: click the arrow above to ehance your overall reading experience! As I look over all of my Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Hannibal Lecter, Chucky, Creeper (Jeepers Creepers), and Jigsaw/Billy collectibles, I prepare myself for the newest entry into this long list of villains: Annabelle, from The Conjuring. They remind me of why I became a fan of horror movies to begin with. I always loved movies like The Amityville Horror, but if I had to define one movie that really set the tone for me, and the future of the horror franchise, I’d have to tip my hat to Halloween and in particular, Michael Myers. In many ways it was he who has a direct connection to all the movies that followed in its footsteps.
At the time that Halloween was originally made there were no plans for a sequel. It was very difficult to do a sequel in those days because no one wanted to be a part of them. Unlike today when a movie that has even a shard of success it instantly becomes a franchise. In fact, a large part of the reason Halloween was ever made was because of its low budget of $320,000. The company who produced the film was looking for a low-budget horror movie, when they were pitched the idea and given the total budgeted estimate they immediately jumped at the opportunity. Halloween became one of the first movies that had audiences cheering for the killer (a fact that enraged "At the Movies" critic Gene Siskel). (Ed. Note: Watch this succinct video review)
REAL LIVE GPS, FOLKS: There is a town called Voorhees, N.J. (the inspiration for Jason and his mother’s surname), and it’s located nearby Haddonfield, N.J. Haddonfield was the birthplace of Halloween producer Debra Hill, and director John Carpenter named the fictional Illinois suburb that Michael Myers terrorizes “Haddonfield” in her honor. Plus, there are actual road signs in Jersey that point you to both Voorhees and Haddonfield.
After a second Halloween movie the studio didn’t think the public would return to see another one starring the Myers character, but wanted to keep the franchise alive. So since it was called Halloween, not Michael Myers, they decided they would take the series in a new direction. Much like Tales from the Crypt, or even Twilight Zone, they had a vision of producing different stories under the Halloween title. Aside from Roger Ebert, I may be one of the few who actually liked Halloween 3: Season of the Witch, it bombed horribly and outraged fans. Which is why the fourth installment was called Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, the studio wanted to leave the public no doubt that Michael Myers was back.
It’s commonly known that Myers’ infamous mask was a reworking of an old William Shatner mask, but did you know that writer Clive Barker originally referred to Michael Myers simply as "the shape" because he wanted it to feel like he wasn’t human and therefore had no sympathy or emotions? Or that the classic “killer theme” of going “Ch Ch Ch Ch, Ha Ha Ha,” was not intentional? Composer Harry Manfredini actually wrote it as “Ki Ki Ki, Ma, Ma, Ma” to echo the voice of Jason in his mother’s head saying “Kill her, Mommy.”
So how does Michael Myers tie into so many other horror movies?
Director John Carpenter went on to do movies such at: The Fog, The Thing, and They Live
Writer Wes Craven offered up; A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, and The Hills Have Eyes
The movie Friday the 13th is often referred to as a copy of Halloween, although there are clearly differences between both Jason and Michael, they are both large framed males, who wear a mask, and slowly chase people down, eventually killing them. What’s really intriguing is the connection between Jason Voorhees & Freddy Krueger. Plans for these two horror icons to meet up actually pre-dated the eventual Freddy vs. Jason movie by 16 years. Back in 1987, one of the Nightmare sequels was supposed to indicate that Freddy had once been a counselor at Camp Crystal Lake and had molested a young Voorhees.
OTHER FUN FACTS * In the original script, Jason Voorhees’ name was “Josh.” Yes, we were “this close” to Josh Takes Manhattan. * In one of the nighttime scenes in Halloween 4, Danielle Harris, was running through the streets screaming for help. A concerned neighbor, not realizing it was part of the movie, called the police. Authorities showed up on set which led the National Enquirer to report that someone had tried to kidnap Danielle Harris from the set during the making of the movie. * While filming Friday the 13th Pt 7: The New Blood, Jason actor Kane Hodder’s dressing room was a quarter mile down the road from their location in the woods. After filming wrapped one day at 2AM, Hodder cut through the woods on his way back to his dressing room. While still in full costume, Hodder was approached by a man in the woods asking if he was part of the movie. Hodder, believing it to be a stupid question because of his makeup and attire, didn’t answer. The man asked again and Hodder lunged at him and grunted, sending him running and tripping through the woods. The next day Hodder was informed by the director that the local sheriff was scheduled to visit the set the previous night but never showed up.
If you’re looking for some cool things to dress up your home with this Halloween why not check Big Bad Toy Store where you’ll find fun things such as Classic Horror Minis, your favorites mentioned here in ReAction Figures as well as Movie Scalers and so much more. Toy Wars has American Horror Story Pop! figures, a cool limited edition Simpsons/Treehouse of Terror poster, and a few cool comics including Hellraiser: Bestiary! And Entertainment Earth has everything from the previously mentioned Annabelle Doll (from Living Dead Dolls) to a plush Cthulu, bobbleheads and masks!
Oh, and don't forget that this month's Loot Crate will include limited edition items as an homage to the fear factor in all of us. They are also supposed to have a supercool t-shirt this month as well! Subscribe today (and use the word "FEAR" at checkout for 10% Off your subscription of one month or more....
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN: Trivia YOUR Way!
Enter our ghoulish fun contest. One person will win this very cool Saw/Jigsaw Killer figure from NECA's Cult Classics series, complete w/Billy and his trike! The above prize was generously donated by the author of the story.
MASKED TRIVIA: Go to the Giveaway tab on our Facebook page to add further opportunities to win! (You must LIKE us to win). Oh, and would you also let us know your favorite scary picture of all time? We love to hear from our readers!
BONUS ENTRIES: Share YOUR most obscure, zany or interesting bit of horror movie trivia with us. It can be something you know that most others may not -- anything from the Universal Monsters to Annabelle. Go to our Facebook page and simply share it with us (you must "Like" us to win). Your trivia will go in the Comments section! Our team will select from your trivia bytes….
This ain't no trick! Winner will be chosen on 10/17. You Go Ghoul!