H A L L O W E E N
The Fascination of Micheal Myers
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Top 5 Recommended Halloween Sites
www.halloween.com
www.johncarpenter.com
www.themanwiththehypnoticeyes.com
www.imdb.com
www.halloweenmovies.com
www.halloweenhorror.com
| Donald Pleasence 1995 |
| Moustapha Akkad 2005 |
| *Producer/Writer Halloween 1-3 |
Story by Nicholas Lovecraft
The year was 1978 and an up and coming
film director was handed the greatest
opportunity of his lifetime; yet little did he
know that this would catapult his career
to super stardom.
After his first feature film received rave
reviews, John Carpenter became an
instant want in Hollywood. And it was a
producer named Irwin Yablans who
sought this young and gifted man out.
After a brief sit down, Irwin explained to
John that he wanted to do a film about
baby sitters being stalked on Halloween
night. Once the pitch was thrown, John
assured him it could be done and better
yet, that he could do it for a mere $300K!
So the project was set and the next
battle was securing the funds needed to
make the film. Just about every studio
saw the pair and although they seemed
to like the concept there was no serious
backing. And Irwin being Irwin, would
not give up and believed in the project
and the success it could bring. So after
some serious brainstorming it came to
him. "What about Moustapha Akkad?"
Here was a man of great wisdom and a
proven track record in Hollywood.
After a few weeks, a meeting was set
between John, Irwin and Moustapha. The
pair flew to London to meet with
Moustapha as he worked on his current
project; a little dilly called Lion of the
Desert. The two men arrived on set and
sat down with Moustapha to discuss the
treatment, details and their needs. It all
came down to securing the needed
$300K to make the film and when
Moustapha heard of the amount he
remarked about the cost. The wise Irwin,
knowing how proud Moustapha was told
John that it was probably more than he
could afford and they rose to leave. But
Irwin's hunch was right on as Moustapha
cut them a check right there.
John and Irwin returned to the states and
their historical journey officially began.
Casting took place and many of the
wanted actors turned down offers until
John stepped in and convinced them it
was worth the time. He went as far as to
tell P.J. Soles that the role of Lynda was
written with her in mind. Thus the cast
began to take shape but one important
piece was missing; who would play
Loomis? The first choice was Peter
Cushing but he had just made a little
picture called Star Wars which all but put
him out of reach with the meager budget.
Next, another favorite actor of John's,
Christopher Lee was approached and he
balked at the idea. But this was a decision
he later publicly admitted as the biggest
mistake of his career.
So, down and not in the greatest of
moods, it was Irwin who approached
John about Donald Pleasence. He spoke
of Donald's great acting ability as he
rattled off his list of projects. And finally
they went to Donald about the project.
He was a bit reserved but it was his
daughter- who had seen John's Precinct
13 film that inspired her father to take the
role and that's exactly what he did. He
took the role on the advice of his
daughter who thought the soundtrack
was cool and after a little shuffling, Irwin
came up with the additional monies
necessary to secure Don as Loomis.
Finally, the originally titled Baby Sitter
Murders was in production. It took 3
weeks to shoot the film and when the
first cut was shown to the execs at the
studio it flopped! It flopped big time! No
one was even remotely scared and John
left knowing he had one last chance to
make it work. What took place after that
was the final touch to a horror
masterpiece- the score to the film
Halloween. So with a new title and an
awesome musical score Carpenter
returned to the studio for another
screening and this time terror struck the
hearts of all. He had a hit! He had created
one of the scariest horror films made in
the last 30 years and now it was time for
the general public to make or break it.
And we all know what that general public
did. Left the theatres scared like they had
not been in decades! Halloween was a
success and in the coming months it
jolted to the top of the box office and the
cult following of the Halloween franchise
began!
Here was an independent horror film that
nearly was not made. And had it not been
made one can only fathom where horror
would be today!
The year was 1978 and an up and coming
film director was handed the greatest
opportunity of his lifetime; yet little did he
know that this would catapult his career
to super stardom.
After his first feature film received rave
reviews, John Carpenter became an
instant want in Hollywood. And it was a
producer named Irwin Yablans who
sought this young and gifted man out.
After a brief sit down, Irwin explained to
John that he wanted to do a film about
baby sitters being stalked on Halloween
night. Once the pitch was thrown, John
assured him it could be done and better
yet, that he could do it for a mere $300K!
So the project was set and the next
battle was securing the funds needed to
make the film. Just about every studio
saw the pair and although they seemed
to like the concept there was no serious
backing. And Irwin being Irwin, would
not give up and believed in the project
and the success it could bring. So after
some serious brainstorming it came to
him. "What about Moustapha Akkad?"
Here was a man of great wisdom and a
proven track record in Hollywood.
After a few weeks, a meeting was set
between John, Irwin and Moustapha. The
pair flew to London to meet with
Moustapha as he worked on his current
project; a little dilly called Lion of the
Desert. The two men arrived on set and
sat down with Moustapha to discuss the
treatment, details and their needs. It all
came down to securing the needed
$300K to make the film and when
Moustapha heard of the amount he
remarked about the cost. The wise Irwin,
knowing how proud Moustapha was told
John that it was probably more than he
could afford and they rose to leave. But
Irwin's hunch was right on as Moustapha
cut them a check right there.
John and Irwin returned to the states and
their historical journey officially began.
Casting took place and many of the
wanted actors turned down offers until
John stepped in and convinced them it
was worth the time. He went as far as to
tell P.J. Soles that the role of Lynda was
written with her in mind. Thus the cast
began to take shape but one important
piece was missing; who would play
Loomis? The first choice was Peter
Cushing but he had just made a little
picture called Star Wars which all but put
him out of reach with the meager budget.
Next, another favorite actor of John's,
Christopher Lee was approached and he
balked at the idea. But this was a decision
he later publicly admitted as the biggest
mistake of his career.
So, down and not in the greatest of
moods, it was Irwin who approached
John about Donald Pleasence. He spoke
of Donald's great acting ability as he
rattled off his list of projects. And finally
they went to Donald about the project.
He was a bit reserved but it was his
daughter- who had seen John's Precinct
13 film that inspired her father to take the
role and that's exactly what he did. He
took the role on the advice of his
daughter who thought the soundtrack
was cool and after a little shuffling, Irwin
came up with the additional monies
necessary to secure Don as Loomis.
Finally, the originally titled Baby Sitter
Murders was in production. It took 3
weeks to shoot the film and when the
first cut was shown to the execs at the
studio it flopped! It flopped big time! No
one was even remotely scared and John
left knowing he had one last chance to
make it work. What took place after that
was the final touch to a horror
masterpiece- the score to the film
Halloween. So with a new title and an
awesome musical score Carpenter
returned to the studio for another
screening and this time terror struck the
hearts of all. He had a hit! He had created
one of the scariest horror films made in
the last 30 years and now it was time for
the general public to make or break it.
And we all know what that general public
did. Left the theatres scared like they had
not been in decades! Halloween was a
success and in the coming months it
jolted to the top of the box office and the
cult following of the Halloween franchise
began!
Here was an independent horror film that
nearly was not made. And had it not been
made one can only fathom where horror
would be today!
Story by Nicholas Villa II
For many of us, no other movie franchise
(excluding Star Wars) can name the number of
stars, innovations and mentors that
Halloween has. From writers, to producers, to
directors and stars, Halloween has been both
a genre changing film and worldwide
sensation.
And now nearly 30 years later we miss three of
the biggest influences for the Halloween
Franchise; Donald Pleasence, Debra Hill and
Moustapha Akkad. All 3 played key roles in
both its success and fan appeal. Moustapha
Akkad put up the $300,000 to fund the later
masterpiece. Donald Pleasence's brilliant
character acting solidified the brilliant cast.
And Debra Hill both produced and co-wrote
the film with John Carpenter.
Debra Hill stayed on to produce and co-write
for Halloween's 2 & 3. She also partnered with
John Carpenter on several projects including
The Fog. Her contributions to the film include
the use of Haddenfield as the fictional town
and her hands will be forever etched in the
opening scene. She was a true delight of a
person and a mentor to the students of
cinema. Sadly, she passed in 2005.
Donald Pleasence is a man that needs no
introduction when it comes to cinema. His
brilliant career spanning 00 years with films like
Dr. No, (name 2 other big films!) is testament
enough to the masterpiece that is Halloween.
Mr. Pleasence's last film was Halloween: The
Curse of Michael Myers. He past during post
production of the film. Ironic, this man who
truly was one of the greatest actors of his time
finished his career with the film that actually
made him a household name - Halloween.
Moustapha Akkad was the last chance to
secure the $300,000 needed to make the film. It
was a meeting with John Carpenter, Irwin
Yublis and Akkad while on the set of his
current production, Lion of the Desert, where
Irwin remarked to John that $300,000 was a lot
of money. And Akkad being a proud man
wrote a check immediately which forever was
the best investment in an independent
production. Akkad went onto executive
produce all the Halloween films until his
untimely demise while attending a wedding
with his daughter in Rima Akkad Monla in
Anman Bombing in 2005.
For many of us, no other movie franchise
(excluding Star Wars) can name the number of
stars, innovations and mentors that
Halloween has. From writers, to producers, to
directors and stars, Halloween has been both
a genre changing film and worldwide
sensation.
And now nearly 30 years later we miss three of
the biggest influences for the Halloween
Franchise; Donald Pleasence, Debra Hill and
Moustapha Akkad. All 3 played key roles in
both its success and fan appeal. Moustapha
Akkad put up the $300,000 to fund the later
masterpiece. Donald Pleasence's brilliant
character acting solidified the brilliant cast.
And Debra Hill both produced and co-wrote
the film with John Carpenter.
Debra Hill stayed on to produce and co-write
for Halloween's 2 & 3. She also partnered with
John Carpenter on several projects including
The Fog. Her contributions to the film include
the use of Haddenfield as the fictional town
and her hands will be forever etched in the
opening scene. She was a true delight of a
person and a mentor to the students of
cinema. Sadly, she passed in 2005.
Donald Pleasence is a man that needs no
introduction when it comes to cinema. His
brilliant career spanning 00 years with films like
Dr. No, (name 2 other big films!) is testament
enough to the masterpiece that is Halloween.
Mr. Pleasence's last film was Halloween: The
Curse of Michael Myers. He past during post
production of the film. Ironic, this man who
truly was one of the greatest actors of his time
finished his career with the film that actually
made him a household name - Halloween.
Moustapha Akkad was the last chance to
secure the $300,000 needed to make the film. It
was a meeting with John Carpenter, Irwin
Yublis and Akkad while on the set of his
current production, Lion of the Desert, where
Irwin remarked to John that $300,000 was a lot
of money. And Akkad being a proud man
wrote a check immediately which forever was
the best investment in an independent
production. Akkad went onto executive
produce all the Halloween films until his
untimely demise while attending a wedding
with his daughter in Rima Akkad Monla in
Anman Bombing in 2005.
The Halloween that almost wasn't.
Three great people who will be missed.
| * The 2007 remake of Halloween from Dimension Films is not recognized by Old School Horror and will not appear on this page. |
| The Downfall of the Franchise? |
Story by Alex Boyles
Was the Halloween remake necessary?
What is to be gained by remaking the
greatest horror film of all-time?
No other film has more controversy
surrounding it than the release of Rob
Zombie's Halloween. An instant box office
hit, Zombie's version has had its share of
mixed reviews and emotions. While it has
broken box office records for the Labor
Day weekend and is still going strong,
the majority of fans and critics are not
happy with the exception of Zombie's
faithful followers.
Despite critical reviews of the film, movie
goers still fill the seats for every showing,
although they are not packed. With the
surrounding mixed reviews of critics and
fans, more and more people are going to
see firsthand what this new version has
to offer. And when they leave over 70%
are very disappointed. And of this 70%,
almost half are over age 35 - which means
these are the people who have grown up
with this classic and have certain
expectations. Expectations of a film that
any true fan knows to be earth
shattering. A film that put fear back into
audiences worldwide.
But what is all the fuss about? One
should truly feel honored that a more
respectful version has finally been done
giving a new respect to a film that
re-launched the horror genre, right?
Wrong. The fuss is that majority of fans
polled are convinced this was nothing
more than a weak attempt to capitalize
on the success of a classic film and the
coattails of one of todays most successful
horror directors - Rob Zombie.
* Continued to the right
Was the Halloween remake necessary?
What is to be gained by remaking the
greatest horror film of all-time?
No other film has more controversy
surrounding it than the release of Rob
Zombie's Halloween. An instant box office
hit, Zombie's version has had its share of
mixed reviews and emotions. While it has
broken box office records for the Labor
Day weekend and is still going strong,
the majority of fans and critics are not
happy with the exception of Zombie's
faithful followers.
Despite critical reviews of the film, movie
goers still fill the seats for every showing,
although they are not packed. With the
surrounding mixed reviews of critics and
fans, more and more people are going to
see firsthand what this new version has
to offer. And when they leave over 70%
are very disappointed. And of this 70%,
almost half are over age 35 - which means
these are the people who have grown up
with this classic and have certain
expectations. Expectations of a film that
any true fan knows to be earth
shattering. A film that put fear back into
audiences worldwide.
But what is all the fuss about? One
should truly feel honored that a more
respectful version has finally been done
giving a new respect to a film that
re-launched the horror genre, right?
Wrong. The fuss is that majority of fans
polled are convinced this was nothing
more than a weak attempt to capitalize
on the success of a classic film and the
coattails of one of todays most successful
horror directors - Rob Zombie.
* Continued to the right
Old School Horror wants to know what you the
fans have to say about Dimension's remake of
Halloween. Please take a few minutes and give us
your honest opinions. We may just share your
comments on this page!
fans have to say about Dimension's remake of
Halloween. Please take a few minutes and give us
your honest opinions. We may just share your
comments on this page!
Downfall cont.
When it first was announced
that this film was going to be
remade I couldn't understand
for the life of me why Rob
would do it. I am not a direct
friend or associate to Rob but I
have met him at several
concerts over the years and
have had the opportunity to
talk to the man on a personal
level and I can truly say that
this was not something he
desired to do as this film
impacted his life. And although
I can not confirm this
statement due to the
consequences that it would
bring onto Rob, this was his
"favor" that had to be given in
order to start his career as a
filmmaker. House of 1,000
Corpses was green lighted only
after he agreed to do a
Halloween remake once
Dimension Films obtained sole
rights to the Halloween
Franchise. A sad reality but all
too true in the studio culture;
you have to sell out to get
what you want done. And talk
is already circulating that part 2
will be remade as well but I can
tell you that without a doubt
Rob will not be any part of this
one! After all he has been
stated on record that he will
never do a sequel to a film. So
we can rest a bit easier in
knowing that if this rumor is
true it is nothing more than
that unless Dimension can
persuade another marque
figure to take the reigns for the
remake of part 2. But somehow,
I can't see the fans standing for
anymore. Can you? Let me
know your thoughts by filling
out the feedback survey.
When it first was announced
that this film was going to be
remade I couldn't understand
for the life of me why Rob
would do it. I am not a direct
friend or associate to Rob but I
have met him at several
concerts over the years and
have had the opportunity to
talk to the man on a personal
level and I can truly say that
this was not something he
desired to do as this film
impacted his life. And although
I can not confirm this
statement due to the
consequences that it would
bring onto Rob, this was his
"favor" that had to be given in
order to start his career as a
filmmaker. House of 1,000
Corpses was green lighted only
after he agreed to do a
Halloween remake once
Dimension Films obtained sole
rights to the Halloween
Franchise. A sad reality but all
too true in the studio culture;
you have to sell out to get
what you want done. And talk
is already circulating that part 2
will be remade as well but I can
tell you that without a doubt
Rob will not be any part of this
one! After all he has been
stated on record that he will
never do a sequel to a film. So
we can rest a bit easier in
knowing that if this rumor is
true it is nothing more than
that unless Dimension can
persuade another marque
figure to take the reigns for the
remake of part 2. But somehow,
I can't see the fans standing for
anymore. Can you? Let me
know your thoughts by filling
out the feedback survey.
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