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The Duality of Perception: Rob Zombie's Double Take on an Already Mistook Movie

There is already much debate about whether or not Rob Zombie's Halloween 2 re-envioning is a good movie, so I will spare you that debate in this article.

But what I want to discuss is my disgust for the ending of the Director's Cut veron.

My biggest gripe is that on the Director's Cut veron there is no option to view the theatrical veron, which I thought was a great way to end the film.The Theatrical Veron: http://youtu.be/TX3NxjUtY_A

The Director's Cut Veron: http://youtu.be/VmOfIxmArlE

To me, what made the Theatrical veron so great was the fact that through the whole film, never until then did you hear any resemblance of the Original Halloween's theme.

With “Laurie's Theme,” it brings all of Zombie's work and effort and creativity back to where is seems to be inspired most:

the muc and tone of the 1978 original film.

In both verons, the white clinical setting brings full circle what Zombie was trying to accomplish with telling us the back story of Michael.

With “Laurie's Theme” playing in the background it represents Micheal's madness being honed in the quote on quote white rooms as Laurie's also, is recognized, and to the imagination of the audience, also built upon, leaving an open ending, to me, almost as provocative as the first film's.
Madloomis78 Monday 8/06/2012 at 04:46 AM | 95349
That's the first good argument I've read in defense of the Theatrical cut. :) Very nice and a good point as well.
sinful Celluloid Monday 8/06/2012 at 02:23 PM | 95357
I really never cared either way, it's one of my fav horror movies ever regardless. I do see what you mean though. Good point.
TheSkeletonCrew Monday 8/06/2012 at 04:09 PM | 95358
Thanks you all.

Yea, this is one of my favorites as well.

What made it that way was the theatrical ending and all that Zombie put in this film that was his own vion.

I was left stunned.

After I saw the Director's Cut I was disappointed.
Madloomis78 Monday 8/06/2012 at 11:01 PM | 95366
I hate to admit it, but I have been obsessed with Rob Zombie's Halloween films nce their release. I am not quite sure what it is, but I think it has something to do with the bizarre and surreal nature of seeing my favorite film of all time twisted and distorted by Zombie into something that is at times alternately very familiar and intriguingly different, but many other times a complete misfire on a variety of narrative and filmmaking levels. I cannot fully endorse either film, but at the same time I have watched both of them over and over because I find them to be such interesting failures, which is actually a compliment of sorts compared to a majority of the current horror output which are largely outright failures with no originality or pason. Say what you will about Zombie, but he is clearly pasonate (although it seems a lot of that pason was diminished thanks to the infamous Weinstein intruons).

In particular, I was extremely disappointed with Halloween II. I won't go on a rant about the entire film because that's not what this thread is about but, as usual, Zombie's mise en scene is incredible while his writing is juvenile. He had a chance to really reinvent the series and make it his own but, much like the first film, he was still too mired in the dogma of the series. If he actually tried to write CHARACTERS instead of CARICATURES then, perhaps, this could have worked. Alas, Zombie's skills as a scribe languish in the netherworld of middle school fantasy. But I digress.

As far as the ending...I agree that the theatrical ending is FAR superior to the director's cut. I like the image of Laurie colla after walking out of the shack, totally betrayed by life and irreparably broken as a character. Very heavy and dark imagery. This is far more powerful than the overused "everyone dies" ending that Zombie prefers. The idea of Michael's madness being hereditary and somehow passed to Laurie at that climactic moment is novel, but ultimately plays as a tired cliche in execution. The overdone slow motion kills it even more, not to mention that idiotically literal reprise of "Love Hurts", albeit in a hauntingly eerie sounding rendition.

While I do like the theatrical ending, it is not without its faults. I like the (almost) visual poetry and symbolism of Laurie wearing Michael's mask but, like many other things in Zombie's Halloween universe, it is far too forced to have any real impact. If I could redirect that scene, I would keep everything the same except Laurie would walk out just holding the mask. When will Rob learn that often times LESS IS MORE!

On a related note, I can't wait to see what The Lords of Salem has in store for us! The visuals in the bootleg trailer blew my mind! If only someone else would handle the writing the next time around, I think Zombie could be one of the best currently working in the genre.
Preston Eleven Monday 8/06/2012 at 11:40 PM | 95369
In my opinion - the theatrical cut is the best of a bad pair of films. Halloween II was just disgraceful, but at least in the theatrical ending it managed to create something slightly interesting and ambiguous. The director's cut ending with Michael yelling "DIE!" is just the worst hands down.
joshk1986 Monday 8/06/2012 at 11:53 PM | 95370
The director's cut ending with Michael yelling "DIE!" is just the worst hands down.

And, just like with the awful Halloween 6 "Producer's Cut", for some reason Halloween fans think "alternate" is equivalent to superior. So many people rave about the excellency of the alternate H6 and the director's cut of Halloween II compared to the theatrical verons and, while there may be minor points of interest, I personally feel those are weak arguments in both cases.

HOWEVER, I must eat my words slightly by saying that the majority of the "work print" of Rob Zombie's Halloween is far better than either the theatrical or "unrated" veron. That's a whole other thread and I am going to log off before I go on another tangent.
Preston Eleven Tuesday 8/07/2012 at 01:31 AM | 95375
I'm interested in this "work print."

I've never heard of it personally.
Madloomis78 Tuesday 8/07/2012 at 05:30 AM | 95379
In my opinion - the theatrical cut is the best of a bad pair of films. Halloween II was just disgraceful, but at least in the theatrical ending it managed to create something slightly interesting and ambiguous. The director's cut ending with Michael yelling "DIE!" is just the worst hands down.

I FRIGGIN LOVE YOU!!!! I WAS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED WITH THAT RUBBISH I MEAN I LITERALLY STOOD UP IN MY BEDROOM LIKE YO DID MICHAEL JUST SPEAK?? REALLY JUST HORRIBLE!!!!! ROB SHOULD BE SLAPPED FOR THAT ISH SMH.

AND I HATED THAT RAPE SCENE THAT WAS SO NOT NEEDED THE WAY HE ESCAPED IN THE THEATRICAL VERON WAS EPIC HE LEFT THAT HALLWAY RED LOL I LOVED THAT BUT NO ROB BEING ROB HAD TO HAVE SOME TRASH SCENE OF A GIRL GETTING RAPED IN ORDER FOR MIKE TO ESCAPE IN THE DCUT..

BUT THO THE AUTHOR I LOVE YOU POINT EVEN THO I DONT USE THIS VERON OF H2 MUCH I FEEL YOU HOMIE :)
Pepaa Tuesday 8/07/2012 at 06:16 PM | 95383
I saw this movie opening day and really loved Zombies vion. I really disliked Zombies remake of Halloween, but I really thought the weird direction he took with this one (H2) was refreshing. When it was released on DVD I had to buy it, and I bought the Directors Cut. I have to say that I despise the ending in the directors cut. I didn't have that sense of "coming full circle" as the Theatrical Cut did. Hearing "Laurie's Theme" in the end made me really pumped, showing Zombies homage to John Carpenter. All in all the Theatrical ending is very solid. I don't care at all for the Directors cut ending.
CoreyCasualty Wednesday 8/08/2012 at 01:35 AM | 95392
In my honest opinion RZ halloween movies destroys anything preceding it, the story, the creative path he took, and making it in his own way.
hm4life Wednesday 8/08/2012 at 03:37 PM | 95408
I agree that the Theatrical Ending was a better ending to H2. While the Director's Cut was a better movie than the Theatrical Edition from front to back, it was the Director's Cut ending that kept it from being an all-time great slasher movie, imo. While I had no problem with the lead characters dying at the end in the D.C. I didn't like how they died. The anonymous police gunfire that kills Michael & Laurie doesn't work for me. The issues between Michael, Laurie, Loomis, and Brackett should have been settled between them, not Haddonfield's Finest.

On a de note, that was exactly what Zombie did with his original ending to Halloween, anonymous police gunfire kills Michael. Thank goodness Zombie re-shot the ending and gave us, imo, the clasc fifteen minute concluon between Michael & Laurie, with Laurie shooting Michael in the head. Resolution should be between the main characters, imo. The Theatrical ending to H2 accomplished this: Michael butchers Loomis, Brackett shoots Michael, Laurie butchers Michael, and Laurie plays herself off as the killer when she dons the mask at the end. You see, the issues were handled between the main characters.

So... this got me to thinking... Could a better veron of the Director's Cut be created? I believe I've answered Yes! to that question and below is my review of a new veron of H2 I created. I have this newly created veron on my computer.

Halloween II - The Ultimate Cut

Here's what I did: I used the Director's Cut as my movie.

I then inserted almost every deleted scene into the movie. I eliminated the Director's Cut ending and replaced it with the Theatrical ending. In my opinion, this veron makes the movie more suspenseful and allows more character development. It also plays more off "Two Years Later" with the added deleted scenes. I always preferred Two Years Later, not one.

The first Deleted scene I inserted was "Hanging" where Laurie hallucinates a vion of Michael hanging her from a tree while she is at work. After Laurie's first therapist scene, instead of going to Loomis arriving for his lecture, I re-edited it so the next scene is Laurie showing up for work at Uncle Meat's. The next scene after that would have been the close up of Young Michael at the lecture being told his mother is dead. Instead, I inserted the Hanging scene there, and then we see Loomis showing up in his limo for the lecture. Then the lecture scene immediately follows. Bacally, we don't see Loomis until Laurie's scenes are done. Then we trantion to Loomis and keep his scenes together. The next Deleted scene I added was the reporter asking Loomis his thoughts on the WWMD? shirts. That scene comes into play later at the Loomis book gning. The next Deleted scene I added was the one of Brackett, Annie, and Laurie eating pizza and Brackett bringing up his concerns about the Phantom Jam. That's the end of editing for October 29th a.k.a. Day One.

October 30th a.k.a. Day Two Opens with Michael walking through a field and instead of cutting to Loomis at the Myers' house, I inserted the Big Foot deleted scene. I enjoyed a lot of the Deleted scenes involving Brackett and the cops at the police station. Good humor and the scenes all worked together in the movie.

After that scene, it cuts to Loomis at the Myers' house. The next Deleted scene I added was an extended take of Brackett watching Loomis on the news that night. The scene has Brackett watching the segment and scenes of Michael walking to his mother's grave and talking with her, followed by a brief shot of Laurie looking in the mirror and then it picks up with Laurie drinking beer in her room.

That's the end of editing for October 30th a.k.a. Day Two

October 31st a.k.a. Day Three Instead of opening with Brackett reading the Loomis book, I inserted the Beer Man deleted scene that picks up at the aftermath of the Rabbit in Red the next day. I thought this was the most suspenseful of all the deleted scenes. After Laurie wakes up from that dream, then it trantions into Brackett reading the Loomis book. The next Deleted scene I inserted was "Chett The Bringer of Death" showing his WWMD? shirt to Loomis at the book gning. From there, I used deleted scenes of Brackett at the Sheriff's station with other cops and re-edited them to intertwine with Laurie screaming in her car after she leaves the Brackett house and Annie calling Brackett to tell him "Angel says fuck you!". I also intertwined the Deleted scenes of Darren showing up at the Brackett house to keep Annie company while Annie is on the phone with her dad. There's good stuff between Annie & Darren and Sheriff Brackett calling Annie multiple times. Then it picks up when Laurie arrives at her friends' house to reveal she's Michael's ster. The final deleted scene I added came when Laurie and Mia go to the Brackett house. Laurie breaks down and reveals her love for Annie by saying "She's like my ster", then noticing the running water dripping from the ceiling. Then it trantions to the next scene where Laurie & Mia walk upstairs to find Annie dying. The final edit is putting in the Theatrical ending in place of the Director's ending.

Total running time is 2 hours and 11 minutes.

Overall, I thought the deleted scenes and changing a few scene trantions gave the movie more dynamic. Annie ended up having more scenes, which I thought was lacking from the other two cuts. Sheriff Brackett and the other cops get more scenes, too. Plus, the two best Deleted scenes made it in, "Hanging" and "Beer Man". Those two scenes added more to the mental breakdown of Laurie. The Theatrical ending made the movie more surreal and engaging, after keeping the Director's Cut whole and adding in the deleted stuff. The resolution between the characters were kept to themselves, unlike the Director's Cut use of anonymous police gunfire that kills off the main characters. I always liked how Brackett had a hand in wounding Michael condering that Michael killed Annie. But what made me excited watching my cut for the first time was when Laurie came out of the shack wearing Michael's mask, with the Carpenter muc playing in the background. It felt like Laurie was the killer of her work friends, Annie, Loomis, and Michael. She went completely insane and the final shot of her in the mental ward gives off that impreson further.

If anybody has the two editions of the movie on DVD and the proper software, it's quite fun to re-edit this movie. It really gives the movie a new feel, just like the Director's Cut gave the movie a new feel. Now, I refuse to watch the TC or DC because I have, what I call, the UC, Ultimate Cut. On top of that, my editing was flawless. My use of the deleted scenes do not seem out of place (at least to me) and it's almost imposble to see where I did re-editing. If you've seen the DC enough times, you would obviously see the changes but it never feels "choppy" or "re-edited" but rather feels like a whole new movie.

So that's pretty much how I created Halloween II - The Ultimate Cut. If I am able to upload a few of my edited scenes to show all of you who are interested, I will. Obviously, videos speak better than text. Anybody can do this themselves, it just requires time, patience, precion, and a little innovation. Well worth it when you're done if you liked this movie. Thanks for putting up with my long post.
iamthebearman Sunday 8/26/2012 at 05:30 PM | 95841
Dude, this is amazing! I would love to see this. You have just made editing not sound mundane. I would love to take a try at it, but I don't have the software.
Madloomis78 Monday 8/27/2012 at 12:19 AM | 95844
Thanks for the reply. I included a sample clip to give you an idea of what I did with the movie. I'm ung a sample from my rough edit of H2: The Ultimate Cut. This is not my final edit.

Obviously there are a few problems with this sample: the watermark logo, the darkness of the video, and the sequence editing isn't as good as in my final cut. This sample starts out with Laurie finishing her therapy seson. In the DC the next scene would be Loomis arriving in his limo. I edited it so the next scene is Laurie showing up for work. After this scene in the DC, the next scene would be the start of Loomis' lecture but here, I inserted the "Hanging" deleted scene. Then we go to Loomis arriving for the lecture, then it continues right into the lecture. I liked keeping Laurie's scenes all together and then have Loomis' scenes all together during October 29th a.k.a. Day One. http://youtu.be/IcSklcCH2mI
iamthebearman Saturday 9/01/2012 at 12:56 AM | 95978
I've added two more sample clips of H2 - The Ultimate Cut. Please keep in mind I am ung my rough cut to make these samples. The watermark logo, the darkness of the videos, and and editing are not the same as my final cut, although the scenes are the same. I'm ung my rough cut to save time uploading. The first sample is the addition of the Bigfoot scene. In the DC after the October 30th screen, it cuts to Loomis with the reporter at the Myers' house. Here, I added the Bigfoot scene then I trantioned to the Loomis scene.

http://youtu.be/dcr1N2aUGMc

The next sample is the addition of the Beer Man scene. On the DC, after the October 31st screen, the next scene is Brackett reading Loomis' book. Here, I added the Beer Man scene then I trantioned to the scene of Brackett reading Loomis' book.

http://youtu.be/c7UNXTe6hoA
iamthebearman Saturday 9/01/2012 at 02:16 AM | 95981
I gotta say, I really like what you have done with the editing. Thanks again for sharing!
Madloomis78 Sunday 9/23/2012 at 07:37 PM | 96637