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Category Archives: John Carpenter Films

MASTERS OF HORROR SEASON ONE, EPISODE EIGHT: JOHN CARPENTER’S CIGARETTE BURNS

Dec 10

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MASTERS OF HORROR SEASON ONE, EPISODE EIGHT: JOHN CARPENTER’S CIGARETTE BURNS-United States-2005

Masters_of_Horror__Cigarette_Burns_-_John_Carpenter

Norman Reedus as Kirby

Norman Reedus as Kirby

Udo Kier (R) as Bellinger

Udo Kier (R) as Bellinger

Christopher Redman as Willowy Being

Christopher Redman as Willowy Being

Directed by John Carpenter

Written by Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan

I assume that a lot of you read Written in Blood because, first and foremost, you love movies; especially horror movies. I will expand upon that assumption by saying that there are those of you out there who love movies so much that not only do you collect and watch movies, but that you also collect movie memorabilia of various degrees. Along with the hundreds of DVD’s and Blu-rays that I own, I also have some posters; as well as a Planet Terror Cherry Darling action figure still in the original package. My pride and joy is a beautiful ceramic Godzilla statue depicting the lizard king (sorry Jim Morrison, but the Big G will always be the original) from Godzilla vs. Biollante. But enough about all that; this is one of those times where I start with one story to tell you another story. John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns is about the high price of movie collecting and I’m not talking about paying double on eBay for an authentic Iron Man helmet.

Norman Reedus (Mimic, The Walking Dead) is Kirby, a rare films dealer hired by the wealthy Bellinger (Udo Kier, Blade, Suspiria) to find a print of an ultra-rare film called “La Fin Absolue du Monde”, or “The Absolute End of the World”. Upon its premiere, the film set off a homicidal riot and was later believed to be destroyed. Bellinger is convinced that a print of the film exists and shows Kirby proof in the form of the Willowy Being, a humanoid creature that may or may not be an angel. The Being tells Kirby that if the film were truly destroyed then he would know about it. Up to his ass in debt to his late girlfriend’s father, Kirby accepts the job. The closer he gets to the truth, the more he begins to see ‘cigarette burns’ a slang term for the mark on a film that indicates that it will soon be time to change reels. The ‘burns’ are used here to indicate when there will be a shift in the tone of the film and the results of Kirby’s search for “La Fin Absolue Du Monde”. With that, seeing as how I take pride in keep my reviews as spoiler-free as possible, there’s not much else I can tell you about the plot of Cigarette Burns.

This is the second time in the past three years that I’ve watched Cigarette Burns. The first time I had yet to begin writing and therefore took a casual approach to the episode. But, even after watching it with more scrutiny the second time around; I found that I had to sit for a while to be able to collect my feelings about it. It reminds me of a friend of mine who told me that when he went to see Pulp Fiction, he sat in his car in the theater parking lot for twenty minutes pondering on whether he liked the film before finally deciding that he did like it. I understand him now; it took me twenty minutes to determine that I liked Cigarette Burns. It’s the best episode (so far) of Masters of Horror. Norman Reedus carries the film with a charm that I personally don’t think a more well-known actor could have accomplished. Those of you who only know the guy as Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead I would highly recommend to see this episode. There’s a lot more to the guy than a red neck and a crossbow.

Cigarette Burns has an identical plot to Roman Polanski’s thriller The Ninth Gate. One of the main differences being that it is a film and not a book that Kirby is hired to find. The other is that at over two hours I couldn’t wait for The Ninth Gate to end. At the end of 58 minutes, Cigarette Burns left me wanting more.

TRIVIA

The newspaper columnist lives in a secluded house in Carthage, New York. John Carpenter, who directed the movie, was born in Carthage, New York.

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Posted in Films Released in 2005, John Carpenter Films, Masters of Horror, Movies

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ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13

Sep 11

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ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13-United States-1976

Austin Stoker as Ethan Bishop

Darwin Joston as Napoleon Bishop

Laurie Zimmer as Leigh

Written and Directed by John Carpenter

Let’s play a game, you and I. It’s a simple game of word association. I’ll tell you a name and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Are you ready?

John Carpenter

Halloween

John Carpenter

Escape from New York

John Carpenter

The Thing

Now, I never said I was good at this game. But did you notice that there’s a pattern to my madness? We know John Carpenter for his horror and for his science fiction films; but do we always remember that he was also the director of one of the best low budget action films of the 1970′s, “Assault on Precinct 13?” Watching this film I began to see the thematic templates that Carpenter would follow throughout most of his career. A small group of people under siege by an unseen or alien (or both) force; an anti-hero who puts his life on the line for the greater good; a soundtrack created by Carpenter himself that throbs along with, and against the beat of the action. All of these things have been evident in Carpenter’s films for years and I truly believe that this is where they began.

After a gang member murders his young daughter, a father kills him in retaliation. When the man seeks refuge in Precinct 13, the gang lays siege to the station; shooting it up and killing anything that moves inside. After the smoke clears the only ones left standing inside the station are a cop (Austin Stoker, “Battle for the Planet of the Apes“), a secretary (Laurie Zimmer) and two convicts, Wells (Tony Burton, “Rocky”) and a death row bound Napoleon Wilson (Darwin Joston, “The Fog”). Outnumbered and outgunned, will they survive the assault on Precinct 9, District 13?

The highlight of this film would have to be Joston’s performance as Wilson. He takes a stereotypical character, the guy with nothing left to lose, and makes it completely his own. There’s a lot of Snake Plissken and R.J. MacReady in Napoleon Wilson.

“Assault on Precinct 13″ was inspired in part by Howard Hawk’s “Rio Bravo“. I’ve never seen “Rio Bravo”; but if it’s anything at all like ‘Precinct 13′ then I’m in for a treat.

Got a smoke?

TRIVIA

Following the release of his first feature, Dark Star, John Carpenter was approached by a group of investors who gave him carte blanche to make whatever kind of picture he wanted, albeit with a very limited budget. Although Carpenter wanted to make a Western, he knew he wouldn’t have the resources to make a period piece. He wrote this film as a highly stylized, modern-day western, essentially remaking Rio Bravo, which was directed by Carpenter’s hero, Howard Hawks. Carpenter acknowledges this debt to Hawks and “Rio Bravo” by using the pseudonym of John T. Chance for his film editor’s credit, which was the name of John Wayne’s character in “Rio Bravo”.

The assault takes place on Precinct 9, Division 13. Many have noted the title misnomer, since there is no “Precinct 13″ in the film. At first, Carpenter wanted to call the film “The Anderson Alamo” (the original title of his screenplay), and, at one point, he changed the working title to “The Siege.” CKK, the film’s distributor, was responsible for the misnomer; they rejected Carpenter’s titles and came up with the name “Assault on Precinct 13″ (which they felt was more ominous sounding) during post-production.

The precinct’s new address, 1977 Ellendale Place (written on a sign erected in front of the building), was director John Carpenter’s real address when he first lived in Los Angeles.

John Carpenter has acknowledged Night of the Living Dead was an influence on the marauding street gang. Like George Romero’s zombies, they’re completely dehumanized. They hardly talk and almost seem supernatural in their ongoing resilience.

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THEY LIVE

Jul 15

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THEY LIVE-United States-1988

Roddy Piper as Nada

Keith David as Frank

Meg Foster as Holly

Directed by John Carpenter

Screenplay by Frank  Armitage

Based on “Eight O’clock in the Morning” by Ray Nelson

The one thing I can say about John Carpenter is that he’s a crazy genius. Leave it to him to cast “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in the role of a drifter who discovers a pair of sunglasses that enable him to see the subliminal messages of an alien race intent on lulling humans into a false sense of security. Piper is perfect as Nada. Carpenter realized that his experience as a professional wrestler would come in handy for two reasons. Piper’s microphone skills were the ultimate screen test for the hilarious one-liners he delivers in “They Live”. “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum”. “Life’s a bitch…and she’s back in heat.” “You know, you look like your head fell in the cheese dip back in 1957.” None of these lines could have been delivered with any kind of authority by anyone but Piper.

The other reason Piper is perfect for the role is his ability to sell a fight scene. Watch the fight between Piper’s character Nada and Frank (Keith David-”The Thing”, “There’s Something about Mary”). The scene is played out like an “I Quit” match. The sunglasses that Nada so desperately attempts to have Frank try on take the place of the microphone that Piper would shove in his opponents face in the hopes of hearing those words.

“They Live” works in other ways besides Piper’s casting. Carpenter may not be the most subtle director; but he has a point. Haven’t you always wondered that there was something more to what you read and watch on TV? Who knows, maybe I’m sending out subliminal messages with this blog. Maybe I’m saying “READ THIS BLOG” “YOU LOVE THIS BLOG” “THIS BLOG IS YOUR FRIEND”.

I can dream, can’t I?

TRIVIA

The line “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I’m all out of bubble gum” was ad-libbed by Roddy Piper. According to director John Carpenter, Piper had taken the line from a list of ideas he had for his pro wrestling interviews.

The fight between Nada (Roddy Piper) and Frank (Keith David) was only supposed to last 20 seconds, but Piper and David decided to fight it out for real, only faking the hits to the face and groin. They rehearsed the fight for three weeks. Carpenter was so impressed he kept the 5 minute and 20 second scene intact.

John Carpenter wanted a truly rugged individual to play Nada. He cast wrestler Roddy Piper in the lead role after seeing him in WrestleMania III. Carpenter remembered Keith David’s performance in The Thing and wrote the role of Frank specifically for the actor.

Roddy Piper’s character never gives his name nor is he referred to by name throughout the entire movie. He is simply referred to as “Nada” in the credits, which means “nothing” in Spanish. The name is most likely a reference to George Nada, the main character of Ray Nelson’s short story “Eight O’Clock in the Morning,” which was the basis for ‘They Live’.

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JOHN CARPENTER’S THE WARD

Jun 21

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JOHN CARPENTER’S THE WARD-United States-2011

Amber Heard as Kristen

Mamie Gummer as Emily

Laura-Leigh (left) as Zoey

Mika Boorem (left) as Alice

Jared Harris as Dr. Stringer

Directed by John Carpenter

Written by Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen

John Carpenter’s still got it. If you don’t believe me, then by all means check out “The Ward.” Despite the fact that it has nearly every cliché associated with films set within mental institutions (the Nurse Ratchet type nurse, the orderly that catches you at every turn, pretending to swallow the pills they give you, shock therapy) and an ending that was telegraphed from the next county, “The Ward” is a triumphant return to horror for a director that’s been gone for far too long. It has not been since “Insidious” that I have found myself clutching my chest and breathing heavy as I just did while watching this film. Carpenter turns the tension up to ten and keeps going until he shatters our minds with terror and fear.

Kristen (Amber Heard-”All the Boys Love Mandy Lane“, “Zombieland”) is placed in a mental institution after setting fire to a farmhouse and watching it burn. Like R.P. McMurphy before her, she bucks the system and attempts every possible way to escape the confines of the ward. Unlike our old pal R.P., her reason for leaving is quite a different story. It seems that all the friends (Mamie Gummer, Danielle Panabaker, Lyndsy Fonseca, and Laura-Leigh) that she’s made on the ward are being murdered by an angry and vengeful ghost named Alice Hudson and Kristen just so happens to be on her shit list. Why, you ask; I’ll never tell. That would be cheating. Watch the film and see for yourself just like I did.

I will tell you this much; “The Ward” is John Carpenter’s best film since “The Thing.” It is a welcome return to form for a director who long ago strayed off the beaten path of his vision. Bow down to the king, peasants.

TRIVIA

John Carpenter’s first full-length feature film since Ghosts of Mars, and his first feature not shot in Panavision since his debut Dark Star.

On the audio commentary, Jared Harris asks John Carpenter why he did not compose the soundtrack, John replied “quite frankly, I’m just too old.”

½

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CHRISTINE

Jan 10

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CHRISTINE-United States-1983

Keith Gordon as Arnie Cunningham

Alexandra Paul as Leigh Cabot

John Stockwell as Dennis Guilder

Roberts Blossom as Roland LeBay

Directed by John Carpenter

Screenplay by Bill Phillips

Based on the novel by Stephen King

Now we come to Stephen King’s Christine. Oops, hold on, wait a minute, that’s not entirely accurate. If I were talking about the masterful novel by the aforementioned Mr. King that statement would be correct. But I’m not; I’m talking about John Carpenter’s Christine, screenplay by Bill Phillips. We’re talking about a movie that took everything that was cool about King’s novel and threw it in the garbage; this is one of the absolute lowest moments in the career of John Carpenter. The fact that it comes one year after the sci-fi horror masterpiece The Thing makes it all the more a complete failure. With this film Carpenter has taken three steps backward instead of one giant leap forward. If Carpenter and Phillips had only followed the novel he would had one of the scariest and one of the goriest horror films ever put to celluloid. Instead he has a shell of a film that only succeeds in making him look like a non-collaborative egotist. The main thing that Christine the film does right is in representing the love triangle between the nerd cum stud Arnie Cunningham, the beautiful Leigh Cabot and the evil 1958 Plymouth Fury, Christine. I got the same impression about Arnie from watching the movie that I did from reading the book and that was that if he were given the means and the opportunity he would have had sex with that damn car. Not the girl, the car. Other than that I found nothing with which to compare the two. I know what you’re thinking. What about the way the car could re-assemble itself and the way it killed all of Arnie’s enemies? Well, what about it? The deaths are so tame a Pinto could have committed them. For instance, in the novel the death of Moochie Welch is so brutal and bloody it stayed with me for days. Christine repeatedly runs over him until he’s nothing but human hamburger. In the movie it crushes him against a wall and there’s not one ounce of blood. I’m not saying the gore was the best part of the book, but it was a very important part of it and it should have been part of the movie. You know what? I’m ranting. The bottom line is that Christine the movie is a failure that should never have happened. If only the King had been involved; things would have been so much different.

TRIVIA

Scott Baio was considered to play Arnie Cunningham and Brooke Shields was considered for Leigh Cabot. But the film makers involved all felt the movie would be better served by casting “unknowns”.

Arnie’s nemesis, Detective Rudolph Junkins, also drives a Plymouth Fury. The car Detective Rudolph Junkins is driving when he meets Arnie in the high-school parking lot is a 1977 or 1978 Plymouth Fury – a popular police car of the late 1970s.

As a joke, Alexandra Paul’s twin sister, Caroline Paul, stood in for her during some scenes, most notably the ride on the bulldozer.

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JOHN CARPENTER’S VAMPIRES

Sep 19

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JOHN CARPENTER’S VAMPIRES-United States-1998

James Woods as Jack Crow

Daniel Baldwin as Anthony Montoya

Sheryl Lee as Katrina

Thomas Ian Griffith as Jan Valek

Maximilian Schell as Cardinal Alba

Directed by John Carpenter

Screenplay by Don Jakoby

Based on the novel by John Steakley

There is a major rule of thumb that everyone involved in movie making should take to heart. It’s called the KISS rule and it stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid. John Carpenter knows all about the KISS rule. He’s been doing it for years and he’s made some of the best low budget horror films in history. That includes They Live, Christine and to an extent this movie, Vampires. To Carpenter, vampires are traditional. They sleep during the day and they rise at night to feed on the blood of the living. They burst into flame when exposed to sunlight and they die when you drive a wooden stake through their hearts. The only difference between traditional vampires and Carpenter’s vampires is the quantity. There’s a whole damn bunch of the blood-suckers in Carpenter’s movie.

The film revolves around Jack Crow, head vampire slayer for the Vatican itself. Jack’s team has just been by slaughtered by the master vampire, Valek. He’s out for revenge and he will stop at nothing to get it. Of course, being a master vampire you can’t just expect Valek to lie down and play un-dead. That wouldn’t be very sporting, now would it? Valek has an agenda all his own. He’s after an ancient relic that will grant him the ability to walk in the sunlight. Will Jack Crow get major wood and rise to the task of killing Valek, or will Valek have his day in the sun?

Vampires is not the best vampire film ever made. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. It is. James Woods is in all his scenery chewing glory as Jack Crow. This film was made long before he became a Family Guy caricature. Thomas Ian Griffith has his last major film role as Valek. After this it’s been strictly direct-to-video for him. I hope he enjoyed it while it lasted. Sheryl Lee, Daniel Baldwin and Maximilian Schell round out the cast as hooker turned bloodsucker, vampire slayer and priest. No actual vampires were harmed in the making of this film and a splendid time is guaranteed by all.

Trivia

Just before production began the studio cut the budget by 2/3, and the filmmakers had to furiously rework the story to fit. According to John Steakley, who wrote the novel, the finished film contained much of his dialogue and none of his plot.

Katrina has a snake tattoo on her back. Snake Plissken had a similar tattoo on his chest, the character from John Carpenter’s Escape from New York and Escape from L.A..

There are many similarities with this and another vampire film made the same year,Blade. Both are about a vampire killer, and they both have a similar plot of vampires trying to complete an arcane ritual that would allow them to move about in daylight. They also both feature a female character slowly turning into a vampire throughout. In addition, Tim Guinee appears in both films.

Posted in Films Based on Novels or Short Stories, Films Released in 1998, John Carpenter Films, Movies, Vampire Films

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John Carpenter: A Directorial Filmography

Dec 11

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This is a filmography of John Carpenters’ theatrical films within the horror, sci-fi and action genre. It is not a complete filmography and that is why films that he directed for TV or Cable are not included.

DARK STAR-1974

John Carpenter directed several short films from 1969 to 1974, when he then directed his first full length feature film: DARK STAR. The film was co-written by Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon, who would go on achieve fame as the co-writer of ALIEN with Ronald Shusett. DARK STAR itself is now considered a cult classic.

ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13-1976

Carpenter followed up DARK STAR with a modern day western entitled ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13. The film is an homage to RIO BRAVO and to his hero, Howard Hawks. In fact, for his film editing credit he used the pseudonym “John T. Chance“. This was John Waynes’ characters name in RIO BRAVO.

HALLOWEEN-1978

In 1978 John Carpenter made the film that would establish him as a master of horror, would make Jamie Lee Curtis a scream queen for much of her career and would make October 31st the night he came home. Made on a very low budget (the leaves were spray-painted construction paper cut-outs and Michaels mask was a prototype Captain Kirk mask), it went on to gross around $47 million and would be his most financially successful film to date.

THE FOG-1980

After helming two made-for-TV movies (SOMEONES’ WATCHING ME and ELVIS, the latter his first collaboration with Kurt Russell), Carpenter cast his then-wife Adrienne Barbeau and mother/daughter scream queens Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis for THE FOG. When THE FOG rolls in, the terror begins.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK-1981

Carpenter re-unites with his ELVIS star Kurt Russell for this futuristic action/adventure that is by far one of his most popular films to date. The names of some of the characters are the names of horror films great such as David Cronenberg and George Romero.

THE THING-1982

Once again teaming up with Kurt Russell, Carpenter made a film that was reviled upon its’ release but is now considered a classic of the horror/sci-fi genre. The all male ensemble cast is excellent in what is in my opinion Carpenters’ masterpiece as a film maker.

CHRISTINE-1983

How do you follow up a masterpiece like THE THING? Carpenter did it by adapting Stephen King’s book about a possessed 1958 Plymouth Fury. Keith Gordon, the actor who plays Arnie Cunningham, went on to be a successful director himself and has helmed several films and TV shows including A MIDNIGHT CLEAR and DEXTER.

STARMAN-1984

In 1984 Carpenter directed Jeff Bridges in an Academy Award nominated performance as an alien who takes the form of a young widows’ husband in this sci-fi romance that also starred Karen Allen (RAIDERS of the LOST ARK).

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA-1986

Teaming again with Kurt Russell in 1986, Carpenter directed this action adventure comedy also starring Kim Cattrall. Due to poor promotion the film was a bomb upon it’s release. It has since become a cult hit due to home video rentals.

PRINCE OF DARKNESS-1987

Carpenter returned to horror with PRINCE OF DARKNESS. Donald Pleasance protrayed Father Loomis, an homage to the character he portrayed in HALLOWEEN.

THEY LIVE-1988

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper was the star of Carpenters’ next film about a society  where subliminal messages are planted by aliens who wear the guise of the rich and affluent. The five minute plus fight scene between Piper and Keith David would parodied blow for blow on the popular comedy SOUTH PARK in the ‘cripple fight’ sequence of episode 67.

MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN-1992

This was Carpenters first studio film since BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA and is based on the novel by H.F. Saint.

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS-1995

Carpenter directed Sam Neill in this Lovecraftian horror thriller from 1995. Sutter Canes’ popularity is clearly based on the real life following of author Stephen King.

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED-1995

This remake of the 1960 film by Wolf Rilla would be actor Christopher Reeve’s final film before the horseback riding accident that would leave him paralyzed until his death in 2004.

ESCAPE FROM L.A.-1996

In what would be his fifth collaboration with Kurt Russell, Carpenter directed this sequel to his brilliant sci-fi action film ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK.

VAMPIRES-1998

Carpenter directed James Woods as vampire hunter Jack Crow and his battle against the master vampire Jan Valek.

GHOSTS OF MARS-2001

This would be Carpenters’ last theatrical film until 2010 when he will be directing THE WARD.

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Halloween(1978) and Halloween(2007)

Dec 7

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HALLOWEEN-United States-1978 &HALLOWEEN-United States-2007

Halloween 1978 Directed by John Carpenter

Written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode

Donald Pleasance as Dr. Sam Loomis

Nick Castle as The Shape (Michael Myers)

Nancy Loomis as Annie Brackett

P.J. Soles as Lynda van der Klok

Halloween 2007 directed by Rob Zombie

Written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill (1978 screenplay) and Rob Zombie

Starring

Scout Taylor-Compton as Laurie Strode

Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Sam Loomis

Tyler Mane as Michael Myers

Danielle Harris as Annie Brackett

Kristina Klebe as Lynda van der Klok

I just watched John Carpenters’ breakthrough film Halloween for probably the fifth or sixth time in my entire life. I have watched Rob Zombie’s re-imagining of the horror classic at least three times if memory serves me well. Having said all this, I can say one thing that will anger a lot of people but I say it with absolute honesty and will not change my opinion. Rob Zombies’ Halloween is better than John Carpenters’ Halloween.

Now before you get out the butcher knife to stab me in the  heart let me further explain myself. There are a lot of things about Carpenter’s Halloween that I like. Carpenter is a master at building and keeping suspense and drawing the viewer into the story. His will always be the definitive Michael Myers. What makes Zombie’s’ Halloween superior to Carpenter’s’ is one simple thing: Zombie created a back story for Michael. In the first film after Michael kills his sister he then walks outside just as his parents drive up to the house. The Myers family looks like a typical comfortable middle class family. I never bought that. I have always felt that Michael’s family life was a chaotic one and it seems that Zombie did as well. Carpenter’s version made one think that Michael just snapped out of the blue. Zombie shows that Michael is a product of his environment.

I also like the fact that Zombie shows the effects of what Michael’s’ actions do to his family, especially his mother. With his stepfather (the creepy William Forsythe) out of the picture, she has no one to lean on and every day that Michael’s own sanity slips further away the further her own lifeline unravels until she chooses to cut the final string herself. In the original, the only thing you were really aware of was that the family moved away from the house to start over. Michael’s mother taking her own life makes his story all the more tragic and his evil all the more intense. Incidentally, I though t that Sheri Moon Zombie did an excellent job as Deborah Myers, Michael’s mother.

Anyway, those are my reasons. I am sure that most people will disagree with me. Such is life. Stay scared, everybody!!

TRIVIA-John Carpenter’s Halloween

As the movie was actually shot in early spring in southern California (as opposed to Illinois in late October), the crew had to buy paper leaves from a decorator and paint them in the desired autumn colors, then scatter them in the filming locations. To save money, after a scene was filmed, the leaves were collected and reused. However, as Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter note on the DVD audio commentary, the trees are quite full and green and even some palm trees can be seen, despite that in Illinois in October, the leaves would probably be mostly gone and there would be no palm trees.
 
Jamie Lee Curtis’ first feature film. She was paid a reported $8,000 for her efforts.
 
Due to its shoestring budget, the prop department had to use the cheapest mask that they could find in the costume store: a Star Trek William Shatner mask. They later spray-painted the face white, teased out the hair, and reshaped the eye holes. Shatner admitted that for years he had no idea his likeness was used for this film. It was only during an interview that someone mentioned his mask was being used. He has since stated that he is honored by this gesture.
 
 
TRIVIA-Rob Zombie’s Halloween
 
Oliver Stone was rumored to be attached to this project before he decided to make World Trade Center.
 
At one point Dimension Studios considered making a crossover film featuring Pinhead from the Hellraiser series, following in the footsteps of Newline Cinema’s horror crossover Freddy vs. Jason. A poll was held on the official site, but response from fans was negative and the studio dropped the concept.
 
This is third Halloween film that Danielle Harris has been in. She first appeared in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5 as Jamie Lloyd, daughter of Laurie Strode. (Her character was re-cast in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, and then killed off.)
 
½
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