Face-Off: Halloween II Vs. Halloween IV

Michael definitely put on some pounds while being laid up in a coma for ten years. I suppose the filmmakers wanted a more hulking stature for Mr. Myers in this sequel. Honestly, I feel they should have kept him sleek. His larger shoulders and puffy chest just look kind of awkward and don’t help in the scary department. His movements were pretty sluggish too in a non-frightening way. And don’t give me the whole “he was in a coma” bullshit. If he can get up and walk and shove his thumb into a guy’s skull, he should be able to stalk just fine.

Michael certainly didn’t forget how to kill while he laid in a coma for ten years. However, his execution (pun intended) of said kills did need some dusting off. I just got a real weak sauce vibe from Mike’s murders in part IV. Maybe because there wasn’t much blood on display. A lot of the kills aren’t even shown on screen. We just get dark, mostly gore-less shots of the aftermath. How great would it have been to see Michael storm the police station, dispatching every Haddonfield officer? Well, we don’t get to. And, whoever came up with that thumb-through-the-head gag at the beginning is a moron.

Kathleen Kinmont was another 80’s hottie that left quite an impression on my youth as “Kelly Meeker”. And speaking of impression, I’m certain that we all imagined leaving a facial impression within Ms. Kinmont’s more than ample bosom. It seems that every guy in Haddonfield wanted a shot at “Kelly” and perhaps the fact that she was the Sheriff’s daughter added an extra urge of forbidden lust. Seeing her melons protruding forth from beneath her “Cops Do It By The Book” night shirt definitely does things to the nightstick. Not to mention her amazing butt shot when she’s stripping down to her undies. She doesn’t even give a full-on boob shot and still manages to tantalize to the fullest in a bra! (Special thanks to The Arrow for helping me see the headlights in trying to pick this category’s winner.)

Even at a very young age, Danielle Harris clearly was destined to ascend to the throne created by her character’s mother in part IV. She too goes through a pretty impressive range of emotions from innocent, picked-on little girl to confused and frightened prey to even the next generation of evil. Not bad for a youngster, but you still have to hail to the original Queen, baby.

Well, I will say that I do think the subtle, windy score during the opening credits sequence ain’t too bad, albeit not at all like Carpenter’s notes. Unfortunately, when it does come time to play that familiar Halloween tune, we get a very weak, uninspired interpretation. The music feels about as clunky as Michael looks in this sequel.

Okay, at least Halloween IV didn’t hold back in terms of delivering a satisfying shocker of a finale. Having Michael hiding underneath the truck transporting his niece was an inspired notion and does pre-date DeNiro’s Cape Fear. Then, the good guys throw everything at him but the kitchen sink. He gets bashed by a speeding truck, shot by a literal firing squad of automatic weaponry, and dropped into the earth as a bunch of heavy objects go crashing on top of him. True, this all happens kind of quick and isn’t really that spectacular. However, the real shocker of an ending occurs when young Jamie is brought back home and succumbs to the “curse” of her family that is somewhat hinted at throughout. After stabbing her mother, the last shot of her that mimic’s the shot of young Michael after he stabs his sister in part 1 is very awesome. But what I truly love is the shot that directly precedes it of Loomis shouting “No!” and aiming his gun at her.