It’s the Booze Talkin, David Gordon Green May be Perfect For Halloween!

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Like many of you, one of my favorite horror films is the John Carpenter classic HALLOWEEN. There is much to admire and love about this seminal thriller, this includes the marvelous score and a suspenseful build that never lets up. And let’s not forget the incredible cast including Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence. Perhaps more importantly, the iconic killer Michael Myers was born. Yet there was much more that helped make this film successful. For me, the mood and atmosphere, and the simplicity of the town of Haddonfield, the little place on the map where HE came home to. Considering this was shot in and around Los Angeles and Pasadena, California, it sure feels like it was really happening somewhere in the midwest. The characters, the extras, the houses and decorations all felt like it could have been filmed closer to where it takes place.

Carpenter and his partner Debra Hill managed to create an effective film all around.  In fact, it is the only film in the series to truly capture the essence of its fictional location. Now don’t get me wrong, I  loved a handful of the continued adventures of pure evil, but something is missing from all the other films, except possibly the direct follow-up, HALLOWEEN 2. So why have so many of the sequels failed to even come close to the original? Part of it could be that many of the following films were shot either in Utah, or some other area and did't quite recreate the original feel. Or you could say the obvious, the more you try and repeat a formula, the less chance it will work. However, the franchise has been around for a long time, and frankly, I’m almost always willing to give Myers another chance.

With the recent announcement of David Gordon Green and Danny McBride stepping onboard for a Carpenter produced sequel, I was more than a little thrilled. Some of you may question this out of the box decision, and that is understandable. Why hire a couple of guys mostly known for comedy? Can the guys behind Eastbound & Down and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS bring this terrifying story back to what it could be? To this question I have to give a resounding yes. Not only do they have John Carpenter producing – hopefully he’ll be more than just involved by name – you also have Blumhouse involved. Sure not every movie they release has been golden, but they are consistent. Hell, they even managed to give M. Night Shyamalan’s once promising career a very sturdy comeback with THE VISIT and the recent SPLIT.

What is it about David Gordon Green that makes him an interesting choice to direct a new HALLOWEEN? Well, why some are probably more familiar with his comedic work with McBride and such, the director has tackled some impressively moody films. This is not to say that ALL THE REAL GIRLS, GEORGE WASHINGTON and SNOW ANGELS are horror, yet each one has a sense of quiet urgency. They are all haunting and dramatic works. SNOW ANGELS in particular has a very frightening story, one that sticks with you well after viewing. And yes, it even borders on scary thanks to the heartbreaking situation involved. As well, each one of these films perfectly paints a picture of a small town in a very real and convincing way. Much like Hill and Carpenter managed to do in 1978.

Another bit of hope that I have is the fact that both McBride and Green have given Mr. Carpenter something to get excited about. That is the icing on the cake. When the legendary filmmaker can say this, “David and Danny both came to my office recently with Jason Blum and shared their vision for the new movie and… WOW! They get it. I think you’re gonna dig it. They blew me away.” Add to that Carpenter possibly doing the music! All of this seems to be the movie we’ve been waiting for, a return to what made this scary little flick such a massive critical and box office success. While I’m always open for a new HALLOWEEN movie, it would be a hell of a lot better if we get a film genre fans can truly embrace.

Maybe it’s the booze talkin’, but David Gordon Green may be the perfect choice for HALLOWEEN. The filmmaker has told a number of powerful stories that take place in a small town. Both SNOW ANGELS and ALL THE REAL GIRLS offer a very dark tone that perfectly captures life in a rural area. If he can bring that sort of character and heart to the HALLOWEEN franchise, we are certainly in for a treat. Word is that both Green and McBride are huge horror fans, so all in all this feels like great news. Bring on a brand new sequel with great characters and a moody atmosphere, and perhaps we are finally going to get a great sequel. In fact, October 19, 2018 can’t come soon enough.