Rob Zombie’s Halloween premiered at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday, August 23rd. Zombie’s revealingly raw re-envisionment of the John Carpenter classic seemed at home in the historic and dugeonesque
Attendees of the premiere included the film’s industry-respected cast and producers accompanied by their friends, many of whom are also notables in the entertainment world. Malcolm McDowell, who plays Michael Myers’ psychiatrist in the film, attended and brought along his Heroes co-star Jimmy Jean-Louis. Scout Taylor-Compton, who plays Michael’s sister in the film, came with her boyfriend musician Andy 6. Returning veteran of the Halloween franchise Danielle Harris came with boyfriend actor Coby McLaughlin and her friend actress Natalia Cigliuti. Producer Harvey Weinstein came with his brother producer Bob Weinstein.
The new Halloween focuses more on the early life of Myers and as a result child actors played significant roles in this relatively hard-R film. However, young stars Daeg Faerch and Skyler Gisondo clarified that the actual making of the film fortunately wasn’t so scary. Gisando, 11, said on the premiere’s red carpet that, "when you’re on set, people mess up, there’s bloopers, and you know what’s actually happening and it appears funny somehow. Of course if I saw the movie I’d be scared, but after working on the movie, not so much."
After the premiere’s screening attendees praised the movie’s intense scaryness. According to strikingly craggy veteran horror actor Danny Trejo, the movie "even scared me." One attendee described herself as "still kind of shaking," though she didn’t seem to mind, while another enjoyed the horror movie experience of having the girls he sat next to almost jumping into his lap throughout the screening. Young attendees that were allowed and brave enough to watch the film included actress Taylor Dooley, 14, who said after, "I thought it was great. Scary movies really freak me out and it was really scary. It freaked me out a lot."
Rob Zombie’s Halloween is a brutally scary, yet intelligent horror movie and Zombie’s musical background is evident in its strong score and sound effects. The film’s unmasking of Michael Myers’ childhood slightly outshines its later re-telling of his return to Haddonfield, where Zombie does not attempt the subtle anticipatory fear of the original. Yet most leave the theatre a fan and horror hypnotically willing to consider a studio insider’s statement that,
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Links:
Halloween movie website: www.halloween-themovie.com
Halloween on IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt0373883/
Rob Zombie: www.robzombie.com
The Weinstein Company: www.weinsteinco.com