SCORETOBER!!! Day 3 Halloween 3 Season of the Witch!

Day 3 Halloween 3 Season of the Witch

Oh but of course this would make its way on the list!!!

The only thing that sucks.

Is not this movie.

The REAL only thing that SUCKS! Is the fact all y’all are jumping on the bandwagon now.

Seriously.

I mean sure welcome to the jam people, glad you all are appreciating this movie, even if for the wrong reasons, or because Darcy the Mailgirl keeps jabbing poor Joe Bob to show it and talk about it. Which I mean good for her, but seriously. Where were you people?

WHERE WERE YOU PEOPLE WHEN THIS MOVIE NEEDED YOU?!!

This movie is worthy of love, adoration, and fame. But not for the so bad its good kinda of love, no! That’s a bad thing honestly. This movie was genuinely ahead of its time.

I’m not lying here, stick with me on this.

Now you have the success of Halloween. Right? The movie took over and blew minds everywhere. It also gave us a theme we cannot escape for the life of us. Both in masked serial killers that can’t die, and John Carpenters score.

You’ve heard it to a point you may be sick of it even.

But the movie no doubt cemented itself as a classic and birthing of a new phase in horror. So obviously a sequel had to be made.

But Carpenter and Hill were not really wanting to do that. At the same time they didn’t want someone else ruining the property either. So they came up with Halloween 2. What was supposed to end the Lori Strode story. It also ended Michael and Dr. Loomis.

In a very fun way Carpenter pulled a Charlton Heston on the franchise. See when Planet of the Apes took off like it did they immediately wanted to do a sequel and bring Heston back. He said go to hell. So the studio said we will throw all the money at you, just please do this film.

So he agreed on the terms that, He barely appears in the film. His pay goes to charity, and that his character launches a nuclear bomb destroying the planet.

Which is why the next Planet of the Apes film was such a beautiful what the fuck am I watching time travel movie.

So Carpenter did similar with Halloween 2, giving a definitive end to his creation.

However when it came to Halloween 3?

Deborah Hill had the thought to do something a bit ahead of its time. Something that people today could compare the Cloverfield films too.

She thought about the prospect of, every year they could release a Halloween film. A film that takes places on Halloween, deals with something supernatural, magical, another boogyman. Honestly it’s a very ambitious idea, especially at a time when sequels were really becoming a thing and they immediately were going to go against what was becoming a tradition with sequels to instead turn it into a storyteller series. Which really that would’ve been something to see.

Honestly that would be really cool had they carried through with it, I would’ve loved seeing what Others came up with for their addition to Halloween.

But alas, the film was a failure for one reason, and one reason alone.

No Michael, no sale.

So the film bombed hard, really hard.

It was honestly an early candidate for one of those films, like I’ve said of a few modern remakes. If they named it something else. Had they dropped Halloween 3 and just called it Season of the Witch. It would’ve done fairly well. But they had a vision, a specific plan and, unfortunately no one was really ready for it at the time.

Even I was disappointed the first time I saw it. Once I got into the Halloween films and my cousins, the smart asses they were. When they told me there was a part 3 I was like “How?! They blew him up!!” So they rented it for me and I eagerly watched it, unaware I was about to watch a movie about evil pagans using Stonehenge to destroy lives through Halloween mask.

So yeah I was let down! I remember my cousin laughing because I was legit upset that I felt they edited the movie. That they went out. On their own. Cut the beginning credit to a REAL Halloween movie, and put it on another horror film. I was young okay. It made sense to me!

But I still enjoyed it. Just not as a Halloween film. The older I got the more I enjoyed it. The music especially. It’s Carpenter and Howarth at their prime and it shows. It’s creepy, original, and eerily catchy.

So yes. As I said before, there are films I enjoyed the music of a good deal more than I did the original. Because they found a way to elevate it and make it something new. Which in this case, was done on both the score and film.

So lets get into this puppy already!

The Film

Oh sweet sweet synth music take me away.

What better way to know you are in for an 80’s treat than with synth music and digital line pumpkin art. Technology people!

Which this movie is all about and in the oh so worst ways imaginable. In the hands of tricky wicked child hating irish!

I have no hate for the Irish, I just have this correct notion that being Scottish is far better a feeling.

Any way.

Here we are, Halloween without being Halloween. If you prefer we can use its true title that mainstream media has chosen to forget because of the overwhelming power of mustaches and call it Tom Atkins Season of the Stache.

We begin with a chase through Northern California, a place I can speak from experience is absolutely a place best running from and not running to.

It’s actually a pretty interesting chase as you have absolutely no idea who the hell they are, why the hell they’re running, let alone why they’re being chased by well dressed men.

But forget that noise! We’re about to get the ear worm of all worms and it’s going to strangle a part of your brain you will never. Ever. EEEEEEEVER. Be able to shake it from. Again.

This movie is dropping a lot in the first few minutes and I appreciate it. We get well dressed men in suits driving menacingly after a poor factory worker, we get a news story concerning Stonehenge, and what more. We get a Silver Shamrock commercial. Alerting is there is now 8 more days till Halloween.

If this is your first time watching the movie? Shame on you, watch the damn thing and stop reading! Don’t listen to a word I said about any ear worm infecting and strangling your brain for the rest of your life. Just watch the movie.

For those who have already seen it. Enjoy the never, ever, ever ending jingle. Because holy Christ this movie is gonna ram it down your throat and eye holes. If you haven’t picked up the hobby of drinking. Its fine to consider it now.

But we have a mystery forming here people. We have a poor mechanic having his night ruined as the man being chased has stumbled onto his service station and passed out after offering a grim warning. They’re coming. They’re going to kill us. All of us.

As the man passes out he pulls from his pocket, of all things. A pumpkin mask. Which brings back fond memories of early Halloween mask having a weird almost felt like texture on some of them. I miss that.

But who cares! We got something better. We have the walking Mans Man of manly mustaches Tom Atkins entering the picture. Not only that, we are establishing he is not just the cool Doctor….scientist. But he is the coolest, and sexiest. We know this, because he is walking around in a lab coat with the top 4 buttons of his shirt undone. Letting his chest fly free for the ladies and all the hospital to see. Soak it in. Because that too, we will be seeing a lot of in this film. Believe it. He’s playing Dr. Daniel Challis, who just arrived as the mystery man was being brought into the hospital to be examined. Only to find him passed out. That is until a nearby TV begins playing the Silver Shamrock jingle. This immediately wakes his ass up and begins his Doom bringer speech. Promises all of them will be killed. That they are coming, incase we forgot about it. Then he decides its nap time again. The mans had an obviously tired evening. Especially with all that running so it’s understandable.

What isn’t however, and also adds to the mystery here. Is one of those fine dressed gentlemen makes their way into the hospital and finds the man passed out in his room. If you’ve watched as much Columbo as I have, you know the moment a mysterious figure puts on leather murder gloves. It’s time for you guessed it. Murder!

But a very odd, very powerful kind of murder. As this killer is single handedly choking AND holding the man down with one hand. As he struggles for his life we see the well dressed man raise a slow menacing hand into what will be the most intense three stooges gag of all time. Two fingers out and curled. The man closes his eyes as he’s being strangled and WHAM. Had he only known this was a killer three stooges bit, he would’ve put a hand up to deflect the fingers. But alas he did not, and those fingers dug into his skull. Not only that. This powerhouse in a dress suit twisted his hand and snapped the mans skull!

It's like a damn Terminator. But irish.

As the man becomes nothing more than a corpse on a table, and our killer makes their exit, a nurse runs into him and screams bloody murder.

Immediately this alerts Tom Atkins mustache and he’s up and away flying into the face of danger! Making this the oddest night of his life.

First he has a man going on about everyone dying soon while holding a Halloween pumpkin mask. Now he has a myster man who crushed another mans skull. Exiting the Hospital only to sit calmly in his car. Dose himself in gasoline, and flick a lighter setting himself ablaze.

Now I know this man is a killer, and evil. But that? That is efficiency right there, and without a doubt if you ever need to hire goons. That man…well he would’ve been at the top of the list if not for immediately yeeting himself out of existence.

So this troubles Dr. Challis. I mean jesus why wouldn’t it right? Not like he can just shrug and say “Mondays am I right?”

No, this is definitely not another Monday Garfield. This is murder most foul, and Irish.

If you’re looking for answers. We got none! This movie is just gonna keep dropping two things in our lap, and I can assure you neither of those things will be pleasing, or accompanied by Motley Crue music. If you know what I’m talkin about then good for you.

Instead of answers, we are getting more characters. We get the daughter of the man who’s head was crushed, she’s Ellie Grimbridge. Which give it up for her on having a great character name.

Ellie came down to identify her fathers body, and find out anything she could from Dr. Challis. Which wasn’t much past his ‘You’re all doomed” speech. But it is enough for Ellie and Dr. Mustache Rides to go on a Scooby Doo adventure.  So why not? You got something better to do?!

Well drop it!!

Because we’re going deep into the heart of America. The green lands of local evil Irish!

I really don’t hate the Irish, they just can’t help but glare and jump around like Leprechauns mumbling tee dalaa lee while drinking whiskey.

I’m so sorry…

Well we actually are headed to an irish town. They’ve decided to investigate starting with the mystery mask her father clutched for dear life. After doing a bit of research Dr Stache discovered the factory was located within a small irish populated town. Which in a lot of ways resembled Nilbog from Troll 2. Minus the vegans and green milk. But heavier on the potatoes and corned beef smell.

Literally every person in this small town. From the bankers, the bakers and the fuel service workers are giving the evil eye to Dr. Stache and his lady friend. Maybe its because of the stache, maybe it’s his open shirt. Maybe its Maybelline.

All we know is these two are outsiders, and not a soul in this town welcomes them. Honestly the most shocking thing in the town is the price of gas

$1.32 per gallon.

I think I just died a little when I saw that.

You know who also almost dies?

TOM ATKINS! GOD NO!!

Barreling into the parking lot of the hotel he and his lady friend are checking into comes a loud true blue American recreational vehicle with an unsecure bike charging into the parking lot, stopping on a dime and launching the bike at our mustached hero.

Thankfully though having a mustache as I’ve learned in life. Means you can sense a changing in the winds. So Dr. Chilles felt the shifting breeze and knew danger was near. Stopping himself before becoming the target of the bike missile. Out of the vehicle comes a loud and proud father/businessman. Immediately apologizing for nearly killing him. He also takes this moment to introduce his wife, and his son who gives zero fucks for anything other than the state of his bike. Which he immediately rides off. When his mother warns him repeatedly to stay out of the road on his bike, he immediately flips her off.

The 80’s were a different time, a different time.

But the thrills don’t stop there. It seems Dr. Chilles mustache is a parking lot lighthouse. Another car comes charging into the lot of the Motel and nearly hits him. This one being driven by an unapologetic lady complaining the moment she steps out of her car about orders being late, not delivered and not a care in the world for the fact the very peak of male sexuality is standing before her. A loss for the lady, A win for the town.

But there is some progress to our mystery at least. We do discover as Dr. Challis signs in, that his traveling partners father had checked into the very same Motel just a few days ago. So he had come to this town to check on the Silver Shamrock factory. Things are afoot indeed.

Also afoot is the greatest start to a team. We have Dr. Challis checking into a single bedroom with his lady friend. Giving off the impression they’re a couple, why? Who knows. He’s a man of morals though, and respect. So he mentions possibly getting his own room, or sleeping elsewhere so she can feel comfortable in the room.

Well Ellie has no intention of him getting another room, as that would ruin their cover story. As for where she’d feel comfortable sleeping? She’s already found herself a comfy spot and kisses Dr fuzzylip.

Now. It should be known. This man. Left his home, and family behind. To go on this little road trip adventure, and after a few hours on the road. His mustache has won over his traveling companion and they’re already checking into bangtown.

It works just like that. Apparently.

Well Tom Atkins can’t just get down to business like an average man. He needs alcohol and the scent of mahogany. So he goes out in search of alcohol and finds the local drunk. NO I will not make an Irish joke. Shame on you.

But it is there. This drunk tells Challis that he doesn’t trust that Shamrock factory or its patron saint Conal Cochran. In fact he cusses the man out loud to let him know he hates him! But he also does so after politely asking Challis for some of his booze, even going as far as to tell him he’s clean and washed.

It’s honestly a scene that exist for the sole purpose of reminding us. This is a horror film. We need some horror. So when the two part ways, Mr Drunky pants ends up encountering two more well dressed men. Who creepily, and slowly again move to kill someone. This time pushing the man to his knees, and ever so slowly ripping his head off. Which is still a creepy and bloody scene that holds up today.

Especially in 4k. Kudos to Shout Factory putting all these films out in 4k by the way.

Meanwhile, Dr Challis returns to his room. Smelling heavily of rich mahogany, carrying an ice bucket, liquor and with a lady in damn sexy lingerie waiting for him. And I do mean damn sexy.

Seriously at my wee age seeing this movie. It was a treat, and today still remains a pleasant surprise to be sure.

Having dated a woman twice my age in my twenties, I grew an appreciation for lingerie that unfortunately others around my age didn’t appreciate at the time. Your loss people.

ANY WAY.

While Dr. Stache is getting down and dirty, the room next to them is having a hell of a night. The business woman who nearly ran over Atkins and complained the whole time through, is studying one of her Shamrock mask brought with her from her store. She was upset because the company logo pin separated from the mask after a kid threw it against the wall.

She decides it’s a good time to look over this pin and investigate it, as the back of the pin has a curious circuit board on the back.

Now. This is both a great scene, and also a head scratcher as well.

On the one hand, why would you, if you found a small circuit board on a pin the size of a silver dollar. Why would you begin scratching at it with tweezers instead of removing it?

Because that’s what this lady does. She looks at this circuit board and immediately decides why not scratch over these circuits with my tweezers. This proves to be bad. Very bad in fact.

So bad that this scratching suddenly emits a deadly blue ray from the emblem directly at her face. Not only does it give her the absolute worst case of split dry lips you’ll ever see. It also did more damage than a single can of Coca Cola to her teeth. Also it freed a cage of insects apparently trapped in her head.

Seriously its beautifully gory and well done. It’s genuinely creepy and I love it. Let that be a lesson to you though. Don’t go rubbing things you shouldn’t in bed without protection.

This event however does not hinder the love making of Dr Challis and Ellie. These two are snug as a bug on a rug and all the happier for it.

That is until the sound of people and a truck outside disturb their post sex cuddling. They do a quick investigation and discover a dozen men in white coats and fancy slacks immediately loading up the lady from the next room over, well Dr Challis wants to help. He IS a doctor, and he has a chance at doing some doctoring. But they won’t have any of it. They just carry on like mindless drones and ignore the mans powerful stache and man musk. The movie won’t tell us its there but you and me. We know…we know.

Any…who.

The couple return to their room, a bit troubled and decide to visit the Shamrock factory the next morning. Ellie is asking about a delivery made from them for her fathers shop. They find the order that was shipped and loaded, telling her he had indeed been there, or at the least put in an order with them. So its time to investigate!

Or

IS IT?!

Well it would be if not for the loud family from earlier with the Winnebego entering the factory as well. And who should announce themselves next but Mr. Irish Willy Wonka himself! Conal Cochran! The best baddie to ever bad in a movie. Dan O’Herlihy. Another great character actor. I’d seen him growing up in both Robocop films, the Last Starfighter, the man did a lot of tv shows, which I was a bit too young for at the time, but thanks to streaming services I was able to see his face pop up a few times and it always made me happy.

So this is the man behind Silver Shamrock, and we discover from his immediate introduction that this is a man who is knuckle deep with his finger on the pulse of this town. He knows when everyone checked into the motel. He knew about Dr Challis trying to help the woman last night and assures them that she is getting the best medical help right now. We also learn the family that nearly killed Atkins is none other than the top mask seller and thus this has won him Cochran’s praise! And a free tour for his family. Which he decides to share with Dr Challis and Ellie. How nice of them.

Thus we are given a cool tour of a Halloween mask factory. Being a nut for special makeup effects growing up and to this day, it’s still cool to me seeing all the mask molds laid out, being pumped with foam latex and drying on racks before being painted. I loved making my own mask growing up and if I could get my hands on the material now I’d still give it a go. It’s a pretty innocent factory honestly.

At least until hell breaks loose and they are taken into the Silver Shamrock museum. Full of all the practical jokes, gags, and racially insensitive musical items. It was a different time people. And It’s fun. But yes I can hear in my head some people immediately drawing in a breath and internally screaming.

But this museum of Silver Shamrocks greatest hits is. Really sparce actually. Though If you look closely, and pay attention, you can pickup what its laying down for us. The whole place is subtly telling us what this man has made over the years and steadily perfected on his path of becoming wealthy and powerful. It’s really a nice touch when you look at it after viewing the first time, or if you like playing Columbo during a movie and pickup on it.

So they all get a little background on Cochran and the most annoying kid of all time who flips off his own mother and rides his bike in the middle of the road. He begs for a free mask, and sure enough. He is given one.

I’m guessing to shut him up, because only the irish can say fuck you with a smile!

Okay I’ll honestly try and stop myself. I promise.

I love the Irish I do. My sister just thinks I’m suicidal because my dating preference used to be red headed, Pale and Irish. No that’s not a joke, and yes when my sister tried playing matchmaker for me and I said that to her she literally said “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Like, do you want to die?!”

I love my sister, by the way.

So back to the movie.

Things are not what they seem in this quiet American Irish town. If Atkins and us couldn’t tell earlier. It’s only once we are all outside the factory that we begin to notice all over the factory, and on top of the roofs, inside doorways, around every corner. There are well dressed men with murder gloves at the ready. It actually is rather creepy. What more though, is Ellie discovers in one of their open garages, her fathers car!

But as she races to investigate and make SURE it is his car, she is stopped by several well dressed men. But only stopped, not strangled or head popped like a zit.

So our couple return to their home, and we the viewers are again reminded how many days there are until Halloween, thanks to the Silver Shamrock commercial that seems to be playing with the same frequency as the anti-smoking commercials on tv.

If you still watch tv, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You also have my sympathy.

Well as the sun goes down, this town is turning into a mustache hating place! Well dressed men are aggressively patrolling the streets on foot and by car!. They’ve managed to grab Ellie and take her back to their evil lair, while Dr Challis makes his escape on foot. Which even then, you don’t need mustache senses to tell you you’re still in heavy danger. Every corner he turns is a new threat and more well dressed men. Mustache envy is a thing, and it’s dangerous. Believe that!

Well Challis is scouring the town looking for safety but finding next to nothing. Though he does stumble onto a little place with a grandma knitting idly away as grandmas do. He tries for her attention only to find she’s hard of hearing. Which grandmas can be. So he reaches out to violently shake gram gram, only to discover her head has separated from her body. Which can happen with old age-WAIT NO!

No that isn’t normal at all! She’s a robot! Ash is a goddamn robot!

Sorry wrong movie. But still. Gram gram was a machine! But before that can fully sink in. Challis is set upon my a well dressed man, and trust me, he is not crazy about a well dressed man.

A battle begins between the two and even if Dr Challis put all of his points in charm and mustache. He still has strength. Which for some reason is failing him in his fight! Until its not and he gains the upper hand, using the time tested and boxer trusted fight method of go for the body!. Only when he does go for the body his hands sink into the mans guys.

Either Atkins is secretly a super hero and doesn’t know his own strength. Or these are the worst made humans on earth.

Fortunately we discover, just like Grandma. These well dressed men who go around fingering skulls and ripping off heads. Are indeed. Robots.

Robots made and perfected by Mr. Cochran.

Who decides now to show up as his all manbots take control of the situation. Its only here and now that he begins to share his evil plans. And oh man are these plans evil. Well they’re more out there versus evil but. Okay where to begin.

If you have a joint, or some strong alcohol. It’ll help with this part.

Mr. Cochran has a secret lab in his factory. Using technology with magic. Magic coming from the stolen stone from Stonehenge.

Every branded pin they place on his Halloween mask, are given a small circuit board. Which is then fused with a small piece of rock from the sacred stone. The purpose for this? The ultimate practical joke. On kids.

Which he is willing to demonstrate for us and Dr Challis. This was pure nightmare fuel when I was a kid, so lets relive it.

The loud American family from earlier is brought into a steel enforced room. With no windows one door, and that door is sealed. They’re told to sit on the couch, relax and watch the tv. Which they do because well. Americans.

Once again the Silver Shamrock commercial is playing for us, only this time. The countdown is over and it’s time for the fun to begin. The commercial instructs all kids to put on their Silver Shamrock mask now and watch the commercial. It immediately begins flashing the image of their pumpkin over and over, along with the unholy music of the commercial looking in sequence. The parents aren’t sure what to make of this and assume it’s a joke. Their annoying son decides to put his mask on and sit inches away from the screen. Which honestly yeah…the 80’s were a different time.

As the commercial plays out. There son stops moving and begins swaying oddly. Soon he’s clawing at his mask which has begun to dissolve and he drops dead to the floor. Within moments as the mom screams out, insects and snakes of all breeds begin to slither and leap out from the boys skull, filling the room. The mother faints and is soon over taken by the insects and snakes. The father pounds on the door trying to free himself, only to be attacked by a rattlesnake, and then another. Soon dying as the venom overloads his body.

Within less than a full minute the family is dead.

This is the great practical joke Cochran has planned for the kids and families on Halloween!

“Do I need a reason? Mr. Kupfer was right, you know. I do love a good joke, and this is the best ever: a joke on the children. But there's a better reason. You don't really know much about Halloween. You thought no further than the strange custom of having your children wear masks and go out begging for candy. It was the start of the year in our old Celtic lands, and we'd be waiting in our houses of wattles and clay. The barriers would be down, you see, between the real and the unreal, and the dead might be looking in to sit by our fires of turf. Halloween... the festival of Samhain! The last great one took place three thousand years ago, when the hills ran red with the blood of animals and children. To us, it was a way of controlling our environment. It's not so different now... it's time again. In the end, we don't decide these things, you know; the planets do. They're in alignment, and it's time again. The world's going to change tonight, Doctor, I'm glad you'll be able to watch it. And... Happy Halloween.”

His, is a singular sense of humor.

So this master plan of which we saw a demonstration. Is to all happen  

Its actually a pretty creepy scene and well edited too. As he is saying all this to Dr Stache, he’s positioning a television in front of him and readying it to play the commercial, as he puts a skull mask over Dr Challis. As he turns the tv on and says the final line “And…Happy Halloween” the tv is turned on to a station playing John Carpenters Halloween, and the original theme kicks in just as he says Happy Halloween.

I love it, and it’s a fun moment.

Which again had this movie worked like they intended. It would’ve really been a very cool thing. I mean damn. Going and seeing a sequel to a film, where that film is used as just a horror film that exist in their world as it is in ours. Come on it’s fun stuff. I like the idea they were going for and it really is something that if done today would really sell better I feel.

But I digress. Mr Mustache is in danger! But let us not forget. He is Tom Atkins, he kicks danger in the dick. He’s able to struggle and escape before being doomed to a melting snake face, and escapes his room. Able to call and warn his ex wife…current wife…honestly it’s kind of confusing because.

Okay lets get into it since we’re all here. So she really is his ex wife in the movie. Who is played by the directors real wife. He immediately bangs Ellie after a few hours of being on the road together, and…AND, he is openly flirting with another doctor lady helping him investigate the remains from a fire and the room beside them. The man is a infected with the horny, and his medication is daily does of pussy. It’s his burden to bare and its more a curse than it is a blessing.

APARENTLY!

But yes he calls his ex wife to warn her, not to let their kids watch tv with their mask on. To just toss them out of the house entirely. But she won’t have it. She thinks he’s drunk, jealous and hangs up on him. If only she knew the steady diet of cooch this man has prescribed. Lord have mercy.

Well we are heading directly into our final act, and oh is it going to be a fun one. Aren’t they always though. In this case well. Let’s wait.

So Challis finds and rescues Ellie, who was being held in a room left unguarded. Nothing wrong or suspicious there. The two sneak into Cochrans lab and with the subtle grace of a 9 year old told ‘Don’t touch anything!’, Dr. Challis proceeds to touch every single damn thing in the room. He’s flipping switches, pushing buttons, turning knobs and zero fucks were given that day I can assure you.

Soon after he manages to tinker with every device known to exist. He finds the ‘on’ button and the Silver Shamrock commercial begins to play. Now does that mean everyone in that room is going to get infested and bitten by various snakes and insects? That’d be gross and also too simple. Think bigger. MUCH bigger,and crazier.

Instead as it begins to play. Challis grabs a box of the silver shamrock chips and heads up to the rafters. Immediately dumping them on everyone below! Taking out every android in an almost Raiders of the Lost Ark style. But not as grand, and without lightning, and without the hand of god. In fact it’s nothing at all like Raiders. It’s just sad.

What does happen though. Oddly. While the commercial loops its death song over and over on the circle of monitors. The large stolen stone from Stonehenge begins to worble and glow. Cochran simply looks over, realizing the magic is beginning, and turns grinning toward Cochran, delivering a slow clap to the man. Moments before the circle of monitors begin to glow too and suddenly a beam of light strikes Cochran on both ends. The man simply smiles and is turned into television snow before exploding like the Death Star.

Our heroes escape the factory and the dark sky is now a cherry red from mystical irish powers and Stonehenge magic.

So all is well as they ride off into the sunset.

Like hell!

As the two take off in a car and begin to escape. Ellie decides its time to be open with Challis, so she decides to show him she’s a cyborg now by pushing her hand into his face.

She could’ve ripped his head off. Fingered his skull. Or hell grabbed his weak spot. His mustache! But no. She mashes her hand into the side of his face until he crashes their car.  Which begins a truly hilarious and sad final battle. As he battles not only a cyborg girlfriend. But a cyborg girlfriend who lost an arm in the car crash, and lost her head. So he battles her hand in the car. And then battles her headless one armed corpse. THEN he manages to escape.

Returning to civilization for the best ending you could ask for in a horror film. The kind with no hope for humanity. A true blue Carpenter vision.

Challis manages to escape on foot and make it to the very same auto shop that Ellies father made it to in the beginning. He rushes toward a phone and begins immediately to demand from the television stations they stop the Silver Shamrock ad before its too late. Just at that moment three kids wearing Shamrock mask run up for candy, and rudely take over the mechanics television. Challis is in a race against time screaming repeatedly for them to stop the commercial. Which one station manages to do. So the kid changes stations. That channel stopped as well. The little brat switches channels again, This one is still running the commercial. Challis is begging the person now on the phone, warning them Channel 3 is still playing the commercial. He’s pleading for them to stop it before it’s too late, and as the music plays that we’ve had to endure for this whole film. We hear the death loop begin to play and Challis is left screaming for them to stop it as the movie fades out and we roll credits.

Its important also to remember something rather scary for anyone in their twenties to think of. 1982 and television. Well…

Back in the day, as it were. We were limited to three channels. Which later expanded to 12..then 20 something. It was a dark time for entertainment in the television realm. Cable was a new thing and even then things like HBO were going through the same phase NETFLIX did where they showed any and everything for content to keep people watching. So the idea of calling to get a commercial stopped? It was a possibility back then. Now in a world with thousands of channels? Well we’d be in a sea of snakes and insects unfortunately. Except for the Amish.

Damn Amish…

NO I DON’T HATE THE AMISH!

Honestly it’s a good ending to the movie, and you have no idea if they stopped things in time, or if we were all doomed. Some of Carpenters best films end that way and I love it. Sometimes it’s frustrating, but it works great here and honestly had they carried on their plan of more Halloween films telling their own story? It would’ve made for a fun theme really.

The movie bombed horribly when it was released. There was a lot of finger pointing and people not wanting to take credit after. But Carpenter and Hill more or less shrugged it off. It was an idea they tried, people didn’t like it so they moved on to the next project. This provided the series a new avenue to save itself, but also like with some other series that reach this fork in the road. It doesn’t always work out in the end. Fans divide themselves and as we now find ourselves. We have some fans giving crap reviews to any Halloween release after part 2 a one star because ever since the new trilogy of Halloween films came out, they’ve determined the other films in the series no longer matter. Because those new movies retcon the others. Which I feel is bullshit.

There are some genuinely good entries in the Halloween series and some interesting attempts. But Season of the Witch is really a missed opportunity.

Which only now is finding more and more of a fan base. But that’s both built on those who genuinely love the movie for what it is and tried to kickstart, and those who try hailing it as a good bad movie that’s just out there.

It’s funny but after watching a month of shark films all varying in quality? Seeing the actual heart behind some of them, and the absolute lack of any care some directors put into those films. I grew an appreciation for films people say are so bad they’re good, and I really started to try stop saying that. Because they aren’t bad. They’re passionate and the people followed their vision as best they could and had fun with it.

When you make a corny movie and try to sell it as so bad its good. You’re pandering shit. It’s not something people will take as having heart.

This film had an idea and they ran with it. It was interesting to them and they put the work into it. It failed, but they really tried. Some people get it, and others it absolutely just won’t work for them. I mean it is a lot to take.

We are the third film in, in a series that up until then had been about a faceless entity killing without remorse or reason, stalking a babysitter until he was blown up by his doctor.

To now having a film that has cyborg henchmen, cursed Halloween mask. Magic and Stonehenge.

I mean….that is a hard sell.

But damn did they try.

The film has picked up enough of a following now that there’s even talk of a direct sequel to it being made. Which I don’t really know how I feel about that.

Does Season of the Witch need a sequel? Or would it work to try and carry what Hill and Carpenter wanted in making a series of films with spooky stories taking place on Halloween night.

It’s a weird thing and honestly something you have to ask do we need, or is it best to enjoy this for what it is. Is this exploiting it for the sake of, or a genuine attempt.

At any rate. The film is a fun odd horror film. It really carries itself well and whether you laugh at it or get grossed out by it. You’ll hopefully enjoy it. I really think more people should give it a chance.

And anyone saying the other films no longer matter? Please just…don’t. Don’t be. Don’t. Be.

And now, for the part I’ve been waiting for, and we are all here for I assume.

The Music.

John Carpenter made music with Alan Howarth that shaped my ears and how I score projects and creat music. He had a really fun and interesting approach to making music.

Alan Howarth would essentially setup the tech and load up the samples. Get the movie set up and Carpenter would begin making music on the fly as they watched the film. He referred to it as an Electronic Coloring Book. Carpenters father was a musician and taught music. So growing up Carpenter played a variety of instruments but took more to film. While making Halloween he realized they needed music but it just wasn’t in their budget so. He decided to score it himself, and from that we got the Halloween theme which everyone knows, even without having seen the movie itself.

The guy has a good talent for making music that just sticks in your head, and this film score is one of the better ones that absolutely does.

It’s just unfortunate not many people are aware of it as they dismiss the film. But the moment they began putting the soundtrack out? It sold out immediately. Everywhere.

I was swept up during the releasing of each Halloween movie soundtrack on vinyl, which was a race at the time. But the one album I had to hunt down multiple sites. Daily. Was for Season of the Witch. Honestly from memory, and having seen the movie a handful of times growing up. I only really remembered 3 or so tracks from the film, but they were all good. I just couldn’t believe thousands of copies of this were selling out in under 30 minutes. They made different variants of the album all based off the main three mask of the film, and splatter covers too. Every time they went up for sale. They sold out. I had to go to a site in the UK, and order one. I only managed that one because I was on twitter at the right time when it was announced, before selling out again.

Then when reprints came out, Damn right I picked up another. And when some sites released first pressings they found in their ‘backroom’ I may have also picked those up. One for listening. The others for holding onto.

The entire soundtrack for this film. Is beautiful.

It’s prime John Carpenter and Alan Howarth. The opening track and Chariot of Pumpkins, is just beautiful. It’s moody and dark, it’s classic Carpenter. It carries some notes that are reminiscent of music he’d later use in Christine too. Which comes much later on. It’s one of those albums you can listen to from start to finish without skipping a track.

Honestly a lot of the music he did in this. I don’t want to paint a target on my back but…

There are some composers I feel that stole a lot of beats from his score share some similarities to The Terminator. But that could just be me.

But it’s not.

It’s also enjoyable listening to when you know the music wasn’t planned out, it was just inspired by what he saw while filming. Just finding a beat, and running with it. Taking that and composing something from that. Another good track that stands out is Challis and Starker. It’s a very subtle track but something you just slowly get lost in. It’s a slow subtle almost stealth approach that builds and suddenly strikes. But just as quickly as it strikes it pulls back and goes right back on its path steadily and quietly. And the transition from that into Marge Revealed? Seemless.

I just can’t really get over the fact that Carpenter and Howarth essentially just. Threw out two established scores in this series and decided to put out. Well. An original masterpiece.

I don’t say that lightly either. It’s really surprising because even though it is VERY much a different film from the first two in every respect. The music reflects that as well without relying on familiar tones or beats. In fact the only time you ever hear the original Halloween music, or anything resembling it are the two short moments in the film where Halloween is being shown on Television.

Even the score for Halloween two was improved on from the original. It still carries beats of the original. But again they expanded on that and made some very cool tracks that really make the film stand on its own. Doing that a third time, but completely from scratch. It’s really something and I think people should appreciate a lot more.

It really did effect later on how I compose music. Music I did for my audio drama series, and other podcast. It’s not that easy unfortunately, and far too easy to slip into replicating someones sound and out right copying their sound.

What thankfully is very hard to capture and replicate however. Is the style.

During the 80’s it was a prime time for horror and horror music. Especially with Carpenters music. Which I think will stay that way. Least I hope it does. People make youtube videos trying to claim ‘How to make a John Carpenter Score” but it’s not. There’s just a particular sound. A mood, captured back then when these films were being made, and now people try replicating and recapturing that. You just really can’t. You can make something close, sure. Something original yeah. But music like this. It’s hard to come by, and that for me makes it stand out all the more.

As I said. The film and the music deserve more honest love and adoration. Especially the music. My hope honestly with all these classic scores coming out recently. Prince of Darkness, Shockwave, CHUD, My Bloody Valentine, Halloween 3. I’m hoping more people discover these and appreciate them, because they are very beautiful scores and. While I recommend you pick up your own copy. Do not look at the vinyl unless you plan on putting on a new pair of pants. It is however still available digitally for a much MUCH more reasonable amount.

That being said. Check it out, check out the score. Enjoy both and let me know if you do and your own thoughts. Because you can honestly disagree on the film. But the music?

Man. The music is just. Yeah. Give it a listen, and for now. I shall see you all tomorrow.