HALLOWEEN II (1981) Review (Originally posted on Planet Fury)

     The Moustapha Akkad presentation of HALLOWEEN II picks up directly where the original ends. Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) shoots boogeyman Michael Myers (Nick Castle) six times, sending him over a balcony and onto the front lawn of the Doyle house. Of course, everybody knows that you ‘can’t kill the boogeyman’ and Myers’ body is nowhere to be found. Intrepid “final girl” Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), is taken by ambulance to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital to tend to her wounds while Loomis and Sheriff Brackett (Charles Cyphers) wander the streets of Haddonfield attempting to find The Shape. 

     Throughout his original rampage, Michael’s motives were seemingly tied to the anniversary of murdering his sister Judith (fifteen years prior). After returning to the scene of the crime, he fixated on a teenager (Laurie) who reminded him of his sister, compelling him to repeat the crime again. His efficient trail of death was either tied to survival or his compulsion to relive the past. A Phelp’s Garage mechanic, two dogs and three horny teens were either slashed or strangled - and sometimes both. By HALLOWEEN II, our boogeyman (now played by stunt man Dick Warlock) appears less focused and much more angry. Maybe it was the knitting needle in the neck, the hanger in the eye, the butcher knife in the chest, the six close-range bullets to his body and two-story fall to the ground that soured his patient, methodical approach? Whatever the cause, poor Alice (Anne Bruner), a random teen alone in her home, is the first unfortunate victim of the angrier, less subtle Myers. Alice’s only sin? Leaving the front door unlocked. Myers may have returned, but he couldn’t have wandered further from Orange Grove Ave.

 

   The rest of HALLOWEEN II focuses on Loomis’ attempts at finding Myers - and Myers’ attempts at killing Laurie. While Loomis gathers clues indicating a nonsensical (and unnecessary) motive for his former patient, the incompetent staff at Haddonfield Memorial are systematically killed by Myers in several mean and equally nonsensical ways. The creepy cat and mouse games of a child-like psycho have been replaced by FRIDAY THE 13^th-style murder set pieces. What is most frustrating with this follow-up, again scripted by Carpenter and Debra Hill, is that there is no true protagonist. Curtis’ Laurie is drugged and bedridden for most of the running time. The intrepid babysitter from the original is relegated to the sidelines while Loomis is left to search dental records and wax philosophic on evil and the origins of Samhain. The audience is left to wander the dark halls with group of dim, vague archetypes simply waiting for a syringe to the eye.  Hard to believe that Carpenter and Hill would choose to pursue such a limited and redundant narrative. It’s a slick yet depressing coda to a classic film that surely deserved better. 

     Director Rick Rosenthal (HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION) does a serviceable job with the slight material he was given. He gets some solid performances from Pleasence, Cyphers and Lance Guest (JAWS: THE REVENGE) as concerned paramedic Jimmy. Nancy Stephens makes a welcome return as the cynical, chain-smoking Marion and Gloria Gifford is a strong presence as head nurse Mrs. Alves (the lone authority figure at Haddonfield Memorial). Curtis, who did the sequel out of loyalty to Carpenter and Hill, is suitably worried and anxious in her extended victim role. Though a poorly-chosen wig offers distracting evidence that this is definitely not the same brave teen who fought so valiantly to stop the boogeyman. Thankfully she was able to reconcile the somnambulant turn of her character TWICE several years later in the compelling HALLOWEEN: H20 and the even better Blumhouse re-imagining HALLOWEEN 2018 (which ditches all the sequels and the sibling connection altogether). 

     Rosenthal’s film looks and feels very much like the original, thanks to returning cinematographer Dean Cundey (SATAN’S CHEERLEADERS). The first moments after the opening credits, with Myers’ POV through the back alleys of Haddonfield, contain a mischievous energy missing from the rest of the film. These brief shots cleverly mirror the beginning of the original and promise a movie that is far more inventive than what proceeds. As a HALLOWEEN sequel, it’s mostly trick, but as a mindless slasher film it’s a digestible treat (if you prefer hard candy). It’s helped greatly by the kinetic score, an electronic revamp of Carpenter’s iconic original soundtrack. The extended, entirely expected stalking sequence between Myers and Laurie is shot and edited with a modicum of energy. However, the leisure pace of the Warlock Myers is often unintentionally funny. Laurie “narrowly escaping” the surgical knife by a slow moving elevator is far removed from the nail-biting confrontations orchestrated in the original. 

     What is most obvious (and unfortunate) with HALLOWEEN II, is that Myers is most certainly NOT the boogeyman. The silent, sneaky phantom in the shadows from HALLOWEEN is nowhere to be found once Strode has been secured in the stretcher. Perhaps by bookending the film with The Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman,” Carpenter and Hill were intimating that our heroine began hallucinating as soon as she stated that, ‘It was the boogeyman.’ Razors in the mouth, exploding cars, boiled faces and slippery pools of blood are surely the stuff of nightmares. 

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Possession of Nurse Sherri DVD Review (Re-post from 2004 Monsters at Play article)

Silly softcore artwork for Retro Shock-O-Rama's DVD release of Nurse Sherri.

     Don’t let the slick softcore, direct-to-video cover art fool you, this is authentic ‘70’s schlock at its most entertaining. Though known in it’s various releases under several different titles (including Beyond the Living and Black VooDoo), most are familiar with this bargain basement Al Adamson film simply as Nurse Sherri. A lurid mix of horror and sexploitation, Sherri is one of the last great examples of drive-in circuit programming - and one of the most absurdly compelling.  
     While attempting to raise the body of a dead disciple, enigmatic cult leader Reanhauer (Bill Roy) has a heart attack. He’s promptly rushed to a hospital for emergency surgery and ends up dying. His tortured spirit, in the form of a crudely animated green blob, quickly possesses sexy nurse Sherri (the pretty but vacuous Jill Jacobson). Using her as his demonic vehicle, he haphazardly begins a plot of revenge against the crackerjack surgical team that operated upon him. Death by pitchfork and other sharp objects soon follow. Ultimately, it’s up to Sherri’s boyfriend Dr. Peter (handsome piece of wood Geoffrey Land) and her fellow nurse confidants (Marylin Joi and Mary Kay Pass) to help her exorcise the evil spirit. 

Jill Jacobson is not confused, she is simply possessed by a confused spirit.

     It’s pointless to delve much into the “plot” of this schizoid production given its fractured history. Even the premise of film is  arbitrary (not to mention contradictory) when given the slightest scrutiny. The cult leader in question seeks revenge because he refused medical help. Though the surgery proves unsuccessful, he would have died regardless – which renders his beyond-the-grave retribution completely nonsensical. His amazing and ever-evolving supernatural powers putting a huge exclamation mark on the junky narrative. Subplots are provided and ultimately prove fruitless. Prentiss Moulden plays a blind ex-football player with knowledge on all things supernatural. His scenes with cult icon Joi (Ilsa: Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks) are well played. The two African American actors give the most convincing performances - which is faint praise indeed. 
     The film is opened up somewhat by an additional “subplot” provided by extra footage shot when it was decided to play up Sherri’s “scarier” aspects. Adamson regular J. C. Wells, who was a minor character in the first cut, now receives lots of screen time as an ex-cult member. Telekinetic mayhem, a car chase with ubiquitous vehicle explosion and some nicely shot exteriors are the “bonuses” of this extra mandated footage. Though these sequences add nothing to the central plot, they greatly enhance the production value. This is appreciated even more once the original cut of the film is viewed. Obviously much of the enjoyment factor in watching Sherri is the poorly executed story structure. Those who prefer coherence and continuity along with their exploitation should avoid this (and most Adamson films) altogether.

Marylin Joi and Prentiss Moulden give all in Nurse Sherri (a.k.a. Black VooDoo).

     Basically, Nurse Sherri is a strange marriage of the film Carrie and the nurse sexploitation sub genre. In fact, producer Sam Sherman (listed in the credits as Mark Sherwood) offers a candid audio commentary where he credits Carrie and the Roger Corman film Student Nurses as inspiration. The final result is probably the most coherent of all of Sherman’s collaborations with the late director. It’s also one of the more compelling pieces of low budget schlock released at the time. (The climax of the film is actually edited quite nicely and does hold a modicum of suspense.) 
     What makes this film more than just a “so-bad-it’s-good” experience is a combination of elements. Often Nurse Sherri feels like an Ovidio Assonitis production. The jarring editing and poor continuity frequently found in his Italian/ American releases (which include Beyond the Door and The Visitor) tend to give them an eerie, otherworldly quality. In this respect, Sherri’s budget limitations and numerous re-shoots often work in its favor. There is also a claustrophobic uneasiness that permeates the film as well. Practical locations (no studio sets) and its 16 millimeter you-are-there documentary aesthetic certainly give it an edge. It’s the perfect companion piece to William Sachs’ The Incredible Melting Man from ’77. Both films are micro-budgeted, claustrophobic horror films that work because of their obvious limitations. Though certainly no classic, Sherri can be immensely entertaining for those who appreciate the sub-genre. 

A bloody hand attempts to awaken the somnambulant Nurse Sherri.

     Nurse Sherri was originally shot in 16mm, then transferred to 35mm. High color contrast and severe grain on the release print are often the result. Sherri’s additional footage was shot on 35mm film stock, which only adds to its inconsistent presentation. The original release probably looked much like the image on this DVD – lots of minor wear with heavy contrast and grain. The night scenes are also extremely dark on the original cut of the film. There is an alternate, sexed-up version of Sherri included as well. This cut has even more wear and high contrast but, oddly enough, the night scenes are much brighter. The image is not letterboxed, but the 16mm aspect ratio remains intact. Al Adamson was not known for his mise-en-scene as a director - so even the 35mm scenes don’t seem to lose much information in the framing. For the record, most the film was shot by Roger Michaels - who does an adequate job. There are no awkward boom mics in the frame or major technical gaffes.

     Sound quality on the DVD is merely adequate. The original film transfer had audio problems and these are even more prominent in the digital presentation. The groovy catalogue music (all provided by the same television composer) comes in quite clear. Most of the sound problems come from post-production dubbing (or maybe the lack of) but really add to the drive-in experience. You don’t purchase a grind house film like this expecting much in terms of technical quality. However, compared to Something Weird’s DVD releases of the H. G. Lewis films (all 16mm), this is vastly inferior on all levels. Also, the film’s audio during the commentary track is off slightly – and is a bit distracting. 

The unfortunate Sherri is overtaken by a sparkly green blob in Nurse Sherri.

     This disc is a must for all fans of ‘70’s drive-in films for the audio commentary alone. Sam Sherman has provided numerous commentaries for other DVD releases and he’s got the system down. As stated previously, the audio of the film is out of sync during his voice-over, but he rarely stops to take a breath. His candid comments about the genesis of the film, behind-the-scenes struggles and reedits make it even more interesting. Originally Nurse Sherri was intended as a sex film with horror elements. The original cut is provided and is a fascinating look at the making and remaking of an exploitation film. Also included is the theatrical trailer and a TV spot - both great pieces of schlock advertising. Shock-O-Rama and Seduction Cinema trailers (mainly ‘90’s direct-to-video titles) are also part of the package.

     Though a fully-remastered, widescreen print would have greatly improved the package, this is the best Nurse Sherri has appeared since its release and the commentary alone is worth the (inexpensive) retail price. Certainly not for every taste, especially those who prefer the “intentionally campy” horror films that permeated the multiplexes in the mid-80’s. But if you prefer your exploitation with honest absurdity and eager-to-please schlock, then search out your favorite DVD vendor for this out-of-print gem.   

The gloriously lurid original one-sheet for the 1978 theatrical release.