10 Things You Learn Rewatching Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988)

10. The Music

Thanks to some disagreements over the direction the franchise should take with producer Moustapha Akkad, Halloween 4 marked the first time in the history of the franchise that John Carpenter was not involved in any capacity.

Luckily, his collaborator on the scores for series' prior two films, Alan Howarth, was more than willing to return. And while Carpenter is sorely missed, its a joy to hear Howarth go all-in on a Halloween score that is completely his own.

As a whole, the score is much more moody and atmospheric than prior incarnations. Howarth opens the film with airy synth pads, distinctly holding back on the iconic theme. He hints at it with some playful melodies here and there but doesn't fully cue up the theme until Michael appears on-screen, making it that much more impactful.

The Halloween Theme itself is amped up in typically '80s fashion, complete with a delightfully bonkers moment of Howarth replicating the theme's melody on reverb-heavy toms. Much like the film, the music is more-or-less a return to familiar territory, just through the lens of the late '80s.