10 Things You Learn Rewatching Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995)
I knew what he was, but I never knew why...
After years of attempting to craft a follow-up to the divisive Halloween 5 that would both tie-up the dangling plot-threads of the previous film and take the franchise in a fresh new direction fit for '90s audiences, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers was released to the world in 1995.
But it had one of the strangest routes to cinemas of any major release in history. From the script that was written by a long-time fan of the franchise and first-time screenwriter, Daniel Farrand, to the shoot that was so troublesome and plagued that it accidentally earned the film it's cursed title, to the infamous test screenings that were received so poorly that Miramax tacked millions more onto the film's budget to extensively reshoot the entire third act.
When it was released, it was absolutely hated by fans and critics alike, to the point that the next installment of the franchise had to completely reboot the whole thing. But now, years later, is the theatrical cut of Halloween 6 really as bad as it's reputation suggests?
10. The Music Is Atrocious
If Halloween 5 saw Alan Howarth's concentration as a composer beginning to slip, then this film's soundtrack sees him completely and totally losing it.
After doing right by the franchise for decades, Howard completely loses his mind here and creates one of the most laughably awful scores imaginable. Gone are the keys of Carpenter's original score, gone are the airy synths of Howarth's earlier scores, replaced entirely with electric guitar.
This was a strange choice from the get-go, but in simply using the instrument to limply redo cuts like the Halloween Theme and The Shape Stalks, it comes off more like a parody than an actual attempt at a score.
To make matters worse, this film's soundtrack also sees Howarth laying on even more gratuitous 'false startle' effects. It's as though Howarth suddenly felt compelled to lay on the loud, metallic percussion every single time something happens on-screen. But rather than having the intended effect of unsettling, it's just mind-numbing by the ten-minute mark.
Considering that this is Howarth's last-ever turn at scoring a Halloween film, it is an incredible shame that it had to end on such a sour note. Sadly, this sense of remorse looms over a great many aspects of Halloween 6....