Synopsis:

Twenty years after that fateful Halloween night in Haddonfield, The Shape has come back for Laurie Strode, now dean of a private school and estranged mother to her son John. Laurie will have to face her fears and confront Michael Myers one last time.

Intentions:

While some fans were disappointed to see Halloween 4, 5 and 6 retconned out of the official continuity, I didn’t really mind, even though I am a fan of these entries as well. Because I adore trilogies, I enjoy thinking of Halloween, Halloween II and Halloween H20 as a very satisfying horror trilogy starring Laurie Strode, Michael Myers and their terrifying dynamic. Although H20 was a very worthy entry that featured a perfect ending, I think it lacked some elements that could have easily made it better.

Change List:

- The Dimension Films logo turns orange. - Added TV cut footage. (Jimmy looks around the living room) - Added TV cut footage. (Jimmy walks in hallway) - Added TV cut footage. (Marion’s ransacked office) - Added musical cue from Halloween (The Shape appears) - Added TV cut footage. (Marion looking for Jimmy) - Added TV cut footage. (Marion tries to escape) - Added TV cut footage. (Shape stalks Marion) - Replaced Dr. Loomis soundalike with actual monologue from Halloween - Removed white flash after opening credits. - Extended Laurie’s dream with scenes from Halloween and Halloween II - Added TV cut footage. (Shape watches mom and girl) - Added breathing sound effect to Shape’s POV. (Shape watching mom and girl) - Replaced score with Tyler Bates’ music. (Laurie goes to lunch) - Added scene from Halloween: Resurrection. - Replaced “Mr. Sandman” on radio with “Don’t Fear The Reaper”. - Added John Ottman’s music to the score. (Shape at the gate) - Added breathing sound effect to Shape’s POV. (Shape at the gate) - Added John Ottman’s music to the score. (Molly’s search) - Added musical cue from Halloween. (Molly sees Shape) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Buses leave) - Added scene from Halloween: Resurrection. - Added scene from Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Fear Itself. - Replaced score with John Carpenter’s music. (Ronnie investigates) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Laurie hallucinates?) - Replaced footage of “Scream 2” on TV with 1982 “The Thing”. - Removed “date-rape evening/nipples pierced” exchange. - Added breathing sound effect to Shape POV. (Shape watches John) - Added TV cut footage. (Will carving a pumpkin) - Replaced score with John Carpenter’s music. (Laurie opens up) - Removed Will’s line “Well, that’s…sucky!”. - Added TV cut footage. (Shape stalks Charlie) - Added breathing sound effect to Shape POV. (Shape stalks Charlie) - Removed shot of CGI mask. - Removed Charlie’s “Hi!” to The Shape. - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music (Charlie face to face with Shape) - Added John Ottman’s music to the score. (Shape behind curtain) - Fixed the continuity error with Charlie’s head. - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Sarah chase) - Added TV cut footage. (The Shape going after John and Molly) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (John and Molly chase) - Added TV cut footage. (The Shape keeps going) - Added TV cut footage. (The Shape goes up the stairs) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Kids at the gate, Laurie face to face) - Removed frames where it’s obvious that Ronnie is shot. - Replaced score with John Carpenter’s music. (Ronnie’s body) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Shape in pursuit) - Added a montage of different locations before Laurie walks into the school. - Added TV cut footage. (Laurie looks for The Shape) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Laurie hides, Shape turns tables) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Laurie throws knives) - Added musical cue from Halloween. (Laurie stabbed Shape) - Fixed the continuity error of Laurie pulling the knife out of The Shape. - Removed Ronnie from ending. - Added John Ottman’s music. (Laurie stabs the Shape) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Laurie takes Shape for a ride) - Replaced score with John Ottman’s music. (Shape gets up) - Removed a comical shot of The Shape getting hit by the ambulance. - Removed a shot of The Shape frantically grabbing his head. - Moved dedication to Donald Pleasence to the start of the credits. - “Pleasence” is spelled correctly. - Removed the Creed song during the credits, replaced by “Don’t Fear The Reaper”.

Additional Notes:

With all the material at my disposition, I tried to make H20 closer in style, tone and execution to its predecessors (Halloween and Halloween II) by: - replacing most of the recycled Scream music with John Ottman’s original score, John Carpenter’s classic Halloween themes or Tyler Bates’ score for the 2007 remake - adding some deleted scenes from the TV version to build tension and pacing - adding scenes with a certain holiday atmosphere to compensate for the lack of it - removing silly things like Ronnie surviving a bullet to the head, the CGI mask, etc. - adding various call-backs to the original Halloween (actual Donald Pleasence monologue, Laurie hearing Don’t Fear The Reaper, The Thing playing on TV, hearing The Shape’s breathing, etc).

Other Sources:

Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later BD (Alliance) Halloween-25th Anniversary DVD (Anchor Bay) Halloween II DVD (Universal) Halloween: Resurrection DVD (Miramax) Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later- Television Cut (FX) Buffy the Vampire Slayer- Season Four, “Fear Itself”) DVD (20th Century Fox) Plan 9 From Outer Space DVD (Legend Films) Halloween Soundtrack by John Carpenter Portrait of Terror (Halloween H20) by John Ottman Halloween (2007) Soundtrack by Tyler Bates.

Special Thanks:

Thanks to member ThrowgnCpr for capturing the TV cut back in 2010.