Halloween II (1981)

Director:

Rick Rosenthal

Writers:

John Carpenter (writer)
Debra Hill (writer)

Release Date:

30 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

More Of The Night He Came Home

Plot:

Laurie Strode is rushed to the hospital, while Sheriff Brackett and Dr. Loomis hunt the streets for Michael Myers, who has found Laurie at the Haddonfield Hospital.

Plot Keywords:

Hiding | Autopsy | Multiple Homicide | Stare | Corruption

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 29

3:05 AM

MAX

Cast

Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Laurie Strode
Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Sam Loomis
Charles Cyphers	...	Sheriff Leigh Brackett
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Graham
Lance Guest	...	Jimmy Lloyd
Pamela Susan Shoop	...	Karen Bailey
Hunter von Leer	...	Deputy Gary Hunt
Dick Warlock	...	The Shape / Patrolman #3
Leo Rossi	...	Budd
Gloria Gifford	...	Mrs. Alves
Tawny Moyer	...	Nurse Jill Franco
Ana Alicia	...	Janet Marshall
Ford Rainey	...	Dr. Frederick Mixter
Cliff Emmich	...	Mr. Garrett
Nancy Stephens	...	Marion Chambers

Also Known As:

Halloween II: The Horror Continues (USA) (working title)
Halloween II: The Nightmare Isn't Over! (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

92 min | Sweden:90 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1982) | Singapore:NC-16 | Norway:18 (re-release) (cut) (1988) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1982) | Portugal:M/18 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Brazil:16 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (Banned) | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Iceland:(Banned) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1983) | Norway:15 (video) (re-release) (1999) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1986)

Filming Locations:

Kersting Court at Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Company:

De Laurentiis

Trivia:

Pamela Susan Shoop (Karen) got an ear infection during filming of her death scene as the water in the hot tub was apparently "none too clean".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gary and his mother arrive at the hospital, the ambulance containing Laurie can be seen driving up in the background. In the next shot, the ambulance enters the parking lot and drives up behind them again.

Quotes:

[after Michael disappears]
Doyle Neighbor: What's going on out here?
Sam Loomis: Call the police! Tell the sheriff I shot him!
Doyle Neighbor: Who?
Sam Loomis: Tell him, he's still on the loose!
Doyle Neighbor: Is this some kind of joke? I've been trick-or-treated to death tonight.
Sam Loomis: [looks at the blood on his hand] You don't know what death is!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

Soundtrack:

MR. SANDMAN

Could've Been A Lot Better

Halloween II is a surprisingly substantial slasher sequel. It has clear ideas and has a much different but equally scary concept. Instead of a small town street, we're in a sleepy hospital overnight. Halloween II just suffers from a surpassing amount of inconsistencies.

I used to like this one better than the original Halloween, because it just starts, immediately. Also, being trapped in a minimally populated small town hospital riveted me and truly scared me. Years later, I realize that it has too much going on outside the hospital to be as claustrophobic as I wish it would be. There's a pretty futile plot strand outside of the hospital that detracts from the movie. If Halloween II were confined to the hospital, quiet with suspense slowly rising, with the murders and Jamie Lee Curtis immobilized in her room and such, it would be a greatly surpassing sequel. However, it does not do that, and it has twice the ridiculous details that almost completely ruin scenes of potentially great fright and suspense.