Halloween II (1981)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

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:

Hospital | Halloween | Michael Myers | Sheriff | Death

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Laurie Strode
Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Sam Loomis
Charles Cyphers	...	Sheriff Leigh Brackett
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Graham
Lance Guest	...	Jimmy
Pamela Susan Shoop	...	Karen
Hunter von Leer	...	Deputy Gary Hunt
Dick Warlock	...	The Shape / Patrolman #3
Leo Rossi	...	Budd
Gloria Gifford	...	Mrs. Alves
Tawny Moyer	...	Jill
Ana Alicia	...	Janet
Ford Rainey	...	Dr. Mixter
Cliff Emmich	...	Mr. Garrett
Nancy Stephens	...	Marion
John Zenda	...	The Marshal
Catherine Bergstrom	...	Producer
Alan Haufrect	...	Announcer
Lucille Benson	...	Mrs. Elrod
Howard Culver	...	Man in pajamas
Dana Carvey	...	Assistant
Billy Warlock	...	Craig (as Bill Warlock)
Jonathan Prince	...	Randy
Leigh French	...	Gary's Mother
Ty Mitchell	...	Gary
Nancy Kyes	...	Annie Brackett (as Nancy Loomis)
Pamela McMyler	...	Laurie's mother
Dennis Holahan	...	Laurie's father
Nichole Drucker	...	Young Laurie Strode
Ken Smolka	...	Patrolman #1
Adam Gunn	...	Young Michael Myers
Roger Hampton	...	Patrolman #2
Robin Coleman	...	Medic
Jack Verbois	...	Bennett Tramer
Tony Moran	...	Michael Myers (age 23) (archive footage)
Kyle Richards	...	Lindsey Wallace (archive footage)
Brian Andrews	...	Tommy Doyle (archive footage)
Anne Bruner	...	Alice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Helen Kelly	...	Nurse at the Hospital (uncredited)
Anne-Marie Martin	...	Darcy Essmont (uncredited)
Lance Warlock	...	Radio-Carrying Teen (uncredited)

Directed by
Rick Rosenthal

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Carpenter		writer
Debra Hill		writer

Produced by
Moustapha Akkad	....	executive producer
Barry Bernardi	....	associate producer
John Carpenter	....	producer
Debra Hill	....	producer
Joseph Wolf	....	executive producer
Irwin Yablans	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Carpenter
Alan Howarth

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey

Film Editing by
Mark Goldblatt
Skip Schoolnik

Casting by
Mary Gail Artz

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Set Decoration by
Peg Cummings

Makeup Department
Frankie Bergman	....	hair stylist
John Chambers	....	makeup technician
Michael Germain	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jeffrey Chernov	....	production manager
Nancy Platt Jacoby	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William S. Beasley	....	first assistant director
John Carpenter	....	director, additional scenes
Duncan Henderson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kevin Conlin	....	property master
Michael Diersing	....	construction foreman
Terry Feller	....	propmaker (as Terry G. Feller)
Andrew P. Flores	....	labor foreman
Matt Furginson	....	swing gang (as Frank M. Furginson)
Serge Genitempo	....	stand-by painter
Walton D. Hadfield	....	construction coordinator
Darrell Huntsman	....	greensman
Jerry Palermo	....	construction painter
James A. Rathbun	....	assistant property master
Eugene J. Reed	....	property master
Richard M. Sternbach	....	production illustrator
Daniel Stoltenberg	....	property master
Jerry T. Tirado	....	lead man

Sound Department
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
Carl Fischer	....	boom operator
Michael C. Gutierrez	....	sound editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound editor (as Warren Hamilton)
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Purvis	....	assistant dialogue editor
David E. Stone	....	sound editor
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gene Wahrman	....	dialogue editor
David Lewis Yewdall	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Lawrence J. Cavanaugh	....	special effects supervisor
Frank 'Paco' Munoz	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Sam Nicholson	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Hill Farnsworth	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Glynn Rubin	....	stunt double
Dick Warlock	....	stunt coordinator
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Dic Alexander	....	grip (as Richard Alexander)
Jon Antunovich	....	electrician
Bobby W. Brown	....	electrician
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Norris L. Essex	....	electrician
Kim Gottlieb	....	still photographer
Laszlo Horvath	....	grip
Kris Krosskove	....	dolly grip
Walter Rexford Allen Lott	....	electrician
Drain M. Marshall	....	rigging gaffer
Terry Marshall	....	electrician
Thomas Marshall	....	best boy electric
Steve Mathis	....	electrician
Mark Pearson	....	best boy grip
Patrick G. Ralston	....	electrician
Joe A. Salamdino	....	grip
Dennis E. Shelton	....	electrician
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator
Raymond Stella	....	panaglide operator
Ray Thomas	....	electrician
Mark Walthour	....	gaffer
Ronald Woodward	....	key grip
Douglas Olivares	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susie Johnson	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frances Vega Aubrey	....	costumer
Jane Ruhm	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Michael D. Ornstein	....	associate film editor
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
Kimberly Ray	....	assistant film editor
José Antonio Torres	....	assistant film editor

Transportation Department
Ray Appel	....	driver
Larry L. Berneau	....	driver
Alan Broberg	....	driver
Denny Caira	....	driver
Raymond Claridge	....	driver
James M. Downs	....	driver
Gary Hardman	....	driver
Bruce Hauer	....	driver
William Charles Hauer	....	driver
Bob Hendrix	....	driver
Mark Jackson	....	driver
Gary Kincaid	....	driver
James A. Lundin	....	driver
Jerry N. Marsh	....	driver
Kenny Moore	....	driver (as Kenneth James Moore)
Dave Pierce	....	driver
Wayne Roberts	....	transportation captain
Joe Sawyers	....	driver
Mario Simon	....	driver
Jim Sprayberry	....	driver
Andy Straub	....	driver
Gary Vermillion	....	driver
Thomas Vilardo	....	driver (as Tommy G. Vilardo)
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Lynne Birdt	....	production coordinator
Andy Bonin	....	technical advisor
Bob Burris	....	craft service (as Robert C. Burris)
Steve Burris	....	craft service
Maurice Costello	....	registered nurse
Bernie Granados	....	first aid: construction
Egbert W. Jetter	....	caterer
Patrice J. Klinger	....	accounting assistant
Deborah D. Lee	....	first aid
Don Post	....	mask maker
Geoffrey Ryan	....	key production assistant
Art Schaeffer	....	production accountant (as Arthur C. Schaefer)
James Shourt	....	title designer
Candy Artmont	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Geoffrey Ryan	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• De Laurentiis
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC) (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Castle Entertainment (DVD)
• Flashstar (Brazil) (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• MCA Videocassette (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA Videocassette (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Roadshow Entertainment
• Roadshow Home Video
• Tec Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• SWL James Shourt  main title design and production
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

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) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Norway:18 (re-release) (cut) (1988) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1982) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1982) | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Italy:VM18 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (Banned) | 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:

Anne-Marie Martin came into production as a favor when additional footage was being shot. John Carpenter shot the scene that involved Martin and supporting cast member Pamela Susan Shoop.

Goofs:

Continuity: After finding the head nurse dead, Jimmy turns to leave the room and slips in the blood and gets it all over his face and jacket. When we next see him in the car, there is no blood on his face or clothes.

Quotes:

[after discovering that Annie is dead]
Sheriff Leigh Brackett: Damn you...
Sam Loomis: I'm sorry...
Sheriff Leigh Brackett: What have you done...
Sam Loomis: I haven't done anything.
Sheriff Leigh Brackett: YOU LET HIM OUT!
Sam Loomis: I didn't let him out. I gave orders for him to be restrained.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Backstory: Halloween" (2002)

Soundtrack:

MR. SANDMAN

Definitely one of the better sequels, but still not the original

Considering what this film had to live up to, considering the standards set by the first, which was, and is, definitely the best slasher movie I've ever seen, this film wasn't too bad. Whereas the first had little to no gore and blood, this one has a pretty standard amount of it. Of course, that was to be expected, since there was no way that they could beat or even match the first, so instead they went for the easy way out; continue the story and fill it up with blood and guts. This turns the film into a more standardized slasher film, but since it still keeps very much to the ways of the first film, with plenty of atmosphere and a decent amount of build-up before giving you shocks. The plot is about as good as it can be; picking up exactly, and I do mean exactly, where the first one left off. The acting ranges from atrocious to very good. The characters are pretty much the same as the first, a lot of characters and scenes seem to have been reused in this. I didn't mind that too much though, as they worked perfectly in the first, and they're good enough in this one. I don't think they could have done a direct follow-up to the first much better than this. Overall, even though it's far more gory and bloody, it still has the great atmosphere of the first, which is something that most of the other sequels lacked. In conclusion, it's a pretty good sequel to a fantastic movie. I recommend this to fans of the first Halloween, and fans of the entire franchise. Don't miss it if you enjoy a good, moody scare. 7/10