Tag: Spookala

Book Review: Halloween 3: “Where the Hell is Michael Myers?” The Definitive History of Horror’s Most Misunderstood Film By Tommy Lee Wallace (BearManor Media)

By: Jesse Striewski

Admittedly, I should’ve had this review of Tommy Lee Wallace’s book Halloween 3: “Where the Hell is Michael Myers?” completed by last October. But to be fair, I didn’t even now the book existed until I actually met Wallace at Spookala 2023 just a few months prior, and even after that it took even more time just to track down a copy (my thoughtful wife actually bought me one for my birthday earlier this year) and then of course actually read it.

But I digress; I’ve always maintained Halloween III: Season of the Witch is not only the best overall film in the Halloween franchise, but also one of the best horror movies of all time. Granted, I could be a bit bias; it was actually the first film in the series I ever saw as a kid after randomly landing on it while flipping through cable channels (the image of Tom Atkins as Dr. Challis casually strolling through a desolate town in the dark of night was the first I recall seeing of the film, and has been forever ingrained in my mind).

So when Writer/Director Wallace stated he had written a book (with a foreward written by the film’s lead Tom Atkins) entirely about the film, it was a downright no-brainer that I’d be reading and reviewing it soon enough. And as a superfan of it, the book is everything you could possibly want on the movie and more.

Wallace leaves no stone(henge) unturned here, detailing every part of the film-making process from initially signing on, re-writes of the script (via both himself and John Carpenter) casting, scouting locations, and any other bumps along the way. There’s even a fun section at the end where Wallace shares original artwork, and a partial section including the film’s original script by Nigel Kneale.

With a recent resurgence in popularity, the film’s lasting effect has been undeniable, making it a fan-favorite on the con circuit these days. This was witnessed more than once firsthand, when Rewind It attended both the previously-mentioned Spookala in 2023, and 2022’s Fantasam Orlando. Not only was there plenty of merch for the eyes to behold and cast and crew meet-and-greets available at each, but a full Halloween III discussion panel featuring Director/Writer Tommy Lee Wallace, Actors Tom Atkins and Stacey Nelkin, and Stuntman/Actor Dick Warlock was dedicated to the film at said Spookala event (see photo below).

Halloween III discussion panel at Spookala 2023 on 6/12/23 with (from left to right) Dick Warlock, Tommy Lee Wallace, Stacey Nelkin, Tom Atkins, and host (photo by Brooke Striewski).

Love it or hate it, there’s no stopping this “little horror film that could,” and just one read of Wallace’s book here is more than enough to convince any reader that Halloween III is here to stay indefinitely.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Retrospective: 30 Years Since we were first Welcomed to ‘Jurassic Park’ By Jesse Striewski

I remember the summer of 1993 well; I was twelve years old, having just moved from central to south Florida, and only about a year out from a major car accident. In fact, I was actually still recovering from my most recent surgery when I went to go see Jurassic Park, the then-new summer blockbuster from legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

Originally released on June 11, 1993 and based off the book by Michael Crichton, it was the new action-adventure film that everyone was talking about at the time, and you simply had to see. Which is exactly what they did in droves, topping the then-highest grossing film of all time, 1982’s E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial (also directed by Spielberg), a record it would only briefly hold onto until James Cameron’s Titantic four years later in 1997.

The plot is set around a wealthy tycoon (Richard Attenborough) who re-creates the unthinkable – actual dinosaurs – on a far off tropical island. But in order to get approval from his investors to open a theme park with the animals at the forefront, he seeks the “okay” from a group of scientists – Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). Of course in the midst of their tour of the would-be new park, all hell breaks loose as things quickly go from hopeful to horrifying, turning the seemingly cute family movie into a Jaws-sized carnage fest.

Being still just twelve-years-old at the time the film was released, I was still young enough for some of the film’s massive marketing techniques to apply to me, collecting such items from trading cards to action figures, many of which I still possess to this day or have passed down to either my son or nephew (who is quite possibly the biggest Jurassic Park fan I’ve ever met).

The franchise itself has far from slowed down, producing five sequels (which somehow I’ve managed to still catch each and every one on the big screen, the later few with my own family now), and the original film eventually surpassing the one billion dollar mark at the box office when it was re-released for its twentieth anniversary in 2013. Judging by this, something tells me we’ll still be getting more chances to visit Jurassic Park.

The author (left) and son/photographer Jacob Striewski at a Jurassic Park-themed set at Spookala on 6/10/23 (photo by Brooke Striewski).