The Halloween franchise that originated all the way back in 1978 has gone through many changes and makeovers over the years, but author Andrew Grevas has meticulously gone through each and every incarnation to bring possibly the most detailed description of the series to date.
Grevas employs in-depth interviews with actors, directors, writers (and just about anyone else willing) from the ’78 original, all the way up to 2022’s Halloween Ends, that includes the likes of Dean Cundey, Ellie Cornell, Tom Atkins, Dee Wallace, and Dwight Little (just to name a few).
At first the Q&A-style of the many interviews here does seem to be a bit tedious, but the information contained within each one of them is usually enough to sustain ones attention span throughout the duration. Some of the more interesting topics discussed within can also be attributed to the many “what if” scenarios of the franchise as well.
Overall though, its a love letter from Grevas to one of horror’s most revered franchises, which longtime fans should without a doubt be able to both recognize, and respect.
Admittedly, I should’ve had this review of Tommy Lee Wallace’s book Halloween 3: “Where theHell 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.
When it comes to modern action films, I’m so far out of touch with what’s going on these days that many would probably find it laughable. But for my money, I’ll take the near-perfection that was produced in that beloved decade we call the ’80s (and also spilled over into much of the ’90s) over the uber fast-paced and often mindless romps that pass as “action” cinema these days.
Along with the horror genre, there was simply something so exciting and appealing being a kid in the ’80s when coming across that elusive, forbidden R-rated tape in your older brother’s VHS collection. And there was just something even more relate-able when that R-rated flick, often filled with gratuitous sex and violence, contained the themes of the Christmas season in its backdrop.
Over the years Rewind It has no doubt done similar pieces on horror-based and/or more obscure holiday films, but this is the first one dedicated solely to the “tough guys” of the ’80s and early ’90s (some other honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the list also include Night of the Comet (1984) and Batman Returns (1992), excluded for the sake of trying to stay within the more classic “shoot ’em up” variety action flick. So kick off your shoes, spike that eggnog, and enjoy…
10. Dead Bang (1989):
By 1989, Don Johnson was a bona-fide star thanks in part to the hit show Miami Vice, and on paper his first shot as leading man in a feature film should’ve been just as big of a hit. But DeadBang, based on the real life story of LASD Jerry Beck’s pursuit of revenge of a fellow Sheriff’s Deputy’s murder, was more “dead” in the water than a “bang.”
The film actually starts off promising, with Beck’s fellow officer being mysteriously killed in his home on Christmas Eve (hence the holiday connection). But what could’ve been a strong cat-and-mouse hunt, quickly gets muddled down by themes of white supremacy and hate crimes that leads up to an unrealistic one-man showdown. Skip it unless totally desperate.
Penelope Ann Miller listening to Don Johnson ramble on in a scene from 1989’s Dead Bang.
9. I Come in Peace (1990):
Also known in some territories as Dark Angel (the film’s original title), this is one I only vaguely remember after catching scenes from it on cable at a friend’s house back in the day. Basically Dolph Lundgren plays a vice cop in Texas already up to his neck dealing with violent drug crimes when a dealer literally from another world comes to ruin his Christmas cheer.
I wish there was more I could say on behalf of this feature, but it’s been so long there’s not much I even remember now. Perhaps time for a revisiting of the film myself.
8. Cobra (1986):
Sylvester Stallone plays LAPD Lt. Marion “Cobra” Cobretti in this over-the-top ’80s vehicle that’s heavier on hits than it is heart (or plot for that matter). Brigitte Nielsen plays the fashion model who witnesses some serious crimes committed by a dangerous cult, leading to be put under Cobra’s protective care (during the holiday season too, nonetheless).
Watch for the supermarket shootout scene towards the beginning of the film – a definite highlight along with the 1950 Mercury Stallone sports in the film (and of course Nielsen’s famous long legs at the time too, naturally!).
7. Maniac Cop 2 (1990):
Granted more on the horror than action side, this gritty, direct-to-video sequel to 1988’s ManiacCop once again finds the late Robert Z’Dar as the titular anti-hero on a rampage in New York City during Christmas time.
The cast is actually rounded out nicely, with Robert Davi, Claudia Christian, Bruce Campbell, and Michael Lerner all appearing in roles and doing their best to put an end to the killing spree. This is also the only film to the best of my memory that actually features pole dancing at a strip club on Christmas; that alone deserves a spot on this list.
Paula Trickey prior to spreading some adult yuletide cheer in 1990’s Maniac Cop 2.
6. Die Hard 2 (1990):
In the spirit of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Die Hard 2 (a.k.a. Die Harder) takes what the original did so well and moves Bruce Willis from a building to an airport, fighting ruthless terrorists with evil agendas on Christmas Eve.
This is standard early – ’90s action viewing with blockbuster written all over it, and even features a pre-Terminator 2 Robert Patrick, as well as a young John Leguizamo. While the original Die Hard will always get the most recognition as a Christmas movie, there’s no doubt the first sequel in the franchise is just as worthy of a winter’s watch.
5. Rocky IV (1985):
Going all the way back to the 1976 original, the Rocky films have never been distant from holiday fare, with the first two films centering around Thanksgiving (in fact, the only one I can really think of without some sort of mention of a holiday is 1982’s Rocky III). But by 1985’s Rocky IV, there was no denying the Christmas connection, with the main event taking place on Christmas day itself.
Sylvester Stallone had perfected the role of the “Italian Stallion” by this point, and Dolph Lundgren as his nemesis Ivan Drago is at his menacing best as the two prepare for their bout in the USSR. And there’s no doubt this entry contains not one, but two of the greatest montages spawned by an ’80s movie (how can you go wrong with the famous shot of Syl screaming “Dragooo!!!” from the top of a mountain at the end of the latter one?).
I also contemplated putting another PG-rated hit in this very same slot, 1984’s The Karate Kid, but decided against it after remembering a large portion of it was also set during Halloween in addition to Christmas.
4. Invasion U.S.A. (1985):
Chuck Norris. Terrorists trying to take over America during Christmas. Need I say more? This was one of those Cannon films often played in regular rotation on cable TV back in the day that was near impossible to pass up on. For my money there’s nothing more festive than the image of Norris holding two Uzi’s in his hand in a shopping mall at Christmas (see photo below).
No one messed with Chuck’s Christmas then, and they sure as hell still wouldn’t dare to now; watch the movie and find out why for yourself.
Chuck Norris gives ’em hell in 1985’s Invasion U.S.A.
3. First Blood (1982):
The one that by all means started it all on this list. Sylvester Stallone (for those keeping count he’s now featured in three of the films on this list) stars as John Rambo, a down and out Vietnam vet just trying to pass through small town America when he’s hassled by the local sheriff (played brilliantly by Brian Dennehy). What ensues is nothing short of mayhem.
There’s no denying this is definitely one of the more “dreary” films on the list, with the setting taking place in a rain-filled Hope, Washington (although actually filmed in British Columbia). But by its conclusion, Rambo is fully lighting up the town (with an arsenal of explosions of course), and just in time for Christmas, too.
2. Lethal Weapon (1987):
Without a doubt one of my favorite action/buddy films of all time, I legitimately struggled with putting 1987’s Lethal Weapon at number one on this list. Viewers are instantly drawn in at its very first sequence, as the tune of “Jingle Bell Rock” introduces us to the image of a beautiful young girl, under-dressed and alone in a hotel room, who quickly throws herself to her own sensless death from the top of a balcony.
The mysterious event sparks an investigation, putting two cops on the total opposites of of the spectrum – Danny Glover as the seasoned cop Roger Murtaugh on the verge of retirement, and Mel Gibson as the loose cannon with a death wish, Martin Riggs – together as partners. The film set the standard for the “buddy cop” sub genre of action films, soon to be duplicated with endless imitations. It’s an all-round flawless picture, with or without Christmas playing any part of it.
And few other movies on this list actually rival the very scene where Tom Atkins’ character is gunned down while holding a carton of eggnog, the bullet simultaneously piercing both (when I met Atkins in 2021, he actually had 8×10’s of this scene available to sign; passing on this shot in favor of a Halloween III-related signature instead was a tough decision indeed). If you’re not already familiar with any of this material, then do yourself a favor and add it to your Christmas list this year a.s.a.p.
Tom Atkins goes out with a seasonal bang in 1987’s Lethal Weapon.
1. Die Hard (1988):
Not the film that started it all, but indeed the one that opened the conversation to begin with. We all know by now that yes, Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie (along with its 1990 sequel as previously established in this article), and there should be no question about it by now, with most of us surely having heard the phrase “It’s Die Hard in a (fill in the blank…),” referring to its many copycats since.
If you somehow still haven’t seen it yet, here’s the rundown; Bruce Willis plays NYPD Detective John McClane, who flies out to LA to join his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at a company Christmas party in LA. But before the two can even reconcile, the tower is seized by a group of terrorists, lead by the cut-throat Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. But having not been seen by the group, McClane is able to fight them from within, while informing outside agencies of everything happening on the inside, establishing another famous “buddy cop” relationship between McClane and LAPD Sergeant Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson).
Between the inclusion of Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” and the oft-quoted “Now I have a machine gun, Ho-ho-ho” scene, there’s no shortage of Christmas spirit among the many gun fights and explosions throughout the film. It’s first-rate action with plenty of emotional depth tied into it much like Lethal Weapon. Definitely essential viewing this (and every) holiday season.
Terrorist Tony Vreski (portrayed by actor Andreas Wisniewski) is the first of John McClane’s kills in 1988’s Die Hard.
Unlike the majority of fans, my introduction to the Halloween franchise actually came long before I even knew the first thing about Michael Myers. I was rounding near ten years old, and my family had just finally upgraded to cable television for the first time ever when I was searching through the channels late one October evening to discover Halloween III: Season of the Witch.
It was probably playing on USA Network or one of those other channels like it at the time, and it was well into three quarters of the movie already. My very first impression of a Halloween movie actually had nothing to do with Michael Myers, but was of Tom Atkins stalking around a dark, desolate town, with a creepy synth-driven score from John Carpenter and Alan Howarth accentuating the overall eerie scene. I was hooked, and having no prior frame of reference, it did not matter to me who was or was not in the film, or the previous entries that came before it.
When Halloween III: Season of the Witch, directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, first dropped in theaters on October 22, 1982, it was meant to be the first of numerous anthology films centered around Halloween itself, rather than just a monster with a knife. But audiences were not quite prepared for such a drastic change at the time, despite the endless possibilities this concept could have brought (the film was a modest box office success, earning just over $14 million on a $2.5 million budget).
Atkins stars as Dr. Dan Challis, a middle -aged, divorced, drunken physician who gets drawn into a web of evil and destruction after a man dies on his watch at the hospital, clutching a mysterious Halloween mask manufactured by a company called Silver Shamrock. When the deceased man’s sexy young daughter (Stacey Nelkin) starts looking for answers, Challis is more than willing to assist her with the task (and then some).
A display of the fictional town portrayed in the film, Santa Mira, from Fantasm Orlando on 10/3/21 (photo by Brooke Striewski).
The two soon uncover that Silver Shamrock is the work of Conal Cochran (Daniel O’Herlihy), a Pagan warlock hell-bent on unleashing unspeakable evil across the world via the masks on Halloween night. It quickly becomes a race against time to prevent the madman from seeing his destructive plot through and causing harm to an untold number of innocent lives.
While it’s taken some time, Halloween III: Season of the Witch has finally reached a level of cult status it rightfully deserved. Last year at the Fantasm horror convention Orlando, FL, there was not only countless amounts of merchandise from the film for the eye to see, but I was lucky enough to meet Atkins himself (see photo below).
When asked why he thought the film has seen such a resurgence in popularity in recent times, Atkins simply said; “I don’t know why people love it so much, but it just seems to be becoming more popular every year!” His reply might have been modest, but I can easily point to the number of reasons why it’s not only my favorite Halloween film, but also one of my favorite horror movies of all time. Not only does it hold a special place for me for being my introduction to the series, it beautifully emobodied everything about the creepiest day of the year on a level that very few films in the genre have managed to capture before or since.
Actor Tom Atkins with (from left to right) Rewind It’s Jacob, Jesse, and Brooke Striewski at Fantasm Orlando on 10/3/21.
Long before mixing horror/Sci Fi with comedy became a trend, we had films like The Return of the Living Dead, House, Killer KlownsFrom Outer Space, and, one the earliest examples of its kind, Night of the Creeps. All of these films were inventive in their own unique ways, and are worth not only remembering, but a fair bit of analyzing as well.
Originally released on August 22, 1986, and directed by Fred Dekker (who also co-wrote the previously mentioned House, and would go on to direct The Monster Squad a year later), Night of the Creeps paired a stellar cast that included newcomers Jason Lively (National Lampoon’s European Vacation) and Jill Whitlow (Weird Science) with veterans like Tom Atkins (Halloween III: Season of the Witch). And to add an extra homage of nostalgia to the proceedings, most of the characters were each given surnames of other classic horror movie staples. For example; there’s a Romero, a Cronenberg, a Carpenter, etc…
The plot is really nothing revolutionary; alien slugs from another planet inhibit the bodies of people and turn them into zombies. Our heroes of course have to fight off these monsters in a college campus setting, navigating everything from sorority parties, to killer poodles. It never takes itself too seriously, yet maintains an unmistakable level of artistic creativity throughout the whole time. And while it failed to find an audience at the box office, it has since become a cult classic (rightfully so).
I first came across the film late one sleepless night in either middle or high school, and instantly loved it. Although it’s been sometime now since I last viewed the film, I still love its campy, midnight movie appeal. And it was all the more thrilling to actually meet Detective Ray Cameron himself, actor Tom Atkins, earlier this month at Fantasm Orlando, who is just as amazing as one would think (see photo below).
There’s many reasons why the films of yesteryear are remembered with such fondness; not only was the quality of the work itself better overall, flimmakers at the time were not hell-bent on getting across some biased agendas/opinions of theirs in the material (kind of like that garbage remake of Candyman). As with Night of the Creeps, what you saw is simply what you got….just a good old-fashioned, fun gorefest. There was nothing wrong with it then, and there’s still nothing wrong with it now in my book.
Rewind It Magazine’s (left to right) Jacob, Jesse, and Brooke Striewski with actor Tom Atkins – who played Detective Ray Cameron in the film – at Fantasm Orlando on 10/3/21.
