The Scarestack Society's 13 Days of Michael Myers - Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Chekhov's Dumbwaiter

Theatrical release poster, Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later. For review purposes only. Be aware that this review contains SPOILERS.

I have a wonderful story.

Ooh, I love stories. Tell me!

It’s about a young boy who kills his big sister.

Why does he do that?

She just had sex with her boyfriend.

So what? Having sex is no reason to kill anyone.

You obviously haven’t seen enough horror movies. No, the real reason he kills her is because he’s evil.

Okay. Wow. That’s quite a story.

I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet!

I’m waiting.

Fifteen years later, he comes back on Halloween to kill his second sister, who’s now 17! He murders all his sister’s friends, but she escapes and he falls out a window. He’s dead, but then he gets up and walks away and they never find his body! So she asks Dr. Loomis if he’s the boogeyman.

I have a question.

Sure, go ahead.

Who the fuck is Dr. Loomis?

As the above conversation illustrates, it is difficult to explain Halloween to non-horror fans. They won’t get it. This is sad, because Halloween is one of the best things to come out of the 1970s, the decade of inflation, gas shortages, and The Ayatollah.

The original Halloween makes my Mt. Rushmore of horror movies. Everyone should see Halloween. I am on shakier ground with the sequels. I read an interview with John Carpenter where he called Halloween II about as scary as an episode of Quincy M.E., a TV show that starred Jack Klugman yelling at people.

Despite Carpenter’s warning, I did see Halloween II, and that is it. This makes me the perfect test subject to review Halloween H20, which isn’t about blob jumping on October 31st. No, this movie takes place twenty years after the original.

Halloween H20 opens strong, with a nurse puffing on a cigarette. Hopefully it was a Pall Mall. Her house is full of the private case files of Dr. Sam Loomis. She also has a picture of Loomis, looking dapper in his trench coat. Perhaps she hung it over the fireplace along with the fake fish.

Loomis’ files are all over the floor. Laurie Strode’s file is missing. That’s when Michael Myers kills her, along with the two teenagers who stole her beer. Michael still sports the same Shatner mask and blue jumpsuit, which must be getting a little gamey after all these years.

Myers steals the teens’ car and drives off in search of his sister. He stops at a rest area, as one does, and interrupts a mother and her daughter using the facilities. This is one of the best scenes in the movie.

We cut to Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), who is now the headmistress of an exclusive private school. She has a 17-year-old son (John) and a drinking problem, guzzling vodka from the bottle and then swigging mouthwash to keep her breath minty clean.

Laurie faked her death and goes by the name of Tate, which isn’t the last name I’d choose. There is much to admire about her. She has a good job, a son who loves her and seems emotionally healthy, and a boyfriend. This is a woman who has built herself a life.

Unfortunately, Laurie is plagued with nightmares and panic attacks. John wants her to get over it. He’s too young to understand that there are some things you can’t move past. You live through them, and that’s it.

John, his girlfriend, and another couple are going to have a sex party Halloween celebration. This is while Laurie and her boyfriend are getting friendly on the couch. There is no actual sex in this movie, but the fact that the old people come closer to screwing than the kids warmed my heart.

Before proceeding further, I want to mention Chekhov’s Dumbwaiter. The dumbwaiter was introduced in the first act, when John’s cute girlfriend is washing the dishes. The moment I saw that dumbwaiter, I knew someone would be riding/hiding/dying in it, and I was right!

The private school has a security guy. Ronny (LL Kool J) writes erotica as a side hustle and has some of the movie’s best lines. He’s not a great security guard, although in his defense he deals more with surly teens than mass murderers.

Michael Myers sneaks past him into the school and crashes John’s Halloween party. Laurie realizes something’s wrong, goes in search of her son, and we have an impromptu family reunion!

The last half hour is when this movie gets going. After Laurie rescues John and his girlfriend, she channels her inner Ripley and decides to stay behind to face her psychotic brother, who has killed at least a dozen people.

Why? Maybe the two hearty swigs of vodka she drank earlier played a role. Or perhaps this is the point where Laurie decides to stop hiding and face her fears, whatever the consequences. Maybe it’s both. Whatever. This moment is the movie’s emotional heart, raw but still beating.

Laurie stays and fights. This leads to a great cat-and-mouse chase sequence. A few of the things Michael does in this film are childlike, almost like a kid playing games. Hide-and-seek. Knocking over tables. Tapping on windows.

Laurie gets her revenge. Boy, does she ever! She stabs her brother, sends him crashing through a windshield, runs him over with an ambulance, pins him to a tree, and then lops his head off with an axe. The end! Well, the end comes six (and counting) movies later, but you get the idea.

Halloween H20 is a good movie that’s fun to watch. It’s not as good as the original Halloween, but that’s fine. Nostalgia buffs like me will be happy to note that a few of the scenes in this film mirror the original. At some point this month I will watch the original Halloween for the 475th time, but for now I am glad I saw this movie!

Thanks to Kyle for inviting me to participate! I had a lot of fun. Below is The Scarestack Society’s lineup. If you liked this review, feel free to follow me or even subscribe.

Happy Halloween!

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10/19 - Halloween Ends (2022)

Reviewed by Jean-Pierre Diez on their Habitual Cinema Newsletter

10/20 - Halloween Kills (2021)

Reviewed by Brandon Rae on their Tales from the Tape Newsletter

10/21 - Halloween (2018)

Reviewed by H. H. Duke on their H. is for Horror Newsletter

10/22 - Rob Zombie’s Halloween II (2009)

Reviewed by Tammy on their Haunts You Later Newsletter

10/23 - Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007)

Reviewed by Mike Duffy on their Strange Matters Newsletter

10/24 - Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Reviewed by Kristen on their Blood, Blush and Guts Newsletter

10/25 - Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Reviewed by George on their Abandoned Places Newsletter

10/26 - Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Reviewed by Emma on their Creatures of War Newsletter

10/27 - Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Reviewed by Joanne on their Pop! Goes My Brain Newsletter

10/28 - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Reviewed by Josh Curry on their Horror Hangouts Newsletter

10/29 - Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Reviewed on B Movie Tea Newsletter

10/30 - Halloween II (1981)

Reviewed by Kyle on his Kyle (Horrorble Writer) Newsletter

10/31 - Halloween (1978)

Reviewed by Kimberly Ramsawak on their Horror Concierge Newsletter