Halloween 4/Joe Bob's Drive In

 I had watched during mid-evening "Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers" (1989), and, quite frankly, I just wanted to get that bad taste out of my mouth. It was helped by Joe Bob Briggs' really fun commentary, held during his Halloween Hootenanny, with Darcy advocating for "Halloween: Season of the Witch" to be on the schedule, even having Tom Atkins call in to tell JB he had an ass-kicking coming! That helped a lot. I still realize a lot of folks do enjoy that one, and many consider its differences (maybe even Tina) to be awesome, while it just isn't for me. 

I really missed that dynamic of Jamie and Rachel, but I understand that perhaps those involved in "Halloween 5" didn't want the previous film's similarities. Well, we get Jamie struggling to talk, psychically linked to her brother, and trying to find Tina because she wouldn't hang around to ease her mind. Part 4 was just a lazy Saturday night watch for the hell of it. I tried watching a 2002 slasher film called "Bleed", but I just couldn't "feel it". Of course, Joe Bob had a commentary on "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" (1988) for his Halloween Hootenanny, so I decided on that to lose out my Saturday evening. 

This viewing, I enjoyed seeing Rachel alive the entire film. She served as protector for Jamie, almost always with her, taking her trick or treating and such. I don't know: "Halloween 5" was such a drag on Saturday evening perhaps because Rachel was taken out so early. No matter how many times I watch this, that scene on the roof remains so intense, just great stuff. This is a film that even eclipses Carpenter's film in terms of that autumnal Halloween feel. When they are out, it just feels Halloween. I appreciate that. While the film will never compare in style or overall impact as the very first film (or second, for that matter, thanks to Cundy's contribution), I just continue to enjoy how it timewarps me back to that time when I was a kid in 1988.

I will explain here perhaps what I might not have mentioned before, but "Halloween 4" is also special because of when I saw it. It was 1994 and I was working at a grocery store. I was beat, coming home just spent after an afternoon of sacking groceries and dealing with customers who weren't always friendly. If If I remember correctly, that was a busy afternoon, but I digress... When I got home, my siblings were watching "Halloween 4". They had rented the film from one of our remaining VHS rental stores. We didn't have as many as we did in the late 80s or right before the mid 90s, but, nonetheless, there were store options to get our horror fix. Now, it wasn't until the 90s before I could start actually renting R-rated movies anyway. I can recall not actually being too educated in slasher films. I was still of the "Monster Squad", "Return of the Living Dead", "The Lost Boys" era of my fanhood. But I can tell you, "Halloween 4" was a start on my slasher path. I found it quite a palatable start. And we rented it all the time. I can tell you that when I get that yearning for fall, seeing the opening minute or so gets those juices flowing. Some of the music, that very understated score that sort lies under the sights and sounds of ongoing autumn and October...good stuff.

And not just more Rachel...more Sheriff Meeker, too!

I did have an idea spark when YouTubers were talking about a story that feels like a nicer connection to "Halloween 4" than the Curse of Thorn that many "Halloween 5" and "Halloween 6" fans embrace. I thought it would have been rather cool to follow two killers in Haddonfield or elsewhere: Jamie and Michael, both unleashed on citizens, with a ton of carnage and mayhem in their wake. It could be a fun What if? if anything.

Anyway, Joe Bob and Darcy sample ideas of who or what Michael is, what motivates him, the potential reason for his power and supernatural feats of strength and perseverance. All the fans offering ideas is fun because of how Joe Bob and Darcy respond, because they vary in terms of science and fantastic.