By Stephen Pytak 

     This is one of the best looking of the "Halloween" films. 
It also has one of the best scores.
     Director of Photography Dean Cundey, who 
handled the lighting duties on the original, has outdone 
himself here.
     It has to be seen to be believed, but the colors and 
shadows are rich and balanced. It really feels like it's 
Halloween night in Illinois.
     There are a few other great things about "Halloween 
II: The Nightmare Continues." Take a listen to the 
muisic.
     John Carpenter and Alan Howarth have pushed the 
"Halloween" theme to the next level. Like the film's 
colors, the melodies are richer too.
     Now let's talk about everything else.
     "Halloween II" is not a bad film. It has a few good 
scenes and actually a couple of good scares.
     But the story doesn't provide a good argument.
     "That girl, that Strode girl, that's Michael Myers' 
sister," says Nurse Marion Crane (Nancy Stephens) 
to Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) at plot point 
two.
     "Jesus," the doctor says. "Don't you see what he's 
doing here in Haddonfield? He killed one sister fifteen 
years ago. Now he's trying to kill the other!"
     I remember listening to John Carpenter's commentary 
on the Criterion Collection's "Halloween" laser disc. At 
the end he said he never wanted to write a sequel, but 
did it because of contract negotiations and money.
     When it came time to write the script, he said he had 
no story. Over a six pack, he came up with this idea.
     It's not the best. It's not the worst. But it is 
sometimes hard to swallow.
     The biggest problem with this film is character 
development. It's not a great story and sometimes things 
just don't make sense.
     After Michael has been shot six times (seven actually 
if you count the blasts at the start of this flick), he picks 
himself up, wanders through backyards, steals a knife 
and buries it in some teenage girl's chest (a stranger
he doesn't know.)
     Why?
     I must have seen this film 402 times and I still can't 
figure it out.
     There are some great scenes in the third act, however.
     The chase through the hospital's corridors is tense, 
especially when Michael closes in on Laurie in the 
basement. Again, the red lighting here is awesome. 
Reminded me a big of something Italian horror director 
Dario Argento would do.
     When Michael (played by stuntman Dick Warlock) 
forces his way back into the hospital by walking 
through that glass door, it made an impression on 
everyone. Nothing can stop evil; not coat hangers, not 
knives, not bullets, not locked doors.
     This time out, the ending doesn't have an impact. 
We're left only with a song by the Chordettes', the 
classic "Mister Sandman." 
     It works O.K., but everyone in the audience had 
dreams for this project that the sandman just didn't 
deliver on.