By Stephen Pytak 

     For the first time in 20 years, they got "The 
Shape" mask right.
     Is that any reason to pay good money to see 
"Halloween 8?"
     Trust me.
     Created by Cinema Secrets of Burbank, Calif., 
the mask  is excellent. It looks very much like the 
one from the original "John Carpenter's 'Halloween 
(1978).'"
     But on top of that,  Director Rick Rosenthal, 
did a great job lighting the damn thing.
     I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's a big 
deal to serious fans of the series.
     I'll never forget back in October 1988 when 
"Halloween 4" came out. The poster was fantastic 
and featured the face of "The Shape" as if he 
stepped right out of a scene from the original 
"Halloween" or "Halloween II (1981)."
     But the mask in that film didn't match it. Heck, 
it didn't look anything like the masks used in the 
original or its sequel and therefore, in my opinion, 
didn't quite fit the character of Michael Myers.
     There's something about that mask. It's got to 
be just right and look the way it did when it scared 
us the first time back in 1978.
     This time out, they got it right.
     The man behind it in "Halloween 8," Brad Loree, 
has proved he's good enough to wear it. He's got 
Michael's lumber down pretty good.
     The premise and execution isn't too bad either. 
     The first 15 minutes rock.
     After the events of "Halloween: H20 (1998)," 
Laurie (Curtis) is in a mental hospital. Turns out the 
boogeyman she killed last time out wasn't Michael 
Myers, but an ambulance driver. The whole thing's 
explained in a flashback sequence, which makes 
"H20" look like a masterpiece. 
     Soon Michael strolls in for a visit,  fights with 
her on a rooftop, stabs her, drops her and leaves 
her for dead. Is she dead? Doubtful.
     A little bit of Jamie Lee in a "Halloween" film 
makes a difference. She adds drama. She's a 
survivor we can all relate to. And she knows 
Michael, perhaps better than her former savior, 
Dr. Sam Loomis, did. Maybe she's the only one 
who can stop him. Anyway, I hope she's still out 
there.
     There's a nice touch at the end of this sequence 
involving an inmate obsessed with famous homicidal 
killers. The nut wears masks, like Michael. And is 
wearing a clown mask when Michael steps in to pay 
him a visit. Appropriate.
     Anyway, the reason Michael steps in to visit this 
nutcase is to give him something, the bloody knife 
he stabbed Laurie Strode with. The clown boy 
took it. Too excited, or too stupid, he probably 
didn't realize he was being framed.
     The rest of the film belongs to rapper Busta 
Rhymes, who plays "Freddie," the producer of an 
Internet reality show called "Dangertainment."
     Back in Haddonfield, Ill., Freddie recruits 
some local teens to hook video cameras to their 
heads and play around in the Myers' house. Not 
a bad idea. The actors aren't the worst, but the 
only one with a camera here we really care about 
is Rosenthal. And thanks to some cool angles, 
and a little nudity, he keeps the movie interesting.
     When I heard Busta Rhymes was going to be 
headliner in this film, I cringed at first. But he really 
kicks ass. His one-liners were on target, believe it 
or not. And his kung-fu wasn't too bad either. 
     Busta Rhymes will no doubt go down in 
"Halloween" history as the guy who called Michael 
Myers a "mutha-fucka" the most times. I think it 
was eight.
     Meanwhile, "Halloween: Resurrection" will 
be remembered as the "Halloween" sequel with 
the worst title and the worst poster art (so far).