By Stephen Pytak 

     It's the black sheep of the "Halloween" franchise. And 
even though a lot of Michael Myers fans hate it, it's better 
than some of his rampage flicks.
     I passed on seeing it when it came to theaters in 1982. 
I was a fan of "The Shape." And back then I decided if he 
wasn't chasing Jamie Lee Curtis around in 3-D or 
something in "Halloween III," I just wasn't interested.
     Then I saw the advertising campaign. It hit me in full 
color when I opened up Fangoria No. 23.
     On the inside cover was a big ad. Starlog Magazine 
and Don Post Studios were selling the three Silver 
Shamrock latex rubber masks featured in the film. 
     The "Skull" cost $31.95. The "Pumpkin Head," an 
original made just for the film, cost $39.95. And the "Green 
Witch" cost $49.95. Each also came with a cardboard 
version of the Silver Shamrock seal of approval.
     I raised an eyebrow. Then I bought the "Witch." 
     This is what Don Post or whoever was in charge should 
have done when "Halloween II (1981)" came to theaters, I 
thought. Every kid who loved horror films wanted a decent 
"Shape" mask back then. Michael Myers' masks didn't hit 
the market big time until "He" returned in 1988.
     Since I missed "Halloween III" on first run, I picked up 
the novel by Jack Martin at the Tutko News Agency in 
Shenandoah. I was intrigued by its crazy story, a mystery 
about androids and Halloween masks wrapped up in an 
enigma about Stonehenge. 
     The film isn't too bad either. The best version currently 
on the market is the wide screen  DVD by GoodTimes 
Home Video.
     The story has something in common with "John 
Carpenter's 'Halloween (1978).'" It's about a madman 
and a doctor who's trying to stop him.
     This time the madman is a toy maker named "Cochran 
(O'Herlihy)" and the doctor is a divorced M.D. with a nose 
for booze and women, "Dr. Dan Challis  (Atkins)."
     The woman who plays his ex-wife is none other than 
Nancy Loomis, who we know as "Annie" from "Halloween" 
and "Halloween II." It's nice to see a familiar face. 
     But the only woman worth looking at in this flick is 
Stacey Nelkin. She plays "Ellie," a hottie and a half who 
likes satin and silk and insists she's older than she looks.
     The film starts when her father, a crazed hardware 
store owner, is admitted to the hospital where Challis 
works. He's hanging onto the "Pumpkin Head" mask as if 
he knew it was going to sell for $560 on Ebay down the 
road. At the hospital, he has his head crushed by an 
assassin in a suit.  Then the killer blows himself up in the 
parking lot. Cool scene.
     Looking for answers, Ellie runs into Challis, who is just 
as puzzled. Together they decide to investigate. Challis 
brings beer.
     They drive to Santa Mira, Calif., home of Silver 
Shamrock Novelties. They check into the Rose of Shannon 
Motel. Challis is tired and admits "I can use a drink."
     One of the best scenes is when Challis returns from the 
local liquor store. He finds Ellie waiting for him, fresh 
from a shower, all wrapped up in a black silk chemise. 
     Lucky bastard. 
     Note that he doesn't ask her how old she is until after 
the first round. Understandable, I guess.
     Nelkin aside, I love a few of the twists this film has to 
offer. There are some good scares. When Challis breaks 
into the mask-making plant at night and runs into the old 
German lady in the rocking chair, I still get chills.
     There's some great dialog and execution. The scene 
where Cochran gives Challis a lecture on Celtic history 
while Challis is strapped to a chair is one of the best 
scenes in the whole damn "Halloween" series. 
     Atkins carries the film pretty well. He's fun to root for 
because he's very human. But he's also a great tough guy. 
I liked his fight scene with "Assassin" Dick Warlock. The 
look of disgust on his face afterward is also very genuine.
     The third act of this film is good, but the last few 
frames always frustrated me. It ends like a Twilight Zone 
episode. Not the best. The ending does offer us a 
memorable line, however.
     When I met Atkins at a Fangoria convention in New 
York in 2001, I had him sign the words "STOP IT!" on a 
glossy for me.
     John Carpenter and Alan Howarth give the film a 
unique score. And Dean Cundy again creates some neat 
lighting situations. Tommy Lee Wallace, who played "The 
Shape" for a scene or two in the original "Halloween," 
isn't the worst director either.
     One thing this film does do for Michael Myers, I must 
add, is make a statement about his impact on the world. 
     There's this scene in a bar where Challis is watching 
TV. A commercial for the television version of "Carpenter's 
'Halloween'" pops on. 
     We see "The Shape" stomping down the steps.  We hear 
the familiar music and an announcer who calls it "the 
immortal classic…"
     How true. Even though it was 1982, only four years 
after it was released, Carpenter's original was indeed a 
classic. And still immortal to this day.