Horror fans were excited when it was announced that Jamie Lee Curtis would be reprising her iconic role as Laurie Strode for three new ‘Halloween’ movies. The character had been killed off in 2002’s poorly-received ‘Halloween: Resurrection’ but she was brought back when it was confirmed that the new trilogy would pick up directly from the 1978 original and ignore all the films that had come after. That decision alone divided fans but no one could have predicted just how divided fans would be by the time ‘Halloween Ends’ arrived in 2022.
While the David Gordon Green trilogy may have had a mixed reception from fans and critics, it will stay play an important role in the history of the franchise. Abbie Bernstein has documented the making of all three films in new book ‘Halloween: The Official Making Of Halloween, Halloween Kills & Halloween Ends’. The hefty tome is a coffee table book that features plenty of photography and behind-the-scenes stills from the films, along with interviews from the cast and crew that brought the films to life.
The book begins with a foreword from Green where he recounts Blumhouse’s Jason Blum reaching out to him to discuss the possibility of reviving the franchise. It’s clear from his words that he was overwhelmed to be asked and that his genuine love for the franchise made it a nerve-wracking decision for him. The book then splits into chapters focused on each of the three films and the detail it goes into is impressive. Bernstein weaves a narrative about the making of each film by interjecting excerpts from interviews she conducted with the film-making team. Fans will get a kick out of reading the reasons behind the creative decisions made, and will read with interest the juicy tidbits about the creation of Michael Myers’ latest mask.
While the interviews and quotes from the cast and crew are an obvious hook for the book, I appreciated the number of photos throughout. There are some fantastic stills of Michael Myers from across the trilogy and, of course, fantastic shots of everyone’s favourite final girl Jamie Lee Curtis. Gore hounds will love the rather graphic series of make-up and special effects shots contained in the book, but those who don’t love the sight of blood might find themselves looking a little queasy. A highlight for me was understanding how they ‘brought back’ Donald Pleasence’s Loomis by way of a very clever make-up job.
Fans may have dwindled after the initial 2018 movie but it’s clear the cast and crew had a superb time making these films. The enthusiasm from all involved jumps from the page and they obviously hold a lot of affection for the franchise. The actors talk passionately about being involved in such an iconic franchise while director Green obviously saw this as the project of a life-time.
‘Halloween: The Official Making Of Halloween, Halloween Kills & Halloween Ends’ is perfect for any fan of the franchise. Even if you were left baffled by some of the creative decisions made across the new trilogy, this book will shed new light on them and perhaps allow you to see the films in a new light. For me, the trilogy was diminishing returns but after reading this book, I am tempted to go back and rewatch them and see if Bernstein’s insight has changed my opinion.
Publisher: Titan Books Release date: 17th October 2023 Buy ‘Halloween: The Official Making Of Halloween, Halloween Kills & Halloween Ends’ now
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