A Film that Redefined a Genre

As a huge fan of the slasher genre, John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween stands as one of my favourites in all of horror. Halloween was a ground-breaking, low budget film that horrified audiences and gave us a character that would haunt our dreams for years: Michael Myers. Because of its success, Halloween inspired some of my other favourite horror films like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, and other famous horror movies. To try and recreate the same magic that made the originals great is a difficult challenge to overcome, which is why a lot of remakes nowadays suck. But sometimes directors can surprise us with something different from the original. In 2007, famous rock star and filmmaker Rob Zombie directed a remake of the classic. Many hated it, but many also praised it for doing something different. There is no denying that the film is far from perfect, but does it deserve the amount of hate it gets? We will analyze both sides of the argument to help you answer that question.

Why it’s Hated

The biggest reason for most of the fans’ hate is Zombie’s take on Michael Myers. In the original, Michael was simply the bogeyman, a force of unstoppable evil. It would be easy to understand why many fans would not be pleased with introducing a backstory for the character. Most complained that it ruined the mysterious aura that made Michael interesting. Another big complaint was the excessive use of over the top brutality and swearing. However, this being a Rob Zombie film, it’s almost a given that such mature content would be featured; plus, it’s a movie about a psychopathic murderer, you know? Michael Myers? The guy Dr. Loomis described to be pure evil, so I was already expecting the film to be gut-wrenching. A lot of what angered fans were the choices Zombie made and how they were executed, but with the film being a remake, risks and changes are almost needed for it to stand out.

Why it’s Praised

Setting aside the die-hard fans of the original, the remake achieved popularity by some for doing what any successful remake does: taking risks in changes. Fans praised the performances of Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell, and Scout Taylor-Compton as Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, and Laurie Strode. While many were upset with the backstory of Michael Myers, others were intrigued (myself included) by the insight on what Michael’s life had been like before he went psycho. Zombie also shifted the focus to Michael and Dr. Loomis for most of the film rather than Laurie Strode, which again received praise for doing something different and received hate from other fans for “tarnishing” the name of the original.

I’m sure by now you’re starting to see a pattern. Whatever the die-hard fans hate, the casual fans love. This is why it’s no surprise that the final major point for the film’s praise is Rob Zombie’s dark and disturbing tone. In my opinion, the approach that Zombie took somehow made the actions of Michael Myers much darker, which may actually be more fitting and realistic for a story about a ruthless killer in the modern-day.

Simply Controversial, but that’s Okay

Overall, Rob Zombie’s Halloween is not for everyone. It’s overly dark, disturbing, intense, and just a film that can mess someone up if they aren’t mentally prepared. But Zombie’s adaptation undoubtedly stands as a perfect example of how to divide a fanbase. Regardless of what anyone else thinks of the film, Halloween 2007 deserves a watch, not just for the risks it takes with the prestigious name, but also to form your own opinion on a widely and hotly debated remake.

Rob Zombie’s Halloween may not have been the remake many fans wanted, but it was certainly impactful. To this day, it currently stands as one of my favourite remakes of all time and one of the only cases where I believe the remake is better than the original.

Aidan Conners

Aidan Conners is a short story writer, currently taking the Professional Writing course at Algonquin College. He is also a fan of comics, animals, video games, 90’s rock, horror movies, riddles, and reading.