Day 11 - The Evolution of Michael Myers in Halloween II | 31 Days of Halloween

Halloween II is Day 11’s Michael Myers pick for The Bark Knight’s 31 Days of Halloween.

Released in 1981, three years after the original, this sequel picks up immediately after the events of Halloween, following Laurie Strode and Michael Myers as they once again come face to face, this time within the walls of a local hospital in Haddonfield.

A Changing Horror Landscape

By the time Halloween II arrived, the horror landscape had already started to shift.

Films like When a Stranger Calls, Friday the 13th, My Bloody Valentine, Terror Train, Prom Night, and The Burning had already begun pushing the slasher genre toward higher body counts and more explicit violence.

Despite that shift, and the fact that John Carpenter stepped away from directing duties (remaining on as writer), Halloween II still feels closer to the original than any of the sequels or remakes that follow it.

That’s just my opinion, of course, but it’s one I’ve held strong on.

Maintaining the Vibes of the Original

There’s still a strong late ’70s, early ’80s atmosphere here that carries over from the first film. While the violence is ramped up to match the evolving genre, the core of what made Halloween work is still intact.

The biggest shift comes in how the story is structured.

Dr. Loomis and Michael Myers both see increased screen time, while Laurie Strode takes a step back, spending much of the film recovering in a hospital bed. This isn’t a choice I’m exactly a big fan of, and it wouldn’t be the last time it’d happen, with JLC being sidelined for Halloween Kills, the sequel to Halloween (2018), or as I like to call it, Halloween: H40. Some lessons are hard to learn, but I digress.

Loomis vs. Myers

In the long run, the dynamic between Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis becomes one of the defining elements of the franchise. It all started in the original, but this was where it became a mainstay.

A lot of that comes down to Donald Pleasence’s performance, which continues to elevate the material and gives the film a sense of urgency and weight that carries through even as the body count increases. His panic and frustration bleeds through in every one of his scenes.

While I’d always take more Laurie Strode screen time, this shift does help set up the direction the series would follow for years.

The Laurie Strode Problem

One of the most debated elements of Halloween II is the introduction of the reveal that Michael is Laurie’s brother.

For a lot of people, this is where the franchise starts to lose something.

Personally, I’ve never had an issue with it. By the time I got into these movies, it was already an established part of the story. It also opens the door for Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, which I’m a big fan of (seriously, I can see my original VHS copy right now).

The early hints are a bit heavy-handed, especially with the flashbacks, but the idea itself works for me. It also helps justify Laurie’s long-term trauma and fear in later entries like Halloween.

Turning Up the Violence

Another interesting aspect of the film comes from behind the scenes.

John Carpenter reportedly returned to oversee reshoots after feeling that the original cut didn’t go far enough with Michael’s kills. Director Rick Rosenthal had initially aimed to keep things closer to the restrained approach of the first film.

You can still see that restraint in moments, like Michael pinning a victim to a door without much visible blood, but the added scenes push the film more in line with where the genre was heading at the time.

It’s a noticeable shift, but not one that completely abandons the original tone.

Final Thoughts

Halloween II sits in an interesting place within the franchise.

It bridges the gap between the slower, more atmospheric horror of the original and the more violent, fast-moving slashers that would dominate the ’80s. The very subtle deviation from the previous entry while still managing to maintain the vibes (it’s all about the vibes, baby!) is what really makes this work for me.

It still feels like Halloween, just viewed through a slightly different lens.

This one absolutely deserves a spot in your 31 Days of Halloween rotation.

Next up: Day 12 brings us into the 1980’s.

🎃

Physical media hound like me? Amazon has a great collector’s edition of Halloween II on sale right now.

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