A misunderstood classic that was ahead of its time
John Carpenter’s horror classic Halloween spawned one of the most successful franchises in film history, and certainly one of the most popular. Michael Myers, with his stark white mask, hulking shape, and kitchen knife, is the centerpiece of most of the series, and helped define the slasher genre. But, there's still one Halloween movie that falls outside the Michael-driven formula. Halloween III: Season of the Witch swaps the psycho killer for an evil Celtic cult hocking witch-cursed costume masks.
Initially panned by critics and audiences, Season of the Witch has become a cult classic fans love for all the same reasons it was hated: it’s campy, kooky, and corny in moments, but it’s a wildly creative concept that adds up to a super fun watch!
The three masks featured in the film are fairly simple: a green witch, a grey skeleton, and an orange pumpkin, but they’ve become iconic images of both the Halloween franchise, and the only film of the series that doesn’t feature Michael as its villain.
The masks aren't particularly scary on their own, it's what happens when those wearing them tune into their televisions on Halloween night....A story of corruption, brainwashing, and mind control, Halloween III: Season of the Witch delivers much more than meets the eye.
The Halloween franchise Carpenter had planned looked a little different
When John Carpenter and writer Debra Hill originally conceived of the Halloween films, they wanted to create an anthology series, with different horror stories all set on the holiday. After the Michael Myers story was finished in Halloween 2, the franchise moved on to the Silver Shamrock mask story in Season of the Witch under the direction of Tommy Lee Wallace, with Carpenter and Hill acting as producers. The backlash and reaction from audiences was so negative that the next movie returned to the tried and true Michael Myers plot.
Those who have written Season of the Witch off as a throwaway sequel are sorely mistaken. While the audiences of the time weren’t ready for the film series to branch into new territory, Halloween III creates a vision for fans of what could’ve been. If the rest of the films went as intended, audiences would’ve gotten even more fun and twisted stories in this universe from the mind of John Carpenter.
For the die hard Michael Myers purists, Halloween III still pays homage to their favorite villain. The television is on throughout the film as it plays a crucial role in the story, but one scene features an ad for an airing of the original Halloween, complete with footage from the movie. It’s a fun little easter egg for fans, but it wasn’t a strong enough connection for the audiences of the day.
Carpenter's synthesizer (and the inescapable TV ad jingle) elevates the film
The Halloween films are known for their iconic spooky synth scores composed by Carpenter himself, and Halloween III is no exception. It also adds to its memorable soundtrack with the infectious ear worm of the Silver Shamrock commercial played throughout the film (“six more days til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween….”)
While the original Halloween comments on American suburban life and the idea of security, Season of the Witch focuses instead on the dangers of corrupt government, capitalism, the media, and unquestioning compliance. It has so much to offer beyond comparisons to the first two films in the franchise, and should be given the same attention they receive It might not be as popular, as critically successful, or as ubiquitous as the original Halloween, but that's no reason not to enjoy it.