Halloween II (1981)

Director: Rick Rosenthal

Writers: John Carpenter, Debra Hill

Composers: John Carpenter, Alan Howarth

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Charles Cyphers, Jeffrey Kramer, Lance Guest, Pamela Susan Shoop, Hunter von Leer, Dick Warlock, Leo Rossi, Gloria Gifford, Tawny Moyer, Dana Carvey

More info: IMDb

Tagline: More Of The Night He Came Home

Plot: While Sheriff Brackett and Dr. Loomis hunt for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to hospital, and the serial killer is not far behind her.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

It's a strange thing about having Pleasence as Loomis.  I really dig the guy and this role but he's playing it a bit too serious, don't you think?  Anyway, this is a pretty good sequel.  One thing I dig about it is that it takes place immediately following HALLOWEEN (1978) and it covers only a few hours (probably 8).  There are some nice suspense moments (I love it when Laurie (Curtis) is outside trying to get you know who's attention to no avail.  That was very well done.  There is a little bit of nudity (which is nice), several kills and some good gore.  My favorite surprise (granted, I'd forgotten everything about this movie since I last saw it thirty years ago) was the character that slips on the blood.  AWESOME!  It's always great hearing the classic theme and it's a pretty solid horror flick all the way to the end with a satisfying conclusion.  I don't know how they explain certain people coming back for the sequels (I've only seen the third one and that was about thirty years ago, too) but it'll be fun (I hope) to see how they do it.  I'm looking forward to getting through this franchise and the Elm Street one which I'm currently watching for the first time.  I have no explanation why I missed all of these in the theater starting in the mid-80s when I was old enough to buy a ticket.  Better late than never I reckon.