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"Halloween 3: Season of the Witch (1982/Blu-ray/Shout! Factory)" Review

In this chapter of the Halloween saga John Carpenter & Company decided to go another way with the series and make an all new terror filled tale. Michael Myers is gone and the evil owner of a Halloween mask company Conal Cochran (Dan O' Herlihy) is the Boogeyman this time around. After the store owner ends up dead his daughter Ellie (Stacey Nelkin) is forced to investigate what happened to him, along the way she teams up with a doctor named Daniel Challis (Tom Atkins) who has had grave events happen around him by strange men who have ties to the mask making company. Is this just a case of random murder or is it something much more powerful behind the reign of terror happening and what is soon to come?


Review: Of all of the Halloween films to be coming to Blu-ray this is the one I have been most waiting for mainly due to it being my favorite of the series next to the original. Also I have seen this one more than I have seen the rest. I have been aware of how this film has been the outcast of the series, but I have noticed in the past few years it has began to gain the respect that I think it has always deserved. In alot of ways I think they should of never done the second Halloween film and just done this as the second because the idea they had for the series would of been great. A new Halloween film every year with a Halloween based theme each one would of been great. Nonetheless I still do like the whole series minus the Resurrection chapter.
The things that really make this film so cool to me was the actors and the supernatural plot. Tom Atkins even though he didn't play a cop in this film he still seemed more like one than a doctor. He is just great in every role I have seen him in, his acting is always on the mark for the character and he just has a certain swagger to him. The other great performance was by the late Dan O' Herlihy who's role as the owner Conal Cochran was creepy and scene stealing. I really could not see anyone else in that role besides him. No one else would have the creepy charm that he delivered. I also really liked one of the twists that is delivered towards the end, if you've seen the film you may know what I mean. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who has not seen it yet.
One of the biggest thing that I have heard people say that they either hated or liked in Halloween 3 is the Silver Shamrock song. To me I am someone who has always loved it, it can get annoying but it never bothered me. I see it as perfectly cheesy! One last thing I will mention about this film is that the mask designs they used were awesome, they are classic characters but with a unique look. They definitely have become iconic. My favorite of course was the skull mask, I wish I could seriously get ahold of one of them!
Now as far as the presentation of Halloween 3, well I think it looks great. It certainly is the best I have ever seen it. The picture is cleaned up quite well and is not destroyed with excessive DNR or noise reduction. Really I couldn't notice any of the 2 being used. Anyone expecting an amazingly sharp picture and expecting it to look like it was made yesterday with a high budget will be greatly disappointed. Really those unrealistic people shouldn't even come near any film before 2006! Overall the audio and video is great and definitely an upgrade over the old DVD release. Along with the great picture and audio you get a good amount of special features that I have been waiting for, I think they surely will appease fans of this cult classic! Also the cover is reversible so you can have the original poster art instead of the newly done artwork!

-Daniel "Damnation" Lee

Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
Genre: Horror
Blu-Ray Release Year: 2012
Theatrical Release Year: 1982
Time Length: 99 mins.
Company: Shout! Factory 
Website: www.shoutfactory.com

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