Product: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Rating: 4.0
The Night He Didn't Come Home.
Audiences quickly turned on this Michael Myers-less third entry in the ground-breaking "Halloween" series, but don't let that deter you from enjoying this stylish and campy sci-fi/horror b-flick. Tom Atkins stars as the deadbeat dad and doctor who knows all the right moves in "Halloween III: Season of the Witch." After a man is brutally murdered in his hospital, Atkins takes to the road with the victim's grieving daughter. After seducing the woman who appears to be half his age, Atkins uncovers a plot by a mysterious factory to manufacture a series of Halloween masks that, on Halloween night, will kill millions of children across the country. The debut from writer/director Tommy Lee Wallace ("Fright Night 2," "It") is heavy on the John Carpenter leanings, which is no surprise as Carpenter not only served as producer but provided the chilling soundtrack as well. The average viewer will have trouble figuring out just what is going on towards the end, but no matter; the film is just too brilliantly cheesy and over-the-top to not adore. Most noteable for its grisly death scenes, brilliant synth score and a fun performance by Atkins. The perfect treat for those who love some good 80's b-movie cheese.