Few sequels in a successful horror franchise have divided more than HALLOWEEN III -SEASON OF THE WITCH. As a proper sequel to the 1978 and 1981 films, it is regarded as a total failure to respect the franchise (which resurrected Michael Myers for the fourth instalment in 1988).
However, if you treat it as a stand-alone HALLOWEEN film with a different perspective and idea, HALLOWEEN III is actually one of the better HALLOWEEN films of all time.
Dr. Dan Challis (Tom Atkins) has to deal with a man brought into his workplace who is on the run from some men in suits clutching a Halloween mask. However, when he is blinded and killed by one of his pursuers, he decides to investigate with the help of the man’s daughter, Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin).
Their trail leads them to Santa Mira in Southern California where the mask her late father was clutching is made at the Silver Shamrock Mask factory, run by Conal Cochran (Dan O’Herlihy). However, Cochran has a far deadlier use for the masks – and is about to play a major trick on the children of America…..
With echoes of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, HALLOWEEN III is a pretty spooky affair, right down to the very last pay-off, which is as ambiguous and downbeat as you can get for a horror film. If you want Michael Myers, there is a glimpse of him on an advert for HALLOWEEN on a TV, which is the only reference you get, but look to the first two films for fan satisfaction.
A cult classic.