Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a prime example of a beloved horror movie that really took its time to earn respect, as it was a critical and commercial failure in 1982. I am happy to see the once-dark horse of the Halloween movies become reevaluated as a favorite Halloween movie by some fans but a part of me wishes it had achieved success when it first came out for one particular reason. Allow me to explain, but first, let’s talk about why audiences originally thought they were being tricked by this treat.
Why Halloween III Failed
John Carpenter’s 1978 original classic, Halloween, introduced the world to one of the most iconic horror movie villains, Michael Myers, whose killing streak would continue in 1981’s Halloween II but not in the following installment. Halloween III: Season of the Witch is an entirely new story about a doctor (played by Tom Atkins) who uncovers an evil, supernatural plot involving a popular children’s mask manufacturer. Aside from a scene in which Atkins’ character watches the Halloween trailer at a bar, the film bears no connection to Michael Myers or even Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode whatsoever, much to many fans’ chagrin.
In a great horror movie documentary from 2022 called In Search of Darkness: Part III, Carpenter and Atkins recall how audiences were not happy to see a Halloween movie without Myers. On top of that, it received mostly negative reviews, was the lowest-grossing installment at the time (and is still ranked low on that list today) with a little more than $14 million (according to Box Office Mojo), and was criticized for a story that endangers children. In response, the franchise was reverted back to a series of slasher movies and saw Myers’ return in 1988’s Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.
How I Feel About Halloween III
Just by writing this, it may seem like I am one of this underrated horror movie’s biggest defenders. Indeed, I do believe that there are plenty of reasons to love Halloween III: Season of the Witch but, with all due respect to John Carpenter (who co-writes, produces, and composes) and horror movie icon Tom Atkins, I do not believe this film is among their best work.
I think much of the acting is wooden, the genuine scares are in short supply, and the plot and tone are just a jumbled mess. I would go so far as to say that it is a perfect example of an ‘80s horror movie that deserves a remake, as its otherwise interesting concept could use a do-over. At least I can say that my disappointment over the sequel has nothing to do with Myers’ absence. In fact, that is one of the things I admire most about it.
I Think The Halloween Franchise’s Anthology Strategy Should Have Worked
In 2017, Carpenter told THR that he believed Michael Myers’ story had gone as far as it needed with the first two movies and wanted to try something different. He had conceived an idea to keep the franchise going by releasing a different standalone film related to the holiday each year and Season of the Witch was the first (and, unfortunately, the last) attempt at that strategy. Speaking as someone who loves the character of Michael Myers, I wish the anthology idea had not been scrapped.
I genuinely believe that it would have served the otherwise beloved horror movie franchise better to introduce new stories instead of basically repeating the same scenario with the same killer over and over again. Not to mention, the multiple timelines in the Halloween series and the convoluted sibling connection between Michael and Laurie (which Carpenter came up with while drunk) have rarely done the subsequent films any favors, as far as I am concerned. I once said, after Halloween Ends came out, that I hope we have seen the last of Michael Myers but, honestly, I think it might have been even better to see his murder spree cease with Halloween II and let the franchise evolve.
Apparently, Miramax has an upcoming horror TV show spun off from the movies in the works. I was hoping that it would be the franchise’s second chance at veering away from Myers’ story by making it a horror anthology TV series but it looks like it is just going to be another “creative reset.” I guess the failure of Halloween III really brought out the fear of change in the horror genre but, thankfully, there are still some opportunities in the many upcoming horror movies for new scares.