Comments on: Focus On : Rob Zombie’s Halloween

By: Aaron Gillott

Aaron Gillott — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:48:30 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Stuart, and I’m certainly happy to oblige – rape is one of those subjects that is part and parcel of the horror genre, especially within the exploitation side of things. I don’t have a blanket objection to it being shown on screen so long as there’s some justification for its inclusion and that it’s not there merely through some infantile attempt to shock, or worse some misplaced desire to titillate (which for me, personally, it then crosses a line into a fetishism that should be reserved for specialist porn if fake “rape” is what gets someone off, though that’s a can of worms all of its own and one I’m leaving well alone).

The rape scene in this “Unrated/Director’s Cut” is particularly offensive to me because not only does it casually gloss over it without really showing the horrendous impact on the victim, but it’s there merely to serve as a plot contrivance, a kind of deus ex machina method of facilitating Michael’s escape and is thus entirely arbitrary, pointless and merely to add a little shock value, nothing more, an attitude I find entirely unforgivable and it should never have left the cutting room floor, where it belongs.

By: Stuart Barr

Stuart Barr — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:21:29 +0000

Thanks for calling out that vile rape scene. I didn’t see this crap on the big screen and didn’t realize I was
watching a “directors cut”. I couldn’t understand why it had been givn a pass by critics. Of course now I know they never saw it. Really indefensible
and unnecessary scene.

By: Aaron Gillott

Aaron Gillott — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:00:18 +0000

haha What can I say, I must have some hidden masochistic tendencies.

I forgot to mention that underneath the Blu-Ray of this, my friend also had Halloween 2 sitting there… I just about made my way through it (glutton for punishment that I am). I thank you for exposing it for being as craptacular as it is in your review, if I’d had to put my thoughts down in writing I’d have probably spontaneously combusted from sheer apoplectic rage, and I don’t think my dictionary covers primal screams.

By: Jamie Carruthers

Jamie Carruthers — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:47:10 +0000

I love these Focus On pieces, keep ‘em coming!

By: The Scullion

The Scullion — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:40:25 +0000

Well, you can’t say fairer than that!

I was going to question your utter insanity in re-watching what is basically a giant filmic turd, but then I watched Zombie’s Halloween 2…