Where to watch Halloween III: Season of the Witch
1 Star
Michael Myers has been retired from the series in favor of a one-off story about possessed children’s masks. Franchise creator John Carpenter produced and delivered the score, but his stylistic touches and creative control are much-needed. Season of the Witch is a slow-moving, idiotic, and cheap bit of work. While this isn’t the standard stalker genre flick that was so prevalent in the eighties, it’s ‘pod-people’ narrative is contrived and lacking of interest.
Dr, Daniel Chalis (Tom Atkins) is thrown into a mysterious investigation when, a man stumbles into the ER ranting about Shamrock Industries. Turns out the leading maker of Halloween masks is up to something quite naughty on Hallow’s eve. Conal Cochran (Dan O’ Herlihy) is the demented toy maker who intends to use the holiday to murder the nation’s children, while returning the holiday to its darkly conceived roots.
Cochran’s deadly scheme is to use a non-stop advertising campaign that will activate a chip hidden within the logo on each mask to brainwash and kill the user. Dr. Chalis is aided by Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin) in his effort to stop the nefarious plans of Cochran and to alert the country of the impending danger on Halloween.
Shoddy plotting, visual design and acting rear their collective heads in this utterly forgettable tale that uses the Halloween name only for its monetary value. Director Tommy Lee Wallace shows no talent in staging or executing scenes of maximum impact, often leaving his actor’s to look foolish. The extended ending is over-kill in every use of the word. Halloween III is notable only for its quality score.
Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
Stars:Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O’Herlihy