Some characters in the HalloweeN movies have reacted to situations in rather curious ways. Whether it’s the fault of the actor, the script, or the director, a number of reactions have been unbelievable or silly. This article will be the first in a series. Let’s start with the 1978 classic HalloweeN. The film began with a character reacting in an odd manner.
I’m speaking about the woman who is present when young Michael is standing outside after stabbing Judith. I say “woman” because, in the movie, it’s not entirely demonstrated that she is Michael’s mom. The man is credited as “Peter Myers.” They are both loosely implied to be Michael’s parents through some of Judith’s dialog (she tells her guy friend that her parents will be back soon).
For simplicity’s sake, these characters will be referred to as Michael’s mom and dad. Michael exits the house and is unmasked by his dad. Young Myers is holding up a massive knife that has fresh blood on it.
The dad, stunned and frozen in place, stares at Michael. Meanwhile, the mom has a bland expression on her face. She looks bored, as if she’s about to yawn. She doesn’t seem concerned that her son is holding a sharp weapon with blood dripping from it. The mom remains calm, stands back and casually puts her hands in her coat pockets … What kind of reaction is that?
The next Odd Reaction comes courtesy of the man himself, Michael Myers. In Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Kara Strode strikes Myers over the head with a fire iron. Michael goes tumbling down the stairs and seems to be out cold.
Kara proceeds to step over Myers to get to her son Danny. Suddenly, Michael grabs her ankle. Kara smacks Myers across the arm with the fire iron and he clenches his fist and moves his arm away as if he’s badly hurt. WTF?
Michael Myers has been run over by cars, shot dozens of times, set on fire, etc. but he’s hardly given any indication that he felt very much. Yet, when Myers takes an iron rod to the arm, he recoils and acts as if it were the most painful injury he’s ever endured.
Of the two Odd Reactions here, the mom’s bothers me more. She’s so detached from what’s going on that it looks like she’s reading her lines off of a cue card (which is weird since she doesn’t have any lines in the movie). The Michael Myers one bugs me, too, but at least it’s funny. The mom’s reaction is annoying (and why the hell is she wearing Dr. Loomis’ trench coat?).
I never really noticed that about Michael’s mother. Good observation there!
Ive always been puzzled by her reaction also!
Loomis’ trench coat! You’re right!!
i dunno… i think its quite obvious that michael feels pain. his reactions in the first movie to such things as the hanger in the eye and the knitting needle in the neck were indicative of the ouch behind the mask. part two michael seemed more machine like almost inspiring the bots in the third film. part four i still think george wasnt in there and that was just a really big muppet. k sorry im rambling… in short i think he feels pain and if anyone took a poker to the wrist we would do more than make a fist! go on try it.
You forgot to include one of the oddest reactions of them all! 😛 from halloween II 1981 when bracket see’s annie dead and basically just looks at her,showing barely any emotion at all
whoops sorry didnt realize this was only focusing on H1 and H6
@darkbladeclan
it’s all good man! I’m trying to focus on 2 odd reactions per article. The Sheriff Brackett one is certainly one that comes to mind.
@cadburry420
Myers does feel pain, but my point was that he hardly showed it such as he did in that case. The poke in the eye in H1 was not necessarily a reaction of pain (it could’ve been part of his strategy to make Laurie think he was dead).
and thank you, as well, for your comments wowcomix, THcreeps and ShapeOffear
I think the mom’s reaction was totally plausible. Some might scream, others might stand there in complete shock. Her shocked wtf look worked for me, you can see that within her frozen fear she is wondering what the hell happened and just how bad is it.
In my opinion you’re over-thinking a little bit. I agree with nyghoul and cadburry420 on this. And there has been worse reactions onscreen throughout both of those films (Jamie’s death comes to mind).
And to add to the poke in the eye bit:
He clearly was in pain when he got his eye jabbed. Enough pain to become severely disoriented, dropping his knife.
So much cut film or keep film
The mother was just in shock and/or drunk from the Halloween party she just came back from.
Who is the actrees who play’s Michael’s mother