Though the new Halloween continues to garner a largely positive response in the wake of the Blumhouse production’s recent premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, it’s hard to imagine any sequel in this long-running slasher series attaining the legendary status of the 1978 original.
But if you’d care to compare, you might be pleased to hear that a restored and remastered digital print of the first Halloween will be making its way to select theaters worldwide this month in celebration of the film’s 40th anniversary. The run of screenings begins September 27th, just a couple of days after the release of the 4K Ultra HD home edition on September 25th.
Director John Carpenter himself has shown his support for the classic horror movie returning to cinemas, too, saying:
“I’m thrilled to have the original make its way back into theaters, as we prepare for the release of the sequel. Having both back in theaters this fall is remarkable.”
While the new Halloween was helmed by David Gordon Green, Carpenter was involved in the project as a composer, who boldly went on record prior to film’s premiere claiming that Green’s movie was the franchise’s best outing since the original. While that may well be true, there’s little doubt that Carpenter’s own film will still be looked back on as the high bar for the series and a continuing source of inspiration.
Between the movie’s identical titles and both Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis making a return, there’s a feeling that the new Halloween is bringing the whole saga full circle. Still, with Danny McBride already teasing ideas for further sequels, it’s hard to imagine the story stopping here. But wherever this is all heading, you can see where the series began when the 1978 Halloween hits cinemas later this month, followed by the new movie on October 19th.
