TERROR NEVER RESTS IN PEACE
1995 / 2014 (Official) | 95 Minutes | 1.85:1
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INTRODUCTION | DIFFERENCES | BOOTLEG HISTORY | HOME VIDEO RELEASES | ALTERNATE VERSIONS | MEDIA
Introduction
Shortly after the release of The Curse of Michael Myers in theatres, a bootleg began circulating among the growing online Halloween fanbase of an alternate and drastically different cut of the film.
This cut would soon be dubbed the producer’s cut, and became one of the most sought after and traded bootlegs among horror fans. With a total runtime that was nearly ten minutes later than its theatrical counterpart, the producer’s cut featured close to 42 minutes of alternate footage, as well as entirely different third act.
Differences
The music in the producer’s cut is closer to the traditional themes of the previous films, rather than the guitar-influenced versions heard in the theatrical cut.
One common occurrence the theatrical cut features are the “slash cuts” of scenes throughout the movie. Those are not present in the producer’s cut, making for a more cohesive narrative.
There are many scenes that run just a second or two longer in the producer’s cut by having an additional shot here and there. I’ll do my best to mention them when applicable, but the list below focuses more on the substantial changes made to the film.
- The title card displays the A in Halloween as a thorn logo. Additionally, the film is titled Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers rather than just Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.
- The film’s credits happen over the footage of Jamie Lloyd being wheeled into the birthing room, which lasts a few seconds later in this cut.
- After the Thorn symbol is branded on Steven, the producer’s cut includes a flashback that shows what happened after the ending of part five. Jamie Lloyd goes outside and sees Michael Myers being loaded into a van before she is kidnapped herself.
- Mary and Jamie’s escape scene runs longer in the producer’s cut, showing more footage of Michael chasing after them as well as having Mary look around once more before Michael kills her.
- Michael kills the pick-up truck driver by breaking his neck in the producer’s cut, rather than the almost decapitation that’s present in the producer’s cut.
- Kara checking on Danny is longer in this cut, featuring additional dialogue as well as Kara helping console Danny with a chant to the “monsters and ghouls.”
- The scene of Kara getting ready for bed is longer, as we see Kara take off her glasses and robe before sitting at the mirror.
- Tommy’s computer screen is visible in the opening scenes, reading Project Michael Myers to help tie into the Thorn storyline better.
- Jamie’s phone call is longer, as is the meeting between Dr. Wynn and Dr. Loomis. The two discuss Wynn’s retirement.
- The theatrical cut features more footage of Michael stalking Jamie in the barn. Moreover, in the producer’s cut, she is stabbed and falls to the ground, still alive for later in the film. The theatrical cut features her being impaled on farm equipment and dying.
- There’s a scene of Dr. Wynn and Dr. Loomis at Smiths Grove Sanitarium discussing Michael Myers. They’re informed Jamie Lloyd’s body was discovered that morning.
- We get a brief scene of Tim and Danny actually making the “stomach pounder” as Tim talks to one of his friends on the phone.
- After John slaps Kara, Danny hears a voice saying KILL FOR HIM.
- After Beth shows up, Kara’s dialogue with Danny is extended. Afterward, we see John and Debra in the kitchen staring at them. John disowns Kara.
- Dr. Loomis and Dr. Wynn’s visit to the bar is extended, showing them interacting with a local Haddonfield sheriff who doesn’t want Loomis in their town.
- Michael Myers stalks Kara around her college campus.
- Dr. Wynn and Dr. Loomis’s conversation about Jamie at the hospital is a few lines longer. The scenes with Tommy at the hospital are also a few seconds later.
- As Dr. Loomis talks to Debra, there is footage of Jamie being operated on. He has more lines in this cut, reiterating what he’d said about Michael Myers in the prior films.
- Jamie Lloyd has a flashback to what happened to her while she was kidnapped by the cult of Thorn. Afterward, the Man in Black shows up and shoots her.
- As a result of The Revenge of Michael Myers revealing Darlene survived her attack, Jamie’s death in the producer’s cut marks the first time a character was intentionally killed by someone who isn’t Michael Myers in the series. This wouldn’t happen again until Halloween Ends.
- As the result of Jamie’s death being different in this version, all dialogue related to her death was changed from the two cuts. There is more footage of Loomis at the hospital after she dies, which serves as the explanation for why he’s there. In the theatrical cut, it appears as if he’s just randomly at the hospital with Dr. Wynn.
- John’s head doesn’t explode, but his electrocution lasts longer.
- Barry Simms’s death adds an additional detail. We discover the van he stepped in was actually a Smith’s Grove Sanitarium van; after he dies, the camera pans over and shows his van was not too far away.
- Danny hears the voice of the Man in Black calling him to the Strode house, rather than just leaving for it like in the theatrical cut.
- After Kara jumps from the window, the producer’s cut features an entirely new ending.
- Tommy and Dr. Loomis have a conversation in one of the hallways at the Sanitarium that leads to Dr. Loomis’s conversation with Dr. Wynn. Both characters have more dialogue in this scene.
- During Dr. Loomis’s confrontation with Dr. Wynn, Dr. Wynn is wearing the ritual outfit. After Dr. Loomis is knocked out, Dr. Wynn tells his assistants to leave Loomis there at it’s his office now, setting up this version’s ending.
- There’s a new scene at the altar, where Kara is about to sacrificed so the curse can pass from Michael to Danny. Tommy shows up and rescues Kara, threatening Dr. Wynn in the process.
- Michael chases after them, but Tommy stops him with druid stones. After Loomis helps them escape, Dr. Wynn – as the Man in Black – approaches Michael’s frozen statue.
- After saying bye to Tommy, Kara, Danny and Steven, Dr. Loomis makes his way back inside. He goes to unmask Michael, only to discover that it’s Dr. Wynn underneath the mask. Dr. Wynn passes the mark of Thorn onto Dr. Loomis, implying he will now be Michael’s caretaker. In the background, Michael escapes dressed as the Man in Black.
Bootleg History
The producer’s cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers first rose to prominence as a bootleg not long after the theatrical cut’s release. It was sourced from a low-quality VHS and featured a timecode tracker that ran along the bottom of it. Nonetheless, this print proved to be popular and was widely traded in various quality and dubs.
The first copy of it that I ever personally owned was a VHS copy sold by an online store that called themselves Orange Grove Video; in fact, this VHS was among the most popular within the fandom.
After that, people began to wonder if a higher quality version of the producer’s cut was possible. The first such release was a composite edit that replaced some of the producer’s cut footage with the footage from the theatrical cut’s DVD to try and improve the video presentation. It was done quickly, and certain scenes weren’t replaced properly.
In either 2003 or 2004, a user at the Official Halloween Message Board (which was then just a fan-credited message board) with the username Mojo released what was, to date, the best version of the producer’s cut available.
Similar to the above cut, he took the theatrical cut and spliced in the producer’s cut footage where it needed to go. The timecode at the bottom were no longer present, but the film did feature quality shifts between the two versions.
What set this release apart from those before it, however, was a plethora of special features and an interactive DVD menu that was made to replicate Tommy’s computer from the film.
A few years later, what would become the ultimate release of the film surfaced. A massive 5-disc set, it featured the producer’s cut in an anamorphic widescreen transfer from a digital source, as well as additional discs for the rough cut, director’s cut, television cut and a fifth disc dedicated entirely to bonus features.
Home Video Releases
However, it wasn’t until 2014 when the producer’s cut of The Curse of Michael Myers finally received an official home video release. Completely skipping over the VHS and DVD formats, Scream Factory’s complete collection Blu-Ray box set saw the release of the producer’s cut on Blu-Ray, on its own disc with a handful of bonus features. Though the disc was only limited to the 15-disc edition, it was a prime selling point of the box set, and many auctions popped up on eBay shortly thereafter of the disc.
Now owning the distribution rights to Miramax’s titles, Lionsgate put out their own release of the producer’s cut on Blu-Ray. The release itself was barebones, consisting only of the film and a digital copy voucher code. It was later released with a slipcover that emulated a VHS.
In October 2022, Scream Factory was again able to secure the rights for the three Halloween films released under the Miramax banner. Packaged together due to licensing restrictions, both cuts of The Curse of Michael Myers received a 4K release alongside Halloween H20 and Halloween Resurrection.
Alternate Versions
The rough cut of The Curse of Michael Myers is an earlier version of the producer’s cut, featuring unfinished music cues / stock music from the prior films, as well as a different colour timing. Some inserts are also missing, such as those of Jamie driving the van in the opening act. Content wise, the rough cut also features an additional scene of the sheriff interacting with Dr. Loomis and Dr. Wynn.
When The Curse of Michael Myers aired on television for the first time, some scenes from the producer’s cut were added to pad the run-time of the already shortened theatrical cut. You can find out more information on the television cut on its respective page.