Character Spotlight- Rachel Carruthers- Halloween 4 & 5

**This post contains spoilers**

Michael Myers has his sights set on returning to Haddonfield, Illinois, after a violent escape during a late night ambulance ride. Myers’ new target? His eight year old niece, Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris). Jamie, haunted by nightmares and visions of Myers, leans on her adoptive family for support. Jamie’s stepfather, Richard (Jeff Olson), and her stepmother, Darlene (Karen Alston) are dedicated to building and providing a loving home for Jamie. But her stepsister, Rachel (Ellie Cornell) is more concerned about having to cancel her date with Brady (Sasha Jenson), because she’s the fill-in babysitter for Jamie. 

Rachel is stressed out. Brady quickly moved on with Kelly Meeker (Kathleen Kinmont). But Rachel has to put the Kelly (aka “little miss hot panties”) dilemma on the back burner, while Michael Myers tears through Haddonfield on Halloween. A night of trick-or-treating with Jamie takes a disastrous turn, leaving Jamie and Rachel with three options: run, hide, or stand and fight.

This is Michael Myers we’re talking about after all. The Shape, The Boogeyman, or as Jamie also calls him, The Nightmare Man. Michael single-handedly annihilated the entire police force, and Myers, the unstoppable killing machine, doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

Sure, Jamie has a handful of supporters ready to protect her: Dr Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasence), Sheriff Ben Meeker (Beau Starr), Brady, and I can’t forget about local bar owner Earl (Gene Ross) and his gang of “beer bellies.”

A collection of townspeople and Dr. Loomis are all armed to the teeth, but bullets are not enough to completely stop Myers. Jamie also needs emotional support, and that’s why Rachel plays a crucial role in Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers.

The relationship between Jamie and Rachel has a few awkward ups and downs. There’s the one scene, where Rachel feels the need to have a tricky conversation with Jamie about their relationship, explaining the differences between biological sisters and stepsisters, while reminding Jamie she still loves her all the same. 

Rachel whines and pouts about having to cancel her date with Brady. She quickly apologizes to Jamie (after a few strong and harsh words from her father), and you could say Rachel was just throwing the kind of tantrum that’d you expect from a teenager, who’s upset about missing out on a date.

But Rachel slowly corrects her mistakes, confidently stepping into the role of a big sister. Is she nervous? Scared at times? Sure. Still, Rachel fiercely acts as a shield for Jamie throughout the movie. She’s willing to risk her life during a deadly cat and mouse game. After tossing Earl’s corpse on the side of the road, Rachel, exhausted and fed up with Myers, hits the gas on the pickup truck to run Myers over. Yeah, hitting Myers with a pickup truck wasn’t enough to take him out, but it’s still a big moment in the movie. A few good shots with blood smeared on Rachel’s face, determined and deadly serious about delivering the final blow to Myers. 

Michael Myers is back in Halloween 5, ready to leave another trail of bloody destruction to get to Jamie. Rachel knows how truly dangerous Michael is now. You have to believe she’s more prepared for a fight this time around. Protecting Jamie is the main goal. But there’s a big problem with Rachel’s role in the story for The Revenge Of Michael Myers, because Michael murders Rachel during the early stages of the movie.

Killing off Rachel well before the halfway point of the movie is one of those weird decisions I’ve never been able to understand. She was an important character, filling the role of Jamie’s guardian and her protector, the big sister, who threw herself in harm’s way to ensure Jamie’s safety. 

Rachel’s death is easily one of the more disappointing death scenes in the Halloween franchise. They didn’t even give Rachel a chance to fight back. Michael surprises her, stabs her with the scissors….and that’s it. No struggle, no big chase scene, or any kind of tension to at least give Rachel a chance to survive. Rachel deserved a better send-off. Her death scene is the kind of throwaway kill you save for a newbie character to add to Michael’s kill count. You don’t do THAT to Jamie Lloyd’s big sister.

You can see and feel Rachel’s absence after her death. Sheriff Ben Meeker is still around, but he’s busy trying to organize his police force to hunt Myers. Dr. Loomis is deadly serious about putting an end to Michael’s reign of terror, but age is catching up with him.

So who else can Jamie depend on? Tina (Wendy Kaplan)? She’s more concerned with partying, pulling pranks with Spitz (Matthew Walker) and Samantha (Tamara Glynn), and dealing with her boyfriend, Mike’s (Jonathan Chapin) mood swings. Deputy Nick Ross (Fran Como) and Deputy Tom Farrah (David Ursin)? They’re both numbskulls and bumbling fools. You can take one look at Ross and Farrah, and you’ll instantly know they don’t stand a chance against Myers.

The final images of Rachel in the Halloween series? Her corpse is sitting up in a chair amongst Michael’s creepy collection of dead bodies in the attic. It’s an emotional scene. Rachel is dead, and Jamie is heartbroken, calling out to Rachel for help, because she knows Myers is closing in. To be clear, I’m not against killing off Rachel, BUT her death should’ve meant something. Rachel could’ve been by Jamie’s side during the big finale, fighting with her sister until the end, and maybe Rachel’s death would’ve had a bigger overall impact on the story.

Rachel deserves a spot on Halloween’s list of memorable characters. Ellie Cornell always delivered earnest performances, and the sisterly bond with Danielle Harris was believable. Rachel was forced to make life or death decisions. You always got the impression she was someone, who had to quickly figure things out before Michael had a chance to get his hands on Jamie, a real person dealing with the dangers of trying to survive relentless attacks from a maniac. 

Of course, my only complaint about Rachel is, she should’ve had more screen time in Halloween 5. Rachel and Jamie only have one scene together. Rachel visits Jamie at the children’s clinic, and that’s it. Maybe they didn’t want to do a retread of the events in Halloween 4, reusing the Jamie and Rachel run and hide from Michael, waiting for the right opportunity to strike back formula. But I would’ve preferred watching Rachel guide, and protect Jamie through the madness of surviving Halloween night against Michael Myers over seeing her dead body added to the collection of corpses for Halloween newcomers. 

Character Spotlight- Sheriff Ben Meeker- Halloween 4 (1988) & Halloween 5 (1989)

**This post contains spoilers**

"Martians could land on Ben's doorstep, and all he'd do is spit once, and get himself a shotgun."

That's a direct quote from Earl (Gene Ross), the owner of a bar in Haddnonfield, Illinois, after the announcement of a mandatory curfew for locals as a precautionary measure for Michael Myers' return. Earl wanted answers for closing the bar early and losing money. Earl and his buddies provided a helping hand in the fight against Myers, but that's another story for another time. Think about Earl's quote for a second. Sheriff Brackett's (Charles Cyphers) replacement didn't have a problem standing face to face with the little green men from Mars, so you know he's ready for the fight against Michael Myers.

Beau Starr is a tough and grizzled enforcer as Sheriff Ben Meeker. There's no fear in Meeker, and his daughter Kelly (Kathleen Kinmont) is off limits. Ben warned Brady (Sasha Jenson) about "groping" his daughter with a promise of having to answer to a shotgun for disobedience, and Kelly threw in her two cents, as Brady passed second base (Ben's arrival with Rachel and Jaime interrupted Brady and Kelly's make out session the couch in Ben's home). The price for Ben catching Brady and Kelly in the act? Ben will "skin" Brady alive without thinking twice about it.

It's hard to forget about the relationship between Ben Meeker and Donald Pleasence's Dr. Loomis. As always, Loomis is the paranoid old warhorse, who will do anything to stop Michael Myers. At first, Meeker is reluctant to trust (Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers 1988) Loomis, but after Kelly's death, Meeker lowers his guard for accepting Loomis' help in the next chapter (Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers 1989). 

Highlight moments for this relationship include a heated argument on the steps of the police station in Halloween 4. In an attempt to control an outbreak of panic, Meeker wants Michael Myers' return to remain a secret, but Loomis spills the beans in front of Earl and his buddies. Loomis mentioned Myers' name as motivation for Earl and his friends. Remember, Michael's massacre at the police station? Well, Loomis wanted to use Earl and his friends as a temporary police force, but Meeker doesn't like the idea of a bunch of town drunks and their ring leader running around in the dark with shotguns. And the bickering between Loomis and Meeker during the sting operation in Halloween 5? Hilarious.

Unfortunately, Sheriff Meeker was a victim of The Man In Black/Dr. Wynn's raid on his police station. Michael Myers escapes a lifelong prison sentence, and Ben Meeker suffered a brutal death during the shootout. A bittersweet ending for the Sheriff, but Ben Meeker earned a spot on my list of memorable and likeable Halloween characters.

Also, remember the cliffhanger at the end of Halloween 4? Loomis had his finger on the trigger, as Jaime Lloyd (Danielle Harris) stood at the top of the staircase with a bloody pair of scissors. Myers was dead, but Jaime Lloyd was ready to kill anything in her path. Loomis almost pulled the trigger on his gun, but who stopped him at the last second? Sheriff Ben Meeker. Just think about that for a second as some food for thought in the Halloween franchise. Without Sheriff Ben Meeker, there's no Jaime Lloyd in Halloween 5 or Halloween 6/The Curse Of Michael Myers.

Character Spotlight- Mikey-Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989)

Tina ignored warnings from Jaime and Dr. Loomis, but her boyfriend Mikey? That's a different story.

After scoring some alcohol for the party, Mikey takes some time to freshen up his looks in the mirror, but Michael's sudden appearance changes everything. Instead of running for his life, Mikey decides to stand up to the infamous serial killer to avenge his precious car. Yeah, big mistake:
               

                                   
 
To give you a little back story to what happened after Mikey's demise, Myers, using Mikey's mask (a Halloween present from Tina) disguises himself as Mikey to lure Tina into Mikey's car. But Myers' plan to find Jaimie backfires, when Jaime's telekinetic visions save Tina from a brutal death. Before the police have a chance to catch up with him, Myers uses Mikey's car to escape, leaving Tina stranded at the gas station. 

A low pick on the totem pole for Myers' most memorable and shocking kills (Michael crushing Brady's skull in part 4? Ouch), but it's hard to feel a lot of sympathy for Mikey's character. He's a wannabe rebel/tough guy, who sports a greaser look. Mikey throws his weight around during his brief screen time, he loves his  car more than anything (girlfriend, friends, etc.), and his polite greeting to a passing police car turns into a waving middle finger. Also, Mikey treats Tina like......well he treats her like a piece of crap for the most part (the leaning  kiss in the car with Tina is Mikey's only tender moment here).

No problems with Johnathan Chapin's performance, but unlike so many of his other victims, it's kind of hard to have that "OH NO!" feeling for Mikey, when Myers hammers the final nail into the proverbial coffin.

Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (1989)

**SPOILERS**

Sorry I've been absent for a while, but I've been busy job hunting, and it's a time consuming pain in the ass. Coming back with some more reviews, so be on the lookout!

Six years after the events of Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2, Ricky Caldwell (Bill Moseley) is still in a coma. Ricky was presumed dead after the gunshot wounds, but Dr. Newbury (Richard Beymer) surgically reconstructed Ricky’s deformed brain. Dr. Newbury and his assistant revived basic functions with a machine attached to Ricky’s head, but Newbury wanted more.

Dr. Newbury developed an obsession for Ricky, so in an attempt to bring him back to the real world, Dr. Newbury began conducting a series of experiments with a psychic. With the help of some persistent goading from Dr. Newbury, Laura Anderson (Samantha Scully), a blind clairvoyant,  reluctantly uses her powers to form a connection with the comatose Ricky. Laura is frightened by Ricky’s childhood memories, and after a series of lifelike nightmares, where Ricky hunts Laura as his primary victim, Laura contemplates leaving  Dr. Newbury’s mission to study Ricky.

On Christmas Eve, Laura, her brother Chris (Eric Da Re), and his new girlfriend, Jerri (Laura Harring) take the annual trip to their grandmother’s house for Christmas Day. Meanwhile, Ricky is taunted by the hospital’s sleazy Santa Claus. Santa triggers a reaction from Ricky, and once Ricky awakes from his coma, he brutally murders the Santa Claus. In the lobby, Ricky notices the receptionist’s red flower pin, steals her letter opener, and Ricky uses the letter opener to murder the receptionist. Eventually, Ricky hitchhikes a ride, but the driver shows Ricky his hand knitted red Christmas sweater. After murdering the driver and stealing his clothes, Ricky decides to pay a visit to Laura’s grandmother.

Laura is still haunted by Ricky’s childhood memories, and during Dr. Newbury’s experiments, Laura unknowingly developed a telekinetic connection with Ricky. Dr. Newbury teams up with Lt. Connely (Robert Culp) to stop Ricky, but Newbury will do everything in his power to take Ricky alive. Laura, Chris, and Jerri arrive at Granny Anderson’s (Elizabeth Hoffman) house, but Granny’s unusual  disappearance creates an unsettling Christmas Eve atmosphere. Ricky is waiting for the right moment, and things take a turn for the worst, when Chris’ red jeep disappears……..  

Technically, Ricky is the main character in this film, but the story revolves around Laura, and I give the nod to Scully for the best performance in this film. Scully showcases her eardrum, shattering shrieking skills throughout this film, and she’s believable as the sympathetic victim. Moseley is mostly known for his role in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and more recently, Texas Chainsaw 3D. Also, Moseley worked with Rob Zombie in the past (House Of 1,000 Corpses & The Devil’s Rejects). The replacement Mother Superior in Part 2 annoys me, but Ricky is brain-dead in this film, so you can’t expect any familiar characteristics from Billy’s brother here. Moseley’s dialogue is mostly limited to slow whispers of “Laura,” and it might work for some people, but I can’t buy into Moseley’s silent and zombified deadly killer act. It’s not his fault, though. I blame that fucking ridiculous contraption on the top of his head. Ricky’s brain machine is so cartoonish, and it looks like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. Here take a look:

                               


You won’t see much of her, but Elizabeth Hoffman is spot on as Granny Anderson, and Laura Harring is okay as Jerri. Eric Da Re is just there, and I guess they wanted someone, who embodied the look of an 80’s rock star. Dr. Newbury is a douchebag. A creepy douchebag, but he’s still a douchebag. Plus, Beymer’s pompous “I’m studying Ricky for the good of mankind!” shtick brings too many unintentional laughs out of me. And Robert Culp’s lighthearted approach towards the hard ass cop persona is enjoyable.

Better Watch Out! is the first serious film in the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise. No corny one-liners, or over the top characters, and the hammy 80’s slasher routine is toned down. Also, Better Watch Out! is the first Silent Night film to drop the killer Santa Claus theme.

I appreciate the effort for change here. The telekinetic connection storyline with Laura and Ricky is something different, BUT the execution in this film is just horrible. During the trip to Granny’s house, Connely and Dr. Newbury go back and forth during a series of annoying arguments about morals and science. I can’t comprehend the point of the “Ricky’s  future” duel between Newbury and Connely. Connely obviously won’t respect Newbury’s opinions, and Newbury is too smug and eccentric, so it’s hard to take him seriously.

Laura has psychic powers. I get that, but Part 3 dropped the ball, because Laura NEVER uses her psychic powers to thwart Ricky’s attacks, or defeat him. In fact, Laura unknowingly gave away Granny’s location, as Ricky listened to Laura’s directions to the house. And during the final confrontation with Ricky, Laura has visions of Granny urging her to use the psychic powers to defeat Ricky. Instead, Laura spends time listening to Ricky’s movements, and destroying the only light bulb in the basement to “even” the odds? And as Ricky is trying to choke Jerri to death, Laura just stands there, and accepts the inevitable?

I understand the dynamic of Ricky searching for Laura, because during his coma, Laura was the only person from the outside, who tried to bond with him. Although, you won’t see the long awaited one on one confrontation between Laura and Ricky until the very end. And everything leading up to the final showdown might put you to sleep. After Laura’s first interaction with Ricky in a nightmare, Better Watch Out! slowly goes through the motions. It’s an unbearable bore-fest, and the underwhelming climax doesn’t help anything.

When Laura, Chris, and Jerri arrive at Granny’s place, the house is empty, and Granny is missing. Laura shows concern, but instead of launching an immediate search party, Chris decides to spend time with Jerri instead. Apparently, making out with and taking a bath with Jerri is more important than your grandmother’s safety? Okay then. Chris is a clueless doofus, and of course, when he finally decides to do something about Granny’s mysterious disappearance, it’s too late. Ugh,  I always dread watching the fiasco at Granny’s house, easily the most mind-numbingly stupid series of events in this film.

Why is Ricky indestructible in this film? All of the sudden Ricky is capable of walking through windows and doors? How? While Ricky chokes Jerri, Chris stabs him with a knife. The knife goes through his arm, Ricky just pulls it out, and continues his pursuit of Laura like nothing happened? Seriously?

The violence and gore in this film is laughable. The splatters of blood in the opening nightmare sequence resemble cheap red paint, and I have the same feelings for Laura’s vision of the receptionist’s death. And I always laugh at Dr. Newbury’s “tragic” death scene…….that shouldn’t happen.

FINALLY they dropped the “attempted rapes trigger a tirade” bullshit in this film, and they used clips from Part I again, but they didn’t show any scenes in their entirety, which is a good thing. They also maintained continuity for Ricky’s character, because red and Santa Claus trigger Ricky’s killer instincts. Still, Part 3 is a pretty lousy film. Every time I decide to watch Part 3, it takes me at least a week or more to finish the entire thing, because I can’t sit through this tedious mess in one viewing. The sub-plot featuring the friction between Laura and Jerri is good for a few laughs, and Laura’s insults are hilarious. But overall, Better Watch Out! fails to meet the very low standards of straight-to-video horror. Better Watch Out! tries to be a “smart” slasher flick, but the end result is a pretentious bore with a convoluted and senseless story.

Final Rating: 2/10