**This post contains spoilers**
Conal Cochran (Dan O’ Herlihy), a savvy Irish gentleman, the proprietor of Silver Shamrock Novelties, and the savior of a small town named Santa Mira. A toymaker, the master of gags, practical jokes, and Halloween masks, Cochran is seemingly a charming businessman with a big heart. Rafferty (Michael Currie), the hotel manager and one of Cochran’s loyal subordinates, adores Cochran, praising him as a benevolent icon. The big secret? Cochran is an evil mastermind, who’s planning to use Silver Shamrock masks to carry out brutal ritual human sacrifices targeting children.
No underboss. Nobody to claim the title of the right hand man or woman. Conal Cochran is the unquestioned decision maker. He’s the final boss, so it’s easy to understand why Cochran uses androids as his enforcers, an efficient hit squad obeying his orders.
Cochran, a sharp and obsessive control freak, demands unwavering loyalty. The wiretapped phones, the surveillance cameras, the curfews, and the androids. He’s not going to take any chances trusting flawed humans. No debates, no arguments, and no committees. Need an example? Starker (Jonathan Terry), a “local boy,” was bitter about Cochran denying him a job at the factory. Starker loudly vented about his plans to burn down the factory and eliminate Cochran. Big mistake, because Cochran obviously ordered two of his androids to kill Strarker moments after his rant.
Cochran mastered the art of being a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Buddy Kupfer (Ralph Strait), his wife, Betty (Jadeen Barbor), and his son, Little Buddy (Brad Schacter) believed they were about to watch a harmless commercial. Buddy was ready to take notes, and Little Buddy was excited to be the first kid to participate in the big giveaway! The bad news here is, it was all a setup, or a “demonstration” for Cochran to test his deadly Halloween masks. Little Buddy was a guinea pig, suffering a brutal death via his new pumpkin Halloween mask.
That’s what makes Cochran so dangerous. He lures you in with his charisma and his endearing personality. You believe he’s a trustworthy and kind old man, but there’s an insidious monster waiting for the right moment to strike underneath his welcoming persona. Just think about that sinister smile, as Cochran watched Buddy and his family suffer. He enjoyed every second of it, and you could say Cochran had a strong sense of pride knowing his masks actually worked.
Dan O’ Herlihy does a wonderful job of quickly switching gears as Cochran. The aftermath of the “misfire” scene and Marge Guttman’s (Garn Stephens) death sticks out. When Cochran arrives, he’s upbeat and reassuring about Marge’s condition. Of course, it’s all lies. Notice how Cochran’s demeanor changes, when he turns his back and wants to know what happened to Marge. You can hear the tone of his voice change. He’s angry, disappointed, and you can tell Conal Cochran is not the kind of man, who tolerates mistakes, loose ends, or any cracks in the foundation.
The scene, where Cochran explains why he’s doing what he’s doing is another good one. Listen to the rumbly tone in O’ Herlihy’s voice. It’s sick, but he’s serious about completing his mission. Cochran is disgusted by the reality of Halloween being reduced to children begging for candy, because for Cochran, Halloween has a deeper meaning and a bigger purpose.
Cochran is unstoppable! Or is he? Cochran is a calculating and cerebral villain. His greatest adversary? Dr. Dan Challis (Tom Atkins)! Cochran, a thinking man, was always one step ahead of Dan and Ellie (Stacey Nelkin). Cochran knew they were lying about being a married couple, and he knew Dan wouldn’t leave the factory without trying to save Ellie. That’s why there’s an android version of Ellie, conveniently waiting for Dan to rescue her. No locked doors, no security protocols, no android guards outside her door. It was almost too easy to rescue “Ellie,” and Dan took the bait.
Cochran is smart, so what happened? His ego got the best of him. Showing Dan the demise of The Kupfer Family was a big mistake. Dan learned how to use the Silver Shamrock emblems against Cochran and his cronies, because he watched how everything unfolded step by step.
Taking a few steps back, Cochran could’ve easily ordered the androids to kill Dan, when he snuck into the factory. Dan’s immediate execution would’ve saved Cochran a lot of trouble. Instead, Cochran was more concerned with gloating and celebrating. Ellie (the android version), his plan b or the ace up his sleeve, didn’t stop Dan from warning the networks about his plans.
Cochran realizes he’s been defeated, but something strange happens. Cochran looks up at Dan, smiles, and he gives Challis a final round of applause before his demise. Why? I’ve always believed Cochran was able to respect and admire Dan’s gritty and persistent efforts. Cochran never believed Dan could’ve pulled it off. He was bested by someone, who didn’t stand a chance. Dan, the unlikely and lucky hero, with a fighting spirit, and you could say Cochran graciously accepted his defeat, while acknowledging Dan’s victory.
But let’s not forget about the final channel playing the dangerous Silver Shamrock jingle commercial. Did Dan really win in the end? Maybe it was a case of too little, too late? We don’t know if the network pulled the last commercial. There’s a chance that Cochran, the ultimate devious prankster, succeeded. You always want to believe everything worked out for the best. The big feel good happy ending, but you simply can’t underestimate Conal Cochran, whether he’s alive or dead.
No comments:
Post a Comment