Halloween III deserves credit for attempting to take the franchise in a fresh direction, moving away from the conventional slasher formula of its predecessors. Instead, it presents a Halloween-themed mystery with a brand-new cast of characters. It's worth noting that this is the only film in the Halloween series that doesn't feature Michael Myers, apart from a brief cameo where John Carpenter's original movie is playing on a TV.

However, the major drawback of Halloween III lies in its lacklustre central characters, Daniel and Ellie, portrayed by Tom Atkins and Stacey Nelkin. Both performances are subpar, and their romantic subplot feels so misjudged. The significant age gap of 24 years between the two leads makes their relationship feel very uncomfortable. Furthermore, Daniel's motivations are unclear throughout the film. We are left wondering why he is so determined to investigate the murder of Ellie's father, considering he has no personal connection to the victim and is a doctor, not a detective.

Despite these shortcomings, Season of the Witch does have its merits. The entire storyline revolving around the Silver Shamrock company is utterly absurd, yet I found its unpredictability enjoyable. Never did I expect Halloween III to feature an army of robots. The film's strongest moments occur in the last half hour, resembling an early James Bond movie, with the protagonist trapped in the villain's lair and fighting to escape. It's worth mentioning that John Carpenter's score is exceptional, evoking a sense of dread that the visuals sometimes lack.

I was looking forward to this, if nothing else than just context for that "Silver Shamrock" ad that popped up on YouTube. How the hell does that fit into a "Halloween" film?

"Season of the Witch" is a bizarre exercise in creepiness that eschews Michael Myers in favor of . . . jeez, where do we start: lasers, humanoid drones, witchcraft, the Old Man from "RoboCop" as the villain. And then there's the protagonist, a sex-hungry physician (Tom Atkins) who gets caught up in this conspiracy because of . . . I think the writer forgot to add in a reason.

On the one hand, this was enjoyable because I wanted to see how it ended; and the good thing here is that they really went for the John Carpenter mood and ambiguous ending. But the script takes way too long in revealing the evil plot, and that's characteristic of larger pacing issues.

I tend to fall somewhere in the middle on this; it doesn't deserve the hate it received in '82, but it doesn't hold the rewatchable allure for me that would put me in the cult following crowd.

Shrewd and ruthless master mask maker Conal Cochran (marvelously played with jolly sinister aplomb by Dan O'Herlithy) devices an ingenious way to kill countless innocent children on Halloween. It's up to Dr. Daniel Challis (a fine and sympathetic performance by Tom Atkins) and pretty young Ellie (a sweet and appealing portrayal by the lovely Stacey Nelkin) to figure out a way to stop Cochran before it's too late. Writer/director Tommy Lee Wallace relates the gripping story at a steady pace, does an ace job of creating and sustaining a spooky mysterious atmosphere, and maintains a grim tone that stays bleakly true to itself right to the devastatingly downbeat and nihilistic end. Moreover, the diabolically clever premise combines horror and science fiction elements with tremendous startling imagination as the holiday's ghastly Celtic druid roots concerning mass virgin sacrifices are brought into contemporary times through the use of advanced modern technology. The filmmakers warrant extra praise not only for having the guts to kill a kid on screen in a truly sick and disturbing way, but also for providing several spot-on satirical potshots at capitalism and consumerism. The make-up f/x are quite grotesque and creative. Michael Currie contributes a hearty turn as folksy motel proprietor Rafferty, Nancy Kyes makes a brief appearance as Challis' bitter ex-wife Linda, and the engaging presence of Essx Smith as helpful gas station owner Walter Jones bookends the picture. Middle-aged alcoholic and womanizer Challis makes for a touchingly flawed average guy hero. Dean Cundey's sharp widescreen cinematography gives the movie an impressive polished look. The pulsating score by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth further enhances the overall ominous mood. Good creepy fun.