Halloween: Three-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition

Just in time for Halloween, conveniently enough comes another edition of Rob Zombie’s brutal take on John Carpenter’s 1978 slasher classic. Following up the "unrated director’s cut” edition released at the beginning of the year, this three-disc set is nothing more than a blatant, seasonal cash grab. It’s almost silly to call this a follow-up considering it is the exact same DVD as the one reviewed here. Included are the same now dated previews, the same special features and the same menus — the only difference being a new case and a completely exhausting third disc. By exhausting I mean a four-and-a-half-hour "documentary” that isn’t actually a documentary but a multi-chapter, detailed look at how the film was made. While Zombie is no doubt a unique filmmaker, one who always manages to capture his vision without jeopardizing a shot, it’s unrealistic to imagine that anyone — even the most hardcore "Halloweenie” — would want to see this mammoth disc through from start to finish. There certainly are moments within that fans might find valuable. It’s interesting to be there and see how Zombie makes certain artistic choices and hear a cast member utter the words: "It’s awesome to see him get so excited about getting to kill people,” about young actor Daeg Faerch (Michael Myers), but come day 31 of the shoot, or even day 11, it’s a tedious lesson taught by an indulgent filmmaker. I understand that it is a bonus, and Zombie is making the most out of his leftovers, but this would have been much more enjoyable had it been cut into a 90-minute feature.