Like parental public displays of affection, Coca Cola with orange and parrots dressed as humans, the idea of remaking John Carpenter's Halloween is just wrong. But nevertheless it is happening and you can get a taste of Rob Zombie's vision of the story of Michael Myers in the new trailer here. Although after watching you may, like us, feel that you've just become part of the problem rather than the solution.
Now, we're sure Rob Zombie is a nice man, despite the name, and, although House Of 1,000 Corpses bit like a rottweiler with lock jaw, there are a lot of people who really enjoyed The Devil's Rejects. And he's stated that he only wanted to make the movie if he had a reason to do it and his own story to tell. So this isn't a question of his talent. But, since Carpenter's film has lost nothing over the years and really has only fashion and hair to date it, does the world need to see this new version?
The scary bits look fine and the mask has lost none of its power to give our bejesus the wiggins. But the focus on Michael as a person is worrying. Much of the character's horror comes from the fact that he's not really a character, he's a faceless terror without humanity. If we're to spend more time with this new Michael – a super-strengthed giant, apparently – and try to see what makes him tick aren't we removing one of cinema's top boogeymen of his boogey?
What do you think? Should this classic be touched or is anything fair game for re-invention?