Halloween Kills Trailer or Why Tuna Wishes He Got That Guy’s Number Back In 2018

The trailer for the upcoming sequel to 2018’s Halloween, which itself was a direct sequel of the 1978 one, came out a couple of days ago much to the delight of the series’ fans. 

There was also a lone, loud shriek heard in Hougang.

That was me. I saw the announcement post on my phone and rushed to the living room, pushing my dad who was watching old Takakura Ken movies aside. I watched the trailer thrice, in a row. My wife walked by with an eye-roll and my folks can’t figure out where this obsession of mine came from.

It’s not just them. I shared in my various Whatspp groups of fellow geeks and nerds, while posting the trailer on my FB feed. Didn’t get much reaction. Then I remember how it always has been the case for me when it comes to the Halloween series/Michael Myers. That’s why I wish I got the number of that guy back in 2018.

Let me explain.

I’ve been a big fan of classic slasher flicks, especially the Halloween series and the Friday the 13th series. After many years of deliberation, it’s Michael Myers No. 1 and Jason Voorhees at No. 2 for me. Watched all the films, including the really bad ones from the late ‘80s and ‘90s, and the decent but extremely over-the-top Rob Zombie’s version aka Hillbilly Halloween films from the late 2000s.

So, I was extremely excited from the moment I heard about the 2018 Halloween sequel/reboot, all the way to the release of each trailer and finally, when it was released.

You can imagine my disappointment when I can’t find any of my friends, including my beloved/suffering wife, to go watch the film with me. After waiting for a week to find someone, to no avail, I bought a single ticket for myself and went to the cinema. It was a smaller screen and not much people were there. I saw some couples, including an older couple whom I assume were fans of the 1978 original, and some small groups of kids.

Then I saw, there, two rows in front of me, was a lone dude like me, settling in and clearly looking excited. I wanted to switch seats so that I can easily lean over and say “Hi”, like a creep, or share some geeky fact about the various masks they’ve used in the films or the actors who played Michael Myers, or the fact that Paul FRICKIN’ Rudd was in the arguably the worst ever entry in the series.

But fate would not have it.

The film started and I was lost in all its glory. It truly was a worthy entry and direct follow-up to the 1978 original, doing away all the ridiculous entries, including the decent yet lore-setting Halloween II, where they established that Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode are brother and sister. This new film harkened back to the simple and psychologically effective original, yet presented to us in a brutal and cinematic scope. John Carpenter, the man who started it all, came back as an Executive Producer AND updated his haunting score to new heights.

It was an amazing film, sans some minor (very minor) gripes and stumbles.

I don’t usually talk during movies, even with friends, but there I would give knowing nudges or nods when there are throwbacks or awesome moments. And I was longing for that during this film. I even glanced occasionally at the lone single dude two rows in front of me, hesitating to go sit nearer to him.

Then the film was done and I got up, filled with fanboy glee that’s bursting at the seams, needing to geek out about it someone, anyone. I see the lone guy walking up towards me, heading for the exit. I was about to gather up enough courage to reach out to him when suddenly, my phone rang.

It was my wife. Asking me if I’m done with my psycho movie and to buy back dinner for her and the kid. The lone guy walked past me and we shared a brief moment – eye contact, sharing a similar sense of held-back exhilaration, and most of all, a certain kind of loneliness that’s more haunting than that Silver Shamrock ad jingle from Halloween III.

I still think about that guy from time to time, especially when it comes to anything Halloween/Michael Myers related. Hope he’s found a partner or friend to watch Halloween Kills with when it comes out this October.

If not, dude, if you’re reading this, give me a holla.