1988’s Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is neither the most beloved nor the most reviled entry in the franchise. It’s a bit on the bland side for me (Michael’s mask, in particular, lacks any personality whatsoever), but man—I do love these opening credits.
Now, up until this movie I had no idea that Haddonfield was a rural farming community, as it seems to be portrayed here; however, accuracy aside, these quick establishing shots make great use of the scenery, packing in more atmosphere than the entirety of the movie that follows. In fact, it makes me wish the whole thing had taken place among these busted-down barns and barren trees—it certainly would have been an interesting direction for the movie to take. That’s not what we got, but still—these few seconds do a lot to distill the essence of autumn and Halloween, and serve as a great opening sequence that the rest of the movie can’t quite follow.
Blu Gilliand is the managing editor of Cemetery Dance Magazine and Cemetery Dance Online.
