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Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Play trailer Poster for Halloween III: Season of the Witch R 1982 1h 38m Holiday Horror Mystery & Thriller Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
48% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 31% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Hospital emergency room Dr. Daniel "Dan" Challis (Tom Atkins) and Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin), the daughter of a murder victim, uncover a terrible plot by small-town mask maker Conal Cochran (Dan O'Herlihy), a madman who's planning a Halloween mass murder utilizing an ancient Celtic ritual. The ritual involves a boulder stolen from Stonehenge, the use of Silver Shamrock masks and a triggering device contained in a television commercial -- all designed to kill millions of children.
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Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

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Critics Consensus

Its laudable deviation from series formula not withstanding, Halloween III: Season Of The Witch offers paltry thrills and dubious plotting.

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Critics Reviews

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Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com 11/03/2018
D-
Absolutely atrocious. I admire the fact that they did try to propel the story in a different direction. But the story they chose was insanely boring. Go to Full Review
Aja Romano Vox 10/19/2018
This movie is a dirty trick on all Halloween fans. Go to Full Review
Time Out 06/24/2006
The end result is a bit of a mess but hugely enjoyable, and often (thanks to Dean Cundey's camerawork and John Carpenter's close supervision as producer) as striking visually as its predecessors. Go to Full Review
Kat Halstead Common Sense Media Oct 27
2/5
It's bizarre fun in places, laughable gross-out gore in others, but the pacing is unsteady, the characters not particularly well developed, and the story just a touch too ridiculous. Go to Full Review
Bryce Hanson Horror Movie Talk Sep 18
2/10
The reality is, the critics got it right the first time. This film is not underrated. It is rated. It’s bad. Go to Full Review
Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 11
4/5
Abandoning Michael Myers is the best thing the franchise could have done, as we got this silly and spooky experience that embraces the sinister side of All Hallows Eve. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Blake Nov 1 I fulfilled a lifelong dream seeing this in person at the cinema. I know these re-releases of old stuff may not sell as well as the big blockbusters, but please do this again next year!! I really believe youre servicing an entirely new audience when offering older movies such as this one! See more Kia B Nov 1 I would love a sequel to this. See more Oliver C. @ocook005 Nov 27 Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the franchise’s boldest, most underrated masterpiece—a gutsy detour that traded Michael Myers for pure, unfiltered Halloween atmosphere. What makes it a five-star ride is its commitment to being something entirely different: a weird, eerie blend of sci-fi paranoia, witchcraft, and corporate horror that feels like a feature-length Twilight Zone episode. The Silver Shamrock jingle burrows into your brain, the masks are instantly iconic, and the finale is one of the bleakest, most unforgettable endings in ’80s horror. Tom Atkins delivers peak grizzled-hero energy, and the film’s synth score is hypnotic perfection. Halloween III isn’t just a sequel—it’s the rare franchise entry that builds its own mythology, swings for the fences, and creates a Halloween vibe so chilling and unique it stands proudly on its own. A cult classic that absolutely earned its five stars. See more Nick B Nov 25 I know that Halloween 3 is often hated because of its different story, or for those who don’t mind the change, they simply don’t care for the story it tells. Personally, I love it and actually find this movie’s story more interesting than the original Halloween. Don’t get me wrong—the original will always be a classic—but I prefer this one for its mystery, which makes you wonder at the beginning why these men in business suits are trying to kill a man carrying a mask, creating a sense of intrigue about what’s going on. Later, you discover the plan: The owner of the Silver Shamrock mask company, Conal Cochran, wants to kill all the kids in America using his Halloween masks with pieces of Stonehenge in them on Halloween night. It’s a bold, surprisingly clever, and unique idea, and it even delves into the superstition that big companies might be out to sabotage us in some way. The ending is also perfect, leaving us to wonder if Challis got the final commercial off the television before it killed the children. The one thing that doesn’t work is when Ellie turns out to be an android, which raises questions—was she an android the whole time? Why didn’t she kill Dan earlier or stop him from blowing up the factory? It’s an unnecessary twist that leaves some loose threads, but everything else in the story is fantastic. Beyond its fascinating story, Halloween 3 excels in direction, music, and performances. Tommy Lee Wallace’s direction is sharp and atmospheric, creating a tense and creepy vibe that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Dean Cundey’s fantastic cinematography allows the audience to see the full picture in widescreen, such as when the android nears the end and goes to kill Teddy—you can see it enter the room from one side while she is on the other, completely unaware. It’s a brilliantly directed moment that keeps you on the edge of your seat, just as much as the original. The music, composed by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth, is eerie, catchy, and perfectly unsettling when needed. The Silver Shamrock jingle itself is iconic, adding tension and lingering in your head long after the movie ends. The performances are equally strong: Tom Atkins as Dr. Dan Challis brings grounded, relatable energy as a drunk, divorced doctor who wants to do the right thing. Dan O’Herlihy’s Conal Cochran is delightfully sinister—both charming and terrifying—and delivers speeches that rival the ones Loomis gave in the first Halloween. Stacey Nelkin is beautifully cast as Ellie, making her character both likable and compelling; she’s determined to find out who murdered her father (and to get romantically involved with Dr. Challis). The supporting cast further enhances the film’s suspense and realism, rounding out a highly polished production. All in all, Halloween 3 may be different and seem odd at first compared to the usual Michael Myers formula, but it’s a hidden gem in the series. Its mystery, inventive direction, eerie music, and strong performances make it a standout horror film that deserves more appreciation than it often gets. It is my second favorite Halloween movie, after Halloween 2. I am shocked the audience score for this movie is so low, as it is easily better than anything in the series that came afterward. If only the movie had been a hit back in the day—we might have gotten more films like this rather than more of the Myers sequels, since John Carpenter intended the Myers story to end after Halloween 2. An amazing little horror movie. See more Benjamin H Nov 21 The absence of Michael Myers could have led to something fresh and interesting for this franchise, and that's by far the biggest positive i can pull out of this alongside a fitting tone, but when the storytelling and characterization is bland and ludicrous overall, accompanied by bad pacing and lackluster thrills, the end result is a film that really misses them mark. See more Joseph S Nov 21 This is my favorite Halloween movie. See more Read all reviews
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Halloween III: Season of the Witch

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Movie Info

Synopsis Hospital emergency room Dr. Daniel "Dan" Challis (Tom Atkins) and Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin), the daughter of a murder victim, uncover a terrible plot by small-town mask maker Conal Cochran (Dan O'Herlihy), a madman who's planning a Halloween mass murder utilizing an ancient Celtic ritual. The ritual involves a boulder stolen from Stonehenge, the use of Silver Shamrock masks and a triggering device contained in a television commercial -- all designed to kill millions of children.
Director
Tommy Lee Wallace
Producer
John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Screenwriter
Tommy Lee Wallace
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures, Dino De Laurentiis Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Holiday, Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 22, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 11, 2015
Runtime
1h 38m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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