Looking back at the TV version of this film I’ve noticed how much the editing gives it a different feel from the original. Some of you who’ve seen both the Romero and the Argento cut of DOTD78 would know what I’m trying to say. A little cutting and editing can give a whole different perspective and meaning to certain scenes and can make or break a film. Some say the TV version for H2 is close to what Rosenthal intended before Carpentar re-edited to what we grew to love today. Not sure who edited this specific version but it sure does give you a whole different view of the film. It’s obvious that Carpenter cut these scenes out from the final cut due to pacing and sometimes plain bad acting. What’s interesting is that there is more character development and you get to know the Haddonfield staff more.
Thought I would share some screen grabs with comments to those who have never seen this version or to those who live abroad.
A big BIG thanks goes to my buddy Benny/Michaelantern…You rule buddy!! 
The Shape can be seen entering the Elrod’s back door. Close-ups of the bloody-hand stealing the knife is missing. Mrs Elrod turns around and screams.
Laurie is given two shots to calm her down. A blurry view of what Laurie sees before she goes to sleep…not knowing the horror of what’s coming…
Ever wonder how they get unconscious patients into their hospital gowns? Nows your chance! Mrs Alves tells Jimmy and Bud…“OUT!”
Janet comforting Jimmy and understand that he has the hots for Laurie
Dr.Mixter all drunk, worring if he had stiched up Laurie properly…Now I’d rather have the Shape stalking me than this doctor touching me!
Mrs. Alves, bossy as always telling Nurse Jill that they need to find Laurie’s parents.
Jill and Bud watching a news bulletin of what happened. Jill squirting breath mints to get bud’s attention.
Bud states that it’s drugs that kill teenagers.
A cut to Mr. Garret…“it was drugs…”
A view from the Shape’s eyes…Notice that Nurse Karen is not wearing the pink belt that appears later in the film.
Mrs. Alves scolding Janet for not contacting Laurie’s parents on time. A disgusted Janet apologizes.
Scene cuts to Jimmy trying to sneak into Laurie’s room and whispers to Janet to distract Mr.Alves…Mrs Alves shouts, “You’ve got two minutes!!”
Jimmy gets Laurie a Coke…bad idea for someone who’s supposed to be drugged…
Mr. Garret goes to the store room to see why the phones are down. A cut of the Shape can be seen stalking him
Nurse Jill not paying attention as always…Hey I thought the phones were down!!
Scene cuts to Jimmy entering Laurie’s room, Jill tells him that he’ll get them in trouble.
Guess the Coke was a bad idea…Laurie gets hysterical and screams that the Shape is still out to get her.The staff hold her down and drug her for the third time.lol
Lights go out…
Notice that the elevator is the same one Laurie uses to escape the Shape.
An extremely parnoid Janet explaining to Karen that someone snuck into the store room and that everything is creepy. This scene is a good example of slowing the pace of the film.lol
No eye candy here…Instead we see Bud telling Karen to get undressed
When the Shape places his hand on Karen’s shoulder there is a close-up of him just staring down at her
Karen looks up to find that it’s not Bud and screams…For some reason the Shape looks the other way!?
Guess the third hit did the trick…Laurie falls in a coma. Extended scene of Nurse Jill examining her…
No bed stabbing scene. Instead we see the Shape picking up a pillow and throwing it across the room with anger…
…but he quietly shuts the door when he leaves…
Another meaningless scene which slows the pace down but has extra dialogue from our lovely Nurse Jill…
Jimmy…“I can’t find anybody…”
Jill…“We’ve gotta find somebody!”
Laurie crying on the phone…“Why won’t he die mama!”
Alternative version of the Marshall death scene…The shapes stands up and stabs from behind. This scene is played really badly and it’s obvious that Carpenter shot this for TV.
After Loomis gets stabbed, there is an extended cut of the shape coming closer to Laurie.
Laurie is riding in the ambulance when she sees something rising from behind her…Jimmy lives.
There are two versions of this scene. One with an added stinger sound to make this a jump/scare scene, the other with no stinger.
The End
