Would H2 have been better with Castle or Warlock portraying The Shape ?
Nick Castle
Dick Warlock
0voters
Hey everyone, judging by the "who is the best Michael Myers " thread posted yesterday the two favorite Shape incarnations are Nick Castle and Dick Warlock. Two starkly different portrayals of the character and both very popular. Dick Warlock’s take on the Shape definitely fits Halloween 2 and it’s almost impossible to envision the movie without his iconic portrayal…but what if H2 didn’t have his amazing contributions? What if Nick Castle reprised his role for H2 complete with the original outfit?obviously the film’s mood and how it played out would definitely be different. Different for the better? Or not as good as Halloween II is with Dick Warlock’s portrayal of the character ? Do you think Halloween 2 would have been better with Nick Castle reprising his role? Your thoughts…
I’ve often thought about this. I feel that Dick Warlock’s performance and overall look in H2 fit the darker, more gothic tone H2 had. I almost feel that as great as Nick Castle was (he’s my favorite, by the way), his walk may have been just a tad too quick for those long hospital hallway scenes of Warlock just slowly and creepily walking, if you get what I mean. As I’ve said before, I also feel that Warlock’s slower performance make sense, in that being shot 6 times off the balcony killed what little humanity was left in Michael. I’ve also always wondered how the mask would have looked on Castle in H2 where it had gotten grimier and aged since he wore it in H1. Overall though, I think I would prefer to keep Dick Warlock’s portrayal over Castle.
I feel the same way and also feel H2 is best served with Dick Warlock as the Shape… it’s a weird paradox, Nick Castle is my favorite Shape but yet I can’t see anyone else but Warlock as the Shape in H2. How ironic would it have been though if Castle had reprised the role in H2 and Dick Warlock did the stunts ??
Well this one is hard to wrap my head around for the simple fact that I am so pre-programmed with Warlock in my head when thinking of H2.
With that said, I think if Nick did H2, it would of been a much different pace to the film with his style. The slow brooding hallway scenes would of most likely been completely different to suit his style. I feel like Nick would of just moved through the hospital at normal speed until he found what he was looking for, and if he wasn’t moving, he would just be hiding in the shadows for the most part with very little movement until his opportunity came.
With Warlock and his slow brooding style, it fills out the movie more and allows for those scenes to breath a little more, as well as be more suspenseful. Such as when he’s after Laurie in the basement, I feel like Nick would of just marched right through there and she would of had to move faster than she was, where with Warlock it’s drawn out a little more with his slow brooding approach.
Yeah it would of been a totally different movie, but I think it would of been equally satisfying. Mainly because if that was the case and Nick was in it, then that’s all we would of known anyway. Very interesting to try and place Nick’s style in that scenario though, it makes you really think about how different it would be.
So yeah I just think it would be a vastly different animal if Nick were the Shape in H2. So it’s tough to imagine H2 with Nick’s style and pace, but definitely doable and would of been interesting to see.
So at the end of the day, I prefer Warlock in H2 because I prefer that slow brooding pace of the film and what it brought with that style. I still think Nick in H2 would of been equally satisfying though, so this is not an easy vote, but I went with Warlock.
Very interesting theories and well thought out Mike… the one thing I think a little differently about is what Nick’s approach might have been in the second film…like I don’t believe his pace would’ve been all that quick like it was throughout most of the 1st movie
Like after he got stabbed in the neck he was pretty slowed down at that point. .the walking towards the closet and the approach towards Laurie for the final attack…
Well Nick has that sway about him after the injuries, so if he was moving slower it still would of been a much different vibe than Warlock. I guess I just assume Nick would go about business as usual, because Warlock didn’t necessarily move like he was just shot 6 times, even though his slower movement could be attributed to that.
To me it’s more like he just got shot, gets up and says “welp I just got shot several times…ahwell on to the next plan…”. So if Nick came at it with the same approach, I feel like he might of just gotten a second wind that carried him through the rest of the night, thus moving around as normal. I will say that in some scenes Warlock does move a little faster, such as when he walks from the Elrod house to Alice’s, he’s moving pretty decent through there.
So it’s hard to say, this is a tough one to really dig into when all I can think about is Warlock in those scenes. Its like a permanent image in my brain
It’s funny because although in general Nick Castle is my favorite Shape, I love Dick Warlock in H2 and like yourself can’t see anyone else but him portraying The Shape in the movie and I actually voted for Warlock in this thread lol
Here is something I wrote before regarding my feelings on Halloween II. I don’t expect many people to agree with me though, the reverence for that movie on this forum baffles me, but each to their own…
_Personally, I’ve never enjoyed Halloween II (1981). I’ll list my reasons…
\
Dick Warlock was just AWFUL as The Shape. Too short, robotic, no fluidity and I never liked how the mask looked on his head. I just wish they’d got Nick Castle back for it.
\
The direction of the film seemed very clunky. Rosenthal just didn’t have the vision or experience needed.
\
The cinematography was such a step down from the original, which is so confusing as Dean Cundey returned for it. The lighting was all off (too bright, imho) and the camerawork just wasn’t as accomplished. It seems very amateur. The first film looked like a multi-million dollar production, whereas H2 looked like it cost less than the original.
\
The score is abominable. I hate the synth aspect that Alan Howarth added to the original music. I remember the first time I watched it and when the main titles started, I literally said to myself “oh God no…!”
\
The acting was just so bad. I’m not saying that the likes of PJ Soles and Nancy Loomis were Oscar contenders in the original, but these people were just terrible. So typical of the time. Even Donald Pleasance and Charles Cyphers had their bad moments.
\
The script was so lazy, resulting in the characters being completely unsympathetic. Laurie Strode was written terribly, as she was barely in the movie! I don’t know if that was something that JLC asked for, but I just couldn’t understand why Laurie was written so underhandedly. And the brother/sister “twist” never sat well with me. Ever._
This is a very powerful and passionate write up for sure ! While I personally do love Halloween II 1981 I still enjoy and respect your feelings on the film as u have made several interesting points. Tbh I really enjoyed reading this. It’s interesting too because Carpenter himself dosen’t like the film and didn’t even want to be involved with it . Same for Tommy Lee Wallace. One question I have for you is do you think it was mainly Rosenthal who dropped the ball with the film? Or Carpenter’s writing?
You’re one in thousands. John Carpenter said he had huge regrets about Halloween II, he had no interest and had to force himself to write it every night while slamming at least a 6 pack of beer lol.
For me it was Laurie and Michael being siblings that ruined Halloween II for me. Instead of Michael just being an escaped mental patient who becomes instantly/dangerously infatuated with Laurie, playing a terrifying game of cat and mouse, he’s now her brother and evil taking over Michaels body and blah blah blah.
It was WAY more sinister and an overall better horror movie knowing Michael was just a psycho trying to kill Laurie from that first moment when he sees her and hears her singing “I wish I had you all alone, just the two of us”
To me H2 is perfect from the beginning till the end! I love the journey it takes you on. I get goosebumps just talking about it! Such an exciting movie! I respect all you guys opinions
I respect all you guys opinions 