History Film / HalloweenIIISeasonOfTheWitch

''Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. This installment, released in 1982, [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up meeting with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael following the success of ''Film/HalloweenII1981''

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. This installment, released in 1982, [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up meeting with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael following the success of ''Film/HalloweenII1981''

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. This installment, released in 1982, [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up meeting with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael from the success of ''Film/HalloweenII1981''

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. This installment, released in 1982, [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up meeting with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael from the success of ''Film/HalloweenII(1981)''

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. This installment, released in 1982, [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up meeting with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael.

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. This film, released in 1982, [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up meeting with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael.

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. ''Halloween III'' [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up met with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael.

* CelticMythology: [[spoiler:Conal Cochran really doesn't hate children, but the planets are aligned, and it's time for another mass sacrifice of the innocent on Samhain.]]

* ContestedSequel: While this film has gained a cult following it tends to be polarizing to fans of the original two Halloween films.

* BodyHorror: When [[spoiler:one of Cochran's little pranks misfires]] in Marge's face, it's partially peeled away, and ''[[{{Squick}} bugs]]'' start coming out of her mouth. What's left stays alive a while longer -- unfortunately. Doubles as a sick ChekhovsGun to what happens when the mask works ''as intended''...

* {{Bookends}}: Film opens ends the same way, man with a warning arriving at a gas station (the same gas station, as matter of fact).

''Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. ''Halloween III'' [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up met with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael.

While the film has become something of a cult classic in the years since it's release, it performed poorly at the box office, and fans and critics were very harsh on the film for it not including Michael Myers. As a result, John Carpenter walked away from the franchise, which would be given a reboot with ''Film/Halloween4TheReturnOfMichaelMyers'' continuing the story from the original two films.

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** ''Halloween'' is playing on the TV in the bar, and again during the Horror-thon (an odd choice considering Conal's target audience, but whatever).

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Several. [[spoiler:Cochran's robots]] have several very nasty and creative ways of killing their targets, including [[ThisIsADrill power drills]], crushing their nasal passages to suffocate, and simply [[OffWithHisHead ripping people's heads off]]. Plus what happens to Marge when [[spoiler:one of Cochran's magic mask seals misfires]] in her face. The ultimate has to be Buddy and his family, though, when [[spoiler:a test mask executes its MagiTek spell and slowly destroys his kid before his eyes...then releases poisonous snakes to do the same to him and his wife.]]

* ArtifactTitle: From the beginning, Carpenter had planned for all of the ''Halloween'' movies to be [[ThematicSeries stand-alone stories taking place on Halloween]]. With that in mind, the title isn't really so baffling. Then Michael Myers wound up becoming so popular that the ''Halloween'' series basically became the ''Michael Myers'' series, and...

* BondVillainStupidity: When Dan gets caught in the factory, Conal lets him live long enough to explain his entire evil plot and then places Dan in a DeathTrap. This, of course, makes no sense since Dan is of no importance and serves no purpose to Conal. Logically he should have been killed instantly like every other victim in the movie.

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Several. [[spoiler:Cochran's robots]] have several very nasty and creative ways of killing their targets, including [[ThisIsADrill power drills]], crushing their nasal passages to suffocate, and simply [[OffWithHisHead ripping people's heads off]]. Never mind what happens to Marge when [[spoiler:one of Cochran's magic mask seals misfires]] in her face. The ultimate has to be Buddy and his family, though, when [[spoiler:a test mask executes its MagiTek spell and slowly destroys his kid before his eyes...then releases poisonous snakes to do the same to him and his wife.]]

** Cochran's mooks were basically {{Magitek}} clockwork robots and obedient factory workers, but unlike [[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz past]] [[Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory examples]], there wasn't anything the LEAST bit funny about them - they were designed as low-tech [[TheTerminator Terminators]].

* GracefulLoser: [[spoiler: Conal -- he appears genuinely impressed with Challis' panache at trashing the place, giving him a little golf clap. Of course, that could be because [[DiabolusExMachina he still has one more ace...]].]]

** [[spoiler:The real robots weren't very talkative, but Ellie early on was quite animated, and was hellbound to go to the factory. Probably Ellie was real until she saw her father's car, and was seen being forced into the factory by other robots shortly thereafter. Notice how Ellie never spoke from the moment that she was "rescued"? The ''ad hoc'' robot Ellie was Cochran's last little joke - and assurance that Challis would die no matter what happened in the factory. Ellie was most likely... [[FridgeHorror disposed of]].]]

* InNameOnly

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Several. [[spoiler:Cochran's robots]] have several very nasty and creative ways of killing their targets, including [[ThisIsADrill power drills]], crushing their nasal passages to suffocate, and simply [[OffWithHisHead ripping people's heads off]]. Never mind what happens to Marge when [[spoiler:one of Cochran's magic mask seals misfires]] in her face. The ultimate has to be Buddy and his family, though, when [[spoiler:a test mask executes its MagiTek spell and slowly destroys his kid before his eyes.]]

* ForTheEvulz: Actually averted by Cochran. He has a very ''specific'' reason for his mass human sacrifice.

* ForTheEvulz:

--> '''Cochran:''' Mr. Kupfer was right, you know. I do love a good joke, and this is the best ever, [[spoiler:a joke on the ''children'']]. But there's a better reason ... the festival of '''Samhain.''' The last great one was three thousand years ago and the hills ran ''red'' with the blood of animals [[spoiler:and children]].

* ForTheEvulz: "Mr. Kupfer was right, you know. I do love a good joke, and this is the best ever, [[spoiler:a joke on the ''children'']]."

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Several. [[spoiler:Cochran's robots]] have several very nasty and creative ways of killing their targets, including [[ThisIsADrill power drills]], crushing their nasal passages to suffocate, and simply [[OffWithHisHead ripping people's heads off]]. Never mind what happens to Marge when [[spoiler:one of Cochran's magic mask seals misfires]] in her face. The ultimate has to be Buddy and his family, though, when [[spoiler:a test mask executes its program and slowly destroys his kid before his eyes.]]

'''''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''''' -- the red-headed stepchild of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise -- came about when producer Creator/JohnCarpenter decided to transform the series into a yearly {{anthology}} of films centered around various aspects of [[AllHallowsEve Halloween]]. ''Halloween III'' [[InNameOnly attempted to accomplish the task]], but ended up met with a massive backlash from a fanbase hungry for more Michael.

* [[spoiler: MurderousMask: The lethal masks that Cochran plans to use to murder millions of children.]]

** [[spoiler:The real robots weren't very talkative, but Ellie early on was quite animated, and was hellbound to go to the factory. Probably Ellie was real until she saw her father's car, and was seen being forced into the factory by other robots shortly thereafter. Notice how Ellie never spoke from the moment that she was "rescued"? The ''ad hoc'' robot Ellie was Cochran's last little joke - and assurance that Challis would die no matter what happened in the factory. Ellie was most likely [[FridgeHorror disposed of...]]]]

** Cochran's mooks were basically {{Magitek}} clockwork robots and obedient factory workers, but unlike [[TheWonderfulWizardOfOz past]] [[CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory examples]], there wasn't anything the LEAST bit funny about them - they were designed as low-tech [[TheTerminator Terminators]].

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