Now I have never warmed to horror marmite Rob Zombie. I wanted to be honest here. I also wanted to give him a chance. 
So to cover his two remakes of HALLOWEEN films, presented here in unrated and theatrical versions on Blu-ray in an Ultimate Edition. Now to approach them, I will not look to review the films per say. They are what Zombie wanted. What I am interested in is the edition we have been delivered here. My opinion of the first is this. Gone is the slow simmer Carpenter vision. Instead focuses on Michael Myers as a vehicle of relentless carnage. Ramped up instead is violence and gore. Zombies world is action inflexed and grief stricken. His vision is an assault of the senses in a world of pain and putrid reflection.
Halloween (2007) – Unrated & Theatrical Cuts
The Disc contains the Theatrical version, which is the Australian version. Well its the US R rated version. Then there is the longer, Unrated version with some padding and a rape scene that’s all exploitation. Rob Zombie is claimed to have reinvented the ultimate slasher classic, but for me its the Theatrical version that’s the stronger of the two weak films. Now, I didn’t like it because there is a block from my side. I love Carpenter and find it hard to distance that film from this. But I did like Tyler Mane version of Myers in terms of physical guile and also welcomed both Brad Dourif and Malcolm McDowell chewing scenery. The disc boosts quite a lot of extra stuff, the Zombie stuff has been there before and I can take or leave. I liked the feature on the reimagined Halloween, for it makes a case which failed with me and I also love a blooper reel.
Special Features:
- Unrated Director’s Cut Feature-Length Commentary by Writer-Director Rob Zombie
- Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
- Alternate Ending with Optional Commentary
- Bloopers
- The Many Masks of Michael Myers
- Reimagining Halloween
- Meet The Cast
- Casting Sessions
- Scout Taylor-Compton Screen Test
- Theatrical Trailer
Halloween II (2009) – Unrated & Theatrical Cuts
I am a fan of the original sequel for a bunch of reasons. Here, Zombie actually keeps apace with the Rick Rosenthal film. Rob Zombie mirrors the films starting point. 
Keeps the kinetic pacing and gives Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton) a lot to work with. The original it felt she was a rabbit in the headlight, with her now being a kick ass bitch with grit. Mane is still great, his take being as visceral as the original but sprinkled with a sense of menace that deserves acknowledgement. To versions and the unrated versions 15 minutes of extra padding improves the film for themes and for punch points. The commentary (on the theatrical version) denotes a few of the obvious reasons for cuts but also makes Zombie come across as less of a douche. It would have been hard for him to do this sort of a film, standing on the shoulders and all that, here he gets enough right but the set doesn’t add up to why.
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary by Writer-Director Rob Zombie
- Deleted and Alternate Scenes
- Audition Footage
- Make-Up Test Footage
- Bloopers
- Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures Music Videos
- Uncle Seymore Coffins’ Stand-Up Routines
Michael Lives: The Making Of Halloween (2008)
So after the 1080p, fairly good versions we have seen, another disc has the 4 and some hours of Zombies making of. 
The film runs and runs, adds some of the details to the whys and how’s but ultimately it does that sin of saying so much as to say nothing of the dog, so to speak. You know enough but actually in the end know so little. Maybe it is you actually, Just. Don’t. Care…
A four and a half hour documentary by director Rob Zombie.
Special Features:
- A Conversation with Rob Zombie
https://viavision.com.au/shop/rob-zombies-halloween-1-2-ultimate-edition-blu-ray/
