Interviews
Original Shape Nick Castle Is Worried One Thing Will Be Visible In ‘Halloween’ 4K
The original masterpiece Halloween is available on 4K Ultra format today, letting fans see the film in unprecedented quality for home viewing formats. Original Michael Myers actor Nick Castle is afraid that one scene might become too clear, he told Bloody-Disgusting exclusively in a phone interview.
“I just talked to John [Carpenter] about this and he said he and the cameraman did a viewing of this,” Castle said. “He was impressed with the sharpness. My question would be there is one scene that Dean [Cundy] had a great idea. Near the end, where Michael Myers is in the shadows, he actually dials up the light very, very slowly so that he starts to appear behind Jamie [Lee Curtis]. It’s right before he tries to either stab her or choke her. And I just wonder if that will be seen too early. That’s I guess my one concern, other than the fact that I’d love to see it in this format.”
Reflecting on the landmark slasher film 40 years later, Castle also pointed out another famous Michael Myers moment that may have slipped past astute viewers over the decades.
“In the laundry scene where she looks down, if you think about that one, that one is a cheat,” Castle said.
”She looks down, when I’m standing by the laundry being dried outside, and then he cuts back to her still looking. Then he cuts back to the laundry and he’s gone. So we miss the point where she looks away. That was one of the little cheats he got away within the movie.”
The creation of The Shape was equal parts Castle’s performance and the camera representing Michael’s point of view. Castle said the harmony was natural. They certainly didn’t discuss it.
“There was no particular direction on how I walked or if I was supposed to float like the panaglides,” Castle said. “Ray Stella was the panaglide operator. Basically, John took a look at the way I walked and went, ‘Oh, that’s fine.’”
Halloween has lasted this long because it’s so good, and there have been plenty of imitators. It even came full circle in 1996’s Scream when Randy (Jamie Kennedy) watches Halloween in the movie and says, “Look behind you, Jamie!” while the killer is behind him. This was still news to Castle.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Scream so now I’m going to have to go see it, thank you. Even though I’m a horror icon evidently, It wasn’t until two years ago I started to get back into this genre which I quite like now.”
As for the imitators, Castle didn’t pay too much attention to horror movies post-Halloween. He certainly doesn’t take offense to the copycats. Quite the opposite in fact.
“I was frankly undeterred, “Castle said.
“I had no interest in it at the time. I was off directing my own movies. I don’t know if I ever heard any complaints from anybody, but I always heard that these were the second tier after John, somewhat mimicking what he was able to do. What is it about flattery and imitation? From my standpoint, it kind of passed over my head.”
Halloween 4K is now available for purchase. Castle re-appears as The Shape in the new Halloween in theaters October 19.
As the inaugural season of Apple TV+’s stellar new series “Widow’s Bay” barrels toward its finale in two weeks, the latest episode gives Kate O’Flynn the spotlight as her character revisits her trauma with the Boogeyman.
“Your Baggage“, directed by Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), sees O’Flynn’s scene-stealing Patricia once again renew her fight with the Michael Myers-like stalker that slaughtered her peers during her adolescence. Thrillingly, it makes for one extended chase sequence that sees Patricia trying to warn others, while evading the undead killer.
In short, this episode’s incredible riff on Halloween and the slasher subgenre transformed Patricia into a fierce Final Girl.
“Well, that felt like a bucket list that I didn’t know was on my bucket list until I did it, but when I did it, I just lapped up every minute,” O’Flynn tells Bloody Disgusting of her triumphant turn this episode. “It felt fantastic for her to get that moment where she is becoming a badass. That was amazing.”
The actress turned to a few notable references for her performance. “Horror-wise, I go back to my youth, which was referenced in some of the episodes: Wicker Man, Carrie, and Rosemary’s Baby, that sort of thing is my kind of vibe.”
O’Flynn also notes how the series’ unique tone allows for so much creative freedom to make bold swings. “There’s something very freeing about it. Every moment is up for grabs, so it’s like we don’t have to totally land in one direction or another. It keeps it alive.“
Patricia is the eccentric assistant to Matthew Rhys‘ Mayor Tom Loftis, who’s at the forefront of trying to solve the island’s pesky curse predicament. Rhys felt the same about “Widow’s Bay” and its rare ability to make you laugh and scream in equal measure, stemming from series creator Katie Dippold.
“The mandate was, ‘It’s a real world with real people. You play for real.’ There’s no playing for comedy or horror,” Rhys echoes O’Flynn’s sentiments on how freeing the series’ tone has been.
New episodes will release every Wednesday through June 17 only on Apple TV+.
Kate O’Flynn in “Widow’s Bay,” now streaming on Apple TV.
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