The iconic horror film Halloween was followed up with a direct sequel from writers John Carpenter and Debra Hill; however, the third installment decided to abandon this trajectory in favor of a stand alone movie, attempting to turn the franchise into an anthology with each new entry taking place on Halloween. Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the lone example of this approach, and it failed to win over audiences like the prior films. The next installment, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers quickly brought back the beloved killer, and the anthology concept was dropped.

Halloween III follows Dr. Dan Challis as he investigates the Silver Shamrock Novelties factory, where he discovers the owner of the factory, Conal Cochran, has smuggled a portion of the famous Stonehenge rune into the factory, which he will use to usher in the new age of witchcraft. The film was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, director of the IT television miniseries. Wallace planned to create a unique movie while maintaining some of the franchise's connective tissue, like the setting on Halloween night, the jack-o-lantern motif and footage of Halloween played within the film.

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Unfortunately, the fact that Wallace leaned into the anthology concept, which is actually an interesting idea, did nothing to win over audiences and critics at the time of the film's release. The audience wanted the story of Michael Myers, for better or for worse. For this reason, the film was set up to fail because it was an the anthology, and most audiences didn't judge the film on its actual merits. Critics also saw the film as flawed, with Vincent Canby of The New York Times accusing it of, "being anti-children, anti-capitalism, anti-television and anti-Irish all at the same time."

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Ironically, the film's anti-capitalist message has actually aged well. The corporation in the film, Silver Shamrock Novelties, targets children with their mass marketing plan to distribute their Halloween masks to as many people as possible through blatant manipulation. This acts as a commentary on how big business can use devious and insidious marketing to exploit anyone, including kids. Companies will invest time, resources and energy into winning over children, so there is pressure on the parents to succumb to the ads and buy whatever is being pushed, even if it's not a necessity or is harmful in some way. The film is ultimately critical of this practice by showing the potential consequences of blind mass consumerism.

Along with a poignant message, the film's direction by Wallace is also well done. He does a great job building suspense, and he knows the right moments to unleash the film's spectacular visual effects. There is a scene where a car blows up, and it happens early enough in the film to get the audience hooked on the mystery, but it is also a spectacle of entertainment. Later Wallace reveals the horrific consequence of Cochran's plan in a very impactful way. He knows the best time to cut the camera and when to hold still, forcing audience to watch the horror unfold. Finally, the ending is rich with suspense and uncertainty, presenting a well crafted, chilling finale that leaves the audience with a sense of dread.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a better film than its original reputation would suggest. Unfortunately, the film struggled in its original release for reasons having to do more so with audience expectations than with the actual quality of the film itself. However, the film is getting more appreciation as time goes on, and audiences are returning to the film ready to look past the absence of Michael Myers.

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