224. 31 Days of Halloween 2025 - Day 18: HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (1982) dir. Tommy Lee Wallace

It's time to talk about the black sheep of the HALLOWEEN franchise: SEASON OF THE WITCH. This 1982 paranoid sci-fi thriller infamously did not center around Michael Myers but instead on Silver Shamrock, a company whose trendy Halloween masks become the subject of scrutiny after an elderly shop owner is murdered by a mysterious assailant in the hospital. The old man had arrived the night before clutching one of the masks, whispering to Dr. Daniel Challis (Tom Atkins) that "they're gonna kill us all." Challis and the man's daughter Ellie (Stacey Nelkin) retrace the shop owner's steps to Santa Mira, California, a sleepy small town and the home of Silver Shamrock. And as they feel the town's collective eyes fix on them, garnering the attention of Silver Shamrock owner Conal Cochran (Dan O'Herlihy), they learn of what dark, ancient secrets lurk behind the factory doors. If you're a fan of movies like INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and DEAD AND BURIED, this stylish, bonkers thriller, rightfully distrustful of corporate America and its voracious gaping maw, is a must-watch. It's equal parts prescient and entertaining. --- Follow The Movies on Instagram & Letterboxd Throw a couple dollars in the tip jar!