History Trivia / HalloweenII1981

** Creator/JohnCarpenter feels that this was an inferior script and says that the only thing that got him through the writing process was a six-pack of Budweiser every morning.

* MoneyDearBoy: One of the only reasons Creator/JohnCarpenter and Debra Hill made a sequel, originally feeling that the first was a standalone story.

* OldShame: While not as bad as ''Film/HalloweenResurrection'', Creator/JamieLeeCurtis wasn't too pleased with her role in this, feeling that Laurie's disappearance for most of the film didn't do the character justice.

** Lance Guest did his own stunt when he trips on the blood and falls on the floor. Moreover, this scene was done in [[OneTakeWonder a single take.]]

* ExecutiveMeddling: Creator/JohnCarpenter himself went behind Rick Rosenthal's back to shoot extra scenes that added more gore, feeling the movie had to compete with the BloodierAndGorier slasher films on the market.
** The film itself owes its existence to this; the studio basically said they were going to make a sequel regardless of whether or not Creator/JohnCarpenter was involved, so he decided if anyone was gonna write the script, it might as well be him.

** Charles Napier (''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'', ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'') was originally cast as Marshall Gummell, but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.

* NoStuntDouble[=/=]OneTakeWonder: Lance Guest did his own stunt when he trips on the blood and falls on the floor. Moreover, this scene was done in a single take.

** Charles Napier (''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'', ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'') was originally cast as Marshall Gummell, but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
** Edward Albert (of ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' and ''Film/GalaxyOfTerror'' fame) was reportedly cast as one of the Sheriff's Deputies, but left for unknown reasons.

* ActingForTwo: Nancy Loomis reappears both to play Annie's corpse, and to supply the voice of Sally - the girl Alice is talking to on the phone before she gets killed.

* MoneyDearBoy: The only reason Creator/JohnCarpenter and Debra Hill made a sequel, originally feeling that the first was a standalone story.

* OldShame: While not as bad as ''Film/HalloweenResurrection'', Creator/JamieLeeCurtis also wasn't too pleased with her role in this, feeling that Laurie's disappearance for most of the film didn't do the character justice.

* CreatorBacklash: Creator/JohnCarpenter feels that this was an inferior script and says that the only thing that got him through the writing process was a six-pack of Budweiser every morning.

* TheCameo:
** Anne Marie Martin, who played Wendy in ''Film/PromNight1980'', has an uncredited cameo as Karen's friend Darcy. She came on to help out when reshoots were being done.
** Dick Warlock's (The Shape) son Billy appears as one of Ben Tramer's friends.

** Charles Napier (''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'', ''TheSilenceOfTheLambs'') was originally cast as Marshall Gummell, but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
** Edward Albert (of ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' and ''GalaxyOfTerror'' fame) was reportedly cast as one of the Sheriff's Deputies, but left for unknown reasons.

* BillingDisplacement: Creator/JamieLeeCurtis has only twenty five minutes of screentime in the final film, despite getting top billing. But in the TV cut, she has a few extra scenes.
* TheCameo: Anne Marie Martin, who played Wendy in ''Film/PromNight1980'', has an uncredited cameo as Karen's friend Darcy. She came on to help out when reshoots were being done.

** An early idea was to have the film take place in a high rise apartment building. It was later changed to Haddonfield hospital.

* BillingDisplacement: Jamie Lee Curtis has only twenty five minutes of screentime in the final film, despite getting top billing. But in the TV cut, she has a few extra scenes.

* CreatorBacklash: John Carpenter feels that this was an inferior script and says that the only thing that got him through the writing process was a six-pack of Budweiser every morning.

* ExecutiveMeddling: John Carpenter himself went behind Rick Rosenthal's back to shoot extra scenes that added more gore, feeling the movie had to compete with the BloodierAndGorier slasher films on the market.
* MoneyDearBoy: The only reason John Carpenter and Debra Hill made a sequel, originally feeling that the first was a standalone story.
* {{Recut}}: The film had a few new things for the TV Cut:
** Violence is trimmed down and any cursing is dubbed over.
** A different shot of Loomis coming out of the house at the beginning. The neighbour who says "I've been trick or treated to death tonight" is dubbed over asking if this is a Halloween prank.
** The scene where Michael Myers steals a knife from Mrs Elrod happens later, and is edited to suggest he kills the old woman instead of Alice the girl down the street.
** Bennett Tramer getting killed is given a DistantReactionShot of Loomis and Brackett.
** Additional minor scenes with the hospital staff discussing Laurie.
** Mrs Alves tries to call Laurie's parents, scolding Janet for not already doing so. She also allows Jimmy two minutes to see Laurie. This is why she says "time's up Jimmy" in the original cut.
** Jimmy brings Laurie the Coke he promised her, and he tells her it was Michael Myers who was after her. He goes to see her later to tell her about Michael's apparent death, but she freaks out and has to be sedated. Then the power goes out and the emergency generator kicks in, explaining why the hospital is so dim for the rest of the film.
** Extra scenes after Laurie has had a reaction to the medication. Jill and Jimmy wait for Dr Mixter to respond to their call, and Jimmy runs around trying to look for Mrs Alves.
** Jill's death is softened, as there is no shot of the scalpel in Michael's hand. This makes it look like he just grabbed her from behind and dropped her. A groaning sound effect is inserted afterwards to suggest that she survives.
** Jimmy is changed to still be running around the hospital looking for everyone while the final conflict is still going on. He doesn't discover Mrs Alves's body until near the end, and it's edited so that him slipping looks like it's caused by the explosion. Of course the scene where he faints in the car with Laurie is cut.
** An additional ending where Laurie is in the ambulance, thinks Michael's body is coming back to life, but it turns out to be Jimmy. She embraces him and says "we made it".

* {{Recut}}: The film had a few new things for the TV Cut. These include some alternate cuts of scenes, some scene and dialogue extensions, and a scene added to the end that takes place in the ambulance.
-->'''Laurie:''' We made it. ''We made it!''

* HeyItsThatGuy:
** [[Film/TheLastStarfighter Alex Rogan]] and [[Film/JawsTheRevenge Michael Brody]] as Jimmy
** [[Film/WaynesWorld Garth Algar]] as "Assistant"
** [[Film/TheAccused The scorpion tattooed cheerer for the rapists]] as Budd Scarlotti

** [[Film/TheLastStarfighter Alex Rogan]] as Jimmy

* DawsonCasting: This time it's a little more pronounced than it's in predecessor, as the still 17/18 year old Laurie is played by a now 23 year old Jamie Lee Curtis (thanks to this ImmediateSequel being filmed three years later).

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** [[TheLastStarfighter Alex Rogan]] as Jimmy
** [[WaynesWorld Garth Algar]] as "Assistant"

* HeyIt'sThatGuy:

--> Laurie: We made it. ''We made it!''