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‘Halloween II’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan

October 28, 2025 · Halloween II (1981) · Horror · 1:48:47 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsThe opening scene where Myers goes down, feels the blood, then the neighbor comes out and Loomis says 'This is some kind of joke or something. I've been trick or treating death today. You don't know what death is.' Then the music kicks in.▶ 35:35
Chris RyanAgreed with Bill about the opening sequence, specifically praising the first 12 minutes and how they 'pitched up the soundtrack, the score'▶ 35:25

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmonsthe apple razor blade▶ 1:02:47

Great Shot Gordo Award

Chris RyanMyers appearing behind Nurse Jill when she finds Dr. Mixter with the needle in his eye - the white mask in the background▶ 1:02:58

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill SimmonsDick Warlock as Myers - too short, too stiff, too robotic, mask doesn't fit his head properly▶ 1:04:44
Chris RyanLori's character - Jamie Lee Curtis being incapacitated for the entire movie and in a fugue state▶ 1:04:07
Van LathanLori's character - agrees she's totally fridged in the entire movie▶ 1:05:35

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill SimmonsLaurie Strode's parents are the worst movie parents of all time, not the Home Alone parents▶ 1:14:40

Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsJeffrey KramerBen Tramer for one of the funniest 45 second cameos▶ 1:20:46

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsThe Exorcist IIINo apex mountain for any actors (Myers, Jamie Lee Curtis, Pleasance). Suggests maybe slasher era or hospital horror movies as categories, with Silent Rage as best of slasher era and Exorcist 3 as great hospital horror▶ 1:27:08
Chris RyanFriday the 13th Part 2Friday the 13th Part 2 is better than Halloween 2, and Exorcist 3 is favorite hospital horror movie▶ 1:27:38
Van LathanThe Exorcist IIIAgrees no apex mountain for slasher era (Rocky 2 would be apex for sequels directly after originals). Strongly endorses Exorcist 3 as top 3 most frightening movie he's seen▶ 1:27:17

Hanks or Cruise

Bill SimmonsTom HanksHanks for the paramedic role - tried to test drive Cruise in his head but doesn't see it▶ 1:28:26

Is This Movie Better With

Bill SimmonsSamuel L. JacksonSam Jackson as the guy driving the car when Loomis says they have to turn around, or as the security guard Mr. Garrett who checks the basement. Also suggests Chris Collinsworth doing commentary on Lori and Michael's reunion▶ 1:35:50
Chris RyanByron Mayo as Bud in the hot tub scene, saying 'Karen, come on in. The water's warm. Don't worry. It doesn't get scalding in this physical therapy'▶ 1:36:33
Van LathanSamuel L. JacksonSam Jackson as Loomis, delivering lines like 'That motherfucker ain't human' and 'His eyes, motherfucker. There's nothing to him. I watched it for 15 fucking years'▶ 1:36:55

Just One Oscar

Bill SimmonsSuggests the score as a possibility but expresses uncertainty and notes there's not a lot of Oscar worthy material in the movie▶ 1:37:16

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsAsked multiple unanswerable questions: Did Sheriff Brackett get divorced? Did Ben Trammer's parents sue the city? How did Lori's conversation with her parents go? What would have been the funniest Dana Carvey use? Since when do hot teens work at hospitals? Also discussed memorabilia - the mask would be worth millions and is one of the greatest movie collectibles▶ 1:37:27
Chris RyanAsked about the cop who killed Ben Trammer - would he face suspension or just come back to work? Also asked how would Michael Myers know how to drive, what Samhain is, or how needles work? Discussed the hospital workers being young adults, not teens▶ 1:37:47
Van LathanContributed to Sheriff Brackett divorce scenario roleplay and Lori's conversation with parents. Explained that people in old movies all looked older, around 27. Looked up mask value and found it listed for $1 million on michael-myers.net in 2012, disagreeing with Bill's $6 million estimate▶ 1:37:40

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill SimmonsJust find your kids when there's a homicidal maniac on the loose in your neighborhood - check in, have a phone chain▶ 1:42:23

Best Double Feature

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsDick WarlockAgrees with Myers choice, praising his commitment to the character▶ 1:42:57
Chris RyanDick WarlockMyers - he goes on an arc, is in the most scenes, and dominates the movie▶ 1:42:41
Van LathanDick WarlockBig Mikey (Michael Myers)▶ 1:42:39

Movies Referenced (44)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
The Mask (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗17Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 23:16
Friday the 13th (1980)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 8:28
Season of the Witch (2011)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 2:37
Weapons (2025)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons▶ 32:13
Rocky II (1979)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 21:26
Blade (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 54:55
A House of Dynamite (2025)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 34:43
Charlie's Angels (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:57
Home Alone (1990)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:28
Night of the Living Dead (1968)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 36:48
Pulp Fiction (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 28:30
The Fall Guy (2024)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 1:19:52

Directors Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
John CarpenterIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Chris RyanHalloween▶ 15:40
Rick RosenthalIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van LathanBad Boys, Halloween II▶ 24:48
Jeff SchuIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris RyanI Am Legend▶ 1:24:49
Brian KellyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Van LathanBlade Runner▶ 20:03
Rob ZombieIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 29:53
Paul Thomas AndersonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsPunch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 1:21:45

Actors Referenced (42)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Dana CarveyIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Van LathanWayne's World, Wayne's World 2▶ 42:08
Dick WarlockIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Chris RyanEscape from New York▶ 1:05:44
Tom HanksIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Van LathanCast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 47:18
Jamie LeeIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsCold Mountain▶ 3:19
Corey FeldmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris RyanStand by Me, The Lost Boys, The Goonies▶ 12:21
Heather ThomasIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsThe Fall Guy▶ 1:21:05
Jerry SeinfeldIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 43:29
Marilyn ChambersIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:07:48
Caroline BibleIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:41:43
Catherine BachIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 34:39
Crazy TownIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Van LathanSomething's Gotta Give▶ 1:04:41
Crispin GloverIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 12:33

Writers Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Debra HillIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van LathanHalloween▶ 16:44
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 30:14

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Teresa AlvisIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsCrank▶ 1:14:13