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San Diego Comic Con (one of my bucket list events) is upon us, bringing in pop culture’s big guns to talk up their high profile projects. Jamie Lee Curtis was in attendance to discuss her return to her breakthrough role, Laurie Strode in Halloween.
At a presentation at Universal’s Hall H presentation on Friday, a large crowd was in attendance to see an extended trailer for the new movie (also called Halloween) and hear from Jamie, director David Gordon Green and producers Jason Blum and Malek Akkad. During a Q&A, a fan shared a harrowing story from his youth. He recalled an incident when a man attempted to break into his family’s house, remembering thinking to himself, “What would Jamie Lee Curtis do?” before he ran out into the street, screaming for help.
He choked up while admitting, “To make a long story short, I’m here today because of the way that you portrayed Laurie Strode. I’m a victor and not a victim.” And he confessed, “You’re the only reason I came to Comic-Con this year.” Jamie went into the crown and hugged the man, telling panel moderator Yvette Nicole Brown that “These kind of emotions are real.”
Wow! Amazing moment at the @halloweenmovie panel in #HallH at @Comic_Con !!! Love @jamieleecurtis ! #halloween #sdcc2018 #ComicCon18 #JamieLeeCurtis #MichaelMyers @Halloweenmovies @HalloweenDaily #Halloween2018 #HalloweenMovie #johncarpenter @blumhouse #jasonblum pic.twitter.com/W2WiGjIW2u
— The Con Guy (@TheConGuyDotCom) July 20, 2018
The new Halloween, opening on October 19, forgets about the many sequels that followed the 1978 original (and Halloween 3: Season of the Witch, which had nothing to do with killer Michael Myers). The film centers on Jamie’s character, suffering from PTSD and living off the grid, in a house equipped with a mini-arsenal. Jamie said that Laurie now “lives in complete isolation, waiting for [Michael Myers] to come back because she knows he’s going to.”
The 59-year-old actress, who in the past has been vocal about the #MeToo movement, drew parallels between the new movie and the Time’s Up and Me Too era, because is giving the chance for her character to “take back her narrative.” She noted,
“Laurie Strode was 17 years old when she was brutally attacked by Michael Myers, a random act of violence that stayed with her [for] her entire life. She was raised in the Midwest, I’m sure they sent her back to school two days later. And yet, she has carried the trauma and PTSD of someone who was attacked randomly….There comes a point where you say, I am not my trauma, the narrative of my life is not that I am a victim. And this is a woman who has been waiting 40 years to face the person who she knows is coming back, to say, ‘I am going to take back the legacy of my life, I am going to take back my narrative, and you don’t own me anymore.’ And that, weirdly enough, seems to be a bit of a thing in the world today.”
I’ve been a fan of Jamie forever, and I think she’s an awesome lady. She was the original “scream queen” and the only reason to watch the Ryan Murphy series of the same name. I’m looking forward to seeing this new Halloween – and am I the only one who liked Halloween: H20?
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I love her and A Fish Called Wanda is one of my favorites. But I hate slasher films. My mom was a huge fan so I was exposed to them at an inappropriately young age. I was still checking the closet and under the bed before I could sleep into my 20’s. But I did learn that if someone is trying to kill you and you manage to knock them down, don’t run. Stay and make sure that mo’fo is dead. Like decapitate them and run away with the head or they will just keep coming until they get you.
“To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people! I’ve known sheep that could outwit you. I’ve worn dresses with higher IQs.”
A Fish Called Wanda is also my favorite movie. 😀
I made the mistake of watching Halloween while babysitting when I was a teenager. The kids had gone to bed and the neighbor boys would occasionally try to scare me so the overall effect was one of pure terror and which haunted me for years. But I can see how the “lessons” helped someone who was actually attacked.
And yes, A Fish Called Wanda was brilliant. Had me in stitches on a long flight from Europe back in the day.
I have watched this movie about 30 times by now. My favorite scene, Otto holding Archie by the ankles, while Archie dangles outside the window:
Archie: I do, I offer a complete and utter retraction. The imputation was totally without basis in fact, and was in no way fair comment, and was motivated purely by malice, and I deeply regret any distress that my comments may have caused you, or your family, and I hereby undertake not to repeat any such slander at any time in the future.
This is a really great story!! I have never seen any of the halloween movies, or friday the 13th, or nightmare on elm street…. those movies scare me! I don’t get the appeal, although I will say, I would probably enjoy a juicy well-written backstory synopsis. I can read scary/gory things easier than watching them. I always ask my husband, but WHY does michael myers want to kill people? Why does he hate his sister so much? I guess he’s just crazy?
He’s just crazy, which is even scarier because you want it explained. They did put some stupid back story in one of the movies (maybe H2O) showing he was abused as a toddler/child, locked in a barbaric high chair and closet. But it’s scarier if he just has no conscience and kills for no reason. I love old school slasher movies! Can’t wait!!!!
No, no. Resurrection had Dangertainment make up a fake story about him being abusedas part of the reality show. In reality, he is just “purely and simply evil.” This new movie is going to do away with the sister storyline from part 2 as it should. He is more terrifying killing random targets.
I am HUGE fangirl
yeah, my husband told me about the one where he killed the guy that was nice to him at the psych ward (I think Danny Trejo played him) and it just makes me sad. He’s just crazy.
Love everything about this. The character, the fan, Jaimie’s equation to #meToo… except the part where she implies her character overcomes PTSD by denying victimhood and taking control of her narrative. I wish she worded that differently. As a friend to an Iraqi war veteran on permanent disability due to PTSD, I don’t think that is how it works. One can derive that any PTSD sufferer could do the same as her character without therapy or proper emotional support. PTSD shouldn’t be something to be flippant about.
I agree. I’m also a not sure if retreating alone to the woods with an arsenal to wreak revenge on your attacker is the healthiest way to cope.
Word. Sounds like a sad, awful life. Not triumphant at all. Hopefully it’s better than it sounds.
@larelyn I’m with you – that’s not healthy coping. BUT I’m hoping for some happy ending where she’s able to move on in a healthier way, and they just can’t give away the ending 🙂
This is awesome. It might not work for everybody, but it’s a good message to have out there.
I’m excited for this movie! Finally a horror film that just scares you without the grotesque use of rape as the horror factor. Love Rob Zombie but his Halloween remakes made me cringe a little during certain parts.
But back to this woman, my daughter and I watched freaky Friday last night and she loved it. I loved it. Jamie is awesome!
Freaky Friday is an awesome movie – even Lindsay L. is great in it! 🙂
I don’t like depicted violence so I’ve never seen it, but I’m glad it helped him.
I love JLC and I love Yvette Nicole Brown (Community fans: “…and that Sherri Shepherd lady.”)
Lol no you’re not the only one that liked H2O. It’s my third favorite film in the franchise and actually a lot of people in the fan base was pleased with it. That ending is the most epic ish ever!!!!
I really love this story. Who knew horror movies could inspire and help people?! (not me, I’m too much of a fraidycat to watch horror movies – don’t @ me!) And I’ve always loved Jamie Lee Curtis. She’s such a badass.
+1
Love Jamie, love Halloween – can’t wait to see this!
I’m a scary movie junkie and will watch almost anything in the genre – even though I end up sleeping with my bedside table light on for nights afterward, with my husband snoring next to me. 🙂
I’m beyond excited for this movie. I have a great friend from grade school that has seen every single Halloween movie with me in the theater. We were too young to see the first three when they came out but saw them later on special theater nights. Jamie Lee Curtis to me is the original badass. All of my favorite heroines no matter the genre or their race have roots in her Victor not victim role. I can’t wait to see it! Also I like Halloween the Curse of Michael Myers which came out before H20 and stars a very cute Paul Rudd and is the last film Donald Pleasance (Dr Loomis in 1,2 and 4,5) made.
I loved H:20- I think I recorded it off of Showtime when I was 14, just so I could freak my friends out with it at a sleepover I was hosting (along with The Faculty, Scream 1 and 2, Disturbing Behavior, etc).
Good times.
Athough WTF was up with Josh Hartnett’s hair?
I just got back from San Diego Comic-Con tonight! I didn’t see this panel because I was in Ballroom 20 and 6A all day on Friday, but I heard it was really neat from people who were there. Corey, SDCC is awesome (this is my 11th year going) and I hope you make it there one day!
The older she gets, the more androgynous she looks and it works on her. I love her cut, color and hairstyle. She’s always wearing clean lines and it accentuates her figure.
I’ve seen a couple of the Halloween movies but I loved her in Blue Steel, True Lies and Perfect!
I hate horror flicks, but I love her for her comedies like Trading Places, A Fish Called Wanda, and True Lies. She’s so beautiful and this moment brought a tear to my eye.