Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, the 1995 installment of the series, boasts a slew of shocking deaths designed to unsettle viewers. The film follows the notorious Michael Myers as he stalks his old Haddonfield stomping grounds, eventually confronting the family of Laurie Strode, his original target. One death, in particular, involving Laurie’s uncle John, sees him stabbed and pushed into a circuit breaker box, leading to a dramatic electrocution scene where his head ultimately explodes.
This grisly sequence caught the attention of Dr. Jordan Wagner, a real-life ER doctor who hosts a YouTube channel,Doctor ER. In a recent video, Dr. Wagner dissected the medical authenticity of several horror movie deaths, including John’s over-the-top electrocution. The scene in question showcases John foaming at the mouth, a detail Dr. Wagner amusingly connects with rabies rather than electrocution. As for the head explosion? Dr. Wagner’s response was rather succinct, “Maybe, but I’ve never seen it.”
Elaborating on the sequence, Dr. Wagner said:
“Typically, Michael Myers always uses a big, huge kitchen knife. What major structures do you have to worry about? Most of it is intestines, and behind that is major blood vessels in the spine. Electrocution injuries depend on the amount of energy. This seems exaggerated. You see foaming of the mouth if someone is dehydrated, like with rabies. The real danger from electrocution? Typically, cardiac arrest and severe tissue damage. If there’s enough energy, an explosion? Maybe, but you’d be dead.”
TheHalloweenseries' depiction of death hasn’t always resonated as authentic with its audience. The iconic 1978 original, though grounded compared to its sequels, wasn’t without its fantastical moments. Remember Michael pinning a victim to a wall with just a knife?
George P. Wilbur, Stuntman and Halloween Franchise Star, Dies at 81
George P. Wilbur portrayed Michael Myers in the 4th and 6th Halloween films.
Halloween’s Evolution: From Masked Menace to Arcane Mysteries
As sequels piled up,realism began taking a backseat. Notably, revelations such as Michael and Laurie’s secret sibling relationship and bothMichael Myers and Dr. Loomissurviving a massive explosion became part of the narrative. By the time 1989’sThe Revenge of Michael Myersrolled around, the series fully embraced the supernatural, hinting at a psychic bond between Michael and Laurie’s niece, Jamie Lloyd.
By the sixth film, the narrative dove headfirst into the mystical, explaining Michael’s murderous rage as the result of a Druid curse, compelling him to eradicate his bloodline. The series was no longer merely about a masked killer but had ventured into the domain of ancient curses and dark rites.
The electrocution of John Strode inHalloween: The Curse of Michael Myerscan be seen as a culmination of this transition from gritty realism to supernatural horror. While it’s tempting to nitpick the scene for its lack of medical accuracy, one must remember the broader evolution of the series. Over time, it moved from a tale of an inexplicable killer to a story deeply rooted in the mystic and the arcane.
While Dr. Wagner’s critique offers a fun and enlightening perspective, it’s essential to view the Halloween series not as a manual of real-life events, but as a rollercoaster of suspense, shocks, and, yes, the occasional head explosion. Whether you applaud or cringe at its excesses, the Halloween franchise has certainly left an unforgettable mark on the landscape of horror cinema.
