Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a 1982 film about a supernatural plot to sacrifice children wearing novelty Halloween masks, thus bringing about a resurrection of the ancient age of witchcraft. The masks contain microchips, each containing a fragment of Stonehenge that, when activated by a signal in a company commercial, summon a swarm of insects and snakes to kill the mask wearer and anyone nearby.
 * Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. Written by Nigel Kneale.

Witchcraft enters the computer age, and a different terror begins. (taglines)

Conal Cochran

 * I do love a good joke and this is the best ever: a joke on the children.
 * The surprising thing is that the internal components were quite simple to produce. The outer features took much longer to perfect but of course in the end it's just another form of mask making.[Android sneezes] Bless you. Convincing, aren't they? Loyal, obedient. Unlike most human beings.
 * It's time again. In the end, we don't decide these things you know, the planets do. They're in alignment and it's time again. The world's going to change tonight, Doctor. I'm glad you'll be able to watch it.

Daniel Challis

 * I saw something that night... I don't know, your father came into the hospital. He- I thought he was crazy, out of his mind. He's hanging onto a Halloween mask, he wouldn't let it go... And what he said was, "They're gonna kill us all". And in a little while he was dead. And I don't know what the hell is going on!

Ellie Grimbridge

 * Where do you want to sleep Dr. Challis?

Starker (Town Drunkard)

 * All I can tell you Mister... is watch out, see the TV cameras yet? He's watching you friend, I guarantee you that.

Commercial Announcer

 * Its almost time, kids. The clock is ticking. Be in front of your TV sets for the Horrorthon, followed by the Big Giveaway. Don't miss it. And don't forget to wear your masks. The clock is ticking. It's almost time.
 * It's time. It's time. Time for the big giveaway. Halloween has come. All you lucky kids with Silver Shamrock masks, gather 'round your TV set, put on your masks and watch. All witches, all skeletons, all Jack-O-Lanterns, gather 'round and watch. Watch the magic pumpkin. Watch...

Dialogue

 * Conal Cochran: Enjoy the horror-thon, doctor... and don't forget to watch the big giveaway afterwards.
 * Daniel Challis: Why, Cochran, why?
 * Conal Cochran: Do I need a reason? Mr. Kupfer was right, you know... I do love a good joke and this is the best ever, a joke on the children. But there's a better reason... you don't really know much about Halloween... you thought no further than the strange custom of having your children wear masks and go out begging for candy. It was the start of the year in our old Celtic lands, and we'd be waiting... in our houses of wattles and clay. The barriers would be down, you see, between the real and the unreal, and the dead might be looking in... to sit by our fires of turf. Halloween... the festival of Samhain! The last great one took place three thousand years ago, when the hills ran red... with the blood of animals and children.
 * Daniel Challis: Sacrifices.
 * Conal Cochran: It was part of our world... our craft.
 * Daniel Challis: Witchcraft.
 * Conal Cochran: To us, it was a way of controlling our environment. It's not so different now... it's time again. In the end... we don't decide these things, you know... the planets do. They're in alignment, and it's time again. The world's going to change tonight, doctor, I'm glad you'll be able to watch it. And... happy Halloween.


 * Daniel Challis: [last lines; on the phone with the TV network; the Silver Shamrock commercial begins] If it goes on, it means the death of millions of people, everyone watching, don't you understand that? Well... well say it's a bomb then, say whatever you want, just get it off the air! Please, you jus... No, no I can't prove it, you gotta believe me! Believe me! Take it off the air now, please! You've got to, it...
 * Announcer: [the commercial is interrupted] Please excuse the interruption, we're having technical problems. Please stand by.
 * [Kid changes channel. The commercial is interrupted]
 * Announcer: We are experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by.
 * [Kid changes channel again, the commercial plays and shows no signs of stopping]
 * Daniel Challis: The third commercial, it's still on. Please, take off the third channel. The third channel, it's still running. Stop it, please, for God's sake, please stop it. There's no more time! You've gotta... please stop it. Stop it now. Turn it off! Turn it off! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!!!!


 * Daniel Challis: Maybe I ought to get another room.
 * Ellie Grimbridge: That would look sort of suspicious, wouldn't it?
 * Daniel Challis: What I mean is, if it'd make you more comfortable, I can sleep in the car... be a lot better than this floor, anyway.
 * Ellie Grimbridge: Where do you want to sleep, Dr. Challis?
 * Daniel Challis: [staring at her] That's a dumb question, Miss Grimbridge.

Taglines

 * Witchcraft enters the computer age, and a different terror begins.
 * The night no one comes home.

Cast

 * Tom Atkins — Dr. Daniel Challis
 * Stacey Nelkin — Ellie Grimbridge
 * Dan O'Herlihy — Conal Cochran
 * Michael Currie — Rafferty
 * Ralph Strait — Buddy Kupfer
 * Jadeen Barbor — Betty Kupfer
 * Brad Schacter — Buddy Kupfer Jr
 * Garn Stephens — Marge Guttman