Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, John Tate's (Josh Hartnett) Fall Field Trip Permission Slip

original movie prop

An original 8.5” x 6” distressed Hillcrest Academy fall field trip permission slip from Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), the piece is hand-signed and dated “10/31/98” in ink on parchment paper.

The prop department clearly had some fun filling out the document, as is evident in this last line: "...by signing this, I waive the schools [sic] liability for the students if they are attacked by bears, mountain lions, snakes, or psychopathic killers with knives, and/or are carried off by bald eagles."

Another interesting thing to point out is the academy's Latin motto, "Noli Me Tangere," which translates to "touch me not." This is a reference to the words that Jesus speaks to Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John when he appears to her in the garden after she discovers his body is missing from the tomb. Not believing her own eyes, she reaches out to confirm if he truly does stand resurrected before her.

During the twenty years following the events of Halloween II (1982), Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) assumes a new identity as “Keri Tate” to distance herself from the legacy of her murderous brother, and moves to Northern California where she becomes the headmistress of an upscale prep school.

Now a single parent, Laurie/Keri still continues to be haunted by visions of Michael Myers, and alleviates her trauma through prescribed medication, alcohol, and by sheltering her teenage son, John (Josh Harnett).

When he asks to go on a week-long school field trip to Yosemite, she initially refuses, but after she works through her anxieties, John is presented this permission slip on the last day of October.

Little does she know that he has secret plans to stay behind on campus to throw a little Halloween night shindig—and a certain uninvited guest will soon crash (and slash) the party.