First and foremost, it is important to understand that Rob Zombie's version of Halloween is not a remake. It is his own vision of the telling of the story of Michael Myers: like many writers who will take a Shakespeare play and retell it from the point of view of a different character. When John Carpenter released Halloween in 1978, it was a low budget, very dark film. It had no grand special effects, no real plot, no answers to the many questions that the film raised. What made Michael Myers a killer? Why is it only on Halloween night that he returns? In the days of the original Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th it was completely acceptable to make movies with no answers. You cannot enjoy a horror movie if you go into it questioning the plot or the reality of the situation. Horror movies are horrifying because there are things that cannot be explained.
Rob Zombie created a vision of Michael Myers different from the vision of John Carpenter. He decided to add more depth to the characters, more explanation as to why the events of Halloween night take place. In this instance, Rob Zombie has created a new film, not a remake. It is also clear that, even though he felt pressure from the studio to create a sequel (H2), Zombie intended the entirety of the story to take place during his first Halloween. It is a story he thought he could tell in the span of two hours; and any of the relevant questions would be answered during that time. There was never any mention of the strange happenings of the original series' sequels, such as the cult which wants Michael's kin in Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers.
There are some films which deserve a better budget, better actors and a grand presentation. Films such as King Kong. The original King Kong was released in 1933 and gained quite an audience. When Peter Jackson released his version of King Kong in 2005, it was spectacular to see on the big screen. With spectacular special effects and much better acting talent than the original, it is clear that the telling of the story of King Kong deserves a higher quality of film production. That is not to say that all older, lesser quality movies need the same treatment. The way John Carpenter filmed Halloween was so perfect that it makes it very difficult to say that the background information and the extra special effects Rob Zombie included were necessary. Not necessary for a remake, that is. But for Rob Zombie to tell his vision of the story of Michael Myers, they were very necessary.
Rob Zombie has created a reputation for himself for violent, bloody movies which require much in the ways of makeup and special effects. Many could say that the level of violence in his movies tends to go a bit beyond what many writers and directors are willing to create. In keeping with his reputation, his vision of Michael Myers was one that spawned from a child filled with hatred and revenge for the way he was treated. He created a vision of Michael Myers that was not a cute little boy who suddenly decided to kill his sister, spend 15 years in a mental facility, only to break out and go on a killing spree for the rest of his life. His vision was so much more violent, so filled with hate that it required more production materials to fulfill the telling. It is very fitting for Zombie's own vision, but again, not necessary in a remake of John Carpenter's version.
Take, for example, the classmate that Michael beats to death with a tree branch in Zombie's Halloween. This is the first muder that is seen. It is the result of Michael, being pushed to the edge of control by his peers, his family and anyone who treated him with disrespect. In Carpenter's Halloween, the first murder seen is Michael killing his sister; and then we jump to 15 years later. Zombie goes even further into the story by showing what Michael is like in the mental facility.
Rob Zombie created a story completely separate from John Carpenter's Halloween. To say that Zombie's Halloween is based on characters created by John Carpenter would be a fair statement. However, the two should not be considered linked. They are both unique and have contributed to the horror genre in their own rights. For fans of Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th; and if you believe that more often that not, what you don't see is generally a lot more scary than what you do see on screen, then John Caprenter's Halloween is a good match. If you enjoy more blood and violence and are a fan of House of 1,000 Corpses or The Devil's Rejects, then Rob Zombie's Halloween is the better choice.