"Halloween II's" Brad Dourif and Scout Taylor-Compton recently gave insights into their character's dramatic transformations in the Rob Zombie sequel, which opens in theaters Aug. 28.

Dourif, who plays Sheriff Lee Brackett, receives a much larger role in the film. In the original "Halloween II" Brackett was limited to a brief cameo before disappearing.

"He is far more central than he was in the one before," Dourif explained during an interview with Fangoria. "Its a bit more, the idea here is its a couple of years later and everybody is pretty still much in shellshock and things have disintegrated by quite a bit. And it focuses a bit on my household."

In fact, character development and themes of family play key parts in "Halloween II," Dourif said, and it includes "some family scenes of Scouts character, of course, who sort of becomes a part of the family, and Danielles [Harris] character [Annie Brackett] is pretty damaged, physically damaged. It really is, much more a character driven piece than a lot of horror films. A lot of horror films might, if theyre going to develop a character, it really is the villain. Sheriffs are usually pretty one dimensional. This guys a little bit more filled out.

"Ive always felt in an odd way, these things are about family. But I think this ones very much about the power and need of family."

Like Sheriff Brackett's daughter Annie, Taylor-Compton's character Laurie Strode is forced to confront the harsh realities of Michael Myers' deadly rampage.

"The film picks up right after the last one ended, and it kind of just shows what she goes through, that shock that she goes through right after she just shot Michael and then it kicks forward to two years later and it kind of just shows what Laurie Strode has become through the tragic events that shes gone through," Taylor-Compton told Fangoria. "She wakes up and realizes everything in her life has changed and her parents are dead and her friends are dead and it shows how she dealt with it.

"People deal with things differently, and I know a lot of people are upset with Laurie Strode turning not necessarily bad, but shes not necessarily the goody-two-shoes Laurie Strode. Going through that traumatic event, its perfect the way that Rob Zombie wrote it."

But did Zombie's interpretation of Laurie take on too many "white trash" qualities, as some fans have indicated?

"I dont necessarily take it as that, just imagine putting yourself in that situation," Taylor-Compton explained. "This guy just chased you and killed everything that you know and you have to change your life. Personally, if I was to go through something like that, I would probably close and rebel and not want to talk to anybody and be mentally bothered. And I think thats what she is. It doesnt mean white trash."

Dourif embraces Zombie's willingness to take the franchise in unpredictable directions.

"Rob has been very much of a lover of horror films; hes a fan of horror films," Dourif said. "In this he wanted to do something different. That was my take on it. And I thought he really got more into the people than he did on the other one. He was innovative on that, but I think he really took a lot of risks on this film. On the first one he was very innovative. I love the first one actually."

"The first one was right on tee with the first 'Halloween' as a remake and this one is actually a Rob Zombie film," Taylor-Compton said. "Its definitely his movie, and all the characters are his own. And its definitely different that way, the first one was a Dimension film, this is a Rob Zombie film."

See more of Dourif's and Taylor-Compton's interviews at Fangoria.