- For the 20th Anniversary restoration in 1998, new sounds were added to the film's audio track under John Carpenter's approval. New thunder sounds were added to the Loomis car scene. Wind sounds were added as well. The 1999 DVD release contains both the original unaltered mono sound and a Dolby Digital 5.1 option with the added sound effects.
- Also, the network version replaces 12 minutes of violent footage with less gory scenes. These scenes were shot simultaneously with "Halloween II" in 1981, and can be found in the LaserDisc version of the original film.
- In all UK video releases there are 12 seconds omitted involving a chase scene outside between Micheal & Laurie. There is no given reason for this by the BBFC and the UK terrestrial channel BBC2 always includes this scene.
- When aired on TV, the following scene was altered: When Sheriff Brackett and Loomis are talking, the sheriff names off what kids are doing, his line of "Getting high" was changed to "Acting sly."
- The television network-version (aka. Extended-Version) has a different climax: when 'Dr. Loomis' shoots 'Michael Myers' in the end, you can only hear the gun- shots from outside the house, while in the theatrical-version you can see how he shoots him. This alternate-scene was also used in the beginning of "Halloween II(1981)" during the flashback sequence, instead of using the original footage from the ending of the Theatrical-Version.
- Additional scenes were shot by director John Carpenter for the 1981 Television Network premiere. These include:
- a meeting between Dr. Loomis and two doctors from the mental (psychiatric) institution where Michael Myers is being kept
- a shot of Michael Myers sitting completely motionless in his cell
- a scene where a nurse leads Dr. Loomis to Michael's room, telling him who was supposed to have been watching the patients. Once they arrive in Michael's room, she tells him he must have broken the window glass with his bare hands. They then glance over on the wall, and see that he has written in blood the word "sister".
- a scene where Lynda visits Laurie Strodes at home and borrows a blouse just as Annie calls trying to borrow the same blouse.
- In 2000, a 'Limited Edition' DVD of "Halloween" was released from Anchor Bay. This was the Television Extended-Version which includes 12 minutes of extra-footage shot in 1981 while filming "Halloween II" and was available as a stand-alone or a two-disc (along with the theatrical cut). Later, in 2001 commemorating the 25th Anniversary DVD, Anchor Bay released yet another DVD of the theatrical cut. This DVD contains new special features, giving a brief look at the incredible "Halloween" Cast Re-union filmed on October 2000. It also had a new transfer approved by John Carpenter,which caused some controversy amongst fans, as he apparently adjusted the color quite severely, a radical departure from the previous transfer supervised by D.P. Dean Cundey.
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