Top 10: Best Sequels #2
Oct. 19, 2007
When last we met, the focus was on horror sequels that flat out soiled some of our favorite franchises. There may have been some controversy (yes Halloween III was true to what Carpenter wanted to do with the series but it was still a bad idea and a horrible movie) and that's to be expected on such an ugly trek down disappointment lane.
Even when a sequel is good enough to satisfy our bloodlust, however, it's rare that any of the subsequent experiences equal the first. Some of this is simply because great horror comes from the unexpected. Once we know the cast of characters the element of surprise disappears. Kinda like heroin, you get that one great first high, then everything else is just a futile attempt to recapture it.
But every once in a while we get the rare gem that is a great sequel. And when that happens my friends, it is an occassion worth noting. Now let's get it on!
As always, don't forget to Spit Bullets below.
We all love Romero, but the reaction to his post-Night of the Living Dead work is mixed even within the genre community. Hard to argue, though, that with LOTD he gave us some of the strongest performances of any of the films. That helps to ground the interesting and well-laid out story AND gets the audience emotionally involved when suckers start getting’ theirs. On top of that we’ve got zombies that are actually scary again given their developing intellect and abilities, plus a great socio-political commentary that doesn’t overwhelm the movie. Delicious, flesh-eating fun.
This is exactly what a sequel is supposed to do. Give us bigger scope, badder situations, harsher denouements and provide a deeper level of insight into the mechanics of whatever weird shite came down in the first movie. And a LOT of weird shite happened in Hellraiser. So this time we get to see from start to finish a madman who wants to open the box, we spend some quality time down in Hell, Uncle Frank comes back to pay a visit, and there‘s plenty more Pinhead to go around. The only tragic weakness of this second slice is seeing the Pinster get his ass handed to him in what should have been one of the greatest battles in all of cinema. It almost ruins the movie on a first viewing, but after factoring out that criminal disappointment, you’ve got one amazing follow-up.
The return of Wes Craven to the franchise he created was welcome, but what could he do to revitalize this beast that had frankly gotten fairly domesticated. Easy, he brings in one cool mind f*ck of an idea. Freddy is no longer the silly joker of the later entries, but an ancient evil that has started to seep into reality again now that the film series is done and no longer keeping him contained. Genius idea, and the solid presence of the main series players, including Craven himself, make this a tough one to shuffle off as “just a movie“. The last block is a little weak, but given the fantastic concept, stellar performances and genuine surprises, that flaw can be forgiven.
Norman is back and who knew that it wouldn’t suck? Hitchcock’s original was so mind-blowingly effective in its day that legions of people still get creeped out when they take a shower. Since then we’ve seen the same ground tread hundreds of times, so what the hell can a sequel bring? A couple of things actually. We get more Norman and really start to dig the guy, while still not wanting him as a pal of course. It’s also time to get bloodier and nudier than was ever possible for Hitchcock. Most importantly we get a flick that does not try to recover the same territory of its predecessor. This flick has an agenda all its own and that agenda is one startlingly effective ride.
What is there to say about this follow up to Ridley Scott’s claustrophobic masterpiece other than “F*ck yeah!” This was truly the Godfather II of horror sequels. Totally different vibe, but the intensity and terror of the original were kept intact. You really can’t even argue about which is better, because both explore the universe of Alien perfectly given their respective storylines. Gotta love it!
3:45PM on 10/22/2008