For the month of October I will put out a list of Top 10’s
on a number of subjects each day, this should be fun as I would enjoy feedback
and discussion on my list and will welcome feedback on how to improve the list
as I plan on featuring them on my website.
Sequels That Are Superior
Evil Dead II
Not quite a sequel, more a remake with better FX, way funnier gags and the style that Sam Raimi would make his career. The story is the same, a group of students visit a remote cabin and discover an ancient Sumerian Book of the Dead. Transforming each one into creepy zombies and releasing, even more, zombies from below. When all else seems to fail, we leave it to the dynamic and amusing Bruce Campbell as Ash, the Demon Killer. This very silly remake boasts even better gore effects and many downright funny scenes. More of a parody than a horror film, Evil Dead 2 is that rare sequel that is way better than its source film.
Bride of Frankenstein
The monster having survived the fire in the mill that had supposedly killed him is taken in by a blind hermit. He teaches him to speak and falls under the evil influence of another scientist who presses him to demand a mate from Dr. Frankenstein. A rare sequel that is better than its predecessor, the film marks the reappearance of Boris Karloff as the monster and Elsa Lanchester as both Mary Shelley and the classic bride we all remember.
Dawn of the Dead
Romero's long-awaited sequel to Night of The Living Dead picks up shortly after with a small band of survivors fighting their way to safety. Romero spared no expense let alone blood in this intense and sometimes funny sequel. Featuring the special effects genius of Tom Savini, we have an action-packed zombie kill-fest that is a worthy follow-up to Romero's cult classic and one of the best horror movies of the 1970's.
Hellraiser II
That bitch Julia is back and with the help of a psychiatric ward doctor the two team together to conquer Leviathan and defeat the Cenobites. Kirstie realizes that the gateway must be closed for all time and enlists the aid of a mute girl to solve the puzzle and close the doorway forever. This ambitious and very bloody sequel picks up after the first film and doesn't stop with the blood and guts. The film goes into some of the histories of the Cenobites and even shows the human side of Pinhead. As sequels go this films rates well above most others and are recommended viewing to help add a little more depth to Pinhead and his buddies as a followup to the Clive Barker's 1987 horror classic.
Exorcist III
George C Scott is a police detective named Kinderman investigating a series of grisly murders committed by a serial killer. Unlike your run of the mill psycho, we have something that may very well tie into the supernatural and the very forces of good and evil. His investigation turns up a copycat killer who is following the wicked deeds of the Gemini Killer who was executed the night of Reagan’s exorcism. We learn even more may be happening in this well-made sequel that returns some of the glory and terrors that Exorcist 2 lacked. Scott is very convincing taking the role played by the late Le Cobb in the first but who can forget Brad Dourif is one of his creepiest performances.
Nightmare on Elm Street: Dream Warriors
Heather returns in one of the best of the many sequels as a counselor helping suicidal troubled teens deal with their nightmares. She uses a group therapy technique to root out Freddy and uses the kids as an army to combat him in his domain. This way cool sequel co-wrote by Wes Craven brings together a decent script with some outstanding FX and some cool cameos by Dick Cavett and a Gabor sister. The action-packed conclusion makes this film stand out among its sequels with its cool nod to FX pioneer Ray Harryhausen. After the lackluster sequel to the original, Dream Warrior was a welcome entry showing that there is plenty more Freddy Krueger.
Devil’s Rejects
This 2005 follow-up to House of a Thousand Corpses, picks up with Captain Spaulding, Baby and Otis fleeing from the law after their home is raided by the police following the events of the previous film. On the lam, the trio take some hostages while a determined sheriff makes it his duty to bring down this killer family. Rob Zombie second movie was a marked improvement on his first work but let's not overlook the sadistic level of violence in this film. The Devil’s Rejects is an entertaining road movie that seems to be inspired by Thelma and Louise but in a much more violent and nasty manner.
Blade II
Guillermo del Toro directed this action-packed sequel to the 2008 vampire hunter movie. Like the first movie, Blade protects humanity from the vampires who have lived secretly among humans yet this around he has to team up with an elite corps of vampire soldiers when a common enemy emerges. The sequel to Blade would feature Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson returning in the respective roles of Blade and Whistler. With its fast-paced editing, techno music, and well-choreographed fight scenes, Blade II follows the comic book origins faithfully, and in some ways is superior to the first movie.
The Silence of the Lambs
Not since the days of Hitchcock have we the audience been given a horror/thriller that was every bit as great as anything by the master of terror Alfred Hitchcock. The first horror movie to win a Best Picture Oscar, The Silence of The Lambs would also yield Oscars for Jodie Foster, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and director Jonathan Demme. It would also provide many immortal lines, and memorable scenes as the genius of Hopkins would come to life as a terrifying movie monster of horror cinema. The Silence of the Lambs was the second film to feature Hannibal Lector with Brian Cox playing the genius cannibal in the TV movie Manhunter.
Scream 2
Taking the usual route seen by so many, it is expected that such a surprise hit as Scream would spawn a sequel. Unlike previous franchises, Wes Craven decided to stay on and helm this sequel along with the newly prosperous screenwriter Kevin Williamson. Taking cues from the success of Scream, Wes Craven delivers a film that picks up and takes the viewers beyond where most sequels leave off. Although the film does follow the usual formula, we find the same self-mocking style that made Scream stand out so well. Kudos to the unique film within a film that features Heather Graham, Tori Spelling and David Arquette in some familiar roles. Although the film would not make as much as the original, it at least doesn't insult the viewers by giving them a routine hack and slash.
The Purge: Anarchy
This follow-up to the 2013 dystopian horror film picks up from the original by showing the events of the nationwide murder fest as it unfolds in Los Angeles. A small group people find themselves being hunted by random groups of murderous gangs who are taking advantage of the 12-hour penalty free murder spree. The Purge: Anarchy was an improvement on the first film that was set primarily in a single house and had characters that were not as likable as would like them to be. A followup sequel would be released in recent years and continued to carry on the theme of innocent people having to fight back against murderous people out to kill for kicks.
VHS:2
This horror anthology was a sequel to the 2012 found footage film by Bloody Disgusting. Following the same format as VHS, VHS 2 presents four unique and very different short clips with a pair of private investigators to figure out the whereabouts of a young man. The most often discussed segment is titled Safe Haven and follows a TV news team investigating a mysterious Indonesian cult in the hopes of getting a documentary film from the expose. As tensions emerge between the Intervir and one of his cameramen all hell breaks loose as a mass suicide unleashes an unexpected event. The first two installments of VHS have gained a cult following with fans praising many of the segments. The second VHS movies exceed the first for the Safe Haven segment as it is one of the most terrifying visions of a death cult.
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