As a big fan of Stephen King, George A. Romero and anthology horror films in general, I loved the original Creepshow. While not as flat-out scary as I expected, the movie was a hell of a lot of fun, with great stories, plenty of humor and a colorful aesthetic that paid homage to the ancient horror comics that inspired it. Decades later, it remains the best (certainly the most consistent) anthology film I’ve ever seen.
For once, here was a horror film that justified and deserved a sequel…maybe lots of sequels.
So imagine my initial disappointment at 1987’s Creepshow 2, which was (and still is) inferior in almost every way. Shorter (only three stories), cheaper and aesthetically drab, the movie largely eschews the comic book flourishes that made the first one unique. Though Romero returns to write the screenplay based on King stories, he’s sorely missed in the director’s chair, replaced by longtime associate Michael Gornick. And save for one segment, much of the original’s giddy gallows humor is conspicuously absent. At the time, I felt like those responsible for the sequel didn’t really give a damn about it, resulting in a movie that should have been called CHEAPshow.
But you know what? Time has actually been somewhat kind to Creepshow 2. While it still doesn’t hold a candle to the original (nor to many episodes of the recent Shudder series), I’ve revisited the movie on numerous occasions over the years, and like Jordy Verrill's fungus, it has sort of grown on me. Without the baggage of elevated expectations, I’ve learned to enjoy it on its own terms. So have many other fans, because what was once a critical and commercial dud has since earned something of a cult following.
 |
| Shoulda gone to Supercuts. |
The best segment, “The Hitchhiker,” is the only one that would have been right at home in the first film. The story of a hit-and-run victim who won’t stay dead, this one boasts fun performances by Lois Chiles as a self-absorbed driver and Tom Wright as the title character seeking revenge. Creepshow 2 also has a wraparound story tying it all together, that of a comic book fan getting revenge on bullies with the help of Venus fly traps. This story (as well as The Creep himself) is animated, and cheaply, too, but it’s pretty amusing.
In the end, I no longer think Creepshow 2 was made by folks who didn’t give a damn. They simply did their best with the talent and meager resources available to them at the time. So all things considered, everyone involved who wasn’t a pencil pusher did manage to put together an entertaining little horror film.
Now it’s available on 4K as a limited edition boxed set and features a pretty good video upgrade, though the three audio options are the same as Arrow’s previous Blu-ray release (and not really a complaint since the DTS-HD Master Audio track is really good). Having been sent a promo disc for review, I can’t comment on any physical supplements, but all of the other bonus material (outlined below) is the exactly same as the Blu-ray.
EXTRA KIBBLES
NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.
FEATURETTES - Screenplay for a Sequel is an interview with screenwriter George A. Romero; Tales from the Creep is an interview make-up legend with Tom Savini (who plays The Creep in the wraparound segments); Poncho’s Last Ride and The Road to Dover are interviews with actors Daniel Beer (Randy) and Tom Wright (The Hitchhiker); Nightmares in Foam Rubber is special effects featurette, including interviews with Howard Berger & Greg Nicotero; My Friend Rick is an appreciation of make-up artist Rick Baker, featuring Howard Berger.
AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Michael Gornick.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE
TRAILERS & TV SPOTS
SCREENPLAY GALLERIES
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment