Conceptually, a horror film should seem like a self-contained endeavor. One brainstorms for a neat idea to pull off a few scares on the audience through a tale filled with some ghouls, goblins, and other various ghastly figures that go bump in the night, the end. Film history and the ever-pervasive reality of box office rewards has dictated otherwise on plenty of occasions. Warranted or not from a story perspective, horror films, from slashers to ghost tales, have seen a near-incalculable number of sequels (and now prequels and reboots) ordered into production. It is doubtful even a scientific calculator could keep proper count of all the further installments developed from horror films.
Even though the fans’ common reflex is to proclaim a sequel’s dip in quality in relation to the first episode that does not entail that a sequel is not a good film in its own right. Every now and then, filmmakers thankfully recapture some if not exactly all of the black magic that made the original as compelling and frightful. Are these sequels necessarily as good as the first entries in their respective franchises? No, most are not, yet they do exude some admirable qualities that bring some of them staggeringly close to the same level of quality of the originals. Maybe, just maybe, a couple of them are even better…How’s that for a scary thought?
Child’s Play 2
Written by Don Mancini
Directed by John Lafia
USA, 1990
While the first film’s attempts to make the reveal of Chucky’s (Brad Dourif) culpability for the extravagant murders a surprise may be commendable, Child’s Play only kicks into high gear in the final third once the brilliant puppeteer team gets to show off the demon doll in full action. This is partly why Child’s Play 2 is, for several reasons, a superior horror film. At this point, there is no secret as to who is offing the unfortunate souls who inadvertently cross Chucky, so why not allow the filmmakers to have some fun with the character? The film’s climax transpiring at the factory where the Good Guy doll is fabricated is not only superbly action-packed, but also hallucinatory for the ungodly amount of packaged Chucky dolls stacked about, not to mention that the actual killer doll himself lurks somewhere, ready to pounce…
Another factor playing into the sequels strength is Don Mancini’s script, which pits the continuously unfortunate child protagonist Andy (Alex Vincent) in a foster home where relationships with his adoptive father and sister do not get off swimmingly, to say the least. Emotional and psychological tension mounts on two fronts: familial and in the form of the returning toy from hell. Compounding the dreadful atmosphere is a sensational score from Graeme Revell.
Halloween II
Directed by Rick Rosenthal
Written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
USA, 1981
Breath easy, fellow readers, Rick Rosenthal’s sequel to the John Carpenter masterwork shall not be considered the better movie. Nay, Rosenthal’s picture is a step down from the 1978 classic, yet nevertheless is exemplary filmmaking in its own right despite that, by now, there are no real surprises anymore regarding what the ominous Michael Myers is capable of.
As the tagline hints (‘More of the night HE came home.’) this second installment continues the perilous Halloween evening suffered by Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), doctor Henry Loomis (Donald Pleasance) and all the defenseless victims punctured, smashed, or strangled by Michael, this time transplanting the events to a nearby hospital. The reasons for the film’s dip in quality are mainly twofold. For one, there is unfortunately less focus on Laurie Strode this time around and second, as would be the case in a countless number of 1980s slasher films, II obligatorily ups the ante in terms of gruesome deaths where such a tactic is not a pre-requisite provided a filmmaker is equipped with a solid story. Those blemishes aside, the film takes full advantage of the potential eeriness of a dimly lit, sparsely staffed hospital in which a masked, towering killer with a one-track mind lurks on the prowl for his most coveted of targets, dispatching nurses and guards along the way. Simply put, the film looks superb, from the lighting to the carefully selected camera angles that faintly reveal or suggest Michael’s presence near an unsuspecting soon-to-be victim. In the case of the Halloween franchise, outdoing the original seems like an impossible endeavor, but the immediate sequel is a commendable effort in its own right. Some credit should also go to the weird, more synthesized version of the first film’s musical theme. Very creepy.
Aliens
Written and directed by James Cameron
USA, 1986
Here is where the debate about whether or not a sequel is superior to its predecessor reaches its fabulous crescendo. To this day, people proudly stand in two distinctive camps, one affirming the greater brilliance of Ridley Scott’s Alien, the other arguing for James Cameron’s Aliens. Better or not, the Canadian born writer-director’s continuation of Ellen Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) ballet of death and decay with the xenomorphs is entertainment of the highest order. Set many years after Alien, Ripley is awakened from cryogenic sleep by the a company who has foolishly opted to colonize the strange little rock (LV-426) where the dastardly monsters were discovered in the first film. Chaos, of course, ensues.
Whereas Scott’s deliberately paced original is a true horror film, working on a quiet sense of dread, Cameron blows the series’ tone through the stratosphere. Aliens is a terrifying experience, but for completely different reasons. The hopelessness in the second picture is no longer about facing a singularly bizarre creature whose capabilities remain a mystery, but about facing an entire army of them…and their mother. In that respect, Aliens is more action thrill ride than horror film, but the suspense of some key sequences is so palpable, so intense; Cameron deserves extraordinary credit for completely changing the pace and tone yet preserving a generally frightful atmosphere. The face-hugger laboratory scene still shocks and causes cold sweats nearly 30 years after its premiere. Best of all, Sigourney Weaver helps anchor the mega-production with her believable, heartfelt portrayal of Ellen Ripley, providing audiences with a character they can truly love and hope makes it out alive amidst all the explosions, acid blood spewing left and right, and heads being popped open by phallic alien tongues.
Demons 2
Written by Dario Argento
Directed by Lamberto Bava
Italy, 1986
Italian horror film director Dario Argento relinquished directing duties for this curious sequel to his 1985 cult classic Demons, but stayed on as a writer and producer. The set-up is quite clever (although some might find it too clever) in that the events that viewers watched unfold in the first are revealed to be part of a movie that residents of a high-rise condominium are watching at the start of this sequel. When one of the titular demons of the ‘first film’ literally escapes the confines of a girl’s television set and attacks her, hell on earth is unleashed.
Demons 2 is essentially more of Demons, but in a different setting. Nothing is done to construct a mythos surrounding the existence ghastly freaks, nor is any considerable attempt made at injecting the picture with particularly strong writing or acting for the characters (in fairness, the laughable dubbing effort does not help), but nor was much of that exercised for the original either. What the sequel does accomplish is creating equally tension-filled and even comical set pieces in the various locations where residents of a condominium building could be attacked by famished monsters. Kitchens, elevators, lobbies, the garage: the mayhem takes viewers pretty much everywhere imaginable, even on the side of the building in the movie’s impressive climax. The makeup effects are appropriately grotesque, and while sometimes a sequel that does little else other than provide more of the same is a bad thing, Bava and Argento provide an exception to the rule.
Written by Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel
Directed by Sam Raimi
USA, 1987
The interesting debate surrounding the first two Evil Dead installments mirrors that concerning the first two Alien films. Even though both are clearly part of the same franchise and exude some fantastic qualities, each possesses its own distinct tone. Whereas Raimi’s first film comfortably fits into the horror genre, the 1987 sequel, which is more of a remake to be honest, adds a buoyant comedic tinge to the proceedings. Raimi aims to shock and produce belly laughs with this handsomely crafted film and the result is impressive to say the least.
The Evil Dead 2 fanbase is a rabid one, perhaps more so than that for the first one and it is plainly clear to see why. However one might criticize the fact that Raimi opted to essentially remake the original rather than pursue a new story, the point feels moot about 15 minutes into the film, when Raimi has infused his followup with such undeniable, kinetic energy and a devilish taste for the macabre. What’s more, that infectious energy never lets up, which is a small miracle. With a larger budget and a focused directorial style, Raimi and his crack team of special effects and makeup artists pull out all the stops in creating ghoulish sights. From the props to the stop-motion beasts that lurk outside the familiar cabin in the woods, the movie is as accomplished an exercise in genre and effects as can be devised.
Bride of Frankenstein
Written by William Hurlbut
Directed by James Whale
USA, 1935
After much asking and pleading on the part of Universal Studios, James Whale returned to the director’s chair to helm the highly regarded sequel to his inimitable Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein. Today, this addition to the movies dedicated to the tale of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster is often considered the very best. There are some unquestionably smart and clever storytelling devices employed throughout, such as the first scene in which Mary Shelley (Elsa Lanchester), talking to some of her closest friends who greatly admirer her book, discloses that she has more stories to share about her freakish creation, which then has the film cut to her fictionalized world where the first film concluded.
Bride of Frankenstein is a prime example of a studio and team of filmmakers firmly believing that bigger is better. The story is good and explores some pertinent ideas of people’s need for companionship and acceptance, although it lacks some of the intimacy that made the first film so unique. No, the real treat here are the sets, special effects, makeup, and all the bizarre or oddly comical moments that up the ante in terms of shock value. Knowing that the film was made in 1935, some of the visual effects shots are flabbergasting. The mood quickly shifts from surprisingly violent to hilarious to bizarre. More characters are thrown into the mix, which helps expand the world of Frankenstein. The reasons why so many people consider Bride the superior film are obvious. Would it have been nice if the sequel had retained some of the intimacy of the original story? Yes, but that being said, Bride is often wildly entertaining and serves as a fantastic demonstration of what talented craftsmen were capable of with a sizable budget back in the 1930s.
[REC]2
Written by Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza, and Manu Diez
Directed by Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza
Spain, 2010
Following up their well-received original film, directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza return to the ominous quarantined apartment building as it was left at the end of Rec, with a savage demonic contamination inexorably taking over human bodies in the most shocking, violent ways imaginable. The authorities have ascertained that the situation is graver than anticipated at first and commission a Special Operations Unit to investigate the situation. From there, the the point of view (always coming from the camera lens of someone recording the events) switches from the troops to the remaining survivors still trapped inside.
[REC]2 is just as intense as the first film, which means a lot considering how frightening and surprising Rec is. The oppressive atmosphere weighs down on the poor characters and the viewers, as seemingly every obscured corner, be it within an apartment, hallway, or staircase, has a nasty surprise in store for those hoping to find a way of the building. The decision to allow cuts from one party filming the action to another, one being a small group of young boys, pays off insofar as viewers are able to explore the entire complex more fully, which makes the film more terrifying once it is revealed that the possessed roam practically every level at this point. The mystery as to why people are falling prey to this hellish spell is eventually revealed, and while it comes across as trying too hard to create a mythology for a franchise, Rec2 on the whole fulfills its promise of providing more shrieks of terror. The bare-bones filming technique is so simple yet so effective.
More horror sequel worth checking out:
Halloween 3 Season of the Witch
Scream 2
Dawn of the Dead
-Edgar Chaput