Following up a popular film for one reason or another is a process that can often have mixed results, as this little movie marathon inevitably proves. It's to be expected a lot of the time particularly with horror and schlock - another movie will often end up being a let down. That spike in quality on part two which leads to the third entry dropping the ball doesn't happen that often when things are not planned out properly. We touched on this in earlier b-movie excursions where is was clear that some kinds of stories just don't have the loose ends to ever receive a part two. Others are just too strange to need one... but that doesn't always stop sequels arriving. So let's get right into some of those cases in which they just couldn't leave things alone.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a ridiculous movie. While the original has always been known for a its low budget grit and its incredibly grim atmosphere, director Tobe Hooper wanted to try something new rather than repeat himself. He also seems to have thought that his attempts at dark humour had been lost because of the bleak tone. So this time around he went all out to create a film which is almost completely absurd. The excessively violent moments are now part of a film packed with garish '80s set design and scenery chewing characters. The presence of Leatherface was previously rather unnerving but now he's turned into a cartoonish oaf who dances a jig while waving his chainsaw. Just check out that hip movement.
Elsewhere the other cast members are all apparently trying to outdo each other in the overacting stakes, with the father of the cannibal clan shown to be obsessed with winning prizes and making a profit from his 'secret recipe' chilli. His other son, new addition Chop-Top, is some kind of brain damaged hippie. He comes complete with a metal plate in his head from an injury in the Vietnam War that is sometimes covered by a bad wig. Just in case you missed it they have him scraping bits of skin from it with a coat hanger in every scene. And eating them.
The story this time involves a local radio host coming across their murder spree after a prank caller to her station is killed live on air. She soon turns into another screeching heroine, but not before she confides in Dennis Hopper who plays an unhinged police sheriff. He's so obsessed with catching the gang that he decides to beat them at their own game by arming himself with even more chainsaws than they have. On the whole it's not something which ever really works as a horror movie, but it's always entertaining for just being so outlandish. There are plenty of gruesome sequences but it's easy to see why Cannon films, who wanted a repeat of the first movie, might have felt just a bit let down.
In a similar case of shifting tones, Basket Case 2 also goes in a different direction than its predecessor by proving a lot more overt comedy. While the first feature was a revenge story that could have not been any less grimy, this time around it's a lot weirder as Duane and his twin brother are taken in by a home for others sharing similar physical disadvantages. Didn't they fall to their deaths last time around? Best not to think about it. The tonal change is reflected in the prosthetic appliances and make-up depicting the other residents. There's a wide array of different designs which results in a lighter and more fantastical feeling story in which they fight off those trying to exploit or expose them as freaks.
Like the original there is still an undercurrent of social satire but this focuses more directly on standards of normality. Eventually it's clear that hiding away from reporters and other prying eyes isn't enough and more drastic measures have to be taken. However this is something which Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) eventually struggles with once he starts to feel that he doesn't belong with the group. He was never a great protagonist is terms of acting but there's enough pathos to make it all effective. Some of the crazier designs work against this as a drama but it's mostly an effective balancing effect between the absurd elements and the meat of the story.
Annie Ross is great as the friendly aunt running the home, particularly when she gets in the mood for retaliation against the less unsympathetic characters. She holds the unwieldy plot together. It frequently becomes overblown and the general theme of humanity being skin deep is basically one-note, but it's a generally fun film that never goes to the more extreme measures of the original. The lack of bite may be work for or against it depending on what you're looking for, but at least it keeps the premise from being stale.
On the subject of rehashes, Child's Play 2 doesn't do that much different to the original, at least to begin with. And while in Basket Case 2 the return of the main characters was pretty far fetched after their apparent demise, the reconstruction of Brad Dourif's killer doll is even more absurd. The toy is simply rebuilt after an insurance scandal, and the count down where his plastic body is slowly turning to flesh is apparently reset. But that didn't stop them doing the same thing a few more times in this series. That being said this is a lot of fun, Chucky is still an entertaining character.
Poor Andy (Alex Vincent) is still traumatised by the murderer's attempts to steal his living body, and everyone has to try and convince him things are okay (including welcome additions Jenny Agutter and Gerrit Graham as his new foster parents) before they of course become toy fodder. It's all pretty well made with some good horror movie direction and lots of practical effects. You know from the opening shots that they are putting a decent effort into a very silly premise. The first half or so is pretty much the same kind of thing as before, with the emphasis on atmosphere and sudden murder scenes. It's still a slasher despite the fantasy elements.
But the unexpected turn into madness towards the end is what makes this truly memorable. Escaping their foster home Andy and his new friend Kyle (Christine Elise) find themselves in a factory for the Good Guy toy itself. What a coincidence! Here things get out of control and the assembly line machines make for some great set pieces. Like the other movies mentioned here this point is where the transition into comedy really takes hold, but it works as a finale. And it's much more imaginative than the lacklustre third instalment. Hi-de-ho!
Last, but not at all least, it's impossible not to talk about Evil Dead II when listing films in which horror and comedy go crashing into one another. The Evil Dead itself did have that descent into madness right at the end as the crazy music started playing and blood poured from the plumbing, but aside from a few hammy actors they weren't aiming for real laughs as far as I could tell. But this time around the creatures are more ridiculous, the characters are more overblown and the violence becomes nonsensical as litres of green and black goo are sprayed across the set.
While there is still a clear lack of budget things are done with more finesse this time around and it's easy to see why everyone thinks of this entry when looking at the series. With flying eyeballs, possessed hands and chainsaw montages, how can anyone forget it? Bruce Campbell holds the film together having to act by himself for a considerable part of the running time, with Sam Raimi's love for slapstick and crockery smashing coming to the fore. It stalls a little when the other visitors to the cabin arrive but once Ted Raimi makes his appearance as the possessed Henrietta it picks up right away.
A few scenes have been remade (including the scenes from part one as the footage was not available) and while I prefer the original mirror gag it works both as a recap and a re-imagining. You can strap yourself in right away without worry too much about continuity. It kind of goes without saying but this remains one of the easiest examples to cite of part two being the best in a trilogy or franchise - or how to redo what came before with more imagination and skill. Even if most fans will have a soft spot for Army of Darkness it's all too obvious that the sinister atmosphere has been removed altogether. In this they have the balance perfected, and it remains a classic sequel.
(Part 2 of 4)
