Three more bone-chilling tales.
After the success of it’s predecessor it was no surprise that a sequel was made, the surprise was that it took 5 years before it would be made.
With this entry we only have 3 tales instead of the 5 we had in the previous film and admittedly the film gets off to a bad start. The first segment “Old Chief Wood’nhead” isn’t a bad story but it does feel too long and is very predictable, I would’ve gone for a different direction in the story but hey I’m no film-maker.
The second segment and my favourite of the film is “The Raft”, it’s a story I feel could’ve had been a full length feature on it’s own. Maybe it’s because I enjoy that type of Horror but it’s truly a story I never bore of watching whenever I re-visit this series.
The third segment – “The Hitch-hiker” is also a fun segment, even though like the rest it’s nothing original. It’s a good end story for the film and of-course we have the wrap around story from ‘The Creep’ played by none other than Tom Savini who does a great job as always.
Sure the film lacks the star power and budget of it’s predecessor but for what it is it’s highly entertaining. The stories featured were wrote by Stephen King (who has a small cameo as a truck driver in “The Hitch-Hiker”) and the screenplay was wrote by George A. Romero so you still have that going for you.
As a sequel to a great film “Creepshow 2” is a bit of a disappointment but as I said for what it is it’s highly entertaining, a good watch on a Sunday afternoon.
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
During the second segment, “The Raft”, Laverne is wearing a shirt from ‘Horlicks University’, the same university stenciled on the crate from the original Creepshow.
At the beginning of the final segment, “The Hitch-Hiker”, several Stephen King novels are visible in the bedroom, on the headboard of the bed.
Deke and Randy call each other by the nicknames “Poncho” (Randy) and “Cisco” (Deke). These two character names are borrowed from “The Cisco Kid”, the TV show playing in the background during the film’s first story, “Old Chief Wood’nhead”.
Although the film consists of only three short horror stories – and the wrap-around animation story, there were, just like in the original ‘Creepshow’, originally five stories written. One of these, “The Cat From Hell”, was later used in the the similar anthology film “Tales From The Darkside: The Movie”, released in 1990, and directed by the original Creepshow’s composer, John Harrison. The other story originally intended to be in Creepshow 2 was the Stephen King short story, “Pinfall”, about ghostly rival bowling teams.
Actor David Holbrook appears in the segment “Old Chief Wood’nhead”. His father, Hal Holbrook starred in the original feature film, Creepshow (segment “The Crate”).
When Andy Cavanaugh, one of the three young punks in the first story, “Old Chief Wood’nhead”, is checking out the comic book and magazine rack at Spruce’s General Store, several issues of “Creepshow” can be seen with the same cover as the graphic novel adaptation of the original 1982 Creepshow. The artwork is by famed E.C. artist, ‘Jack Kamen’.
Barbara Eden was originally cast as the hit-and-run driver Annie Lansing during Creepshow 2’s last story, “The Hitch-Hiker”; but had to drop out prior to filming due to her mother falling ill. Lois Chiles was later re-cast in the role.
Actress Dorothy Lamour’s last film (segment “Old Chief Wood’nhead”).
Bob Balaban was attached to direct at one point.
An early “Currently in Production” trailer re-uses the theme music from Halloween.
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