A young woman starts receiving messages through a ouija board, claiming to be from the former occupant of her apartment.
Like an 80’s film that had any success it was only a matter of time before a sequel would be made.
After the success of the first film the studio was very eager to begin work on a sequel, but unfortunately for them production and budget problems with another project prevented them from moving forward. It would take six years before the sequel was finally made, unfortunately by this point the interest had gone and this was released straight to video.
90’s Straight-To-Video releases come with a bad reputation, it’s a tarnish that has never gone away really and that’s unfortunate. This film is definitely one of the better releases of that era, it manages to entertain on such a low budget and whilst you realise why it didn’t have a cinematic release it definitely deserves better credit on being able to do so well on so little.
The acting is a bit hammy, you expect that though with this level of film but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. I man if you’re looking for scares then you’re watching the wrong film but the story itself is a fun one to watch as it unfolds, although I will admit that it’s not the most original script. It is what it is and it doesn’t apologise for it and rightly so.
Certainly the film is lacking in areas, it lacks that spark that the first film managed to make but with Kevin Tenney back in the writer and Director’s chair it does have a sense of similarity that makes you feel comfortable watching it. The characters are extremely well written and cast which helps as a viewer, the lead character is especially a stand out.
“Witchboard 2” is a decent enough sequel if you aren’t asking for much, it makes for entertaining afternoon viewing.
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
Ami Dolenz had a no-nudity clause in her contract. However, Republic Pictures’ foreign sales department decided after she was cast that nudity was crucial for international sales and pressured director Kevin Tenney to talk Ami into waiving the clause. Thinking it unethical, Tenney refused and later stated in an interview that it may have been the reason Republic tried to keep him from returning for Witchboard III: The Possession (1995).
In the original screenplay, the character of “Susan Sydney” only appeared in photos. When it was decided to have her appear in the flesh at the end of the film, Julie Michaels was cast.
Ads for the film’s theatrical release warned, “Don’t see it alone.” This is a play on the common precaution not to play with Ouija boards alone.
Micky Dolenz (star of the Monkees and father of Ami Dolenz) visited the set during filming.
Todd Allen, who starred in the first film, has a cameo as a garbageman.
Want more Horror? Click on the links below:
Raz’s Midnight Macabre Facebook page (HERE)
Raz’s Midnight Macabre Blog page (HERE)
