Of the numerous horror anthology films
that were released during the subgenre's prolific 1980s golden age,
none are so beloved as the Stephen King and George A. Romero
collaboration Creepshow. It's
a perfect storm of everything that makes the anthology storytelling
format so much fun: wonderful atmosphere, an all-star cast of great
character actors, five (mostly) very effective tales that mix creepy
chills with offbeat humor, and some of the most memorable creature
effects of Tom Savini's storied career. Half a decade before Tales
from the Crypt debuted on HBO,
Creepshow
near-perfectly adapted the spirit of EC Comics' iconic series to a
live-action format that still managed to maintain a comic-book feel.
A sequel was inevitable – but it was just as inevitable that this
sequel would have trouble living up to the original's instant-classic
legacy, especially with the lower budget that it wound up getting. As
such, despite King and Romero returning as co-writers, Creepshow
2 has always struggled with an
odd reputation in our pop-cultural consciousness. More often than
not, if it comes up in conversation the immediate response will be,
“Creepshow 2 isn't
that good, compared to the original.” But also more often than not,
this is immediately followed by “except The Raft
story – that creeped the hell out of me as a kid. And The
Hitch-Hiker was pretty cool. And
so was Old Chief Wood'nhead.”
The result is a fairly paradoxical legacy: a film that as a whole is
remembered as not living up to the original, but that contains three
stories, all of which are remembered pretty fondly on their own by
those who grew up on '80s horror. Now Arrow Video is resurrecting
Creepshow 2 in
impressive special edition and limited edition blu-ray formats,
allowing us to take another, clearer look at this simultaneously
neglected yet fondly remembered sequel.
The
Film:
As
Creepshow 2
begins, it becomes clear that the format of George Romero's script is
a bit different, and a bit more narratively cohesive, than the first
installment. Rather than simply segueing from segment to segment with
animation turning pages between comic-book stories, we get
fully-animated cartoon host segments, with a snarky, pun-loving
narrator (played by Tom Savini in the opening and closing live-action
bits) very similar to the Crypt-Keeper. These segments also have a
narrative through-line of their own, which works almost like a 4th
story for the film, and feels very much like a sample of what a
Creepshow
Saturday-morning cartoon might have been like. These segments are a
real treat: they give Creepshow
2 a
unique identity that sets it apart from the original, and they set up
what would have been an awesome ongoing format with a familiar host,
had the franchise continued. This animated host, The Creep,
introduces us to each of the three segments that follow: a Native
American curse/revenge tale called Old
Chief Wood'nhead,
a tense monster story called The
Raft,
and a darkly comic and over-the-top haunting tale called The
Hitch-Hiker.
Two more stories were planned, but had to be cut due to budgetary
restrictions: one that ultimately wound up in the Tales
from the Darkside
movie instead, called Cat
From Hell
(where's Jackson Galaxy when you need him?), and one called Pinfall
that was abandoned altogether (until the limited-edition variant on
this blu-ray – but more on that later). Still, the three segments
and animated wraparounds bring Creepshow
2 to
a healthy 90 minutes, and even if the smaller number of stories
betrays the sequel's lower budget in comparison to the original, it
certainly doesn't feel lacking in volume of content.
The
three stories themselves are all pretty good, and all have very
memorable moments, although none are quite as good as the original at
its best. The problem isn't the lower budget: the film works wonders
on just $3.5 million (less than half the budget of the original
Creepshow)
with a very strong comic-book aesthetic and some very eye-grabbing,
nasty effects. It just doesn't quite capture that narrative magic
that the previous film had, in a way that is difficult to pinpoint
exactly. Perhaps this is due to the shuffling-around that happened
behind the scenes: Stephen King actually wrote the screenplay for the
first film, but for this one he just developed the stories before
passing the actual screenwriting duties off to George Romero, who
doesn't do quite as good a job as King might have done with his own
material. Meanwhile, Romero passed the directing torch off to his
long-time director of photography Michael Gornick, who likewise is a
pretty solid director, but not as great as a seasoned pro like
Romero. It must be emphasized, though, that none of this is to say
that Creepshow 2
is
poorly written or directed; it isn't quite up to the standards its
predecessor, but it is still better than many/most of the other
horror anthologies of the 1980s. I would certainly watch this over
Tales from the
Darkside: The Movie any
day. And since King and Romero still shaped the stories together, and
the previous film's director of photography was still the one shaping
the movie's aesthetic, there is no mistaking the fact that it looks
and feels exactly like more Creepshow.
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| "Hey, you spilled my Creepy Crawlers goop!" |
The
first segment, Old
Chief Wood'nhead,
is arguably the best, or at least the most consistently good. This is
the segment of the film that gets it all right: well-developed
characters, a take-no-prisoners tale of supernatural revenge with
some effective use of Native American mythology, great special
effects, and (as with the original) a great character actor at the
heart of it. That character actor is George Kennedy, who is best
known for two very different roles: his Oscar-winning performance as
Dragline in Cool
Hand Luke,
and his comic role as the chief from The
Naken Gun/Police Squad.
What he gives us here is more in line with the former role: he brings
sensitivity, heart, and a genuinely emotional dashed optimism to his
character, and lays all the emotional groundwork that brings impact
to the horrors that are to follow. There is no question that this
segment is in a large part so good because he sets it up so well. It
is in another large part so good because the effects by Howard Berger
and Greg Nicotero of KNB are extremely effective in creating the
story's statue-turned-bringer-of-justice. This was a very early job
for both of them, and by convincingly handing this inanimate object
that becomes a living thing, they announce their arrival very well.
The
second segment, The
Raft,
is the one that most people remember, especially if they saw the film
when they were young. Its sense of inescapable doom and formless
horror, and the uncanny way that it creates a feeling of
claustrophobia despite being set in the open air, gives it a power
that really makes an impression. This story is perfect for an
anthology: with its restricted setting and simple premise it would
drag as a feature, but in 20 minutes or so it can keep the tension up
without overextending itself. Even so, while its beginning and middle
are very effective, it falters substantially at the end, when some
very creepy and out-of-nowhere actions by one of its characters
totally alienates the viewer, and fumbles the climax. The Stephen
King story on which the segment was based does not have this problem,
as the events of the last act are very different in regards to the
character actions in question; just another argument for why
Creepshow 2's
biggest flaws might have been solved if Stephen King had stayed on as
screenwriter. Nonetheless, The
Raft
has a lot to offer, particularly in its memorably nasty and gooey
special effects. It's unfortunate that its baffling last-act screw-up
makes it not nearly as good as it seems in the blurred childhood
memories of those who were traumatized by the segment when they were
young.
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| What can you really say, except "THANKS FOR THE RIDE, LADY!" |
The
third segment, The
Hitch-Hiker,
is a decidedly mixed bag. As it gets started, its emphasis on action
over the ghostly chills we might expect feels rather odd and
misjudged. Perhaps it's because the parallels feel so strong to the
creepy and iconic Twilight
Zone episode
of the same name, but this has none of the subtle, moody creepiness.
However, as the segment starts to skew towards grand-guignol bloody
dark comedy, it becomes quite a lot of fun, with some crazy stunt
work, nasty gore, and the memorably sardonic refrain of its ghost
(prolific character actor Tom Wright). It's a fun cap-off to
Creepshow 2,
and it quite effectively sums up the film itself: not as good as the
original, but quite enjoyable on its own terms.
Ultimately, this sequel is both of the things it is popularly remembered as. No, it isn't as good as part 1, but that's also true of most sequels. All three segments do offer a lot to enjoy, though, as does the very cool animated wrap-around. Perhaps the film is best through the lens of nostalgia: if it made a big impression on you as a kid, you'll probably still really like it. Even if you didn't see it back then, though, it still is a very enjoyable anthology, and while it is flawed, it is better than its detractors would have you believe. It really is a shame that Romero and King weren't able to continue the franchise with a Creepshow 3, 4, and beyond: they clearly set this up as an ongoing anthology, and this is at the very least good enough that I would have loved to see more.
Score:
Ultimately, this sequel is both of the things it is popularly remembered as. No, it isn't as good as part 1, but that's also true of most sequels. All three segments do offer a lot to enjoy, though, as does the very cool animated wrap-around. Perhaps the film is best through the lens of nostalgia: if it made a big impression on you as a kid, you'll probably still really like it. Even if you didn't see it back then, though, it still is a very enjoyable anthology, and while it is flawed, it is better than its detractors would have you believe. It really is a shame that Romero and King weren't able to continue the franchise with a Creepshow 3, 4, and beyond: they clearly set this up as an ongoing anthology, and this is at the very least good enough that I would have loved to see more.
Score:
The Video:
Arrow Video's new 2k restoration of Creepshow 2 generally
looks very good. The detail is (mostly) quite sharp, and a healthy
amount of film grain is visible throughout. As with the original, use
of color and shadow is very important to creating that comic-book
aesthetic, and the remastered picture does appropriate justice to
this look. Creepshow 2 was never as good-looking as film as
its more expensive predecessor, but Arrow has certainly made it look
very good indeed; better than its low-budget origins might lead you
to expect.
However, there is one area where the picture quality is noticeably
lacking, and it is pretty clearly not Arrow's fault. It appears that
inherent in the master is some softness in the animated
portions, probably due to how those segments were integrated into the
rest of the print. In addition to being noticeably soft, these
portions also have some flecks and scratches afflicting the picture
which are not present anywhere else, again suggesting that these
defects are an inherent part of whatever negative of the animated
portions was used to make the interpositive from which their 2k
remaster was struck. Given how good the rest of the film looks, it
seems pretty clear that Arrow did the best with this film that they
possibly could, and these animated segments always had some technical
issues. It's ultimately fairly minor, though: the animated parts
still look more than good enough, and the film in general looks
easily the best it ever has.
Score:
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| "Yes, this box is full of limited edition copies! And No, you can't have them- I'm going to scalp them on ebay." |
The Audio:
Creepshow
2 is
presented with three audio options: the original mono track, a stereo
mix, and a 5.1 surround mix. While I do not have a surround setup on
which to appropriately judge the 5.1 mix, the mono and stereo mixes
sound very good. The music and sound effects are very strong, the
dialogue is clear and understandable, and the remaster of the audio
sounds nice and clean. While I can't speak to how they remastered
this low-budget '80s genre film for 5.1 surround, it's pretty clear
from the other two tracks that they did a very good job of what they
needed to do: make a vintage flick sound as good as possible within
the restrictions of the source material. What more can you really ask
for?
Score:
The
Extras:
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| "If you can come to life, do you think maybe my Oscar can too, and avenge me against the crap I've gotten stuck in over the years?" |
As
usual with Arrow's special edition releases, the extras are where
they really show how much they love and care about these cult flicks
from years past. Not only have they given a special edition to this
often-neglected sequel, they've given it two editions. They are
releasing Creepshow
2
in a regular special edition package (in their usual clear plastic
case with reversible cover art), and in a 3000-copy limited edition,
which comes in a heavy cardboard outer box with a comic book. That
comic book: a newly-crafted recreation of the film's canceled 5th
segment, Pinfall.
For those who have always wanted to know what this lost story might
have been like, the limited edition is definitely for you. But if you
want it, you've got to hurry: it's already sold out at some retailers
(including Amazon), and the stock has got to be getting pretty low at
the others who still have it. Fortunately they're releasing the
limited and standard editions on the same day, so those who miss out
on the box set with the comic can still enjoy everything else about
this impressive package. This is the right way to do limited
editions, as far as I'm concerned: giving an extra-cool, exclusive
version to the avid fans and collectors who like that sort of thing,
but not creating artificial scarcity by making it the only version of
the blu-ray released. I can't stand companies like Twilight Time that
release only 3,000 copies of well-loved and much sought-after movies
and then just sit on the rights, so most viewers never get to enjoy
the film in an HD presentation unless they're willing to pay inflated
prices to eBay scalpers. I would argue that the Arrow Video and
Scream Factory model of dual limited and non-limited editions is much
better for everyone – and it certainly doesn't cheapen how cool the
limited edition is, or how rare it will probably be later this month.
The
blu-ray itself is identical in both editions, and contains a wealth
of special features. Unlike their blu-ray of Vamp
which
I reviewed last month, it ports over all the extras from the previous
Anchor Bay special edition DVD: principally a half-hour documentary
on the film's special effects with Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero,
and a commentary by director Michael Gornick. Arrow has also produced
a series of brand-new 10-15 minute interviews with George Romero, and
actors Tom Savini (the wraparound segments), Daniel Beer (The
Raft),
and Tom Wright (The
Hitch-Hiker).
While presented as separate interviews, the unified style of the four
pieces and the use of behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the
film effectively makes them feel like one nearly-an-hour new
documentary about the production.
The
interviews are very informative, and give some interesting insights
into the making of the film. Romero is refreshingly honest about the
sequel's production troubles and his feelings on how it stacks up to
the original, as well as what the Creepshow
movies meant to him, and why they were so much fun to work on. Savini
gives a very different perspective than he usually provides in extras
like this: the perspective of an actor who was mostly just a fly on
the wall witnessing other artists' special effects work. Daniel Beer
tells some pretty surprising and painful-sounding stories about the
brutal, icy conditions under which The
Raft
was shot, and Tom Wright lets us know what it was like to do all his
own stunts throughout the vehicular madness of The
Hitch-Hiker.
It would have been very nice to hear from a few other key people
involved in the production – especially Stephen King – and it's a
bit of a shame that Arrow didn't record a new commentary for the
disc, maybe with King and Romero. Still, what is here is good, and
even if we don't get to hear from everyone we might have liked to,
almost an hour of pretty substantial new extras is impressive,
especially given how generally neglected this film has been.
Score:
Creepshow
2
isn't on the level of Creepshow
1,
but it isn't that far behind either. Being a lower-budgeted sequel to
the most well-loved of all '80s horror anthologies somewhat
inevitably makes it suffer by comparison, but it still is better than
most of the films that the subgenre produced in that decade. Its
latter two stories may be uneven, but every segment in the film has
its strong points and its memorable images, and the effects and
animation go a long way to make it a lot of fun throughout. Overall,
it is a better film than its reputation might lead you to believe,
and fans of horror anthologies will find a lot to enjoy. While it may
not include everything you'd want in the special features, Arrow
Video's blu-ray of Creepshow
2
is very good. The new extras they produced will be quite exciting for
fans of the film, and will give newcomers a bit more appreciation for
both it and the original. The new 2k remaster looks and sounds great,
aside from those few flaws that appear to be inherent to the source.
To top it all off, the limited edition package with the comic book is
extremely cool, and it's great to see the movie's lost segment
brought to life somehow. If you're a fan of either this film or its
predecessor, the disc is certainly worth picking up, in either
version.
Overall
score:
For
the limited edition:
For
the special edition:
- Christopher S. Jordan
THANKS FOR THE SHARE, LADY!