John’s Horror Corner: Mausoleum (1983), a totally watchable campy demonic temptress movie that steers clear of sleazy territory.
MY CALL: The title of this movie is suggestive of something more gothic. But it’s really just another campy seductress flick. Thankfully, it never wanders into raunchy or trashy territory. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the special effects of this totally watchable flick. MORE MOVIES LIKE Mausoleum: For more demonic seductress B-movies, try Evil Clutch (1988), The Unholy (1988), Necromancer (1988), Witchcraft II (1989), Def By Temptation (1990) and Night Angel (1990).
Long after her mother’s death, Susan (Bobbie Bresee; Ghoulies, Evil Spawn, Surf Nazis Must Die) is possessed by a demon that has plagued her family for generations. Apparently, the firstborn woman of every generation of her family suffers this curse. Naturally, her psychiatrist (Norman Burton; Planet of the Apes, American Ninja 5, Hand of Death, The Terminal Man, Bloodsport, Deep Space) had always assumed it was schizophrenia.
Susan’s possession takes on some campy attributes. She gains the attention of men to exceptional degree, she often decides to seduce these men, and then she kills them by some supernatural means.
Green glowing eyes cue us to Susan’s supernatural powers as she ignites a handsy jerk’s car burning him alive (the most deserving of all deaths), assumes a clawed demonic form to tear up her gardener, and goes full-on Trancers on another victim.
There’s no shortage of nudity. I’d say most of the budget went to paying her to be topless and her demonic monster make-up and latexwork. In demon form, Susan has pronounced skull features (cheek bones and chin), pointy ears and white eyes—basically, she looks like an Evil Dead Christmas elf. Later in the film her demon form is more advanced, and she lumbers around like a malformed Lord of the Rings orc. And by the end she is a full-on rubber suited monstrosity.
A victim is levitated and then thoracically ripped (we only see the beginnings of it so I assume they cut a bad effect snafu, but it’s still cool). And she bites open her husband’s (Marjoe Gortner: Starcrash, American Ninja 3) ribcage with her bare breasts which are each adorned with a little bitey demon face. We see quite a bit of her monster boobs. But, if you’re gonna’ make boob demons, I suppose you show ‘em, right?
The title of this movie may be suggestive of something more gothic in nature. But it’s really just another campy seductress flick. But with that said, it never really wanders into truly raunchy or trashy territory despite the nudity. And overall, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the quality of the special effects. This is totally watchable and recommended to fans of “mildly bad” 80s horror.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Demon Seed (1977), an odd 70s Sci-Fi gem about an evil computer with artificial intelligence that wants to have a baby.
MY CALL: How have I never heard of this? Overall, this 70s oddity is an uber-weird gem. Great cast and performances, cool premise, and solid effects (for the 70s). Highly recommended to fans of 70s-era Sci-Fi. MORE MOVIES LIKE Demon Seed: Want more really weird sci-horror from the era? Try The Visitor (1979), Altered States (1980), Exorcist II (1977), The Manitou (1978) or Phantasm (1979).
Not since Evilspeak (1981), The Dungeonmaster (1984) or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) have computers behaved so badly.
At a high-tech facility, scientist Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver; Creepshow) has engineered the Proteus-4, a gigantic supercomputer with artificial intelligence. But for all his success in the laboratory, his marriage to Susan (Julie Christie; Red Riding Hood) is failing. Right after Alex moves out, Proteus moves in…
Proteus is so much more than expected and it unexpectedly has ambitions of its own. To accomplish them, it hijacks Alex’s home computer control system and laboratory so that it may continue to learn about humans. And its first subject is the lovely Dr. Susan Harris. With full control of all doors, windows and security measures, Proteus traps Susan as a prisoner in her own home. In little time it becomes readily apparent that Proteus’ interest in Susan is, perhaps, sexual. Proteus wants a child!
Alex’s younger colleague Walter (Gerrit Graham; Child’s Play 2, CHUD II, It’s Alive III, Chopping Mall) comes to Susan’s aid, but finds an unfortunate demise to the deceptions and malcontent of Proteus. Some nudity, general abduction, robotic domestic abuse, and chemical-assisted computer brainwashing lead us to an actual conversation between Susan and her captor about carrying its child. And just in case that sounds a little too weirdly grounded, that’s about the point when the transforming “space cube” erupts through the floor to stop her from causing too much damage in a rage-fueled escape attempt. Somehow this ever-shifting cube is equipped with the ability to hover and project chains that could have possibly inspired Hellraiser’s (1987) Puzzle Box and Hellish Leviathan structure (Hellbound: Hellraiser II). And then, in case that wasn’t weird enough, we’re going to wander into some Ken Russell Altered States (1980) metaphysical visualizations.
The ending is ominous, even frightful, but not necessarily nefarious. And while it’s super weird, it’s not “bad movie” weird, schlocky, or B-movie-ish. Its weirdness is a product of its extremely out-of-the-box-ness.
Likely inspired by grandiose beauty of The Exorcist (1973), the gorgeous opening shots coupled with harrowing scoring convey a general unease. Director Donald Cammell (White of the Eye) starts off with an odd-but-interesting sci-fi thriller and then perseveres to continue making it yet weirder and weirder until we’ve wandered into an ending steeped in sci-fi lunacy. The conclusion marries the mania of 60s-70s B-movies with straight-faced modern writing and filmmaking (i.e., modern in the 70s).
Overall, this 70s oddity is every bit as weird as it is a hidden and forgotten gem. Highly recommended to fans of 70s-era Sci-Fi or pregnancy horror.
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast #224: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers – The Producer’s Cut
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
The MFF podcast is back, and this week we’re talking about the producer’s cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. This cut was a thing of legend during the 1990s and 2000s , as people bought bootleg copies at conventions and passed it along to their friends who were hoping for a version that improved upon what was dumped into theaters. In this episode, we discuss laundry, ancient stones and impractical car chases. You will love it!
If you are a fan of the podcast make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the pod!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In, Podbean,or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Final Destination 5 (2011), the most fun and rewatchable of the franchise with outstanding death scenes!
MY CALL: Great likable characters and outstanding death scenes. This is easily the most fun and rewatchable of the entire franchise. MORE MOVIES LIKE Final Destination 5: Final Destination (2000), Final Destination 2 (2003) and Final Destination 3 (2006). But maybe skip The Final Destination (2009), easily the worst of the franchise.
Franchise SIDEBAR: Final Destination (2000) ended with three Flight 180 survivors having beaten Death’s design and enjoying a drink in Paris… that is, until they realized they made one mistake as the screen goes black! When Final Destination 2 (2003) opens, we learn that the survivors of Flight 180 all ultimately died mysterious deaths except for one, that all of the victims of FD2 were connected to the survivors of Flight 180, and that they had also evaded Death’s plan (during the events of FD1). FD2 ended with the revelation that Death’s cycle had not ended and that they were still on fate’s “to do” list, only to have Final Destination 3 (2006) completely ignore FD2 and instead serve as a second direct sequel to FD1. Unlike its predecessors, FD3 leaves no survivors on the ill-fated Train 180! The Final Destination (2009) acknowledges the previous plot without specifying any sequels and, like FD3, it kills everyone off again at the end.
Preparing to depart on a company retreat, co-workers Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto; Gotham), Molly (Emma Bell; Hatchet II, The Walking Dead), Peter (Miles Fisher; Wolves at the Door), Candice (Ellen Wroe; Animal Kingdom), Olivia (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood; The Bold and the Beautiful), Isaac (P.J. Byrne; Big Little Lies, Rampage), Nathan (Arlen Escarpeta; Friday the 13th) and Dennis (David Koechner; Krampus, Cheap Thrills, Piranha 3DD) find their bus stuck on the wroooooong suspension bridge.
The opening death scene sequence (i.e., the premonition) was a blast! All pertinent deaths occur on-screen and there is thoughtful nuance to their execution. For example, when the molten asphalt-burned skin of a victim’s fingers sloughs off as he loses his grip and falls; when another falling victim careens off the concrete support of the bridge with an angled blood splatter before ricocheting into the water; or the loosened eye socket from the rebar impalement through the head. The CGI may be a tad dated, but the execution was excellent!
We follow a lot of familiar FD beats—the premonition and how it plays out, suspicion and investigation by law enforcement targeting the premonitionist, the memorial for all lost in the given tragedy… But these beats play out as much as FD homage as they do FD tropes. And agent Block (Courtney B. Vance; The Mummy) is every bit as engaging as were agents Shrek and Weine (FD1).
Only minutes into this movie and I like the characters more than any other FD sequel. PJ Byrne steals the show with comic relief as a quirky unexpected ladies’ man who’s so slimy he’ll steal the spare change from a dead colleague’s desk. Right behind Byrne is David Koechner, who delivers a delightfully despicable company man alpha boss with sharp lines. But the real pleasure is in the death scenes.
The gymnastics death scene (Ellen Wroe) was FANTASTIC! The tack, the water, the damaged electrical cord, the somersaulting gymnast… I was transfixed on everything happening on screen to such degree I was reminded of the surge of excitement I felt watching the death sequences in FD 1-2 all over again. And when Candice finally comes to the end of the scene—WOW! The exposed broken femur and broken back were enough, but that twitch! I love the finger twitch! Best death scene of the franchise? You tell me.
On to the spa death scene where actor PJ Byrne oozes charismatic yet toxic misogyny seasoned with a dash of ignorant racism (that’s delivered with ironic levity). Short of spoiling anything (I’ll let the GIFs do that), Byrne’s banter is far more entertaining than the death scene itself—but this is a credit to Byrne, not discredit to his death. I winced so hard when he fell with all those acupuncture needles in him—bent about or deeply impaling him. And that head trauma was awesome.
The laser eye surgery death scene (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) is a fist clencher, for sure. From the moment Olivia is laying down on the operating table clenching the crap outta’ that Teddy bear, I knew I was in for a good ride. When that laser kicks on, I assure you, you’ll be nervous for poor Olivia.
Much less sinisterly presented than before, Bludworth (Tony Todd; Final Destination 1-3, Wishmaster, Hatchet II) is back to explain some of the nuances of Death’s plan to our survivors. He says something interesting: that he’s seen this before. You’d think he meant FD 1-4, but really he means before that. But as we’ve seen before, Bludworth is also always good for adding a new rule to the game (e.g., how new life could reset death’s plan in FD2). Take a life, and you enjoy their years in life while they serve your years intended for death.
We close with perhaps the most satisfying ending of the entire franchise, followed by a memorial montage of franchise death scenes. So how has director Steven Quale not risen to further greatness? I found this film outstanding. This is easily the most fun and rewatchable of the entire franchise.
Share this post:
The MFF Halloween Viewing Guide: Movies and Documentaries to Watch Before Halloween
With Halloween approaching, here are some horror suggestions to get you ready for the 31st. I made sure to add an eclectic mix of documentaries, zombie romances and movies that feature EXTREME body modification. Hopefully, you enjoy!
One Cut of the Dead (Shudder)
The less said about One Cut of the Dead, the better. Just know it’s about zombies, film making and a desperate director. You’ll love it.
Green Room (Netflix)
Green Room is my favorite horror film of this decade. The violence is ugly (the dogs….), the characters are likable and Patrick Stewart plays a great villain.
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (Shudder)
You will learn a lot about the Friday the 13th franchise by watching this massive documentary. It’s a lot of fun and very educational.
The Blackcoat’s Daughter (Netflix)
Director/writer Oz Perkins is one of my favorite up-and-coming horror directors, and I really like how The Blackcoat’s Daughter features ugly violence, quiet moments and a gut-punch of an ending.
Tusk (Netflix) and Walrus Yes: The Making of Tusk (Youtube)
Tusk is a weird movie. I still can’t believe that Kevin Smith put everything he had into making a movie about a guy being turned into a walrus. After Tusk, watch the documentary that details its creation.
Day of the Dead – with commentary- (Shout! Factory TV) and The Dead Will Walk (Youtube)
George Romero is the best. That’s why you need to listen to his commentary for Day of the Dead, and watch the documentary about the making of Dawn of the Dead.
Train to Busan (Netflix)
Zombies on a train….need I say more?
The Perfection (Netflix)
The Perfection is a fun horror movie that goes for broke with its gore and plot developments that are simultaneously unpredictable and predictable (trust me).
Life After Beth (Netflix)
Aubrey Plaza is the best (watch Legion now), and in Life After Beth she plays a zombie trying to have a relationship with Dane DeHaan. It’s weird.
The Shadow of the Vampire (Amazon Prime, Vudu)
What if Max Shrek, the star of Nosferatu, was actually a vampire? You need to watch this movie about the making of Nosferatu.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Satanic Panic (2019), a low budget horror-comedy that packs a bloody funny punch.
MY CALL: It’s no gem of the era. But it tries, it lands well with what it has, and we have a strong cast including some well-known stars! MORE MOVIES LIKE Satanic Panic: For more rich people behaving badly, try Ready or Not (2019) or Society (1989). For more horror comedies, aim for Deathgasm (2015) and Housebound (2014).
On her first day as a pizza delivery girl, Samantha (Hayley Griffith) is stranded out of gas on a luxurious estate after getting stiffed on the tip. Hoping to beg for some gas money, she wanders inside the mansion and finds herself in the middle of a high society Satanists organization in need of a virgin sacrifice to summon the demon Baphomet.
First-time feature director Chelsea Stardust handles her humorous atmosphere well. The Satanists’ meeting feels like a millionaires’ social club led by the delectable Danica Ross (Rebecca Romijn; The Librarians, X-Men 1-3, Godsend) and I love the dry humor. This is comedy first, horror second. But its horror side celebrates blood and guts as best it can with its budget, and it does so tactfully.
As cheap as everything looks, the execution manages to satisfy. I, for one, enjoy any effort to show someone’s (victim AJ Bowen; The Sacrament, You’re Next, Hatchet II) entire digestive system being pulled from their mouth. And who doesn’t like seeing someone’s (victim Jerry O’Connell; Mission to Mars, Piranha 3D) heart baked into a souffle demon? We also have Voodoo doll-like scenarios, some general murder, and insidious orgy-ing. Even with the zealous effort in the gore department, this is not a technically strong film although it manages to be enjoyable if your expectations are properly tempered.
You really ought to know what you’re getting into before watching this. If you aren’t aware of the low budget indie-style film you’re approaching, you may have the wrong kind of expectations and be rubbed the wrong way. For example, the scoring is stiffly rudimentary. And the writing here is nothing excellent—actually kinda’ clunky and hokey, though passable. It’s what you might expect from a comicbook. But the cast’s congenial performance keeps it above water and prevents the writing from becoming a nuisance even to this critical viewer. And again, the greatest possible efforts were made with a small rubber guts budget.
Other members of the cast include: Gypsy (Arden Myrin; MadTV), Judy Ross (Ruby Modine; Happy Death Day 1-2), Kim (Jordan Ladd; Cabin Fever, Grace, Club Dread, Hostel II), Steve Larson (Jeff Daniel Phillips; Lords of Salem, 31, Halloween II), Kristen Larson (Hannah Stocking; Boo 2! A Madea Halloween), Michelle Larson (Whitney Moore; Birdemic I-II, Contracted II), and Gary (Michael Polish; Hellraiser: Bloodline).
I enjoyed this. It’s no gem of the era, nor is it anything anyone should pander “how did this not go to theaters?” But it tries, it lands well with what it has, and we have a strong cast including some well-known stars.
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast #223: Ernest Scared Stupid, Miak and Terrible Trolls
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
The MFF podcast is back, and this week we’re talking about the cult classic Ernest Scared Stupid (AKA pure nightmare fuel). Released in 1991, Ernest Scared Stupid tells the story of Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney) battling a horrible troll. The movie wrecked many lives, and caused children around the world to fear and despise snot-covered trolls. In this episode, we discuss Miak, booger lips and a beautiful tree house. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the pod!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In, Podbean,or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
Share this post:
What Exactly is Authentic Bulgarian Miak? A (Mostly) Logical Explanation – By David Cross (check out his fantastic podcast – Award Wieners, in which he talks about Oscar-winning movies and matches them up with food).
“Ernest Scared Stupid”, inarguably the best children’s’ Halloween movie in existence (boo, “Hocus Pocus”) introduced the world to authentic Bulgarian miak, one of the most well-known foodstuffs in film history. This is a (mostly) logical explanation of the mysterious substance. Make sure to listen to the podcast episode we dedicated to this topic.
Is Authentic Bulgarian Miak Real?
Before we can explain what exactly miak is, we have to answer this question. We searched the Internet high and low for clues of its existence. With a heavy heart, we have to inform you that miak is not real. Take solace that your childhood was not ruined by this knowledge, only your adulthood.
Still, just because miak doesn’t exist in real life doesn’t mean we can’t make an educated guess as to what it is in the Ernest-verse. (Yes, with 8 movies there is an Ernest-verse.)
What is Authentic Bulgarian Miak?
This might shock you but according to our (mostly) logical examination of “Ernest Scared Stupid” and Bulgarian culture, miak is a yogurt-like substance.
Here is our exact definition:
Miak is a Bulgarian-style flavored yogurt sauce that is commonly eaten in the spring and served with a thin pancake.
This means that Ernest nearly beat Trantor by dumb luck. Talk about being on-brand.
To develop our definition, we created a list of assumptions that led us to our answer.
- Assumption: Miak is a seasonal product. Specifically, it’s a seasonal product that is difficult to find in autumn. This is implied when Ernest says: “I bet you didn’t think I could find any this time of year.”
- Assumption: Miak is enjoyed in the spring. This is the farthest season from autumn. We believe miak is similar to spiced apple cider. Yes, you can have it year-round but it’s primarily associated with autumn.
- Assumption: Miak contains some type of dehydrated substance, which is implied by the phrase “from concentrate” on the jar. The term “from concentrate” is normally associated with juices. But not exclusively. For example, condensed milk is an example of a concentrated dairy product.
- Assumption: Miak is a popular product, indicated by the word “original” on the jar. To us, this says that miak is popular enough that brands are fighting to differentiate themselves from each other. In the Ernest-verse, this might be the equivalent of Coke versus Pepsi. This has nothing to do with our analysis, but it’s worth adding to your head cannon.
- Assumption: Miak is probably a portmanteau of the words’ milk and yak. Again, this has nothing to do with explaining what miak actually is. We just thought it was funny.
- Assumption: Miak is easily throwable. By this, we mean that miak can be jettisoned from its container. We know this because Ernest was going to toss miak in Trantor’s face. The means miak is not a paste or paste-like.
- Assumption: Miak is viscus, probably gel-like. When Ernest drops the jar we don’t see a puff of powder. Neither do we see liquid slosh out.
- Assumption: Miak comes in a variety of flavors. Otherwise, why would the label include the word “plain.” This isn’t that important.
- Assumption: The jar is stoneware. We believe this is vital to understanding miak. In researching jars, we learned that this particular stoneware is commonly referred to as a “cheese crock.” For the curious, they are about $10 on eBay.
- Assumption: Miak is a dairy product. This is because miak is viscous and the stoneware is meant to store diary. However, miak is not a pure dairy product otherwise it would have a familiar name. This means that it’s mixed with something unique, such as herbs, fruits, or vegetables.
- Assumption: Miak is yogurt-based. Did you know that Bulgaria prides itself on its yogurt? We didn’t.
- Assumption: Miak is sweet. Bulgarians already have a traditional savory yogurt sauce — podluchen sauce. There’s no need for a second savory yogurt sauce.
- Assumption: Miak ingredients include sweet paprika, honey, and spearmint, all of which are associated with traditional Bulgarian cuisine.
- Assumption: Miak is eaten with a main dish, as it’s a sauce.
- Assumption: Miak is eaten with Bulgarian pancakes, which are a staple of the country’s cuisine and similar to what Americans think of as crepes. We selected pancakes because we believe they go best with a sweet sauce. Furthermore, there is evidence through the various Ernest commercials (which may or may not be canon) that our denim-clad goofball likes pancakes. This assumption also helps explain where Ernest got the miak; he probably knew a guy who supplied the hard-to-come-by sauce for Ernest’s hardy breakfasts.
When all of these assumptions are taken together, it’s clear that miak is like Ernest—a little weird and a little sweet.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Child’s Play 3 (1991), Chucky goes to military school and breaks his Voodoo rules in this serviceable sequel.
MY CALL: After the original Child’s Play (1988), these sequels definitely aren’t getting any better. Its victory is in continuing the story of Chucky’s pursuit of Andy without replaying itself, and it still manages a great opening and gruesomely memorable ending just like Child’s Play 2 (1990). MOVIES LIKE Child’s Play 3: The other Chucky movies most worth watching are Child’s Play (1988) and Child’s Play 2 (1990), and then I might skip all the way to Curse of Chucky (2013) and Cult of Chucky (2017)—not that I didn’t enjoy them all to some degree. There is also the excellent remake of Child’s Play (2019). Other quality evil doll films include The Boy (2016), Annabelle: Creation (2017), Dolly Dearest (1991), Dolls (1987) and Puppet Master (1989).
With Child’s Play (1988) and Child’s Play 2 (1990) occurring over a timeline of as little as one week, part 3 leaps eight years into the future where we find now teenage Andy (Justin Whalin; Serial Mom, Dungeons & Dragons) attending military school. And with Andy long in their past, the toy company men aim to resurrect their top selling item: the Good Guy!
Say what you want about these sequels. But even if you hate them, I’d challenge anyone to claim they weren’t impressed by the opening sequences of these films. Our returning writer Don Mancini (Child’s Play and all sequels) clearly loves his creation, and it’s evident in his storytelling. Each of Chucky’s (Brad Dourif; The Hazing, Child’s Play, Child’s Play 2, Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky) murderous misadventures are completely different, and each new story begins where the previous ended to gorily illustrate how the soul of Charles Lee Ray transfigures from one charred or melted Good Guy corpse to the next. This time, reverse time lapse of a melting doll depicts Chucky being reformed (a la Hellraiser) to wreak havoc on this sequel.
Voodoo Discontinuity SIDEBAR: In Child’s Play (1988) the rules were clearly established. Chucky needed to transfer his soul to the first person with whom he shared the secret of his identity, and he had to do it soon because he was slowly becoming “more human” and would be trapped in the humanized doll body. In Child’s Play 2 (1990) Chucky actually attempts and fails this ritual, realizing he was already “too human” to transfer. Yet now in part 3, he starts looking for Andy and explains “I gotta’ get out of this [expletive deleted] body!” He actually identifies he has a new body and can now reveal his secret to someone else—but this revelation came after Chucky explained he had to get out of that body. So, I guess we’re just looking the other way on that fallacy and assuming, once again, that Chucky has a chance to escape his Good Guy fate. Rules as presented, he can now just keep “bleeding” into new doll bodies to possess and hit reset on his possession deadline.
Much as was the case with Child’s Play 2 (1990), where this movie suffers most is the death scenes in the body of the film. Yes, the opening and finale sequences are great. But largely the death scenes are either basic and lacking impressive special effects (e.g., the yo-yo garrote strangulation death scene), or the kills are off-screen (e.g., the garbage truck trash compactor death scene). But I’ll give clever credit where it’s due. The heart attack death scene was a pleasant surprise of ironic humor and the barber (Andrew Robinson; Hellraiser, Pumpkinhead II, Trancers 3, The Puppet Masters) had the most memorable death—even if only for the line “presto, you’re dead.” But truth be told, the budget had little allocated to the deaths and everything allocated to Chucky himself (and he looks great even during an otherwise dull death scene), and his opening/closing special effects extravaganzas. Like when he gets eviscerated in that industrial fan.
Probably the lesser of the first three Child’s Play movies, getting less extraordinary with each release. But to rate this on its own merits, without comparison to its predecessors, I’d call it quite entertainingly serviceable. Great opening with a meh middle (slow pacing). Decent again at the end when the mutilated Chucky gore comes into play.
Director Jack Bender (Lost, Under the Dome) brought us a decent sequel. Chucky is a little like Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) or Mick Taylor (Wolf Creek)—just plain mean and twisted and cruel. So if you want a mean popcorn horror flick, this is it! Like part 2, the death scenes are less impactful than part 1. Tact and restraint have been surrendered for Chucky’s one-liners.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Child’s Play 2 (1990), an inferior evil doll sequel that still manages to entertain, especially with its melty finale.
MY CALL: While distinctly inferior to Child’s Play (1988), this sequel remains perfectly entertaining when not directly compared to its predecessor. It does a good job continuing the story of Chucky’s pursuit of Andy with a new angle, and it still manages to deliver a great opening and a quite gruesomely memorable ending. MOVIES LIKE Child’s Play 2: The other Chucky movies most worth watching are Child’s Play (1988), and then I might skip all the way to Curse of Chucky (2013) and Cult of Chucky (2017)—not that I didn’t enjoy them all to some degree. There is also the excellent remake of Child’s Play (2019). Other quality evil doll films include The Boy (2016), Annabelle: Creation (2017), Dolly Dearest (1991), Dolls (1987) and Puppet Master (1989).
We begin immediately after the events of Child’s Play (1988). Like an autopsy of our possessed-doll killer (Charles Lee Ray), we observe the charred and largely-melted remains of our favorite evil Good Guy doll as it is skinned, stripped, gutted, buffed and refitted with all new plastic limbs and skin and face. Even new overalls and fresh batteries. Good as new!
With his mother in a psychiatric facility (after the events of part 1), Andy (Alex Vincent; Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky, Child’s Play) is placed in a foster home in the care of Joanne (Jenny Agutter; An American Werewolf in London, Dark Tower) and Phil (Gerrit Graham; TerrorVision, CHUD II, It’s Alive III, Chopping Mall).
But in no time, Chucky (Brad Dourif; The Hazing, Child’s Play, Dune, Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky) finds Andy and is back to his old routine of trying to Voodoo-shunt his soul into the little boy. For as we learned in part 1, Chucky needs a human host or he’ll be trapped in his doll form forever.
Inexperienced but capable director John Lafia (Man’s Best Friend) and writer Don Mancini (Child’s Play and all sequels) team up to make a perfectly serviceable horror flick. I enjoyed it—because it was fun (for a mean horror flick). But if we’re being honest, all the magic and dread of part 1 felt completely missed in the execution of this popcorn horror movie. The death scenes felt more generic and impactfully flat. Even Brad Dourif gives a lighter performance. Where were the growling screams, where was all the desperate snarling yelling? His lines didn’t help, but the character felt subdued compared to his unfettered introduction in 1988. Everything felt like an impotent attempt to be even meaner than before—and it fails at every turn. But despite that, Chucky is back and more cruel than ever.
Watch out for Greg Germann (Quarantine) suffering a “just plain mean” plastic bag asphyxiation death scene in the car, and the factory “eye installation” death scene. Deliciously gruesome and mean. But the cost is that all of the tact and restraint in Chucky’s execution are out the window. We know what he is and there’s no mystery left.
What’s most redeeming about this film is its bookends. The opening was an excellent way to reignite the sequel. And the finale takes place in the same origin: the Good Guy doll factory. Chucky tearing off his own hand and self-installing his wrist blade (a la Ash) might be the best part of the movie.
And when Chucky gets gooily melted in the factory and his head explodes into gory chum… it’s truly a glorious finish. Reminds me of a lower caliber execution of the dog scene in The Thing (1982) crossed with Big Trouble in Little China (1986) and The Fly II (1989). Funny how both movies end with burning or melting the poor fella’.
While distinctly inferior to Child’s Play (1988), this sequel remains perfectly entertaining when not directly compared to its predecessor. It does a good job continuing the story of Chucky’s pursuit of Andy with a new angle, and it still manages to deliver a great opening and quite gruesomely memorable ending. Consider it a good popcorn horror flick as long as you enjoy meaner-spirited horror.
Movies, Films & Flix 