George A. Romero along with his friend and the writer of the first film Stephen King attempted to make a franchise out of the first Creepshow. The original film ended up being a surprise hit with audiences and critics alike. However it took a few years for the sequel to get off the ground. Romero ended up writing the script and King’s role in the production was reduced to a cameo role as a truck driver. Romero’s cinematographer from Martin to Day of The Dead Michael Gornick took over directing the film.

The sequel contains 3 stories unlike the original film’s frankly overly ambitious 5. Originally more stories were intended to be included but due to budget concerns it was pared down to just three. One of the Stephen King stories which was to be included in Creepshow 2 round-up being in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie which many including Tom Savini considers the real “Creepshow 3”.

Like the horror comics they are based on they are morality tales with supernatural elements. The first story is most effective by far its about a Native American elder who gives an elderly couple some turquoise jewellery as collateral as the debt they have from the couple’s local store. The couple is robbed and the wooden indian outside comes alive and goes on a rampage to get the turquoise jewellery back because its one of the tribe’s sacred treasures.

Obviously due to budget constraints some of the special effects aren’t up to the standard of the first despite the effects team consisting of what would become the world-famous KNB. The Raft certainly got the short straw when it came to the effects budget, its water blob isn’t much more than massive plastic bag and it shows. However the final segment The Hitch-Hiker has some gruesome effects which were partly done by effects maestro Tom Savini who plays the role of The Creep in the film.

Overall Creepshow 2 is very enjoyable anthology film with some fun performances from George Kennedy, Tom Savini and Stephen King. It doesn’t hold a candle to the original but compared to most other horror sequels it’s Citizen Kane. The film’s score is full of progtastic ’80s synth work by prog legend Rick Wakeman. The disc includes from newly filmed short interviews with Romero and Savini are very informative along with some other features.

★★★

Ian Schultz

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