Creepshow 2 (1987)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Michael Gornick

Writers:

Stephen King (stories)
George A. Romero (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

1 May 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

When The Curtain Goes Up, The Terror Begins!

Plot:

George Romero and Stephen King return to bring three stories that include a vengeful wooden Native American, a monstrous blob in a lake, and a hitchhiker who wants revenge...and will not die!

Plot Keywords:

Hitchhiker | Raft | Blob | Lake | Stephen King

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Domenick John	...	Billy (prologue)
Tom Savini	...	The Creep (prologue)
George Kennedy	...	Ray Spruce (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Philip Dore	...	Curly (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Kaltey Napoleon	...	Indian #1 (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Maltby Napoleon	...	Indian #1 (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Tyrone Tonto	...	Indian #2 (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Dorothy Lamour	...	Martha Spruce (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Frank Salsedo	...	Ben Whitemoon (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Holt McCallany	...	Sam Whitemoon (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
David Holbrook	...	Fatso Gribbens (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Don Harvey	...	Andy Cavanaugh (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Dan Kamin	...	Old Chief Wood'nhead (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Dean Smith	...	Mr. Cavanaugh (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Shirley Sonderegger	...	Mrs. Cavanaugh (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Paul Satterfield	...	Deke (segment "The Raft")
Jeremy Green	...	Laverne (segment "The Raft")
Daniel Beer	...	Randy (segment "The Raft")
Page Hannah	...	Rachel (segment "The Raft")
Lois Chiles	...	Annie Lansing (segment "The Hitchhiker")
David Beecroft	...	Annie's lover (segment "The Hitchhiker")
Tom Wright	...	The Hitchhiker (segment "The Hitchhiker")
Richard Parks	...	George Lansing (segment "The Hitchhiker")
Stephen King	...	Truck Driver (segment "The Hitchhiker")
Cheré Bryson	...	Woman at accident (segment "The Hitchhiker")
Joe Silver	...	The Creep (voice)

Directed by
Michael Gornick

Writing credits
Stephen King		(stories)
George A. Romero		(screenplay)
Lucille Fletcher		uncredited

Produced by
David Ball	....	producer: Laurel Entertainment
Mitchell Galin	....	associate producer: Laurel Entertainment
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	executive producer: Laurel Entertainment

Original Music by
Les Reed

Cinematography by
Richard Hart
Tom Hurwitz

Film Editing by
Peter Weatherley

Casting by
Leonard Finger

Production Design by
Bruce Alan Miller

Set Decoration by
Andrew Bernard

Costume Design by
Eileen Sieff Stroup		(as Eileen Mae Sieff)

Makeup Department
Ed French	....	special makeup effects artist

Art Department
Eileen Garrigan	....	charge scenic
Tal Schneider	....	set dresser/assistant props

Sound Department
Scott Brose	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glenn Freemantle	....	sound effects editor
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Howard Berger	....	special effects
Chip Craig	....	special effects technician
Dan Frye	....	lab technician
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects
Larry Odien	....	opticals
Tom Savini	....	makeup effects consultant

Stunts
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts (as Chere Bryson)
Jery Hewitt	....	stunts
Taso N. Stavrakis	....	stunt coordinator
Patricia Tallman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Doug Cragoe	....	best boy electric
Brian Q. Kelley	....	cinematography support
David R. Kohn	....	lighting technician
Frank Perl	....	assistant camera
Ethan Phillips	....	electrician
Eric Swanek	....	first assistant camera
James B. Walsh	....	grip

Editorial Department
Jeremiah O'Driscoll	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
John Harrison	....	composer: original theme
Rick Wakeman	....	composer: additional music "The Raft"

Other crew
Alex Matcham	....	production accountant
Charles Miller	....	location manager
Rusty Warren	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Laurel Entertainment Inc.
• Laurel-Show Inc.
• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• New World Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video International (1988) (Belgium) (video)
• Future Film (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Redman Movies and Stories  grip and lighting equipment
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

Creepshow II (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Dead and Undead: Creepshow 2 (USA)

Runtime:

92 min | UK:85 min (UK video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:(Banned) | Iceland:16 | UK:15 (video re-rating) | Finland:K-18 | Australia:M | France:U | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Laurel Entertainment Inc.

Trivia:

Although the film consists of only three short horror stories - and the wrap-around animation story, there were, just like 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.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the 'oil slick monster' just misses Laverne, you can see a crew member under the raft (probably operating the mechanical special effect)

Quotes:

Sam Whitemoon: [calling to his obese friend] Let's go Fat Stuff. We got some money that needs spendin'.

Movie Connections:

References Top Gun (1986)

Creepy, But Lacking The Quality Of The First

I'd have to say one of the first mistakes of Creepshow 2 is that there are only 3 stories. What was Romero & King thinking? After being served up 5 wholesome stories in the first Creepshow, I was excepting a lot more from the sequel. At least 5 or 6 stories would have been perfect. Of course this would have made the budget a little bigger and we can't have that, now can we?

In any case, Creepshow 2 offers 3 stories named "Old Chief Woodenhead", "The Hitchhiker" & "The Raft". We start with Old Chief Woodenhead which centers around some punk Indian boys who rob a convenience store owner and kills him. What the boys aren't aware of is the wooden Indian statue outside the store. This thing comes to life to take revenge for the old man. The story is pretty lame. Yes, this is fictional horror, but this is ridiculous. There's nothing in the story that tells us WHY or HOW this statue comes to life. Did someone sprinkle pixie dust on it? Was it possessed by the old man? What gives?

The second story, which seems to be everyones favorite, is "The Raft".

This was one of the creepiest tales I've ever seen. Even both versions of the Blob didn't creep me out as much. I think the key element that makes this story work in the music and sound effects. It's extremely creepy and keeps you senses on the edge as you wait to see what happens next. The story focuses on four teenagers who travel way, way out to a secluded lake to take a swim onto a bolted raft. The story never says WHY they would travel this far just for a swim in this lake. Apparently is was a favorite place of choice at one time. In the opening scene you seen them driving along a deserted road, so you know they aren't no where near any civilization. Once they get there, they strip down to their swim suits and head out to the raft, unaware of the black, stringy oil slick that's moving slowing toward them. This thing is HUGE, and I'm curious as to how deep the oil slick travels downward, as we are only shown the top of the water. As you can guess, this thing is alive and hungry. What happens next is pretty gruesome. Nuff said.

The final story is called, "The Hitchhiker" and it's about a prostitute that cheats on her boyfriend and then travels home, but accidently hits a Hitchhiker on the way. Not wanting to stop because the boyfriend may find out she's been cheating or she may end up in jail for murder, she flees the scene only to encounter the Hitchhiker again and again and again. This story is pretty gruesome as you watch her run the Hitchhiker over and over again. Each times she sees him again, all the blood, broken bones, and disfigurement can be seen It's a bit funny at times as he continues to ask her for a ride every time she drives into him. The story isn't bad, but it's nothing special either. The ending it pretty much what you would expect.

Overall, Creepshow 2 is a good rental. I'd say rent Creepshow and Creepshow 2, but watch the second one first and then view the much better first one. Will there every be a Creepshow 3? At this point it doesn't look good. Steven King looks like a sick man these days and Romero is working on other projects. Maybe someone else will take the reigns and run with this one. We can only hope.