"Creepshow 2" is a compilation of four supposed tales of terror:

Tale #1: "Old Chief Wood'nhead"
Ray and Martha Spruce (George Kennedy and Dorothy Lamour) own a hardware store in Dead River, a town that now lives up to its name. While it used to be a prosperous community, many of its citizens have now moved on. Due to the lack of customers, Ray spends his afternoons talking to Old Chief Wood'nhead, the wooden Indian that stands in front of the store. When the Spruces are robbed and murdered one night, the only witness is Old Chief Wood'nhead. He comes to life in order to seek vengeance for his slain friends.

Tale #2: "The Raft"
Four college students decide to spend the day smoking pot and swimming in a secluded lake. While partying on a permanent raft in the middle of the water, Randy (Daniel Beer) notices a peculiar oil slick approaching them. After Rachel (Page Hannah) "experiences" the slick, the remaining three try to figure out a way to escape the raft and make it back to shore.

Tale #3: "The Hitchhiker"
After spending the evening at a male escort's apartment, Annie Lansing (Lois Chiles) realizes she has about twenty minutes to beat her husband home from work. While racing home, she accidently strikes a hitchhiker with her car. Feeling guilty about the accident (but not guilty enough to stay for the police), she leaves the man to die in the road. Annie soon discovers that her problems are far from over, as the hitchhiker is not finished with her yet.

Tale 4: "The Wrap-around Story"
Billy is a young boy who is fascinated with horror comic books. Not only does he think they're fun to read, but they allow him to order such exotic merchandise as Venus Fly Traps! After picking up one of his packages from the post office, Billy is accosted by some local bullies. Don't they know that's it's not nice to mess with a boy and his killer plants? (This story develops throughout the movie, in-between the other stories. It begins as live action, and is also told through animation.)

Oh my goodness, does this movie stink! I can't believe that it has to be associated in any way with the original "Creepshow", a true masterpiece of horror.

I'll be nice and first say something positive. The story entitled "The Raft" was pretty good. The oil slick delivers a brilliant acting performance. Oscar calibre. I stared and stared at that thing, and could not figure out how the special effects guys created it. Black garbage bags? Actual oil? Beats me.

Aside from "The Raft", the rest of the film goes downhill. The background music doesn't seem fitting for a horror film. Violins? Give me a break. What's even worse are the scenes that should have been left on the cutting room floor, scenes that aren't essential to the plot. Like when characters discuss such meaningless topics as the sounds different alarm clocks make. Boring! I needed an alarm clock to wake myself up! (Not really, but I did get a little drowsy.)

The animated scenes are not so hot. It seemed to me like a cop-out: a way to tell a story without having to spend the money for good special effects. It's a shame, too, because enormous Venus Fly Traps chomping on people would've been cool. The host of the movie, The Creep, is animated at times, also. He looked like the witch from "Snow White", when she transforms herself into an old woman to trick Snow White. He does not resemble The Creep from the original movie at all.

Stephen King makes a cameo appearance in the tale entitled, "The Hitchhiker". I feel that his few comedic lines and the oil slick from "The Raft" are the only redeeming qualities for this movie. However, it's still so bad that it cannot escape my lowest rating.

 

Stars: George Kennedy, Lois Chiles, Holt McCallany

Director: Michael Gornick

MPAA Rating: R

Why You'll Know It's From the 80's:
In the final story, a hardback copy of Stephen King's
book, "It", rests on a bedroom shelf.

Dog Appeal:
A dog in the first story is seen chasing a pick-up truck

Daisy's Rating:  

 

 

 

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