Fright Night Part 2 (1988) Review

 

Three years after the events of the original, Charley Brewster is trying to put his encounters with vampires behind him, but when a mysterious woman arrives in town with her own supernatural entourage, he and Peter Vincent are drawn back into the world of the undead.

Tommy Lee Wallace's Fright Night Part 2 offers more of the same, with solid setups and some enjoyable ideas, although the comedy occasionally lands better than the horror. Wallace, who previously directed Halloween III: Season of the Witch and would later direct It, keeps the film moving at a good pace, but there is a sense that the formula is beginning to feel tired.

Mark Irwin's cinematography maintains the dark, colourful atmosphere of the original, while the excellent practical effects retain that unmistakable 1980s charm. The werewolf and vampire transformations are particularly effective, with the physical makeup and creature work having a tangible quality that outdoes the weightless CGI that would become commonplace years later.

William Ragsdale returns as Charley Brewster, while memorable Traci Lind replaces Amanda Bearse as Alex, Charley's new girlfriend. Lind feels closer in age to Ragsdale and makes Alex a more natural fit for the character.

Chris Sarandon is sorely missed, and the sequel inevitably feels different without Jerry Dandridge. Still, stunning Julie Carmen is excellent as Regine Dandrige, Jerry's sister, bringing her own presence and style to the female vampire. Jon Gries plays Louie, a twitchy vampire who effectively fills the mischievous role left vacant by Evil Ed, while Brian Thompson's imposing Bozworth serves as another physical threat in place of Billy Cole.

Roddy McDowall remains the highlight as Peter Vincent. His hair is a little better and more natural this time, and McDowall again provides much of the film's charm and humour.

Brad Fiedel returns with another synthesiser-driven score that provides atmosphere and continuity with the first film. There is less reliance on prominent soundtrack music this time, allowing Fiedel's music to carry more of the mood and suspense.

Interestingly, Tom Holland's Fright Night had influenced The Lost Boys, but this time the sequel appears to borrow from the 1987 film, including the idea of the lead becoming a vampire. Fright Night Part 2 consequently feels as though it has come full circle, taking elements that had become familiar through another vampire film and bringing them back into its own world.

Fright Night Part 2 is still an enjoyable 1980s vampire sequel. The practical effects, performances and Fiedel's score give it plenty of atmosphere, while McDowall remains terrific as Peter Vincent. It may not have the bite of the original, but there is enough old-school horror charm here to make it worth revisiting.

Fright Night (1985) Review

 

A teenage horror fan becomes convinced that his new neighbour is a vampire, but when nobody believes him, he turns to the washed-up actor who once played a vampire hunter on television.

Tom Holland's Fright Night is a great mixture of horror, comedy and atmosphere. His direction grounds the supernatural story in an ordinary suburban neighbourhood, giving it an appealing seemingly on-location feel.

Jan Kiesser's cinematography looks fantastic, shifting from warm suburban interiors to dark and sinister nights. The film also benefits from outstanding practical effects, with Richard Edlund overseeing the visual effects and Steve Johnson and Randall William Cook responsible for creature design. The vampires and transformations, particularly Jerry and Amy's creepy vampire forms and the memorable bat and wolf sequences, remain excellent examples of 1980s effects work.

In true '80s fashion, the teens are played by twenty-somethings that add to the charm. William Ragsdale is excellent as Charley Brewster, with Amanda Bearse equally effective as Amy Peterson. Stephen Geoffreys brings plenty of energy to the ill-fated Evil Ed, while Jonathan Stark's Billy Cole makes an effective Renfield-type servant. Chris Sarandon is perfectly cast as Jerry Dandridge, combining charm and menace to make him a scary, seductive vampire.

Roddy McDowall is superb as Peter Vincent, the sceptical, washed-up television actor who has spent his career pretending to be a vampire hunter before being forced to become the real thing. His performance provides much of the film's heart and humour.

The affection for classic vampire cinema is evident throughout, from crosses and mirrors to bats, wolves, coffins and the rules of the undead. The soundtrack and Brad Fiedel's (The Terminator) score complements it beautifully, moving between suspense, and unmistakable '80s energy.

It also sits comfortably alongside the horror-comedy of House, which followed later in 1985, while exploring territory that The Lost Boys would develop two years later. Both films feature self-aware teenage characters, a single mother, a head vampire and a mixture of vampire mythology and humour. Holland's film, however, has a distinct identity and never loses its affection for classic vampire cinema.

Fright Night remains an exceptionally enjoyable 1980s vampire film. Bloody, funny and atmospheric, it combines strong performances, practical effects and confident direction without losing sight of the horror. A slice of '80s cinema that still holds up.

Prom Night (1980) Review

 

After the death of a child, six years later four high-school seniors are terrorised on their prom night by a masked killer.

Director Paul Lynch’s Prom Night is surprisingly effective from the outset. The opening sequence builds atmosphere and cruelty with genuine unease, particularly because the horror is shown from the children’s perspective. Some of the child performances are very effective.

Six years later, the four children involved, Nick McBride (Casey Stevens), Wendy Richards (Anne-Marie Martin), Kelly Lynch (Marybeth Rubens) and Jude Cunningham (Joy Thompson), are now teenagers preparing for their senior prom, their past still hanging over them. Leslie Nielsen plays their father, Mr Hammond, with George Touliatos as Lieutenant McBride.

Jamie Lee Curtis, fresh from Halloween and The Fog, brings strong screen presence as Kim Hammond. She is especially memorable in the disco sequences, where she gets to do more than simply run from a masked killer. Leslie Nielsen is interesting in a serious dramatic role, years before comedy came to dominate his career.

There is a little gratuitous nudity and sexual material, yet for an early-80s slasher the film is comparatively restrained. Moody lighting, Robert C. New’s cinematography and on-location shooting give it a distinctly gritty early-80s atmosphere. The score by Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza, with its disco-infused music, creates an unusual mix of dance-floor energy and tension that helps define the prom sequences.

The slow pacing of the first hour may not suit everyone, but it eventually pays off with suspenseful moments, engaging character beats, some funny phone calls and memorable set pieces, including a very effective severed head rolling across the dance floor.

Written by William Gray from a story by Robert Guza Jr., the film draws heavily on Halloween, Friday the 13th, Carrie, Black Christmas and other slasher predecessors. Interestingly, the story also features Leonard Murch, a suspected sex offender who was wrongly believed by the police to have been responsible for the child’s death. His burned appearance and association with a child murder inevitably bring to mind the later Freddy Krueger, although Prom Night predates A Nightmare on Elm Street by four years.

Still, Lynch supplies enough atmosphere and mystery to keep the film engaging rather than turning it into a pure body-count exercise. Alongside the blood and, at times, annoying 80s slow motion, it delivers a few good shocks and scary-enough sequences, without the masked killer armed with an axe, knife and broken mirror, even if some moments are admittedly clunky. Ultimately, it remains a formulaic entry padded with disco.

Without its strong opening, Jamie Lee Curtis and the lingering mystery around the killer, Prom Night could easily have been forgettable. As it stands, Curtis, the atmosphere, and early-80s grit make it worth watching.

Hellraiser: Judgment (2018) Review

 

Detectives Sean and David Carter are on the case to find a gruesome serial killer terrorizing the city. Joining forces with Detective Christine Egerton, they face dangers that may not be of this world.

Hellraiser: Judgment attempts to inject new life into the series by combining the Cenobite mythology with a police investigation, but the result is another uneven direct-to-video entry.

Gary J. Tunnicliffe directs and writes, with Damon Carney leading as Detective Sean Carter alongside Randy Wayne and Paul T. Taylor as Pinhead. Taylor brings his own presence to the role, but replacing Doug Bradley was always going to be noticeable. Incidentally, for an attempt to inject some horror credence into this outing Heather Langenkamp, known for her role as Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) appears.

The film has some suitably grotesque imagery and practical effects, particularly surrounding the new Auditor character, but the grimy presentation and convoluted story never recapture the atmosphere of the originals. After so many missed opportunities, it feels more like another attempt to keep the franchise alive than a genuinely satisfying continuation.

It's better than the 2011 instalment. There are flashes of the old Hellraiser, but they are buried beneath another disposable DTV-era sequel.

Hellraiser: Revelations (2011) Review

Two friends discover a puzzle box that opens a gateway to a realm inhabited by sadomasochistic monsters known as the Cenobites.

Hellraiser: Revelations feels like a particularly low point for the series, with the mythology reduced to a cheap-looking direct-to-video outing. Steven Brand and Nick Eversman lead the cast, while Victor Garcia directs, but there is little of the atmosphere, imagination or practical horror that made the earlier films distinctive.

The film looks and feels exactly like what it is: a rushed, low-budget production with Doug Bradley absent as Pinhead, replaced by Stephan Smith Collins. Even the Cenobites struggle to recapture the grotesque appeal of their predecessors.

There are a few nasty moments, but they cannot disguise how lacklustre the whole affair is. A disappointing entry that does little with the fascinating mythology at its disposal.

Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005) Review

 

A group of young people gather around an online Hellraiser-themed game.

By Hellraiser: Hellworld, the series has almost completely embraced the standalone anthology approach, leading to another story where the franchise mythology feels more like a framework than the main attraction.

Katheryn Winnick, Christopher Jacot, Khary Payton and Henry Cavill make up the young cast, with Lance Henriksen providing the most recognisable supporting presence as the Host. Cavill, years before becoming Superman, has an early supporting role as Mike and already has an unmistakable screen presence. Doug Bradley once again returns as Pinhead.

Rick Bota directs, with Gabriel Kosuth's cinematography giving the film a reasonably polished, dark look, while Lars Anderson provides the score. There are some decent practical effects and a few nasty moments, but the concept feels increasingly detached from the original Barker mythology.

There is an interesting idea buried somewhere inside Hellworld, but once again Pinhead is largely relegated to bookend duty. It is a watchable piece of mid-2000s horror, helped by Henriksen and the young cast, but it also demonstrates just how far the series had drifted.

Hellraiser: Deader (2005) Review

 

A reporter in London discovers an underground group which can bring back the dead.

Hellraiser: Deader moves into resurrection and the possibility of returning from death, giving the series another interesting concept to play with. Kari Wuhrer leads as journalist Amy Klein, with Paul Rhys as Winter and Simon Kunz as Charles, while Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead.

Wuhrer is easily the film's strongest asset, giving Amy enough determination and vulnerability to carry what is an increasingly muddled story. Rick Bota returns to direct, and although the film has some effective moments, the narrative feels stretched and the connection to Hellraiser sometimes seems bolted on rather than naturally developed.

Vivi Dragan Vasile's cinematography gives the film a hazy, grimy European atmosphere, while Henning Lohner's score supplies an appropriately sinister backdrop. There are some good practical effects and enough blood to keep things moving, but Pinhead remains largely a supporting presence rather than the driving force.

There are dark pleasures here, but Deader is another example of how poorly the series was being served. The premise could have worked as its own supernatural horror film, while the Hellraiser elements feel increasingly like an obligation rather than the heart of the story.

Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) Review

 

An amnesiac survivor of a car crash who navigates a surreal psychological maze while being investigated for his wife's disappearance.

Hellraiser: Hellseeker returns to the familiar puzzle box and Cenobite mythology, but again feels more like a psychological mystery than a traditional Hellraiser sequel. Dean Winters takes the lead as Trevor Gooden, attempting to piece together what has happened to him following a serious car accident, while the story gradually introduces the darker side of the series.

Winters gives the film a suitably disorientated central performance, while Ashley Laurence makes a welcome return as Kirsty Cotton. Her appearance is brief but significant for fans of the original films, and Doug Bradley once again brings his familiar presence to Pinhead. Rick Bota directs, delivering a restrained low budget outing.

John Drake's cinematography gives the film a suitably cold, polished look, while Stephen Edwards' score provides much of the tension. There is blood, some effective Cenobite imagery and a handful of decent shocks, although the film spends more time playing with its mystery than delivering the visceral horror associated with the original series.

Arguably the best of a bad bunch. Above average for what the series had become, but ultimately Hellseeker feels like another Creepshow or The Twilight Zone-style tale with Pinhead bookending the story. Kirsty's return is the main connection to the earlier films, but the series was already drifting further from the distinctive identity that made the first three so memorable.

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000) Review

 

A shady police detective becomes embroiled in a strange world of murder, sadism and madness.

Hellraiser: Inferno takes the series somewhere rather different, combining its mythology with a grim supernatural detective story.

Nightbreed's Craig Sheffer leads as corrupt detective Joseph Thorne, with Nicholas Turturro as Tony and James Remar as Dr Gregory, while Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead. Sheffer carries the film reasonably well as the increasingly troubled Thorne, and Scott Derrickson, making his feature directorial debut, gives it a suitably dark, nightmarish atmosphere.

Nathan Hope's cinematography gives the film a suitably grimy, oppressive look, while Walter Werzowa's music adds to the uneasy, psychological atmosphere. There are some genuinely nasty practical effects and disturbing Cenobite imagery, although Pinhead himself is used more sparingly than fans might expect.

With half the budget than Bloodline (1996) Inferno is an above-average production with plenty of blood and chills, but it feels more like a dark supernatural thriller that has been absorbed into the Hellraiser universe. It arguably sits on par if not below seeker, and is an interesting experiment and considerably more ambitious than a simple repeat of the earlier formula, even if it lacks the raw impact of the first three films.

Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996) Review

 

This instalment of Hellraiser follows the bloodline of the creator of the puzzle box, the 'Toy Maker,' and his plan to summon and destroy Pinhead forever.

Despite a theatrical release, Bloodline looks and feels at times like a TV movie, and the acting is occasionally below average, possibly due to the script. That said, Doug Bradley is fine as Pinhead, and Valentina Vargas (In the Name of the Rose) is noteworthy as the demon Angelique. Channelling Meryl Streep, Kim Myers (Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge) is great, but her screen time is sadly limited.

The story's concept is quite good and includes (one assumes) the building in the third installment and the history of the box. It is told in flashbacks by Dr. Paul Merchant in the year 2127 and follows his descendants, Phillip L'Merchant in the 18th century and John Merchant in 1996. Sadly, it's poorly executed and let down by an uneven screenplay, bland direction, and sub-par sets. The effects are a mixed bag; some are well done, while others are less convincing and tame. To its credit, it does have atmosphere, helped by the score.

It appears to have a troubled shooting history, as there were two directors: Kevin Yagher (under an alias Alan Smithee) and Joe Chappelle (uncredited). This may be one cause and result of such an unsatisfying fourth installment.

Overall, the producers didn't give such a bankable character as Pinhead the attention he deserved, leaving the viewer as empty as the 22nd-century space setting. Nevertheless, it has its moments, but won't tear your soul apart.