In a perfect world, Creepshow 2 would be even better than the original. But sadly, the world is not perfect and we often have to make due with what we have. Directed by Michael Gornick, who was the cinematographer for Romero's Martin, Dawn of the Dead, Knightriders, Day of the Dead and the original Creepshow, this follow-up is based once again on King stories (but screenwritten by Romero).Creepshow 2 was originally going to be five stories (Pinfall and Cat from Hell went unfilmed, although Cat does appear in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie), but a lower budget forced the film to only include three tales.PInfall was to be about the rivalry between two bowling teams with one coming back from the dead to kill the other. It reminds me a lot of the story in Haunt of Fear #19, Foul Play!Instead of what wasn't filmed, let's get into what was: In Dexter, Maine, a delivery truck pulls up and drops off the latest issue of Creepshow, with the driver being the Creep himself!In Old Chief Wood'nhead, an elderly couple named Ray and Martha Spruce (George Kennedy and Dorothy Lamour in her last role) live in an old town on its last legs. No one in town has money and soon, the store they own - and their lives - will fade away, too. Chief Whitemoon comes to visit and gives them sacred jewelry to pay back his debt. It's not money, but the thought is what counts.As the wise old man leaves, the wooden Indian that stands guard in the store nods to him, which frightens him. It foreshadows what happens next, as that night, the chief's nephew Sam and his gang rob the store and kill the kindly old couple. Their blood splashes all over the old wooden chief as they depart with the stolen sacred jewels.The gang plans to go to Hollywood, where Sam thinks his long hair will make him a star. But he and his entire gang are killed, with their scalps and the jewelry left for the old chief.In The Raft, four teens (one of them is Page Hannah, the sister of Daryl and all of the characters share the surname of the actor playing them) try to go swimming but have to contend with a black blob that wants to kill them all. Again - this is an incredibly simple tale told well. I'd say it's the highlight of the film, but the more I write about these, the more I remember how much I truly enjoy this movie.Finally, The Hitchhiker concerns a businesswoman who is trying to get home from a tryst with her lover before her husband notices. Along the way, she hits a man who keeps coming back. And coming back. And coming back. Again, simple idea, but told really well. Ironically, the hitchhiker is played by Tom Wright, who played the civil rights activist who comes back from the head in Tales from the Hood. It's an amazingly similar role! Even stranger is that Barbara Eden was to play the woman before her mother's illness caused her to drop out.Ed French was the original effects guy for this, but got upset when director Gornick asked Howard Berger for advice, as he wasn't happy with the look of the creature in The Raft. Greg Nicotero and Berger ended up finishing the movie and they enlisted Tom Savini to play The Creep.Creepshow 2 doesn't have the gloss of the original. That doesn't make it a horrible movie. But the original sets a bar that's incredibly high.

The first "Creepshow" movie is very entertaining and by far the best one out of the three. This follow-up film is a disappointment. The stories included are short on inspiration and seem to drag on forever. The first story is probably the best but it takes too long to really build any kind of momentum. George Kennedy is totally wasted in this film and his acting ability isn't taken advantage of. The second story is about as dumb and as corny as it gets! The people who appear can't act their way out of a rubber johnny! Simply hopeless. The setting is far too restricted and I wasn't particularly bothered about the fate of the characters. The last story is tolerable but nothing exceptional. I did like Tom Savini as the Creeper character who appears at the beginning and end of "Creepshow 2." His makeup is scary and his performance is good. The final camera shot is imaginative as this ghoulish character is driven off into the distance, located somewhere in the American countryside. I would stick with the first one and leave it at that.

I loved George Romero's CREEPSHOW. I was a fan from the first moment I laid eyes on the trailer. When it was released I was working as a theater manager showing the film and I would pop in to watch moments from the film when time provided. To this day I consider it a classic. Had it not been for the success of the film we might never have seen anthology shows like TALES FROM THE CRYPT, MONSTER or Romero's own TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE come about. When I heard back then that CREEPSHOW 2 was being made I was ecstatic. The end result left much to be desired though.Once more we're presented with tales to frighten straight from the comic book pages of Creepshow, a homage to the horror fueled comics of the fifties. A wrap around story involving a young boy who loves the comic and is tormented by bullies keeps the film moving. Add to that the Creep in the film, this time portrayed by effects artists Tom Savini rather than an animated dummy.The first story has us in a small town out west gasping its last dying breath. General store owners Ray and Martha Spruce (George Kennedy and Dorothy Lamour) provide a helping hand to those in need in the way of store credit even though they could easily retire and live comfortable on their own. When a criminal Indian from the nearby reservation and his gang rob the store killing the pair it seems justice will not be served. But then they never counted on the wooden Indian standing out front.The second story is perhaps the best here, based on Stephen King's novella THE RAFT. Two young couples are headed out to the local lake with the intent of swimming out one last time to the floating raft in the middle despite the chilly temps of the water. Fueled by beer and false bravado they swim out completely ignorant of the large patch of something floating on top of the water. That is until they see it engulf a bird floating on top. When one of the girls is taken from the raft and eaten by this glob a standoff follows. The only way to get help is for one of them to reach the shore. But how will they avoid the creature? The final story here is about a woman having an affair who plows down a hitch-hiker on her way home. If she reports it or takes the man to the hospital she'll have to explain why she was driving where the accident occurred. Rather than do so she drives off hoping someone else will find him. Except that he continues to pop up, more battered and bloody with each appearance, always saying "Thanks for the ride, lady." Will she ever be free of this damaged image? The film ends with an animated piece featuring the aforementioned story of the young boy pursued by bullies on his bicycle. So how does the film hold up? It doesn't come close to the original. That could be in large part because the film went from a high profile studio like Warner Brothers to the low budget line New Horizons, Roger Corman's company. It could be because Romero was no longer directing or that King and Romero weren't on set daily to discuss the script they had written. In any case while a decent movie it placed side by side with the original leaves it lacking.And yet there is a legion of fans out there who love this one as well. For them the news that the film was being released on blu-ray by Arrow Video was a Godsend. Now they could have it in a pristine format to enjoy over and over again. And, being an Arrow release, you knew that the extras would be better than most and that the version offered would indeed be the best ever found. The film is presented here in a 2k digital restoration with original stereo audio. Other extras include audio commentary from director Michael Gornick moderated by Perry Martin, a new interview with Daniel Beer, a new interview with Tom Wright, and interview with Romero, and interview with Savini, a featurette with make-up effects artists Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero, a featurette on Rick Baker, behind the scenes footage, trailers and TV spots and a reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Mike Saputo.Fans have already been buying this one up like crazy with special editions that include a collector's booklet fetching top dollar. I'm glad that this version now exists but I doubt I'll watch it over and over again. It is worth watching once and fans will delight that they can have this version on their shelves now.

As good as the first Creepshow - almost. These three twisted tales are fun but scary too. If you enjoyed the first film then you should enjoy Creepshow II as well."Chief Wooden Head" is by far a more of a drama or serious story to me. It's just a good horror story. "The Raft" is good but my least favorite of the trilogy. It's good, but typical young kids out for a good time that end up dead - the twist is it's not a slasher. "The Hitchhiker" is my favorite as far as comedy goes. This one had me laughing very hard. "Thanks for the ride lady" still rings in my head and I laugh every time.Anyway, Creepshow II is worth watching if you like a bit of comedy with your horror.9/10