Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favorite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.
What came before it: I'll give you one guess. The series began with one of the most iconic, memorable horror movies of all time, in which young girl is possessed by a demon, who learn more about in failure of a sequel.
What remains: The story picks up [SPOILER] following the death of Father Damien Karras from the first film, with absolutely no relation the second film. We follow Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (played now by George C. Scott, previously by Lee J. Cobb) who follows a series of crimes seemingly committed by the Gemini killer, who was executed 15 years earlier. What does this have to do with demonic possession? You'll just have to see for yourself.
Why you should give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:
- It's a well-crafted, supernatural mystery that picks up after the first film where the second film should have. Why the second film decided to investigate the story of the priest who died at the hands of the demon as opposed to the priest who called possession upon himself and tried to kill the demon is beyond me.
- Although the horror scenes in this film are few, when they happen, they're done absolutely perfectly.
- The university president saying that his favorite movie is The Fly, coming from the actor who starred in The Fly II a year earlier.
- The lieutenant's creepy, symbolic dreams, foreshadowing the crimes to come.
- Speaking of his dreams, Fabio also appears briefly and inexplicably as an angel in one of them.
- The most haunting statues ever, some crying blood, some headless, some opening their eyes and some wielding daggers.
- When the Gemini killer, Brad Dourif (a.k.a. Chucky) ends his conversation with the lieutenant with "It's child's play," before opening the next scene with the shot of a doll-like, red-haired little boy.
- William Peter Blatty is back! After seeing The Exorcist movie, Blatty, the author of The Exorcist book, came up with a sequel for the movie. However, The Exorcist II was released first. Blatty was approached for the third installment, but his screenplay didn't work out so he turned it into a best-selling book before turning it back into a screenplay, with the hopes of John Carpenter directing (obviously, right?). When Carpenter declined, Blatty decided to do it himself and it was a hit. You show 'em how it's done, Blatty!
- It's (arguably) the best film in the series. Personally, I'm undecided (it's a toss up with the first), but it's safe to say that it's regarded as one of the better horror sequels of all time.
