The phrase “Horror Sequel” can be a bad word. A really bad word. No, worse than that; a slur. The kind of horrific, dehumanizing slur you only hear from the mouth of a Quentin Tarantino character or a popular country singer.
But sometimes it’s a song. A transcendent lilt emanating from the golden throat of the most elegant songbird, directly into your undeserving earholes. Here are 10 of those cases:
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2” (1986)
The only other film in the franchise directed by the original mad genius Tobe Hooper, and it shows. This movie gets several things right that few other “Chainsaw” flicks do, including Leatherface himself.
While so many sequels make him out to be a malicious, hulking, serial-killing monster, Leatherface is actually a frightened, confused child, who really only kills because he’s told to; or because he’s frightened by a sudden intrusion into his (slaughter)house.
“Chainsaw 2” takes Leatherface’s arrested development to the next level, by introducing a sexy DJ to oil up his blade. Add to that the career-making performance of horror hero Bill Mosely as Chop Top, and a hero played by Dennis FREAKIN’ Hopper, and you’ve got GOLD, baby.
“Troll 2” (1990)
I really believe the world would be a better place if everyone watched schlocky Italian exploitation movies from the late ’60s through the mid-’90s. I have no evidence to back that up, and no theories as to why it could be true. I just believe it.
Which is why “Troll 2” should be required viewing in every high school in America. This is a sequel in name only. It’s not remotely related to “Troll” (1986), which starred Sonny Bono and featured a character named Harry Potter and his son Harry Potter Jr.
Bad acting, bad special effects, and a ridiculous plot make “Troll 2” an absolute gem. One of the stars even made a documentary about it called “Best Worst Movie“ . . . and that title is pretty accurate.
“Halloween 3: Season of the Witch” (1983)
After “Halloween 2”, producers John Carpenter and Debra Hill were approached to produce a third installment. They agreed on the condition that they could retire Michael Myers, and thus, “Halloween 3” was born.
An evil toymaker produces Halloween masks that cause the wearers’ heads to rot like months-old pumpkins as snakes and all manner of insects escape from their upper orifices. But only when they watch the “big giveaway” on Halloween night, which is promoted incessantly with one of the most annoying ad campaigns ever. Yes, even more annoying than the Limu Emu. and Doug.
Unlike every “Halloween” movie that followed, “Halloween 3” is original, it’s creepy, and it stars the great Tom Atkins, who you may remember from “Night of the Creeps”, “Escape from New York”, “The Fog”, and “Creepshow”.
What’s the point of this horrible plot to kill millions of children on their favorite night of the year? To return Halloween to its bloody, Celtic origins. As our villain explains, “We don’t decide these things, the planets do.” As motivations go, that’s pretty damn cool.
Alas, the movie tanked, and everybody cried that Michael Myers wasn’t in it, so instead of an unique story every Halloween, we got 40+ years of bland, repetitive sequels. Thanks a lot, America.
“Jaws 2” (1978)
There are very few movies in the history of movies that can hold a candle to the original “Jaws”. And, full disclosure, “Jaws 2” doesn’t either. But it’s a fun ride and a damn good monster movie, not to mention that only other “Jaws” movie that’s worth your time.
Yeah, it’s completely implausible that another giant, killer shark would show up at the same beach where the first one went on a killing spree three years earlier. As one expert tells Chief Brody, “Sharks don’t take things personally.” (A line that became laughable in retrospect, after “Jaws 4” came out less than a decade later.)
But who cares? It’s a blast. It even presages the late ’70s / early ’80s slasher boom, focusing as it does on a group of terrorized teenagers stranded on a makeshift raft fashioned from their wrecked sailboats. The only difference is, the monster is killed by Brody once again, and not a by final girl whose abstinence from marijuana and premarital sex made her morally superior to her peers.
Oh, and did I mention that the shark sinks a flippin’ helicopter???
“Evil Dead 2” (1987) and “Army of Darkness” (1992)
One of the most brilliant and subversive things about the original “Evil Dead” trilogy is that each installment represents an almost entirely different film genre . . . and fans have followed the saga of Bruce Campell’s incompetent demon fighter Ash just as avidly through each one.
“The Evil Dead”, released in 1981, is balls-out, unrelenting horror that just barely hints at the comedic turn the next two movies would take. “Evil Dead 2” threw in screwball comedy, but kept things bloody. It ended up as one of the keystone films in the “splatstick” trend of the ’80s that also included “Re-Animator”, “Return of the Living Dead”, and “The Toxic Avenger”.
“Army of Darkness” kept things R-rated by throwing in some F-bombs and a flash of boob, but other than that, it’s a swashbuckling medieval comedy-adventure with very little blood and a lotta yuks. Unlike its predecessors, this was an actual studio film, and they even got Danny Elfman to record a song for it.
“Evil Dead” also unique in that, as Mr. Campbell often points out, it’s possibly the only horror franchise where you root for the HERO, not the villain. Hail to the king, baby.
“Psycho 2” (1983)
A sequel to one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most celebrated films? Twenty-three years later? Without Hitchcock? This shouldn’t have worked, and yet somehow it delivered in a big way.
Anthony Perkins returning as Norman Bates is a huge reason why. Norman has finally been released from the nuthouse, and he’s trying to turn his life around. But suddenly, “Mother” starts sticking her nose in his business again.
Also not willing to let go is Lila Crane, played once again by Vera Miles, who’s determined to see Norman back in custody.
This one’s got a fantastic twist ending that’s worthy ol’ of Hitch himself.
“Dawn of the Dead” (1978)
Look up 10 different lists of the best zombie movies. Chances are, “Dawn of the Dead” will be on all of them . . . and #1 on most of them.
George A. Romero invented the modern movie zombie with 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead”, and lost absolutely no steam with this sequel a decade later. Everybody calls it a critique of American capitalism, and it is. But it’s okay if you just enjoy it as mindless, splatterific fun.
This is also the film that put FX master Tom Savini on the map as the go-to guy for gore well into the ’80s (because fuck CGI).
Tragic Epilogue: The Monroeville Mall outside Pittsburgh, where the movie was filmed, is still there. But not for long. Walmart bought it, and they’re demolishing it to build a “retail and commercial destination.” So if you wanna visit this piece of film history, which also houses the Living Dead Museum and bronze bust of Romero, make your plans ASAP.
![Dawn of the Dead (1978) | Original Trailer [HD] | Coolidge Corner Theatre](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y_EviQj5tvA/hqdefault.jpg)
“Exorcist 3: Legion” (1990)
Author William Peter Blatty and director William Friedkin had nothing to do with 1977’s “Exorcist 2: The Heretic”, and it was a shitshow. But Blatty himself directed “Exorcist 3” from a screenplay he wrote, based on his own novel. And it kinda slaps.
No Linda Blair or Ellen Burstyn this time around, but Jason Miller returns as Father Karras. If you’re wondering how that’s possible, you’ll just have to give it a watch.
Lieutenant Kinderman is also back, only this time played by George C. Scott, taking over for the late Lee J. Cobb. This time he’s trying to solve a series of murders that seem like they’re being committed by residents of an old folks home, and he meets an old friend along the way. Even a tacked-on exorcism that the studio forced Blatty to film doesn’t take too much away from the story.
You can disagree with me on the merits of this film, but one thing that can’t be denied: It has one of the best jump scares ever filmed.
“28 Years Later” (2025)
“28 Days Later” is a masterpiece. “28 Weeks Later” is okay. But “28 Years Later” is a return to something special. And it’s just the first part of a new trilogy.
There’s a message in here about British isolationism and societal regression, but what came to the forefront for me was the story of a son’s dedication to his mother, and a crazy guy, who turns out to be not so crazy, who helps them accept the inevitable.
Oh, and zombie dick. Massive, swinging zombie dick.
“Bride of Frankenstein” (1935)
Largely considered the first horror sequel, “Bride” is also one of the best. And if you ask me, it’s better than the original.
It’s a little scary, a little campy, a lot of fun, and yes, a little gay, thanks to Ernest Thesiger’s “coded” portrayal of Dr. Pretorius.
This, not the original, is also where you’ll find the classic scene of the Monster befriending the blind hermit . . . a scene that’s probably more famous in parody form in Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein“.
Interestingly enough, the Bride herself, who’s not only the title character but also one of the most indelible movie monsters 90 years later, only appears for a few minutes. Just long enough to reject her intended mate, leading to the film’s explosive conclusion.
