This less-satisfying sequel to the 1982 George
Romero/Stephen King anthology presents a new
trio of stories, framed in a similar EC
Comics-style format -- this time featuring some
rather lackluster animated segments involving
horror-host "The Creep," who introduces each
chapter with pun-heavy gallows humor. The
stories vary widely in quality.
First there's "Old Chief Wood'nhead," involving
a cigar-store Indian who quite literally guards
the entrance to an old general store and comes
to life to avenge the murders of the elderly
couple (George Kennedy and Dorothy Lamour) who
owned it.
The middle segment, "The Raft," features a group
of obnoxious teenagers stranded on a raft in the
middle of a lake at the mercy of a murderous oil
slick which looks like a bunch of plastic
garbage bags stitched together.
Both of these suffer in comparison to the
closing segment, "The Hitchhiker," in which
bored, promiscuous socialite Lois Chiles mows
down a hitcher who refuses to stay dead,
returning again and again to torment her at
every turn, rasping, "Thanks for the ride,
lady!"
Despite its strengths -- a livelier pace, some
creatively gory setpieces -- this is a much
cheaper-looking effort than its predecessor,
with the deft guidance of Romero conspicuously
absent (long-time collaborator Michael Gornick
took up the directorial reins); as a result,
King's gross-out sensibilities don't come off as
well. Makeup maestro Tom Savini appears in heavy
makeup as a live-action version of "The Creep,"
and King pops in for a bit part as a redneck
trucker.
Directed by:
Michael Gornick
Written by: Stephen
King & George A. Romero
Produced by: David
Ball
Original music by:
Lou Reed
Cast:
Domenick John .... Billy
(prologue)
Tom Savini .... The Creep
George Kennedy .... Ray Spruce ("Old Chief
Wood'nhead")
Philip Dore .... Curly
Kaltey Napoleon .... Indian 1
Tyrone Tonto .... Indian 2
Dorothy Lamour .... Martha Spruce
Frank Salsedo .... Ben Whitemoon
Holt McCallany .... Sam Whitemoon
David Holbrook .... Fatso Gribbens
Don Harvey .... Andy Cavanaugh
Daniel Tucker Kamin .... Old Chief Wood'nhead
Dean Smith (.... Mr. Cavanaugh
Shirley Sonderegger .... Mrs. Cavanaugh
Paul Satterfield .... Deke ("The Raft")
Jeremy Green .... Laverne
Daniel Beer .... Randy
Page Hannah .... Rachel
Lois Chiles .... Annie Lansing ("The
Hitchhiker")
David R. Beecroft .... Annie's Lover
Tom Wright .... The Hitchhiker
Richard Parks .... George Lansing
Stephen King .... Truck Driver
Cheré Bryson .... Woman at Accident
Joe Silver .... Voice of The Creep (voice)
Philip Dorn
Maltby Napoleon
