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
