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| Jim Morrison + half naked Indian = Win. |
I've had sequels on the brain lately. One thing that's always bothered me is: Why are so many book sequels awesome but movie sequels suck most of the time? Seriously, I do not have an answer for this. If you have a theory, please share it in the comments.
However, once in awhile a movie sequel shines. Sometimes, they're better than the original.
Here's a few:
WAYNE'S WORLD 2
The original was a blast, and the sequel did it justice. The only beef I had with it was that Cassandra was unbelievably flaky, and Christopher Walken wasn't funny or quirky like he is in most of his films. However,
the YMCA bit, and the appearances of Jim Morrison, Rip Taylor, and the "weird naked Indian" were EPIC!
TERMINATOR 2:
This is the prime example of an unheard of case. T2 was better than T1. The effects were awesome, Sarah Conner had gone from a timid waitress to a complete badass. The plot was more complex and dynamic. It was flat out excellent.
SUBSPECIES 2:
SUBSPECIES is one of my favorite vampire franchises. Done by the indie company: Full Moon Entertainment, most of the budget is dedicated to filming on site in Romania. The villain, Radu Vladislas is one of the most compelling ever and it is in this film where he grows more complex.
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3
Wes Craven had nothing to do with part 2 so his solution for Part 3 was to pretend the former hadn't existed. It worked out awesome, brought back the heroine from part 1 and gave many now famous actors their start.
MULAN 2:
Disney's animated sequels usually fail miserably. But this one was a success. Not only did Mulan's warrior buddies each find true love (as a romance author this excites me to no end) but there was a pleasing realistic element with Mulan's struggle between her roles as wife and warrior.
HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY:
Taking off right where HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE left off, the adventure continues with even more epically hilarious twists, and you won't believe what happens to Neil Patrick Harris!
NIGHT OF THE DEMONS 2
Not enough to touch the low budget, cheesy glory of the original, but this one deserves a spot just for the good characterization. The nun with the ruler is my favorite.
KILL BILL, Vol. 2
Okay, this one almost doesn't count since it's more of a continuation than a sequel. But since Vol. 1 had so many delicious teasers, I'm putting it here because it not only delivered the promises, it surpassed them. And there is no more badass Kung-Fu master than Pai Mei and his stylish beard.
Anyone have any more good sequels?
Gonna have to go old school on you here and say Star Wars Episode 6 Return of the Jedi. I LOVE the ewocks! Seriously, that is my favorite sequel ever.
ReplyDeleteAs to why books are so much better than movies in the sequel arena, I think it is because you have the same writer with the same characters and the same scenery to work with. As writers we tend to fall in love with our characters so there is a larger emotional investment and devotion to keep them and their circumstances accruate. With movies, a lot of times, there is a new cast, new director, new producer, new writer; everything is new. And, while that can turn out well in some cases, it is usually disastrous and ruins the whole flavor of the story. The movie sequals that tend to fare well are generally book series continuations. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Twilight. Even with new hands, the story remains consistant making it more enjoyable to the viewer.
Just my theories though. Shrugs with a qwirky smile and crossed eyes.
Excellent theory. I agree. I think that ties in with Wes Craven's involvement in Nightmare on Elm Street 1 and 3. Also agree with the book continuations! Which is why I didn't include movies sequels that were based on books. :)
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