Unlike any other genre in cinema, horror produces the greatest number of sequels. A true compliment to the genre’s massive and passionate fan base. The horror nation pleas and demands to see more of their favorite icons, scream queens, and masters of the macabre. The inability to capture the magic and gory glory of their original counterparts causes far too many sequels to fall flat. On the rare occasion some sequels outshine the first in the series and on other occasions some original gems never get the opportunity to continue to shine. Let us have a look at a few of these fantastic fright films that sadly were a one hit wonder.
SLEEPWALKERS (1992)
The 1990’s were an odd time for the horror world. Coming straight out of the golden age of the 80’s and before the CGI revolution of the turn of the century, horror films got mixed up with bad effects and redundant plots. Thru the drab decade there were several modern classics, one of which was the Stephen King and Mick Garris collaboration “Sleepwalkers.” King’s first original screenplay gave us a new monster, fun townsfolk characters, and enough gore and comedy to keep the audience staring at the screen with open jawed amusement. Right from the opening scene, where Luke Skywalker himself, (sporting a hysterical mustache) walks into a house decorated with hundreds of dead hanging cats and a young female corpse in the closet, the viewer is hooked. We come to find out that monsters of the were-cat variety have been feeding on young virgins for some time and two of the last of their kind take up residence in a small town looking for a fresh meal. The fairly simple plot is amped up with appearances from, King himself, Clive Barker, John Landis, and Joe Dante. As the town and virgin (Madchen Amick) unravel the mystery, the audience is treated to a thrill ride full of great effects, pacing, and shocking discoveries. (Mommy and son just happen to be lovers.) While not as celebrated as some of King’s book adaptions, the film turned a modest profit and has stood the test of time. Continuously voted as one of the best horror films of the 90’s. Fans of this flick have been demanding to see more of these creatures for over two decades. Garris recently got behind the camera again with last year’s “Nightmare Cinema,” and has given several interviews about doing another “Sleepwalkers” film. Too much time has passed for any considerable interest in the original characters, but the horror nation would be out in full force for a fresh take on these original ancient monsters.
Dog Soldiers (2002)
Director Neil Marshall is one of the most celebrated artist in the horror community. He burst onto the scene with his epic werewolf feature, “Dog Soldiers.” Sean Pertwee, Kevin Mckidd, and Liam Cunnigham dazzle in this action-packed fur fest. On a special training session, a British military squad are put up against an elite unit. Come to find out, the rabble of grunts are bait for a bigger prize. After a monster melee, the survivors of an ambush hole up in an old Scottish house with a peculiar host who eventually breaks the news that Werewolves are real and they are here for a full moon night out. With a mixture of fantastic action pieces, spot on comedy relief, and simple yet amazing practical effects, Marshall delivers one of the top five Werewolf films of all time. Only released in Britain and France, the film pulled just a modest profit, but had every yank standing outside of the video stores by the time the film hit the states. The love for this film has had fans of the fur begging for more since its release. An actual treatment had been written with the soldiers that had fallen coming back as the Werewolves, but the project has been dead for years now. As much as American copied versions of foreign horror films have failed, a North American version of this tale could garner the financial and passionate support needed for a proper sequel.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
This celebrated cult classic has had fans clamoring for a follow up for years. Horror icons, Robert Englund, Zelda Rubenstein, and Scott Wilson bring big clout to this terrific indie production, but star Nathan Baesel steals the show. Baesel’s portrayal of Leslie Vernon, a super slasher in training, is nothing short of stunning. A documentary crew sets out to study what exactly makes a human become a serial killer star and what goes into the process of becoming a horror icon. The original concept from writer/director Scott Glosserman has had horror fans re-watching this modern masterpiece over and over, praying one day for the return of Leslie. The first act gives the audience an up close and personal perspective into the process and psyche of a psychopath. Baesel engulfs the role, portraying Leslie with comedic humanity one moment and frightening terror the next. Director Glosserman turns the film on its head towards the end, leaving behind the first-person documentary style point of view and jumps right into a conventional third-person straight film. Tremendous performances, great set piece kills, and tongue in cheek humor make this original work one of the most talked about horror films in history. Mention Leslie Vernon at any convention to a fellow fan and watch their faces light up like a child on all hallows eve. Behind the Mask had a very small theatrical run and found love and a following on home entertainment media. Popular with critics and fans alike, sadly, the financial return never warranted a follow up. Several funding campaigns from Glosserman and Baesel have not been enough to see Leslie rise again, a treatment was even done, but “Before the Mask” seems to be a dead project. This film is nothing without star Baesel, but perhaps another similar style shot film could resurrect this icon. A female slasher story could be the route to raise interest again.
The Hills Run Red (2009)
One of the most underrated horror films in history is Dave Parker’s “The Hills Run Red.” An intriguing plot involving a film student on the hunt to recover the most horrific horror movie ever made was enough to grab fans attention. What followed the tagline is a brilliant, brutal, carnal masterpiece. German writer David Schow, (The Crow) presents an original tale that brings depth to a film that should have been just another simple slasher story. The film inside a film plot has never been so terrifically displayed as it is in “The Hills Run Red.” Once the film student lead gathers enough research and finds the daughter of the recluse filmmaker, we are taken into the world of the legendary missing work of horror art. What should have been a simple slasher in the woods production turns into a glorious gory art house horror film. The victims are not just cookie cutter bait, but actually have intricate story lines, the flash backs and stories of the missing film keep the pace flowing, and while most horror films produce unintelligible twist, this film’s reveals are intricate and pertinent to the tale. The third act takes this work from being a very fun film to being a great work of art. Genre veteran William Sadler ties the whole piece together as the reclusive director and shows the audience the true sacrifice to making horror art. A psycho family in the woods, a town that protects it, and a bunch of snooping kids, could have been just an R-rated version of some Scooby Doo project. What the production team delivered was a thoughtful, deep, and dark descent into the world of snuff horror films. Only rumors passed on a follow up thru the years, but Scream Factory has just announced the Blu-ray release of the film this June 16th. Hopefully a big sales return will bring Babyface back.