(1990)
Dir - Frank Henenlotter
Overall: MEH
Made a full eight years after Basket Case yet picking up right where said film left off, Basket Case 2 is equipped with a heftier budget and more absurd tone overall. Now is this a good or a bad thing? A little of both probably. Not only has the title character's new design improved, but an entire family of comically deformed oddities are present, including a female basket case, a frog man, and a guy with protruding teeth over a foot long. An unmistakable homage to Todd Browning's Freaks, Basket Case 2 portrays the "normal" people as the villainous ones and casts sympathy over the family of physical abnormality outcasts, even as good ole Belial is still out to brutally murder everyone. The movie drops a few notches though due to some illogical details like the main characters surviving the first film to begin with and a newspaper photographer who has ample enough time to run away screaming yet decides to just shoot a bunch of pictures as his pursuers very slowly ascend on him. The whole thing gets out of control at times with an eye-ball rolling, over the top moment from Annie Ross's Grandma Ruth and easily one of the most ridiculous sex scenes ever filmed. While these instances are indeed hilarious, the surprisingly creepy and low-key menace of the first film is all but abandoned and surely missed at parts that could have afforded to be less schlocky here.
(1992)
Dir - John Landis
Overall: MEH
Nearly getting by alone on its hilarious premise, (French vampire vs. mobsters who also become vampires), and highly recognizable and funny cast, John Landis' Innocent Blood misses some opportunities along the way. Most of the dialog should be a lot better, where some scenes could benefit from a good quip or two while others that have such one-liners fall flat more often than not. Anne Parillaud has a few enduring moments as the undead seductress, but her line delivery is a little too foreign and stiff, plus her character is really only sympathetic because she is narrating the film that she is in as her backstory and motivation are completely glossed over. Robert Loggia on the other hand is a joy to watch as he plays yet another raving mob boss, (this time succumbing to the blood sucking munchies), and watching Don Rickles of all people go through the same thing is as great as it sounds. Landis still has a keen knack for throwing actually frightening details in his horror comedies, (even comedies as particularly goofy as this), and the vampire's demonic voices, glowing eyes, and superhuman abilities all come off excellently. The movie is a bit overlong and sloppy near the middle and the ending seems hastily written, but you cannot say it fails to contain a worthy amount of memorable scenes.
(1999)
Dir - Roman Polanski
Overall: MEH
The, (most likely), last pure horror outing from Roman Polanski was his adaptation of Arturo Pérez-Reverte's novel The Club Dumas, here dubbed The Ninth Gate. Probably because the century was ending, the late 90s boasted a slew of Satan/apocalypse summoning films backed by major studies. The combination of the legendary director behind the lens and co-writing, household name Johnny Depp in the lead, and the occult heavy trend of the day make The Ninth Gate seem like a sure bet. It fails to live up to its expectations though as it is too long and too underwhelming to stick with you. Polanski is intentionally toying with horror cliches here as the movie has a comedic tone with the filmmaker particularly interested in making fun of pretentious, devil worshiping millionaires trying to summon the Dark One and getting their orgies on in black robes, in front of giant demon statues, and with red interior decorating everywhere. Yet just like his Fearless Vampire Killers from three decades prior, the humor usually is not humorous enough. Filmed entirely in Europe, (because you know, Polanski's whole not being able to set foot in America ever again thing), many beautiful, real life locations are used. Yet the awful rear projection seems unnecessary and distracting. The ending kind of blows up in your face, leaving practical questions as to what on earth is supernaturally going on as well as what Depp's character's role in all the unholy hoopla truly was.
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