(1981)
Overall: MEH
This early effort from Wes Craven is an atypical one in several respects for the filmmaker. Professional and clean, filmed on location in the bright and sunny farmlands of Waxahachie, Texas and equipped with a sweeping, often busy and romantic score by James Horner, Deadly Blessing has the persistent look and feel of a made for TV movie. Though Michael Berryman briefly returns from The Hills Have Eyes, the last two minutes are supernaturally eye-popping, and it occasionally adheres to the slasher framework, hardly any other standard Craven trappings are present. Most noticeable is a lack of purposeful schlock, which is the director's usual stock and trade. Though it therefor boasts a consistent, serious tone for a change and the accidental silliness is kept to a minimum, that leaves the humdrum story to play out unremarkably. Ernest Borgnine camps it up as an ubber-Amish family leader, plus a twenty-three year old Sharon Stone gets terrorized by spiders for some reason, so there is that. Also, watch out for a recognizable bathtub shot that Craven would use again in A Nightmare on Elm Street, replacing a snake in this instance with Freddy's claws in the latter.
(1982)
Overall: MEH
The only comic book action film from Wes Craven was Swamp Thing; a low budget offering that is passable if ultimately lackluster. Long before superhero movies were taken remotely seriously and a few years before Alan Moore would embark on his legendary Swamp Thing run for DC, this is essentially a by-the-books, misunderstood monster in a rubber suite interpretation of the character. It is also one with less than exemplary production values. Dick Durock looks more silly than intimidating as the title character, but he is nowhere near as embarrassing as when Louis Jordan goes full sword-wielding werewolf in a Gorn-worthy costume that ups the camp value tenfold. The second act brings everything to a meandering stand-still, but the finale is nothing to write home about either, being both sappy, (pardon the pun), and underwhelming. Adrienne Barbeau makes a bosomy scream queen and treats the material more sincere than it deserves, but her commitment is not enough to elevate the film above being just a forgettable example of when such movies were mere disposable cheapies.
(1984)
Overall: GOOD
The same year that A Nightmare on Elm Street was released, Wes Craven delivered the less famous made for television film Invitation to Hell for ABC. With a well-maintained and eerie tone that is more level-headed than the director's bombastic and camp-fueled works, the script by Richard Rothstein heavily recalls the type of cultish, suburbanite paranoia found in The Stepford Wives and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, except with a supernatural slant. As is usually the case, the network television presentation neuters certain aspects, but the sterile look actually suits the material where upper middle class conformity and ambition is critiqued. There is no gore or disturbing nastiness, but the final set piece is effectively strange and creepy, even if it is also silly and dated. The cast has a hefty number of familiar faces as well, with a pre-Punky Brewster Soleil Moon Frye and a pre-The Neverending Story Barret Oliver showing up as Robert Urich and Joanna Cassidy's kids. Kevin McCarthy and Michael Berryman drop in for a couple of seconds as well.
(1985)
Overall: MEH
Accounts vary as to what went wrong with Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes Part II, a sequel to his flawed yet more enduring original. While the movie is not as abysmal as its long-standing reputation dictates, (Craven has done far worse), it is still problematic. It could be that the production ran out of money, that it was heavily tampered with after the fact, or that Craven was simply in a financial pickle and knocked-out such a lazy follow-up for a quick paycheck. In any event, the film was shelved for two years, only emerging in a post A Nightmare on Elm Street landscape and appearing that much more amatuerish and lame because of it. In an attempt to stretch out the running time, significant amounts of footage is taken from the first movie in the form of arbitrary flashbacks. Yet it is also padded with boring dirt bike races and awful pacing, with mostly obnoxious male characters and comparatively more likeable female ones prattling on and slowly walking around. Once the sun goes down and things get drenched in darkness, Craven does manage to stir up a little atmosphere. Unfortunately though, he endlessly interrupts it with cheap jump scares and sloppy tonal shifts. It is more boring than anything and easily one of the most unnecessary and lackluster sequels of its kind, which is saying a lot.
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