Happy 30th birthday Creepshow 2!

May 1st 2017, 3:41pm

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Happy Birthday CREEPSHOW 2!

The cover box for CREEPSHOW 2 was the scariest thing in my childhood. My brother and sister would sneak up behind me in our local video store and put the cover in my face. I was only scared of the front of the box, I never dared see what was on the back! Eventually, I grew up and watched the film and like most flicks that terrified me with their box-art in childhood, CREEPSHOW 2 didn't quite hold up to me.

Oh, well.

Over the years, however, I have come to greatly appreciate one of the flick's tales. You already know the one I'm talking about. Yep, THE RAFT. The other stories are boring and leaning towards terrible, but THE RAFT still holds up as well today (I literally just re-watched it this morning) as it did when I first braved the flick back as a teen.

Basically, it comes down to this: if you haven't for some reason already peeped CREEPSHOW 2, save yourself a bit of time and just watch the wrap-around parts (with Tom Savini as the new Creeper) and the segment called THE RAFT. It is a classic. Fun, scary, surprising, and gory as all hell, THE RAFT is sure to scare your girlfriend a time or two. Or more…

Enjoy!

CREEPSHOW 2 synopsis:

This second horror anthology presents more eerie tales based on Stephen King stories. One episode finds a cigar-store Native American statue coming to life to avenge the death of the shop owner (George Kennedy) and his wife (Dorothy Lamour). Another features a group of teens menaced by a blob-like creature. The final installment follows a wealthy and callous woman (Lois Chiles) who hits a hitchhiker with her car and decides to flee the scene, but the victim isn't inclined to remain dead.

CREEPSHOW 2 Trivia:

Cameo Stephen King: The truck driver in "The Hitchhiker" segment.

Stephen King wrote an outline for the movie, which George A. Romero then adapted into a screenplay. The second of the three segments, The Raft, is based on King's short story of the same name from 1982. The other two segments are original stories for the movie.

Although the film consists of only three short horror stories – and the wrap-around animation story, there were, just like in the original 'Creepshow', originally five stories written. One of these, "The Cat From Hell", was later used in the similar anthology film, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990), released in 1990 and directed by the original Creepshow's composer, John Harrison. The other story originally intended to be in Creepshow 2 was the Stephen King short story, "Pinfall", about ghostly rival bowling teams.

Actor Daniel Beer, who played Randy in the segment, "The Raft", almost died from Hypothermia, the water was so cold, his body turned green. The crew wanted him to continue acting, but director Michael Gornick, said if they get him to keep working, he will walk off the set & never return. So they took him to the hospital, and he made a full recovery, & completed the segment of "The Raft"

Actor David Holbrook appears in the segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead". His father, Hal Holbrook starred in the original feature film, Creepshow (1982) (segment "The Crate").

At the beginning of the final segment, "The Hitch-Hiker", several Stephen King novels are visible in the bedroom, on the headboard of the bed.

During the second segment, "The Raft", Laverne is wearing a shirt from 'Horlicks University', the same university stenciled on the crate from the original Creepshow.

Actress Dorothy Lamour's last film (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead").

An early "Currently in Production" trailer re-uses the theme music from Halloween.

When Andy Cavanaugh, one of the three young punks in the first story, "Old Chief Wooden' head", is checking out the comic book and magazine rack at Spruce's General Store, several issues of "Creepshow" can be seen with the same cover as the graphic novel adaptation of the original 1982 Creepshow. The artwork is by famed E.C. artist, Jack Kamen.

Makeup artist Ed French left the film amid the filming of "The Raft" after being snubbed by the director who turned to Howard Berger for advice on how to fix blob monster in the lake. Berger and Greg Nicotero finished the remaining effects in the film without French.

Makeup artist Ed French was originally supposed to play The Creep but when he left the project Tom Savini stepped in to play the small prosthetic-laden role.

By the time they began shooting they were already 10 days behind due to unexpected rain in their Arizona locations.

In the segment 'Old Chief Woodn' head', the cover of the Iron Maiden's song The Trooper appears when Fatstuff is killed.