This year the film studios will be doing something different, and long overdue, they will release three scary movies in a three-disc box set that follow a certain theme. This box set I shall review has the theme ‘Revenge is Sweet' and features the films: Candy Man 2: Farewell to the Flesh, The Fog and Terror Train.
Candy Man 2: Farewell to the Flesh This film is set years after the first Candy Man takes place where the legend of the hook-for-a-hand boogeyman is more alive than ever. Also, the story is set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras instead of casual Chicago. This sequel is not as good as the first, most likely due to Clive Barker not being the author but Tony Todd is back as the Candy Man. We learn more about the background of the legend and learn that the Candy Man has descendents. The scares are not so good and Mardi Gras naked fun is rampant. This is a DVD for the curious and bored, but for a real scare watch the original Candy Man film. Special features: audio commentary by Bill Condon and theatrical trailer.
John Carpenter's The Fog This is not the modern version ofThe Fog this is the original scary version. After the wild success of Halloween John Carpenter brings us scary monsters in a dark little town by the sea. A fake but creepy fog moves through the town bringing something wicked and ugly with it. Jamie Lee Curtis, her mother Janet Leigh, 80s sex icon Adrienne Barbeau and recent Oscar nominee Hal Holbrook star in this cult film that builds the tension as the fog rises. I recommend this film for anyone who loves a good scare in a classic film. Out of the three films this one has the best special features with: commentary by John Carpenter and Debra Hill; funny and goofy outtakes worth a bow; two documentaries on the making of complete with interviews, one is recent and the other was made when The Fog was released; The Fog remake trailer; storyboard to film comparison; advertising gallery and a photo gallery.
Terror Train A campy but surprisingly scary film has Jamie Lee Curtis as a college student whose fraternity decides to go on one last all-out party before they graduate. Unfortunately, their past comes to haunt them. While as freshmen Curtis and her fraternity brothers and sisters play a cruel prank on the wrong person. Fast forward three years and the entire fraternity is about to embark on a train for their wild party. You would think the filling would start while on the train, but no, proving that sometimes you should not consider everything to be a prank even if it comes by the expert prankster. A very young David Copperfield appears as a magician and he is mesmerizing to watch. While you figure out that the killer is the poor soul tormented three years prior you just do not know who he is now. I strongly recommend this film out of the three just for the wit and cleverness put into the mystery and scares, and Copperfield is worth the watch. The only special feature is the original theatrical trailer that is better than many trailers made today.
