‘Eli Roth’s History of Horror’ Recap: ‘Sequels That Don’t Suck’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season three premiere of ‘Eli Roth’s History of Horror’.
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One thing that cinephiles can agree upon, is that a fair chunk of sequels out there… suck. And there is good reason as to why that consensus exists. For there are plenty of Part Two’s and beyond out there, that tend to rehash what came before to rake in some cash and keep a popular franchise going and perhaps the best place to prove this point, is to look squarely at the horror genre. Because for ages now, this genre has played host to cash-grab sequels that offer little in production values or quality storytelling. They simply serve up a sloppy sequel in the hopes that people will somehow associate their muck with utter greatness. But while it is indeed frustrating to see sequels that are desperate attempts to cash in on popularity, the good news is that not all horror sequels (or sequels in general), stink.
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In fact, there are some out there that are far superior to the original and have managed to find a special place in the hearts and minds of cinephiles and horror fans everywhere and for that matter, some have even left a blueprint, as to how to make a quality sequel, for others to follow. If anything, this is top of mind today, simply because the season three premiere of Eli Roth’s History of Horror, took the time to spotlight ‘Sequels That Don’t Suck’. Such as say… Psycho II. A horror story that should have failed miserably for even attempting to continue Hitchcock’s masterpiece. But its stellar storyline and wonderful character arc for Norman Bates, has put it in the upper echelon of horror sequels and it has taught all of us that quality and thoughtful writing, alongside challenging the cast… can forge a great sequel. 

As can challenging the audience in new ways, as evidenced by both A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and Scream 2. Since both of those sequels really took the audience to task. A feat that Dream Warriors accomplished by unleashing Freddy’s powers, since the kills here were so outlandish and so epic that the audience didn’t know what to expect, and it doesn’t hurt that bringing back a fan favorite character and having them die, wowed the audience like never before. As for Scream 2, well… it simply left the audience in awe. Because they were kept guessing from beginning to end as to who could be the new Ghostface, now that the original killers were dead, and that led to a powerful and thoughtful reveal for certain. One that made it clear that engaging and wowing the audience, and asking them to experience something bold and unique, really can create an iconic sequel. 

But perhaps the best example of all, as to how to make a sequel iconic, came about by way of the show’s examination of Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Since this wonderful segment made it clear that sometimes, going for broke and just trying new things can result in something miraculous. After all, this is a sequel that had the potential to be an outright clone of the original and in many ways, it starts off in that nature. But director Joe Dante’s decision to lampoon his own work and basically lampoon whatever came to mind in this sequel, alongside making the Gremlins bigger and badder and outright hilarious with their antics, paved the way for a grand follow-up. One that many love more than the original and that really does go to show that originality and risk pay off in the sequel market since The New Batch really did stand out from its predecessor, and captivated audiences. 

Yet you’ve probably noticed that there has been little discussion here regarding movies such as Aliens and Dawn of the Dead and there is good reason for that. For this documentary only mentioned them in passing and rightfully so, since plenty has been written about how they surpass their respective originals. So rather than re-tread such discussions, why not spotlight follow-ups that don’t get talked about enough and have established how to make sequels better and going that route, made for one amazing premiere. One that really did remind us, how much we missed this show and its wondrous insight, since it really did offer up some amazing points here and some fascinating examinations on sequels that really do wow the viewer and well, now that this chapter has ended… all we can do is eagerly await next Friday’s entry and all the wonderful lessons it is going to send our way. Until then.

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