976-EVIL II (1992)

Spike (Pat O'Bryan) survives the events of the first film and now roams the countryside on his motorcycle. Why? We're not completely sure, but he does end up in a town where a college Dean has been abusing the 976- EVIL hot line and killing young girls. He is arrested but uses Astral Projection to leave his cell and continue to stalk Robin (Debbie James), the sheriff's daughter who has teamed up with Spike. This sequel is a strange creature. It makes an effort to connect with the first film, but feels completely like a random horror script they forced the 976 concept onto. Director Jim Wynorski handles it well enough and gets bonus points for some really WTF? moments (the biggest one being George "Buck" Flower getting obliterated by a semi). Crazed stunt coordinator Spiro Razatos delivers two pretty spectacular car crash bits. One of them (a girl in a runaway, possessed car) features a few shots where I think the actress really feared for her life and Wynorski has recycled this footage many times. The film's biggest plus is a genuinely creative bit where a character is zapped into a mash up of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (both in public domain at the time). And you thought James Stewart was never in a Wynorski film. Bridgette Nielsen has a small cameo as a Satanic book shop owner and Philip McKeon of ALICE fame is a deputy.

I remember watching this one some time back and I can't say as it really struck me, but since it appeared on one side of a double header along with Home Sweet Home, I was happy to see it again. I've never seen the original and it'll likely be some time before I do since it was cut in the UK (sadly where I live) and even in the US the DVD release is apparently missing footage from the original release. 976 Evil 2 goes for a supernatural slasher vibe, we have a school principal by the name of Stefan Grubek granted dark powers by the nefarious 976 line and its "horrorscopes". Locked up on suspicions of murder, he uses the power of astral projection to exit the confines of his cell and avenge himself on those who sent him down, as well as tormenting the pretty policemans daughter that is our heroine. Director Jim Wynorski gets things off to a storming start, tits and a taut chase scene ending in inspired, verging on operatic murder. Its an Italian style flourish and very nearly brilliant, if the grue were upped just a couple of degrees it surely would be. Still a memorable opening that gets the film off on just the right footing. It stays there too, with a bustling pace and exciting chain of events, though the film often traverses cheesy territory, there's real gusto and commitment to it, we get evil chat on the telephone, a decaying and delightfully hammy villain, supernatural slaying and one whoop making sequence of a possessed kitchen going on the offensive. Rene Assa wigs out in fine fashion as Grubek, oozing arrogant malevolence he is quite splendidly hissable, while on the side of the angels Patrick O'Bryan returns from the original and does perfectly well going through typical "cool guy with leather jacket and motorcycle" motions, Debbie James is a perfectly cute heroine and we get a pleasingly barmy little cameo from Brigitte Nielsen. Regrettably the film doesn't move up through the exploitation gears after its splendid opening, we get no more nudity and it's a shame, though as I recall Wynorski always had a thing for falsies so it might not be such a bad thing that he doesn't indulge here. More unfortunately, there ain't much gore here, and a couple of the killings are off screen too. Sure, Grubeks increasingly grody visage makes up a little for this, but still I would have liked a little more blood in this party. Also the ending is a bit weak and the final moments don't really come off. Still, for the most part this is a kinda neat little film, worth a watch for fans of cheesy late 80's supernatural horror trash.

If you're not familiar with the first film from 1988, it starred Stephen Geoffreys (had a notable role in 1985's Fright Night) as a bullied youth who dials 976-Evil and receives supernatural powers that turn him into a demon; Splendid 80's creature horror that couldn't have been better. This remake does not maintain substantial continuity nor does Geoffreys return to reprise his role. Patrick O'Bryan does return to fulfill his role of Spike, however – the cousin to the main character of the first film. A college student by name of Robin discovers that her dean, Mr. Grubek, is accused of being the Slate River Killer – a deranged killer responsible for murdering other young females. By submitting his will to the mysterious voice over the phone, Grubek is given the power of astral projection (that is to say, he can leave his body at will and still perform certain tasks). After witnessing another girl's death at the hands of Grubek, Robin learns the secrets of the phone line with the aid of Spike - a man all-too-familiar with how powerful and dangerous it can be.Whoever said this movie was better than the first installment was a lunatic. I should have known this sequel was going to fall flat on its face. It was a straight-to-VHS release and just based on visuals alone anyone can draw that conclusion. There's no charm to be found in its weak attempt at black humor either; it's just lame all-around. I can't think of one likable thing about this film – not one! The makeup is pitiful in comparison to the first and all of the actors do a lackluster job (specifically one of the police officers who's on watch duty – I hope someone wrote him after that performance and told him to quit forever, or else).The cheapness that encompasses the production value speaks volumes. I'd only agree to watch this movie on the premise that it was background filler and I was pre-occupied with something more important. Being that it was only important for me to watch this once, I don't expect to view it ever again – but whenever I get that feeling of satisfaction within me, and I let a bad title remain in my past, it always manages to find a way creep back in. So, with that said, this probably won't be the last time I see you, 976-Evil II.In passing, it mentions Joe Bob Briggs on a wall advertisement. This was obviously intentional, as Joe Bob's Drive-in Theater was shown regularly on television at the time – a show in which Joe Bob (John Bloom) would provide trivia and humorous critiques of B-rated movies. He later expanded upon this format and shifted his focus to straight-to-VHS horror movies. It was basically like giving permission to ridicule the film on account of how terrible it was. I have no idea what to make of the ending. No idea at all. I'm all for nontraditional endings that don't have to end happily, but COME ON. Is that what you call a twist? I call that, "I tripped over something that was laying on the floor and fell against a wall, then proceeded to fall end-over-end down a long spiral staircase, rendering me unconscious upon impact." Don't waste your time with this one and heed my warning.

976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor starts at Slate River college where the dean Mr. Grubeck (Rene Assa) has just murdered pretty blonde teenager Lori Glazier (Karen-Mayo Chandler) which brings his murder count to five girls, this time however a drunk bum named Turrell (George 'Buck' Flower) is witness to his crime & Grubeck is arrested. Grubeck is given his statutory one phone call which he uses to phone 976-EVIL a direct line to hell, Grubeck is given powers which enable him to astrally project himself while asleep & is also given the name of the drunk who meets a very sticky end that night. Meanwhile pretty blonde teenager (notice a pattern here?) Robin (Debbie James) is contacted by 976-EVIL survivor Spike (Patrick O'Bryan reprising his role from the original) who knows that Grubeck is using the Satanic hot-line to murder & generally be antisocial, by a strange coincidence Robin used to work for Grubeck who developed a crush on her & he still has it...Directed by Jim Wynorski, whose very name when attached to a film sends shivers down my spine, 976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor is a terrible sequel to a fairly decent original. The script by Erik Anjou plays the concept far more like a standard teen slasher (as if we didn't already have enough) rather than trying to develop the demonic phone-line to hell idea as in the first, instead they take the 976-EVIL premise & simply use it to give some supernatural powers to a homicidal maniac who wants to kill lots of dumb & annoying teenagers, yawn. The whole things a bit of an embarrassment really, it's predictable, the character's really are stupid & gullible, the exploitation elements are lacking & as a film it provides little in the way of entertainment. The opening scene features a naked blonde in a shower for no reason other than show off her breasts, she is chased by Grubeck & then just lies there & waits for him to kill her which he does by pulling a rope which releases a fake stalactite to impale her! It doesn't get much better either apart from a couple of decent car chase scenes & one or two nice kills, overall there is very little to recommend here I'm afraid.Director Wynorski still had the nerve to use his real name on the credits when he made this back in '91 instead of hiding under his usual Jay Andrews pseudonym, the film is reasonably well made but it doesn't have any style or the visual look of the first film. It's pretty bland & forgettable stuff while the gore is also disappointing, someone is impaled, someone has a garden trowel stuck in them in a direct rip-off, sorry homage to Night of the Living Dead (1968), a few after the fact slit throats, & in the films best moment a guy is hit by a speeding truck & he just explodes everywhere, excellent. 976-EVIL is also one of those films where it's fun to try & spot all the continuity errors as there's plenty of them.Technically the film is OK, although I'm sure that truck at the end changes between a tanker trailer & box trailer... Now on to the best aspect of 976-EVIL, Miss USA finalist Debbie James. Frankly she is one pretty hot looking young lady & makes the film a lot easier to sit through that's for sure, she can't act but she sure looks good & nobody's perfect are they? As for everyone else the acting sucks including original cast returnee O'Bryan.976-EVIL: The Astral Factor is an awful film from the ever awful Jim Wynorski, it didn't do anything for me & I think the original 976-EVIL (1987) is a far superior film that tried to do something with the concept whereas this doesn't.