CHILDREN OF THE CORN II : THE FINAL SACRIFICE
The second part of “Children of the Corn” begins with the discovery by the inhabitants of the neighboring village that the adult population of Gatlin was the victim of genocide. This once quiet and uneventful small village is quickly invaded by a horde of reporters seeking sensations. John Garrett is also a journalist, but his career has been in a sorry state for too long and he hopes to find something in Gatlin that will put it back on track. He is accompanied by his son Dany, child of a failed marriage, who blames John for abandoning him all these years. Garrett and Dany settle in a hostel run by Angelina, who, like most of the inhabitants of the neighboring village did, sheltered one of the young orphans, victim of this tragedy. Dany’s uneasiness towards his father is noticed by Micah, the teenager hosted by Angelina, who takes advantage of the situation and leads him to a secret meeting of the Cult of the Corn, of which he has become the new leader. Meanwhile, Garrett meets Frank Red Bear, an Indian anthropologist also trying to solve the mystery surrounding this ghost town. Together, they quickly discover the despicable plan of Hemingford’s officials: to sell the corn harvest from the previous year, contaminated by a dangerous toxin, to heedless buyers.
Although Fritz KIERSCH directed the first film of this macabre story coming from a collection of short stories by Stephen KING (“DANSE MACABRE”), it is David F. PRICE who is in charge of the logical sequel of this bloody harvest. His first steps behind the camera for the sequel of TO DIE FOR, better put together than the first film, were unanimously acclaimed by the critics. The scenario of CHILDREN OF THE CORN II was cheerfully written by regulars of the series TALES FROM THE CRYPT, and the numerous special effects are the result of Bob Keen (THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, NIGHTBREED, HARDWARE, BRAINDEAD, …). The main role of this danse macabre is played by Terence KNOX (ST. ELSEWHERE, THE HITCHHIKER) and the young Ryan BOLLMAN makes his (frightening) screen debut here.