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[Exhumed & Exonerated] ‘Ernest Scared Stupid’ (1991)

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Every decade has its ups and downs when it comes to cinema, no matter the genre.  Horror fans love to loft on high the output of the ‘30s & ‘40s, the ‘70s & ‘80s, and the more recent decades.  More often than not, however, the 1990s are labeled as the worst decade for the genre.  Not only that, but ‘90s horror tends to be written off as a whole, beyond a handful of undisputed classics.  The purpose of Exhumed & Exonerated: The ‘90s Horror Project, is to refute those accusations by highlighting numerous gems from the decade.  Stone cold classics will be tackled in this column from time to time, but its main purpose will be to seek out lesser-known and/or less-loved titles that I think deserve more attention and respect from fans.  Let the mayhem begin!

Ernest Scared Stupid

Directed by John R. Cherry III
Screenplay by John R. Cherry III, Charlie Gale, and Coke Sams
Produced by Stacy Williams, Martin Erlichman, and Coke Sams
Starring Jim Varney, Eartha Kitt, Austin Nagler, Shay Astar, Alec Klapper, John Cadenhead, and Bill Byrge
Released on October 11, 1991

Ernest P. Worrell, now the chief sanitation worker for Briarville, Missouri, finds himself up to his elbows in trolls when he accidentally unleashes an ancient curse upon the town. With only a few kids believing the insanity that stalks the streets, Ernest must discover his own connection to this curse and figure out a way to put a stop to it all as terror descends upon Briarville on Halloween night. What chance does the world have against evil when Ernest is its chosen savior?

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Horror comedies are always a tricky thing, especially when they target general audiences. While the likes of the Evil Dead sequels (and current TV series) and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil are no small feats of perfection, they can often fall back on outrageous (and occasionally offensive) gore-filled sequences for laughs at times. No such luck when it comes to more family-friendly horror comedy fare. That’s not to say that Ernest Scared Stupid doesn’t have its fair share of goopy special effects work. It absolutely does, but their usage is somewhat different. More on that later.

Lately, I have found myself thinking about horror comedy sequels (or loose follow-ups) in regards to comedy troupes. In spite of the fact that this gem is celebrating its 25th year of cinematic existence, that’s actually what caused me to choose it right now. It’s a funny thing, horror and long-running comedy groups. They mix together often…

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is often viewed as the pinnacle of such genre-mashing. Bud and Lou didn’t stop there, however, with the legendary comedic duo taking on spooks (Hold That Ghost), murderers (Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff), and even more monsters (Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy, Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man). They even did a TV appearance that made sure to work the Creature from the Black Lagoon into the proceedings.

Mel Brooks tackled such a mash-up a few times, most famously with Young Frankenstein, but also with the likes of High Anxiety and Dracula: Dead & Loving It. The Bowery Boys, another classic comedy troupe, did six such films (out of almost 90!) through their various incarnations from the late ‘30s up through the late ‘50s. The Three Stooges had We Want Our Mummy (among others) and Laurel & Hardy had A Haunting We Will Go. More recently, we’ve seen Broken Lizard (2004’s Club Dread) and Tyler Perry enter this realm, with the latter’s Boo! A Madea Halloween arriving in theaters this very week.

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In light of all of this, I’m glad that Ernest P. Worrell managed to make his own entry into this would-be canon of horror comedy history. Lucky for him, it was a good one too! Jim Varney brand of comedy is a very specific one and I suspect that many have and/or will find it grating. Most comedy is a product of its time and the nine Ernest films are no exception, at least based upon the ones I have personally seen. Varney’s distinctive mannerisms and energy even take some getting used to from fans, if you haven’t viewed one of his films in a long time.

So how does Ernest Scared Stupid measure up? Very well. While my love has always skewed more towards Ernest Saves Christmas and (especially) Ernest Goes To Jail, there’s no denying how fun this fourth entry in the (once) popular franchise is. The film is far more kid-centric than both of those, positioning Ernest as someone who is more comfortable being friends with children, which actually works in its favor. A big kid at heart himself, Varney has a strong rapport with his child co-stars that helps smooth over their acting deficiencies.

The plot is an old school dark fairytale-esque one, something that is wholly backed up by the film’s look and tone. We even get the classical doomsayer in the form of a seemingly-crazed old woman living in the woods, played by the incomparable Eartha Kitt! You’ve gotta love it. Well, you don’t have to, but I certainly do. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t bring up the superb opening sequence, which sees footage from countless B-movie staples mixed up with footage of Varney mucking about and reacting to spooky sounds, Scooby-Doo-style.

Of course, beyond just the memorable gags and lines, the film also has some great FX to stand on. Courtesy of the Chiodo Brothers (Killer Klowns from Outer Space), Trantor and his troll offspring all look great. In fact, they look like they rolled off the set of an ‘80s Jim Henson dark fantasy production, further embracing those previously-mentioned fairytale overtones. A few of them also look more than a little familiar.

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There’s no getting around the fact that I look upon this film with nostalgic eyes. As much as I can try to be objective, there will always be an element of that at play whenever I sit down with this film. To curb that, for this viewing I brought my own children along for the ride. They are always down to love a “new” movie, but also often quick to abandon one if it is not to their liking. For better or worse, children can often be brutally honest. Lucky for Ernest Scared Stupid, they fell head over heels for it. So much so, in fact, that they want to watch it again soon.

Is Ernest Scared Stupid a horror comedy masterpiece on the level of Young Frankenstein or Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein? No, but it also isn’t trying to be. It’s simply a wildly entertaining genre mash-up aimed at kids. On that front, it absolutely sings. The FX hold up and so do the laughs, providing that Jim Varney’s iconic comedy persona is up your alley. If you haven’t seen it in awhile, give it a whirl (Worrell?). Bring some kids along for the ride too, if you can. Don’t kidnap any, of course, but if you don’t have children of your own, nieces, nephews, younger cousins, or your babysitting subjects will work fine as well. It’s a great choice to help (further) introduce them to the genre, especially this time of year. Knowhutimean?

Up Next: Cape Fear (1991)

Previously On…
Species | Mute Witness | Popcorn | Wishmaster | Alien 3 | Cast A Deadly Spell
Disturbing Behavior | The Sect | The Addams Family | The Ugly
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer | Arachnophobia | Ernest Scared Stupid

 

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

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Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

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Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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