Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992)

August 3, 2023 12:20 PM

[TRAILER] Lovers (Zach Galligan, Monika Schnarre) flee through centuries on a time-trip of terror in a showdown with a demon lord (Alexander Godunov).

Also starring Sophie Ward, Bruce Campbell, Patrick Macnee, Martin Kemp, David Carradine, Marina Sirtis, Drew Barrymore.

Written & directed by Anthony Hickox.

Rotten Tomatoes says... you know what? Fuck RT. This is delightful.

Currently streaming free in the US on Tubi and Roku. JustWatch.

hanov3r was kind enough to support MeFi with a donation. Their request was for six films about time travel. bent back tulips also donated to MeFi and is interested in sci-fi thrillers, so I'm doubling down on this one, which is helpful since there are a lot of good films available. I'll be using the tag #timetravellin

Donate $25 or more to MeFi and you can MeMail me a request for a themed day of your own. I'll fill up the sidebar on FF with six movies that fit your theme.

posted by DirtyOldTown (7 comments total)

Yet another movie I'm a huge fan of. I have a dvd with Waxwork I and II.
posted by miss-lapin at 12:36 PM on August 3, 2023

Both Waxworks are goofy affairs, but weirdly earnest and entertaining.
posted by mrphancy at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2023 [2 favorites]

I had no clue there was a sequel to Waxworks. I'll have to check it out since I enjoyed the first one (it was terrible, but a fun watch)
posted by Julnyes at 11:29 AM on August 4, 2023 [2 favorites]

Oh you are in for treat, Julnyes! If you liked the first, I'm willing to bet you'll like the second.
posted by miss-lapin at 11:53 AM on August 4, 2023 [1 favorite]

I rewatched both films this weekend. Waxwork feels like Hickox really wanted to make a film that was a horror/adventure hybrid with shades of Spielberg, but only had 5% of the budget and he tried to fake his way through. It's charming but chintzy, with the practical FX and the lighting often being particularly shoddy.

This one has its cheap moments and still tilts towards a kind of broad comedy/imagining-this-for-the-Saturday-matinee vibe, but it has a much lighter touch and is more aware of its limitations. The result, ironically, is that it sort of sets Hickox free to fuck around more. Spot-on parodies like the ones for The Haunting and Alien, for example. Little Easter egg lines ("Alice? Who the *&^% is Alice?") etc. plus: Bruce Campbell! the result is far, far more entertaining.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:59 PM on March 10

Also: Michael Des Barres who plays George, Godonuov's fey, conniving right hand, has another career besides acting.

Here he is fronting The Power Station (he took over when Robert Palmer left) as they perform Get It on (Bang a Gong) at Live Aid in 1985.

He's also a literal marquis in real life!
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:03 PM on March 10

Both Waxworks are goofy affairs, but weirdly earnest and entertaining.

I think this is true of these. Maybe not the best made films ever but you know they make up for that in pure enjoyment. A favourite of my early 90s VHS days. And featuring Canadian model Monika Schnarre! A win for my late adolescence.
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:51 AM on March 11