I recently stumbled across this little dilemma while browsing the IMDb for research purposes and was on the Indiana Jones #4 site. A question posed in that message board asked if there has ever been a good PART 4 to a series of films. Quite honestly, I couldn't think of any. How many part fours are there anyways? I mean, what franchise of movies has been that commercially successful to reach the point where a part four has been made? And then has it been good enough to be acclaimed critically? That is an impressive feat just to consider.
Oh wait, here are two.... duh:
Star Wars and
Star Trek
Seriously, how many more are there?
I doubt you would call these good but off the top of my head:
Friday the 13th
Halloween
Lethal Weapon
Rocky
I'm sure there's more if you sit and think about it.
Star Trek was about the only one I could think of off the top of my head. Maybe the James Bond films, although they aren't really sequels in the strictest sense.
Slasher films might be considered. Many consider Friday the 13th: Part 6 to be the best of the series. The fourth wasn't bad, and was at least successful enough for them to make the really crappy Part 5. But slasher flicks, in their day, were almost a different animal.
Certainly, most series never get past three movies, or the fourth is a stinker. I recall that over at Jabootu, Ken did a nice piece a while back on the law of diminishing sequels as it applied to the Jaws franchise. A very good read.
By the way, this is an interesting topic, one I don't think has come up here before.
Post Edited (04-20-05 06:56)
Rocky IV was the only one that jumped to mind that had any commercial success, but critically the reception was tepid at best.
"Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" was just sad. And while it might not be your taste, the fourth "Toxic Avenger" installment, "Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV" continues Troma's most successful franchise.
Steve Guttenberg's swan song in the "Police Academy" movies was a 4th. "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol". This was the LAST Police Academy movie that I could sit through and not throw things at the screen.
Rob
The KO Picture Show
Gee, the first Part 4 that came to my mind was Deathstalker IV: Match of Titans. And I haven't seen it yet, though reviews of it aren't very good.
Slaughterhouse Five was pretty good.
(I'm kidding)
What about the fourth Dirty Harry movie, SUDDEN IMPACT? Unfortunately, they had to follow that up with THE DEAD POOL and prove that even Dirty Harry has his limits.
Bride of Chucky was the fourth in the Child's Play series. About the best one I can think of.
The fourth Godzilla movie is Godzilla vs. Mothera and that's among my favorites.
Whatever movie Zombie 4 is it's not going to be as good as Zombi 2 (the first one done by Fulci)
Hey now, don't be talking crap about Dirty Harry...come to think of it though, the Dead Pool was pretty weak.
ZOMBIE 4: AFTER DEATH is the movie Dave, and you are so right. It is really bad.
Oh no. I would never talk crap about Dirty Harry. It is unfortunate, though, that movie, THE DEAD POOL, used a character with the same name. I mean, could you have ever imagined Harry running from a remote controlled car? Not Harry. (:
Zombie 4's "book of the dead" is a must see. That must have been the laziest prop department of all time.
Land Before Time
Bleecccch
Mr. Briggs Inc. wrote:
> Land Before Time
Aren't they up to something like 11 of those? Scary.