From Beyond (1986)

From Beyond (1986), dir. Stuart Gordon, Empire International Pictures

With the Re-Animator raking in money and praise, even Band could see the profit to be made. Rushing into production, they picked the science fiction/horror yarn of the same name.

The result wasn't the same.

We begin with two scientists. Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel) and Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffery Combs) working on a special project in Pretorius's home. The Resonator hums with life, but Crawford is freaked out as he begins seeing strange alien creatures flying around the room. Pretorius, on the other hand, is enthralled. When one of the creatures bites Crawford, the younger scientist flees, leaving the older man to giddily embrace the new beings.

When the police arrive, they find Crawford nearly catatonic on the front lawn, while Pretorius's decapitated body lays in the lab. After telling what happened, Crawford finds himself committed. Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton) take an interest in the case. Looking at Crawford's CAT scan, she notes that the man's pineal gland is seriously enlarged. She decides that maybe he isn't crazy. She gets him released into her custody, on the condition they start Pretorius's Resonator back up again. Detective Bubba Brownlee (Ken Foree) goes with them, although he doesn't care for either doctor.

Rebuilding the machine, both doctors are shocked when Pretorius returns, speaking of an infinite world of pleasure existing beyond our limited perception. Crawford wisely shuts down the machine, but Katherine turns it back on the next day. "For Science!" is pretty much her motivation.

Pretorius comes back, more mutated than ever, and hungry for brains. Crawford and Bubba barely manage to cut the power, although the giant worm monster than appears is a worrying sign. Despite the very reasonable plan of running like hell, Pretorius forces his way back into the world again. His mutation is almost complete, as is his control over the beings from the other world...and he's still hungry. Can the three of them stop his mad quest for brains?

All told a disappointing follow up. The story told of strange horrors just beyond our perception is pure Lovecraft, but here the focus is more on the sex and violence. It just isn't weird enough really. Gordon adds the sex and violence, but it doesn't have the sheer over the top ludicrousness of Re-Animator.