This time, it’s personal — and actually a lot more entertaining.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Directed by: James Whale
Written by: William Hurlbut and John L. Balderston
Sequel to: Frankenstein (1931)
Why it's better: Bride of Frankenstein leans into an early camp sensibility that was sorely lacking from the more sincere Frankenstein. It's a richer, more developed story overall, and it even manages to incorporate some notable queer subtext.
Universal Pictures
The Godfather Part II (1974)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo
Sequel to: The Godfather (1972)
Why it’s better: As it follows a hardened Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), The Godfather Part II isn't just a sequel to The Godfather: It's also a prequel, documenting the rise of young Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro). It is epic in scope, and thematically bookends the first film in a way no other sequel has managed since.
Paramount Pictures
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Directed by: George A. Romero
Written by: George A. Romero
Sequel to: Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Why it’s better: George A. Romero's first two zombie films are so different from one another that it's hard to judge them in a face-off. But Dawn of the Dead is the more impressive achievement, and its unsubtle commentary about the zombification of America was revolutionary at the time.
Image Ten
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Written by: Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan
Sequel to: Star Wars (1977)
Why it’s better: The first Star Wars has a lot of world-building to do — and it does so incredibly well. But The Empire Strikes Back is able to expand on that, and, because it's the middle section of a trilogy, allow for more darkness and ambiguity, including a cliffhanger ending that dramatically raised the stakes.
20th Century Fox
