Movies series where the first one is least well known

[Lance Uppercut]

Or lowest budget, or the least well received.

I always found it crazy that desperado and once upon a time in Mexico are sequels to a way lesser known movie called el mariachi.

It’s in a completely different language, shot entirely in Mexico, and not starting Antonio Banderas. Yet they all follow the same continuity.

Similarly, Everyone knows the Silence of the lambs. But it’s actually based on a book that’s already a sequel of a book that was also made into a movie. That was called Manhunter, but the book was called Red dragon. They eventually did make a red dragon with anthony Hopkins, so they have a story that’s somehow both a prequel and a remake.

I heard evil dead 2 is basically a remake of evil dead 1 because the first one was a low budget Indy movie, yet it’s still considered cannon and part of a trilogy.

[agent817]

The first "Mad Max." While I plan to revisit the series soon, I recall the setting being more functioning despite it being more dystopian than the subsequent films when it's more in a post-apocalyptic wasteland like in "The Road Warrior," "Beyond Thunderdome," and "Fury Road." I feel like the first film gets ignored at times.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

I don't know it for a fact, but I just kinda think the Ernest movies fall in here somewhere. Ernest Goes to Camp gets a few mentions, but I feel like Ernest Saves Christmas (less so) and Ernest Goes to Jail and Ernest Scared Stupid get more recognition. If I had to guess, I'd say Ernest Scared Stupid is probably the most well known of all the movies.

[DSR]

Not that it's forgotten or anything, but I feel like Dr. No is the least talked about/beloved entry in the James Bond franchise.

[BlackoutCreature]

Feb 16, 2024 23:52:22 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

I don't know it for a fact, but I just kinda think the Ernest movies fall in here somewhere. Ernest Goes to Camp gets a few mentions, but I feel like Ernest Saves Christmas (less so) and Ernest Goes to Jail and Ernest Scared Stupid get more recognition. If I had to guess, I'd say Ernest Scared Stupid is probably the most well known of all the movies.

Actually the Ernest movies are a good example of this.

The first Ernest "movie" was a 1983 direct-to-video affair called "Knowhutimean? Hey Vern, It's My Family Album". It was an anthology movie which used Ernest in wraparound segments to introduce the individual skits which starred Jim Varney playing other characters that Ernest claimed were relatives.

The second Ernest "movie" was a 1985 low budget theatrical release calls "Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam". Although to call it an Ernest movie is kinda misleading. It's more a Jim Varney movie that Ernest makes a couple of appearances in.

It's not until 1987's Ernest Goes to Camp that we get a movie specifically devoted to Ernest himself and we get the Ernest formula that we all know and love that would continue throughout the remainder of the franchise.

[DiBiase is Good]

The “Carry On” film series probably fits into this.
The first film (Sergeant) is only really known for being the first. Ask the average person in the UK to name a Carry On film, they’ll probably say Camping, Doctor, Matron, Up the Jungle, Up the Khyber or Screaming. All of which were made when the series was already in double digits.

[pinja]

The cultural impact of Night of the Living Dead was gigantic, but Dawn is arguably more famous and together with Day definitely higher budget. Of course I ignore all the other sequels.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

"Bilky Jack" is considered a cult classic, few know that it was a sequel to "The Born Losers".

Side notes:

1) there were FOUR Billy Jack movies.

2) the third was the first movie to do a nation-wide wide release, playing in more than 1000 theaters on it's opening night across America. Before that, movies would be released in large markets first and slowly roll out to smaller areas. The movie was panned by critics and audiences alike, but it was also the third highest box office money maker that year (after "Blazing Saddles" and "Towering Inferno", ahead of "Godfather 2" and "Young Frankenstein").

[dav]

Would Friday 13th count? It's Jason who became the icon of the franchise, and he didn't fully appear until the second one. He didn't even get his iconic look until the third.

[sabretooth]

First Blood seems to be the least mentioned of the Rambo movies.

[wildojinx]

The first Terminator was eclipsed by the second one.

[Alexander The So-so]

Feb 16, 2024 23:25:42 GMT -5 agent817 said:

The first "Mad Max." While I plan to revisit the series soon, I recall the setting being more functioning despite it being more dystopian than the subsequent films when it's more in a post-apocalyptic wasteland like in "The Road Warrior," "Beyond Thunderdome," and "Fury Road." I feel like the first film gets ignored at times.

Came in to say this. Still a good movie, but between its less over-the-top depiction of a collapsed society and how it has much more of a 70’s feel to it than an 80’s feel, it’s quite a contrast to the later Mad Max films.

[The Ichi]

I'm not big into the Fast and the Furious movies but it feels like nobody ever talks about the first.

[agent817]

Feb 17, 2024 16:16:45 GMT -5 The Ichi said:

I'm not big into the Fast and the Furious movies but it feels like nobody ever talks about the first.

Oh, you'd be surprised how a lot of whiners on the internet often complain when a new film is coming out. They're always saying, "It should've stopped after the first one," or, "They shouldn't have gone beyond the second or third." The same with people saying, "I miss when the series was about cars and racing," when only the third had racing as part of the plot.

I understand if you're not aware of this. It's just a common thing when people have to whine online.

[cosmo]

Feb 17, 2024 13:26:11 GMT -5 sabretooth said:

First Blood seems to be the least mentioned of the Rambo movies.

And that's kind of a bummer too, because I'd argue First Blood is the best one of them all. Granted, there's a big difference between First Blood's story (a Vietnam vet with really bad PTSD lashes out because all his triggers were hit at the same time) and those of the later movies (a pissed off ex-soldier kills a bunch of bad guys in some war zone). But it being different from the sequels makes it stand out more, plus Rambo's "nothing is over!" breakdown at the end is some of Stallone's best acting.

[saneiac]

Batman Begins. The Dark Knight got all the critical and commercial acclaim. The Dark Knight Rises had the memes. Both of them had bigger action sequences and much more interesting villains. Begins was just a decent Batman movie.

[Lance Uppercut]

Feb 17, 2024 17:37:02 GMT -5 saneiac said:

Batman Begins. The Dark Knight got all the critical and commercial acclaim. The Dark Knight Rises had the memes. Both of them had bigger action sequences and much more interesting villains. Begins was just a decent Batman movie.

it's weird how it's called the Dark Knight trilogy, when the first one isn't called the Dark Knight.