House II: The Second Story

1987 "It's getting weirder!"
5.4| 1h28m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 28 August 1987 Released
Producted By: New World Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Jesse moves into an old family property where his parents were mysterious murdered years before. He soon finds himself with unexpected guests in the form of his mummified great-great grandfather, a mystical crystal skull, and a zombie cowboy.

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Claudio Carvalho Jesse (Arye Gross) moves to his biological parents' house with his girlfriend Kate (Lar Park Lincoln) and soon he hosts his friend Charlie (Jonathan Stark) with his girlfriend. Jesse reads old documents and decides to go to the local cemetery with Charlie to unbury his grand grand grandfather to seek out an ancient powerful Aztec skull. They reanimate Gramps (Royal Dano) that soon befriends Jesse and Charlie. But demons cross gateways in the house to retrieve the magic skull and Jesse and Charlie need to go to other dimensions to retrieve the skull and keep Gramps alive."House II: The Second Story" is a silly fantasy adventure based on the first House with new characters. The plot is a comedy with silly (and some of them also funny) moments but never a sequel of the first film. There are many points without a solution but the film is entertaining and cult. My vote is five.Title (Brazil): "House II - A Casa do Espanto" ("House II - The Frightening House")
trashgang I didn't like the original House but naturally I had to see the franchise but what a mistake this was. Thousands and thousands of flicks I have seen since the end of the seventies all horror and sci-fi but this here is just one utterly boring flick that I even used the fast forward button, a thing I normally never do. House was one for teenagers but this here is for toddlers. Ethan Wiley, also involved in House (screenplay) did wrote and directed this dull flick. The directing was okay and so many genre actors were involved coming from Fright Night ((1985) Jonathan Stark), to Lar Park-Lincoln (Friday the 13th part VII (1988)) to Royal Dano (Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)) but I just can't understand that they agreed to this childish flick. The creatures or animals looked really stupid and I didn't like them, for a horror. And the use of blue key (skeleton horse) and stop/motion (dinosaurs) really was outdated for 1987. The best part is only the last 15 minutes, at that part are a few nice effects. But overall it's just a family film in the tradition of Harry and the Hendersons (1987). Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 1/5 Comedy 0/5
gavin6942 The new owner (Arye Gross) of a sinister house gets involved with reanimated corpses and demons searching for an ancient Aztec skull with magic powers.Ethan Wiley (who wrote part one) wrote the story and also takes over as director, with Sean Cunningham staying on as producer. Wiley's background, interestingly enough, was in practical effects for "Return of the Jedi" and "Gremlins" working under Chris Walas. Steve Miner, the director of part one, was too busy making "Soul Man" to return, but did make his mark just the same: he recommended the lead actor, Arye Gross.Special mention must be given to Gregg Fonseca (1952–1994) who was production designer and made a tiny budget look like a big movie. The set designer does not often get much credit, but this is the sort of film where they should: look at depth and richness of the sets, and the wide variety Fonseca had to create. If the budget really was as low as they claim, he was working his butt off to get the job done.Some have said this film is "boring", but this is simply not true. If anything, it could be accused of being silly or just too much nonsense. But, for whatever reason, this is largely what is most appealing about the film... In fact, this film is generally better than the first, though it makes far less sense and it does not quite have the acting power that you get from William Katt. John Ratzenberger does outdo George Wendt, however, with all due respect to Wendt.What may have gotten the film a bad rap is its reception from horror fans. This film is like a "Friday the 13th" reunion, with Lar Park Lincoln, Kane Hodder, and Sean Cunningham. Not to mention other behind-the-scenes players. And that may be harmful, as those expecting horror really are not going to find it here. Despite the ghoulish cover art, this is really a "fantasy adventure" film. There is no blood or guts and really nothing in the way of scares.This film is followed by a part three (sort of, with "The Horror Show" not even using the same title) and a part four that actually picks up where the first left off... such a bizarre, unpredictable franchise, even by 1980s standards. Either two or four of these films is available in a box set from Arrow Video, depending on your region. For "House II", they not only ported over an earlier audio commentary, but add on a full-length documentary on its making, with interviews from not only the usual suspects, but some lesser-seen faces such as Chris Walas.
Anonymous Andy (Minus_The_Beer) Fun but dumb, "House II: The Second Story" is an altogether different tale than that of the original "House," starring William Katt. In the second installment, a yuppie couple (Arye Gross and Lar Park Lincoln) inherit a mansion, only to discover an alternate universe inside. Hijinks ensue when the lucky owner reunites with his undead great-great-grandfather and, along with his goofy buddy, battles baby pterodactyls, angry outlaws and Bill Maher.Although a character in "Scream 2" cites the film as a superior sequel, "House II" does little to one-up its predecessor. Taking on a much lighter tone and with little to no violence, this sequel is more like a campy spoof of the first film, which in and of itself was a silly affair. No worries, though, as once you know what to expect, you can have a good time with the film. The performances across the board are light-hearted and fun, with plenty of lovable goofballs to go around (a sequel concerning these characters would be a good time). The score by Harry Manfredini is most memorable, as you'll be humming the film's main theme not long after the credits have rolled.Writer/director Ethan Wiley may not have created much of a horror film, but his blend of the supernatural and absurd with a hint of Western makes for a winning recipe that just can't be matched. Those expecting bloodshed and jump-scares will be left in the cold, but perhaps with a few drinks in hand and with the right expectations, you'll find "House II: The Second Story" a film deserving of the title "cult classic."