La casa di Helen

If you liked Army of Darkness... you will want to see this movie!

This movie is a comedy, horror, fantasy type similar to "Army of Darkness". House 2 however, has nothing to do with the original release of "House". It is a stand alone movie. Good acting and a creative story line make this well worth watching!

House II: The Second Story (no pun intended, I'm sure) is a great example of lighthearted horror. I've loved this movie since I was a kid. I applaud Ethan Wiley, who also wrote the original, for making a sequel that is good enough to carry on the House name. A lot of people are blown away by the fact that this movie has nothing to do with Roger Cobb or his house. But what they were trying to do with this series was to inspire an anthology of haunted house movies, and not staying with the same house. Although having nothing to do with the original, House II still manages to continue its inventive legacy. For example, look at the scene where the cupboard pops open to reveal an ironing board. That's a conventional horror scare tactic and yet, it's not a cat that popped out. It's more creative than most genre pictures. Another tradition they seemed to maintain was having a Cheers cast member in the film. This time it's John Ratzenberger. Did you ever think you'd see Cliff Clavin fighting amazon warriors? House II is a very funny film too. There's more comedy in this one, but it's not over the top.

The cast helps to make the comedy work. Royal Dano gives a great performance as the kindhearted Gramps. He plays the funny parts just right, and has those sad eyes in other scenes that make you feel sorry for his character. The comical tag team of the heroes, Arye Gross (Soul Man) and Jonathon Stark (Fright Night) works well. But what in the hell is Bill Maher doing in this movie? And why wasn't he killed? The best lines of dialogue are between Jonathon Stark and Bill Maher:

Maher: "Who's your friend, Bozo the Clown?"

Stark: "No, Bozo the Death Machine."

And I can't forget to mention Harry Manfredini's score. It holds the movie together no matter what scenario you've just been thrown into. House II deserves more respect than it gets because it's a good horror/comedy (which is rare)...and your kids can enjoy it too.

Note for genre buffs: Kane Hodder was the stunt coordinator for House II and did a cameo as the gorilla guy. Dwier Brown, who plays Clarence, appeared in the first House as the Lieutenant in the Vietnam scenes.

House II: The Second Story (1987)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Jesse (Arye Gross) inherits his family's old house and soon he learns about a mysterious legend surrounding a crystal skull. Pretty soon his long dead grandpa (Royal Dano) is alive and they must look for the skull as well as battle the creatures who also want it.

In 1985 HOUSE was released to some rather good reviews and the film ended up doing quite well at the box office. Of course, that means a sequel was bound to follow and two years later came HOUSE II: THE SECOND STORY. Unlike a lot of sequels that just try to copy the formula of the first film, this one here at least tried to actually deliver a "second story" and for the most part this was an entertaining picture.

As was the case with the first movie, this one here does a nice job at mixing up the horror and comedy elements. I'd argue that this one here is much more comedy than the previous film but there's nothing wrong with that and especially since we get some pretty good bits here. I must say that the grandpa character was a lot of fun and made for some funny scenes and especially early on when he tries to get re- connected in a world that he's been away from for a hundred years.

Gross makes for a good lead here and manages to keep you entertained through his character's journey. Jonathan Stark is also good as his friend who goes along for the adventure. Dano is the real standout here as he does a wonderful job in the role of the grandpa who is basically a zombie. THe supporting cast includes Bill Maher, John Ratzenberger and Lar Park-Lincoln.

HOUSE II: THE SECOND STORY certainly shows its "B" movie roots but that's not a bad thing. The creature designs are quite good and for the most part the film is entertaining enough to make it worth watching.

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."

The enjoyable parts prevent this from being a truly bad film, but only just. The original "House" probably never made anyone's list of top horror movies, but it's entertaining in its own, modest way. I can't say the same for "House II." Nor can I honestly say it's a sequel. It doesn't feature any of the characters from the original. It's also a completely different house. The house in "House" was built on a weak spot between our world and the world of the dead, while the house in "House II" was built at the crossroads of time and space. This is, I believe, an important distinction. There doesn't seem to be any reason for calling this "House II," except to justify the clever subtitle.

But that's not the only problem. The filmmakers clearly didn't know what kind of film they wanted to make, and the result is a jumbled mess. It starts off promising, and is shaping up to be a good haunted-house horror film when it suddenly and inexplicably becomes a fantasy-adventure comedy, during which time the ghost that the movie once seemed to be centered around is never seen and hardly mentioned. Then, after the viewer has adjusted to the new premise, the ghost comes back, and none of the threads brought up during the middle part are properly resolved. It's all pushed aside for a dramatic dénouement, followed by a final scene that raises further questions rather than answering any of the many existing ones.

I should also add that this movie contains several insults to the viewer's intelligence, which I wouldn't excuse even if it were an out-and-out comedy. In one scene, our hero falls hundreds of feet, but falls into a portal that lets him out right above the floor in his own house. The problem is that his momentum shouldn't change, so he should still be dead. In another scene, a zombie is strangled until he loses consciousness. Just think about that one for a moment.

So why did I give this an average review? Because there are good points. It's original, for starters. It may be hugely disjointed with little internal logic, but at least it isn't just retreading old clichés. It features characters who you care about, because they're fairly believable and interesting. It boasts special effects that are well above par for 1987, and some visually intriguing scenes and designs. The humor, as misplaced as it may be at times, is often quite funny. And, above all, there is John Ratzenberger as "Bill Towner, electrician and adventurer." The part with him is just great, not just because of his performance, but the way his character is written, and the sequence's juxtaposition of the banal and the otherworldly. Sadly, he's only in that one scene. If the movie had begun and ended with him, it could have been an '80s fantasy comedy classic (but still wouldn't really be a sequel to "House"). Actually, there are at least three different movies in here, all of which could have been good if they hadn't been thrown together to form a single, unfocused movie.

"House II" isn't a winner, nor is it a complete waste of time. Watch it if the things I've described have piqued your curiosity, but don't expect it to be too entertaining overall.