A Casa do Espanto II

This film is a fun, under-watched gem from the 80s. Fans of the first House have a lot to enjoy here. Certainly one of the only horror/comedy/westerns I can think of, but it works well in this picture. Don't expect Citizen Kane, but if you're looking for an enjoyable little flick, you won't be disappointed.

Interestingly, this film follows in the footsteps of the original House by casting a member of Cheers in a small role. In House, it's George Wendt, and in this film we get an amusing, if brief, appearance by John Ratzenberger. Jonathan Stark puts in an amusing performance as the Jim Carrey-esquire buddy, and Bill Maher shows up as well.

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.

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.

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!

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")