House II: The Second Story

*No Blood* *Violent* *No Strong Language* *Not Gory* *No Sexual Situations* *No Nudity*

1987/Color/88 Minutes/New World Video & New World Pictures & Sean S. Cunningham/Rated PG-13

Director.........Ethan Wiley

Screenplay.......Ethan Wiley (House)

Music............Harry Manfredini (Friday the 13th, House)

Producer.........Sean S. Cunningham (House)

Executive Producer.....

Make-up and Creature Effects by Chris Walas

Dramatis Personae

Jesse..........Arye Gross

Charlie.......Jonathan Stark (Project X)

Gramps.......Royal Dano (Ghoulies II, Killer Clowns from Outer Space)

John...........Bill Maher (Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle, Pizza Man)

Kate............Lar Park Lincoln (Friday the 13th VII, The Princess Academy)

Lana...........Amy Yasbeck (Problem Child & 2, Robin Hood: Men in Tights)

Sheriff........Gregory Walcott (Plan 9 From Outer Space, Prime Cut)

Rochelle.....Jayne Modeen (Streethawk)

Clarence.....Dwier Brown (The Cutting Edge, The Guardian)

Judith..........Lenora May

Virgin..........Devin DeVasquez (Society)

Bill..............John Ratzenberger (Cheers-TV, Time Stalkers)

Critique: The tone of stilted humor starts right at the beginning and is held miraculously steady throughout. This would be a good movie to watch when you're drunk or if you're stupid. Slim the dead outlaw is a total success right down to his horse, which is a glaring inconsistency in this irritating movie which has nothing to do with the much better "House". We only hope it wasn't as expensive as it looked. One change of camera angle tells the whole story a side swipe change usually used to indicate the passing of time is used during the gunfight with slim. Whew! To think that was only 88 minutes. It was like 88 minutes locked in a house with a bunch of insipid adolescent 30-somethings putting on a bad play with no script, lots of expensive props and a smug attitude to boot.

Plot Summary: A young couple ships their baby off to safety and has a showdown in their house with a giant cowboy seeking the skull. They don't know where it is so he kills them. 25 years later the baby comes home with his young wife to the dusty and very eccentric old house. an altar above the fire place has no center piece Jesse McGlaughlin named after his great great grandfather. Two hideously obnoxious friends show up and make life difficult for blank (and the viewers) She is an agent and the obnoxious guests are a singer and Charlie her fake agent. Outlaws Jesse and his partner slim had a pure crystal skull over which they had a falling out. Rumor had it that the skull had the power to unlock the mysteries of the universe and made the owner immortal. Jessie and Charlie decide to dig up great grandpa. Grandpa grabs Jessie by the throat. grandpa is disappointed Oct 30 1986, isto find that he is very old after waiting seventy years for someone to dig him up. grandpa stresses the importance of keeping the skull from the forces of evil. Gramps isn't tired he wants to go out on the town until he realizes he's an ugly zombie 170 year old "fart". Gramps and Charlie go on a joyride in c's 1986 Alpha Romeo Spider and get drunk. Scummy John the president of heretic records comes over and does lunch with Lana and bitch. Whatever happened to Slim Rieser? Gramps shot him and left him to die in the Mojave desert. Gramps' storytelling end when a huge Halloween party erupts upstairs Charlie invited them for Halloween. Gramps parties with the people. A giant comes in and hit people and takes the skull and runs to the second story and disappears in a jungle in the closet. Charlie has an Ouzi and a pistol to help get the stone age guy with the skull. A pteradactl steals the skull the stone age man with the steel knife gets eaten by a dinosaur if that gives you an idea how much suspension of brains would be required to enjoy this. A baby pterodactyl guards the skull a and Jesse engages in a cute battle with it falls from the nest through the floor into the basement with Charlie skull a gigantic caterpillar/dog . The stupid pterodactyl runs away with the skull and Gramps shouts don't forget the beer. A tedious chase ensues. When these idiots are finally finished playing with their cheap puppets, Jessie goes to bed and Gramps puts the skull back in the altar but he is bushwhacked by a group of native Mexicans who take the skull. Bill the electrician shows up actually electrician/adventurer. Charlie and Jessie get swords and head for the fireplace before bill comes to show them the problem, gestures towards a hole in the wall and delivers the only funny line of the movie "Looks like you've got some kind of alternate universe in there or something." bill gets his sword and joins them in the battle with the Indians where they free a vestal virgin and regain the skull. The scoundrel shows up at their dinner party and shoots Gramps So it's a drawn out showdown between Jessie and Slim.