House Stories: House II: The Second Story

Back again gentle readers. I do so hope House was enjoyable and you all rushed to your DVD stores and got a copy. This time around we move into the realm of sequels. Yes, I know how many you feel about sequels. Many times I view them as inferior creations relying on basing from the original and never surpassing it. Yet we have Aliens, Godfather II and Superman II so conjure of that what you will. This next story prepares you for a new story with a new house with a barrage of characters rating at PG-13 rather than first's R rating. This is House II: The Second Story.

So according to Ancestry.com I'm my own grandpa.

Practically growing up in a video store I say two different covers for this film. Our movie written by screenwriter Ethan Wiley (House, House II: The Second Story, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror, Brutal, Black Ops, Bear, Elf-Man and Journey to the Forbidden Valley) brings us twenty something yuppie Jesse (Arye Gross of Tequila Sunrise, For the Boys, A Midnight Clear, The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them, Ellen and Castle) and his music producer girlfriend Kate (Lar Park-Lincoln of Friday the 13^th Part VII:The New Blood, Knots Landing, Freddy's Nightmares, City of Justice, From the Dark, Gravestoned and The Dancer) have got to inspect the house from his inheritance where his parents murdered while he was a baby, a bizarre home with mixture of Gothic and Aztec design filled with passages and many rooms. Of all the rooms, a fireplace fixture on the mantelpiece was a human sized skull made of crystal (It belongs in a museum!!!) made flawless.

The House that Goofy Made.

His talent manager buddy Charlie (Jonathan Stark of Fright Night, There Were Times, Dear, Project X, Cheers, Bright Lights, Big City, Rain Man, The Spirit of '76, Career Opportunities, Ellen and Stop It) and his singer diva girlfriend Lana (Amy Yasbeck of Days of Our Lives, Magnum, P.I., Generations, Pretty Woman, Problem Child, , Problem Child 2, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, The Mask, Wings, Alright Already and Little Women, Big Cars) seems to be the latest, new thing and the two start conversing with Kate's boss John (Bill Maher of Out of Time, Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death, Pizza Man, Politically Incorrect, Bill Maher: The Decider and Real Time with Bill Maher) while Jesse and Charlie decide to research the skull's history finding it is told to offer a great wish or even the possibility of giving the owner immortality. Jesse and Charlie take off to dig up the relative, Jesse's great, great grandfather and Jesse's name sake. Grandfather or Gramps (Royal Dano of Man of the West, Never Steal Anything Small, Posse From Hell, Death Valley Days, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Gunsmoke, Big Bad Mama and Capone) turns out to not be as dead as they thought and sneak him into the house. He warns the lads that the skull can effect the very fabric of time and space, the house becomes a nexus of different timelines. The Doctor would be fascinated and disturbed at the same time. Aztecs appear, pop Gramps in the head and snagged the skull going through the walls.

Another of Cheer alumni makes his way, electrian Bill (John Ratzenberger of Cheers, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, That Darn Cat, One Night Stand, Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars and Ratatouille) checks their wiring in the house and discovers one of those damn pesky temporal portals. Can the boys get the skull back? What other terrors await them? What rewards are to be found?

Sean S. Cunningham once again produced this film and composer Harry Manfredini brings his "A" game for the orchestral. Industrial Light and Magic Phil Tippett brought on the stop motion animation. I goofed not acknowledging Ethan Wiley wrote this film as well as the previous one. Creature sound effects is brought to us by voice actor Frank Welker. This is goofy, fun and just plain entertaining and yes it is safe for young ones in my eyes.

My tanning bed was set too high.