Trilogy of Terror II (1996) (TV)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Dan Curtis

Writers:

Dan Curtis (writer)
Henry Kuttner (story)
(more)

Release Date:

30 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Three tales of terror: in "The Graveyard Rats" lovers murder the woman's older husband and encounter...

Plot Keywords:

Doll | Back From The Dead | Ritual | Microfilm | Adultery

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Lysette Anthony	...	Laura, Bobby's Mom, Dr. Simpson
Geraint Wyn Davies	...	Ben
Matt Clark	...	Ansford
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Stubbs
Blake Heron	...	Bobby
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	Jerry O'Farrell
Thomas Mitchell	...	Lew
Gerry Quigley	...	Akers
Dennis O'Connor	...	Brig
John McMahon	...	Taylor
Alan Bridle	...	The Minister
Brittaney Bennett	...	The Waitress
Norm Spencer	...	Officer #1
Bruce McFee	...	Officer #2
Joe Gieb	...	The Dwarf Bobby
Alex Carter	...	Breslow
Philip Williams	...	Pete
Tom Melissis	...	Rothstein
Aron Tager	...	Steve
Durward Allen	...	Spaulding
Peter Keleghan	...	Dennis

Directed by
Dan Curtis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dan Curtis		writer
Henry Kuttner		story "The Graveyard Rats"
Richard Matheson		screenplay
Richard Matheson		story "Prey"
William F. Nolan		writer

Produced by
Julian Marks	....	producer
Arturs Rusis	....	associate producer
Tony Thatcher	....	line producer

Original Music by
Bob Cobert

Cinematography by
Elemér Ragályi

Film Editing by
Bill Blunden

Casting by
Dan Shaner

Production Design by
Veronica Hadfield

Art Direction by
Vlasta Svoboda

Set Decoration by
Elizabeth Calderhead

Costume Design by
Melanie Jennings

Makeup Department
Bruce Appleby	....	hair stylist
Marie Nardella	....	makeup artist
Rick Stratton	....	special makeup effects artist
Tom Irvin	....	special makeup effects artist: All Effects (uncredited)

Production Management
Tony Thatcher	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Allard	....	second unit director
Grant Lucibello	....	second assistant director
Laury Mirsky	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Robert L. Blair	....	property master

Sound Department
Thomas Hidderley	....	sound mixer
Marti D. Humphrey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Devin Joseph	....	dialogue editor
Michael O'Corrigan	....	sound supervisor
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
R. Russell Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Frank C. Carere	....	special effects
Jeff Skochko	....	effects key
Andy Weder	....	puppeteer

Visual Effects by
Eric Allard	....	creature effects

Stunts
Rick Forsayeth	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Bibby	....	chief lighting technician
Brian Gedge	....	camera operator
Leonard Mitalas	....	camera trainee
Mark Silver	....	key grip

Casting Department
Penny Ludford	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bev Ball	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Jennifer Davis	....	post-production coordinator
Paula Stein	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Chris Ledesma	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Bill Boyd	....	picture car mechanic

Other crew
Matthew Gross	....	production executive
Alexandra MacKenzie	....	production coordinator
Trisha Papas	....	assistant production coordinator
Anna Rane	....	script supervisor
Michael Tough	....	location manager
Bonnie Weinstein	....	assistant writer

Production Companies

• Power Pictures
• USA Pictures
• Wilshire Court Productions

Distributors

• USA Network (1996) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Wilshire Court Productions

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and terror.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Power Pictures

Trivia:

In the episode "He Who Kills", one of the museum security guards is reading a "Dark Shadows" comic book, and enthuses about how he used to rush home from school to watch it. Dan Curtis directed the TV show "Dark Shadows" (1966).

Movie Connections:

References Rocky (1976)

Yaaah Yayayayaaaa! Yayayayayaya! Ya! Ya! Yayayayayayayayaya! (Zuni for worthy sequel)

Twenty years after the original "Trilogy of Terror", starring the one and only horror queen Karen Black, Dan Curtis revives his concept of presenting three unrelated macabre stories with the same actress in the lead role each time. And you know what? It's actually a pretty decent movie and one major class above the majority of horror films released in the decade of the 1990's. The 70's original became legendary thanks to Richard Matheson's segment about an uncontrollable and mega-hyperactive Zuni voodoo-doll going on a murderous rampage. That segment had no real plot, but it offered non-stop excitement and thrills and its huge success is probably the main reason why the TV-movie got remembered and even spawned a (belated) sequel. Of course the sequel's final segment also revolves on the Zuni doll; in fact it's a direct continuation of the events in the first film. Police officers recover the heavily burnt doll in an apartment and bring it to a museum for restoration. During the night shift of Dr. Simpson, the doll comes back to life and promptly goes on killing whoever crosses his path. Ironically enough, this story is actually the weakest of all three. It takes quite a while before the doll gets resurrected and even when the spastic critter is on the prowl the story has nothing even remotely surprising or innovating to offer. The first two segments are rather simplistic, but at least creative and creepily atmospheric. The first story, entitled "Graveyard Rats", has a clichéd and derivative basic premise but there's an ingenious twist at the end. A couple of greedy lovers decide to kill the woman's elderly husband and inherit his fortune. The key for his secret stash of money, however, he took into the grave with him and when the frauds attempts to recover it, they stumble upon multiple morbid surprises with big red eyes and sharp teeth. This same story also benefices from some nicely eerie exterior filming locations and sinister creature designs. "Bobby", the second story, is the best one and arguably even one of the finest horror-moments of the 90's. The plot revolves on a deeply saddened mother reverting to black magic to revive her recently deceased son who fell out of his bedroom widow and drowned in the ocean. It works, but Bobby returns as an aggressive and foul-mouthed psycho with a desire to send his own mother to hell. The ambiance of "Bobby" is thoroughly creepy, as the events take place in a sinister old mansion during a dark and stormy night. The youthful maniac is effectively menacing and some of the tricks he uses to drive his mother insane are fairly original. Lysette Anthony is obviously not as charismatic as Karen Black, but she does really good work and makes the most out of her one-dimensional characters. Especially in the first story "Graveyard Rats", she also looks extremely attractive. Don't focus too much on the Zuni Doll gimmick exclusively, as this is a pretty good horror wholesome and definitely deserves a little more attention.