Sequels to any franchise can be a gamble as they can capture the spirit of the original or just be an absolute trainwreck. When I was first exposed to House I thought that it was an amazing movie and wondered if there were any sequels made. And then I found out that there were four movies made in total but the movie we are covering today is House 2: The Second Story. But is this a house that you will want to explore or should you move to a new residence?
House 2 begins the way the original one started as two friends are moving into an old property. However, this was also the site where Jesse’s parents were mysteriously murdered years ago. Now they are trying to claim this property for their own but there are a few problems such as a mummified corpse named Gramps. There is also a crystal skull that has gotten the attention of a zombie gunslinger that will do anything to obtain this artifact. Will Jesse and Charlie make it through the house alive or will they succumb to the many pitfalls that are alive in the house. Without giving anything away all I can say is this is just as wacky an experience as the first one (if not more so!)
This film has been beautifully restored in its 2k glory and for those that can remember watching it on DVD or even worse VHS you can see the clarity in the picture. Restored faithfully from the original film elements this is one movie where you can see the effort that went into this disc. Sound quality is also amazing as you will have a choice of either regular stereo or DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio Options for the audiophiles out there. There are also optional english subtitles for those who might be hearing impaired. Also, included is an optional audio commentary track that has the producer (Sean S. Cunningham) and writer (Ethan Wiley) discussing the film. A still gallery, the original trailer and TV spot as well as a vintage electronic press kit (or EPK) are also included.
As with the original House there is also a documentary that is included on the disc entitled “It’s Getting Weirder! The Making of House II: The Second Story”. This documentary features interviews with writer-director Ethan Wiley, producer Sean S. Cunningham, stars Arye Gross, Jonathan Stark, Lar Park Lincoln and Devin DeVasquez, composer Harry Manfredini, special make-up and creature effects artists Chris Walas, Mike Smithson, visual effects supervisor Hoyt Yeatman and stunt coordinator Kane Hodder. The documentary shows how the film was made as well as a few shots of the cast and crew on the set. This disc also has a reversible sleeve as it has the original art on the back and a newly commissioned painted piece done by the great Justin Osbourn. Justin has a way with making great cover art and this piece throws me back to a simpler time where we couldn’t watch reviews or see trailers online and the only thing you had going for a rental was the cover art.
If you are a fan of the original House or just want an amazing film to watch with some great performances you need to check out House 2: The Second Story. For more information on this and other releases head over to http://www.arrowvideo.com and get ready to climb the stairs to the second story.
