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Trilogy of Terror II
Trilogy of Terror II
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Trilogy of Terror II
Television movie poster
GenreHorror
Thriller
Written byDan Curtis
William F. Nolan
Directed byDan Curtis
StarringLysette Anthony
Music byBob Cobert
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerJulian Marks
Production locationToronto
CinematographyElemér Ragályi
EditorBill Blunden
Running time90 minutes
Production companiesDan Curtis Productions
Wilshire Court Productions
Power Pictures
Original release
NetworkUSA Network
ReleaseOctober 30, 1996 (1996-10-30)

Trilogy of Terror II is a 1996 American made-for-television anthology horror film and a sequel to Trilogy of Terror (1975), both directed by Dan Curtis. The film follows the formula of the original, with one female lead (Lysette Anthony) playing parts in each of three segments.

Plot

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Story 1: The Graveyard Rats

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A millionaire named Ansford discovers his young wife Laura having an affair with her cousin. Having video proof, he orders Laura to be faithful and honest or he will turn the video over to the news stations and cut her out of his will. Her lover Ben comes up with the idea to murder Ansford and collect all his money. Ansford is pushed down the stairs and killed. Before dying, Ansford transferred all of his money into an account in Zürich and microfilmed the access codes, which were buried with him. Laura and Ben dig up his coffin to retrieve the microfilm. Laura shoots and kills Ben to claim all the money for herself. Ansford's body is dragged through a hole in the side of the coffin by large flesh-eating rats, so Laura crawls in after them through a network of underground graveyard tunnels. The advancing rats corner her in another buried coffin. Laura tries to keep the rats away by firing her gun at them, but the rats pour into the coffin and devour her.

Story 2: Bobby

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It has been some time since Bobby "accidentally" drowned, leaving his mother Alma depressed and guilty. While her husband is away on business, she determines to raise her son from the dead. Armed with a magic book and a "Key of Solomon" (in this case, a talisman rather than a book), she conjures up dark forces to bring her son back. Before she goes to bed, a vicious thunderstorm approaches the luxurious beach mansion. Hearing a knock, she opens the door to discover her son. After cleaning him up, she begins to make him feel at home again. However, Bobby acts completely mad and begins to terrorize his mother in the dark house with a sledgehammer and a butcher knife. The mother realizes that it is not Bobby who returned to her, but a demon, as he says "Bobby hates you, Mommy, so he sent me instead," revealing his demonic face.

Story 3: He Who Kills

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After finding a Zuni fetish doll at the scene of a double homicide of a woman and her mother, the police drop off the doll to Dr. Simpson. She learns that the doll comes to life when a gold chain is removed from its neck and that the doll has a desire for flesh. It also seems to regenerate; when she chips away the charred wood, the doll seems to be brand new.

After a pizza break, she discovers the doll missing. One of the officers investigates the surrounding museum, only to be shot by the doll with an arrow from one of the exhibits. Simpson finds the doll running towards her with a lab knife. After the doll attacks her, Simpson catches the doll in a briefcase, giving her time to try to reach her keys. As the doll cuts through the case, Simpson tries to grab the knife, only to get cut. The doll breaks through, and Simpson stabs it with a screwdriver-like object. Simpson opens the briefcase, only to be bitten ferociously by the doll. She regains control and tosses the doll into a large container of sulfuric acid. As the doll breaks apart, Simpson puts on some black rubber gloves and grabs tongs in an attempt to remove the doll's remains, only to be possessed by the spirit inhabiting the doll. Later on, Simpson's date arrives at the museum, and she kills him with an ax.

Cast

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Production

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Trilogy of Terror II was produced by Dan Curtis Productions and first aired on Showtime on October 30, 1996. The film was directed by Dan Curtis, who also directed the 1975 TV movie Trilogy of Terror which inspired this sequel.

This first segment (screenplay by William F. Nolan and Dan Curtis) is based on Henry Kuttner's short story "The Graveyard Rats", albeit considerably altered. In Kuttner's tale, the thief Masson is a male cemetery caretaker who habitually steals valuables from the corpses in a graveyard beset by a colony of abnormally large rats. The second segment is a re-filming of a script by Richard Matheson. It was originally written by Matheson for the Dan Curtis omnibus movie Dead of Night. The third segment, about the Zuni Fetish Doll "He Who Kills," is a sequel to the third segment of the original film Trilogy of Terror, "Amelia". Its screenplay was written by Nolan and Curtis.

Home media releases

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Trilogy of Terror II was released on DVD by Universal Studios Home Entertainment on September 2, 2008 and on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber on Oct 22, 2019.

Reception

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Brett Gallman from Oh, the Horror! gave the film a mixed review, feeling that the film was "a quick way to cash in on a well-known property".[1] TV Guide awarded the film 1/5 stars, calling it "belated", and felt that it was essentially a rerun of the original film.[2]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Trilogy of Terror II is a 1996 American made-for-television horror directed by , serving as a direct sequel to his 1975 ABC Trilogy of Terror, and featuring three interconnected tales of supernatural terror starring British actress in multiple roles. The film opens with "", where a woman and her lover, having murdered her wealthy husband, return to his grave to retrieve a hidden microfilm containing valuable information, only to face a horde of aggressive rats in the . In the second segment, "Bobby", a grieving mother resorts to rituals to bring her deceased son back to life, unleashing an undead entity with horrifying consequences. The anthology concludes with "He Who Kills", a continuation of the iconic Zuni fetish doll storyline from the original film, in which the possessed doll reanimates in a museum and terrorizes a played by Anthony. Produced by Dan Curtis Productions in association with Wilshire Court Productions and Power Pictures, the screenplay was co-written by Curtis and William F. Nolan, with adaptations of stories by authors Henry Kuttner and Richard Matheson. Lysette Anthony leads the cast, portraying distinct characters across the segments—Laura in the first, Alma in the second, and Dr. Anita Simpson in the third—supported by actors including Geraint Wyn Davies as Ben, Matt Clark, and Geoffrey Lewis. The film premiered on October 30, 1996, on the USA Network as a made-for-cable special, capitalizing on the cult popularity of the original's Zuni doll sequence. Critically, Trilogy of Terror II received mixed reception, with an audience score of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes based on over 250 ratings, often praised for its creepy anthology format and Anthony's versatile performances but criticized for lacking the originality and intensity of its predecessor. On IMDb, it holds a 5.6/10 rating from nearly 2,000 users, reflecting its status as a modest horror sequel that recycles familiar tropes without significant innovation. Despite this, the film's restoration and 2019 Blu-ray release by Kino Lorber renewed interest among horror enthusiasts for its nostalgic ties to 1970s television terror.

Background

Relation to the original

Trilogy of Terror II is a direct sequel to the 1975 made-for-television , both directed by and produced by Dan Curtis Productions. Released 21 years after the original, the 1996 film maintains the format of three interconnected horror stories, each featuring a facing threats. While the original starred in multiple roles across its segments, Trilogy of Terror II casts British actress in the lead for all three stories, portraying different characters in a similar vein to Black's versatile performances. The screenplay, credited to (who co-wrote the original) with contributions from (who wrote all three original stories), echoes the source material's roots in classic horror tales by authors like Matheson. "The Graveyard Rats" was adapted by Curtis and Nolan from Henry Kuttner's 1943 short story; "Bobby" was written by Matheson; and "He Who Kills" was an original story by Curtis and Nolan. The most explicit connection is the third segment, "He Who Kills," which serves as a direct continuation of the original's iconic "Amelia" story. In this follow-up, the murderous Zuni fetish doll—central to the 1975 film's most famous sequence—returns, now terrorizing Dr. Anita Simpson, an /curator played by Anthony, in a setting rather than a domestic , building on the doll's vengeful spirit from the prior narrative. The second segment, "Bobby," is not a direct adaptation from the 1975 film but a of "Bobby," a segment from Curtis's 1977 anthology , which itself was positioned as a to . The first segment, "The Graveyard Rats," introduces a new adaptation of Henry Kuttner's 1943 , unrelated to the original's tales but fitting the 's theme of psychological and horror. These elements collectively position Trilogy of Terror II as an extension of Curtis's horror television legacy, blending sequels, remakes, and fresh content to evoke the original's chilling atmosphere.

Development

Trilogy of Terror II was conceived as a direct sequel to the 1975 anthology horror , which had garnered a lasting due to its memorable segments, particularly the Zuni fetish doll story. Directed by , who helmed the original, the project aimed to revive the format for a new audience while capitalizing on the earlier film's enduring popularity. Development began in the mid-1990s, with Curtis reuniting with collaborators to adapt fresh horror tales, including a continuation of the iconic doll narrative. The selection of stories drew from established horror literature: the first segment, "The Graveyard Rats," was adapted from Henry Kuttner's 1943 short story, with an added preamble by Curtis and screenwriter William F. Nolan; the second, "Bobby," repurposed Richard Matheson's 1977 teleplay from the anthology Dead of Night; and the third, "He Who Kills," was an original sequel to the Zuni doll tale, co-written by Curtis and Nolan. This mix preserved the anthology structure without a wraparound narrative, echoing the original's EC Comics-inspired style. The project was produced under Dan Curtis Productions in association with Wilshire Court Productions and Power Pictures, reflecting Curtis's ongoing commitment to television horror. Casting focused on finding a versatile lead to mirror Karen Black's multi-role performance in the original, but Black, then in her mid-50s, was deemed unsuitable for the demanding parts. Curtis selected , an English actress who had portrayed the witch Angelique Bouchard in his 1991 revival of , ensuring familiarity with his Gothic horror sensibilities. Anthony's involvement across all three segments was a deliberate nod to the first film's structure, allowing for a cohesive yet varied portrayal of terror.

Production

Writing and sources

Trilogy of Terror II's screenplay was penned by and producer-director , who had previously collaborated on horror anthologies including the 1975 original . The film's three segments draw from established short fiction in the horror genre, with adaptations emphasizing psychological terror and supernatural elements typical of 1970s and 1980s television anthologies. The opening story, "The Graveyard Rats," adapts Henry Kuttner's 1936 short story of the same title, originally published in the pulp magazine . Kuttner's tale, a compact work of cosmic horror influenced by , centers on a graverobber pursued by ravenous rats in a haunted ; Nolan and relocated the narrative to modern-day suburban intrigue involving and , while retaining the core theme of inescapable predation. The middle segment, "Bobby," reworks Richard Matheson's original teleplay from the 1977 ABC anthology , where it served as the closing story. Matheson, a prolific horror known for works like I Am Legend, crafted "Bobby" specifically for television, depicting a grieving mother's to resurrect her drowned son, which unleashes malevolent forces; the 1996 version updates the visuals and casting but preserves the script's structure and dialogue nearly intact. The concluding tale, "He Who Kills," expands on Matheson's "Prey," first published in the 1969 issue of magazine. In the original story, a young woman battles a possessed Zuni fetish doll gifted by her domineering mother; the segment functions as a direct sequel to the "Amelia" story from the 1975 (itself an of "Prey"), reintroducing the iconic doll with heightened stakes and returning actress in a cameo role. Nolan's incorporates contemporary effects while staying faithful to Matheson's themes of familial dysfunction and vengeful artifacts.

Casting

Dan Curtis, the director and co-writer of Trilogy of Terror II, selected British actress to star in all three anthology segments, mirroring the multi-role structure originated by in the 1975 original . Anthony, who had previously collaborated with Curtis as the witch Angelique Bouchard in his 1991 revival of , was chosen as Black was considered too old for the demanding central roles by 1996. This casting decision emphasized a fresh interpretation while maintaining the film's tradition of a single actress embodying diverse characters across the horror tales. The supporting cast featured a mix of character actors to populate the stories' ensembles. Casting director Dan Shaner handled the selections, drawing from established television and film performers to complement Anthony's leads. Key roles included as Ben in "The Graveyard Rats," Matt Clark as the wealthy husband Roger Ansford in the same segment, and Geoffrey Lewis as the groundskeeper Arley Stubbs. In "Bobby," Blake Heron portrayed the titular possessed boy, while "He Who Kills" included Richard Fitzpatrick as Lieutenant Jerry O'Farrell and Aron Tager as Coroner Spaulding.
Actor/ActressRole(s)Segment(s)
Laura Ansford / Alma / Dr. SimpsonAll three
Ben
Matt ClarkRoger Ansford
Geoffrey LewisArley Stubbs
BobbyBobby
Joe GiebThe Dwarf BobbyBobby
Richard FitzpatrickLieutenant Jerry O'FarrellHe Who Kills
Alex CarterBreslowHe Who Kills
Tom MelissisRothsteinHe Who Kills
Additional minor roles, such as police officers and medical staff, were filled by actors including , Bruce McFee, and Durward Allen, enhancing the anthology's atmospheric tension without overshadowing the leads.

Filming and music

for Trilogy of Terror II took place primarily in , , , reflecting its status as a U.S.-Canadian co-production. Specific locations included , a Gothic Revival mansion that served as a key setting for atmospheric interiors across the anthology's segments. The Old City Hall at 60 Queen Street West was used for Dr. Simpson's office in the third story, "He Who Kills," providing a historic backdrop for the narrative's psychological elements. Street scenes in the same segment were filmed at the Canada Life Building in , capturing urban exteriors to enhance the story's modern horror tone. Directed by , the production emphasized practical effects and confined sets to build tension, much like the original film, with shooting completed efficiently for its made-for-television format. The film's score was composed by , a longtime collaborator of who also provided the music for the 1975 . Cobert's work featured recurring motifs and atmospheric cues borrowed from his earlier compositions, creating continuity between the two anthologies while adapting to the sequel's distinct stories. His orchestral style emphasized suspenseful strings and eerie percussion to underscore the horror elements, particularly in segments like "Bobby," where dread is central. No commercial soundtrack release exists for Trilogy of Terror II, but Cobert's contributions have been noted for their fidelity to Curtis's gothic horror aesthetic across projects like .

Plot

The Graveyard Rats

"" is the first segment of the 1996 horror anthology film Trilogy of Terror II, adapted from Henry Kuttner's 1936 of the same name. The story centers on Laura Ansford (played by ), the young and ambitious wife of the elderly millionaire Roger Ansford (Matt Clark), who is confined to a . Laura is engaged in an affair with Ben (), the family chauffeur and her cousin, and the two plot to eliminate Roger to gain control of his vast fortune. Discovering evidence of their infidelity through a hidden video recording, Roger confronts the pair and threatens to disinherit Laura. In response, she and Ben murder him by pushing his wheelchair down a flight of stairs, staging the incident as an accidental fall; the death is ruled accidental by authorities. Following the funeral, the couple learns that Roger's estate has been liquidated into hidden assets, with crucial details encoded on microfilm concealed inside a watch buried with him in the family plot. Desperate for the fortune, Laura and Ben decide to exhume the grave under cover of night at the secluded cemetery overseen by the suspicious groundskeeper Arley Stubbs (Geoffrey Lewis). As they dig into the grave, the pair unleashes a horde of ferocious, oversized rats that had apparently bred and trained as guardians for his , turning their greedy scheme into a nightmarish struggle for survival. The segment unfolds as a morality tale reminiscent of horror, emphasizing themes of greed and retribution, with the rats serving as vengeful agents against the killers.

Bobby

In the segment "Bobby," Alma, portrayed by Lysette Anthony, is depicted as a grieving tormented by the accidental of her young son Bobby, played by , which occurred a year prior. Overwhelmed by guilt and depression while her husband is away on business, Alma turns to practices, performing a voodoo-inspired in a desperate attempt to resurrect her . The ritual appears to succeed when a rain-soaked Bobby unexpectedly arrives at the door that evening, shivering and disoriented, leading Alma to rejoice as she dries him off and tends to his needs. However, as the night progresses, subtle signs emerge that the returned Bobby is not the innocent boy she lost; he grows increasingly disagreeable, displaying unnatural aggression and a foul-mouthed demeanor that escalates into overt hostility. Alma's initial joy turns to horror as Bobby's behavior reveals him to be a vengeful, undead entity intent on harming her, transforming their home into a nightmarish battleground where she must confront the malevolent force she has unwittingly unleashed. The story builds tension through psychological dread and supernatural confrontation, emphasizing themes of maternal guilt and the perils of tampering with the afterlife.

He Who Kills

"He Who Kills" serves as the third and final segment of Trilogy of Terror II, acting as a direct sequel to the "Amelia" story from the 1975 original Trilogy of Terror. The narrative opens at a crime scene in Amelia's apartment, where investigators discover her mutilated body alongside that of her mother, suggesting a ritualistic double homicide. Amid the evidence, police find a charred doll in the oven, which they transport to a museum for forensic analysis by Dr. Simpson, an ethnologist specializing in ancient artifacts. Dr. Simpson examines the doll and identifies it as a Zuni fetish doll, an artifact linked to a long-extinct African tribe known for cannibalistic rituals, similar to the one that terrorized Amelia in the original film. Believing it to be inert due to the damage, she removes the protective gold chain around its neck during her late-night study in the museum's . This action awakens the doll, which regenerates its skin and embarks on a murderous rampage through the dimly lit corridors. The doll first kills a before pursuing Dr. Simpson, forcing her into a desperate chase and confrontation involving improvised weapons and traps within the museum's exhibits. In a climactic struggle, Dr. Simpson manages to trap the doll in a glass case and submerges it in a vat of acid, seemingly destroying the threat. However, the doll's malevolent spirit persists, possessing Dr. Simpson and compelling her to continue its . Later, during a date with her colleague, the possessed Simpson brutally murders him with an axe, implying the curse's unending cycle. Lysette Anthony portrays Dr. Simpson, delivering a performance that echoes Karen Black's intensity from the original while adapting to the segment's expanded setting and effects.

Personnel

Cast

leads the cast of Trilogy of Terror II, portraying the primary female protagonist in all three anthology segments: Laura in "," Alma in "Bobby," and Dr. Simpson in "He Who Kills." Her multifaceted performance echoes the anthology structure, with each role involving horror elements tied to personal motivations. Supporting actors fill key roles across the stories, often appearing in single segments to advance the plots of , , and demonic possession. The following table lists the principal cast members and their characters:
ActorRoleSegment
Lysette AnthonyLaura
Lysette AnthonyAlmaBobby
Lysette AnthonyDr. SimpsonHe Who Kills
Geraint Wyn DaviesBen (chauffeur and lover)
Matt ClarkRoger Ansford (husband)
Geoffrey LewisArley Stubbs (cemetery keeper)
Blake HeronBobby (son)Bobby
Richard FitzpatrickLt. Jerry O'Farrell (detective)He Who Kills
Thomas MitchellLew (detective)He Who Kills
These roles were confirmed through detailed segment synopses in contemporary reviews. Additional minor characters, such as police officers and incidental figures, are played by actors including Alex Carter as Breslow and Philip Williams as Pete, primarily in "" and "He Who Kills." The ensemble draws from television and film veterans, contributing to the made-for-TV aesthetic of the production.

Crew

Dan Curtis directed Trilogy of Terror II, marking his return to the horror format he pioneered with the 1975 original. also co-wrote the screenplay alongside , adapting stories including Henry Kuttner's "The Graveyard Rats" and Richard Matheson's "Bobby." The production was overseen by Julian Marks as producer, with Productions and Wilshire Court Productions handling the financing and execution. was led by Elemér Ragályi, who captured the film's eerie atmospheres across its three segments. Editing duties fell to Bill Blunden, ensuring a tight 90-minute runtime that maintained pacing in the structure. Cobert composed the original score, continuing his long collaboration with on horror projects by delivering tense, atmospheric music. was managed by Dan Shaner, who assembled a ensemble led by in multiple roles, while production design by Veronica Hadfield contributed to the film's practical sets and period details.
RoleName(s)
Director
Screenplay,
Story (segments),
ProducerJulian Marks
CinematographerElemér Ragályi
EditorBill Blunden
ComposerRobert Cobert
Casting DirectorDan Shaner
Production DesignerVeronica Hadfield

Release

Broadcast premiere

Trilogy of Terror II premiered on television in the United States on October 30, 1996, broadcast on the USA Network. This made-for-cable horror anthology served as the world premiere for the film, directed by Dan Curtis as a sequel to his 1975 ABC production. The airing aligned with the network's focus on genre programming during the mid-1990s, capitalizing on the original film's cult status. Subsequent international broadcasts followed, including a video release in Japan on July 25, 1997.

Home media

Trilogy of Terror II was first released on in 1997 on by Paramount Home Video. A DVD edition followed on November 17, 2015, in format with a 1.33:1 and a runtime of 90 minutes. In 2019, issued a special edition Blu-ray on October 22, featuring a newly restored high-definition transfer, by film historian Troy Howarth, an interview with actress titled "My Days with Dan," a on practical effects with Eric Allard and Rick Stratton, and trailers. The Blu-ray presents the film in the original 1.33:1 with English audio and .

Reception

Critical response

Trilogy of Terror II received mixed reviews from critics, who often noted its reliance on the original 1975 film's formula while praising elements like Lysette Anthony's performances but criticizing its lack of originality. The film holds an audience score of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on over 250 ratings, reflecting divided viewer opinions. Reviewers frequently compared the anthology unfavorably to its predecessor, viewing it as a cash-in that failed to recapture the original's intensity. For instance, one described it as "bland, forgettable, and a sad end to ’ horror career," highlighting lazy direction and padded remakes of earlier segments. Similarly, another assessment noted that the film "suffers from living in the shadow of the original, recycling ideas without matching its memorability," particularly in the Zuni doll sequel story. Positive responses focused on the consistency across stories and Anthony's versatile acting. A review preferred it over version for its "more even quality and more entertaining on repeat viewings," commending the tension in the "Bobby" segment despite weak child acting. Another called it "pretty good," with the strongest entry in the final "He Who Kills" tale, appreciating Anthony's resemblance to and the supporting roles of Matt Clark and Geoffrey Lewis. Overall, while not as influential, it was seen as a notable TV horror relic for fans of the genre.

Legacy and comparisons

Trilogy of Terror II has been frequently compared to its predecessor, the 1975 , which achieved status in television horror due to its Zuni doll segment and Karen Black's multifaceted performance. Unlike the original, which was entirely written by and featured Black in all roles, the 1996 sequel introduces new writers for most segments and stars in the lead roles, with only the third story, "He Who Kills," adapting a Matheson tale as a direct follow-up to the original's doll horror. Critics have noted the sequel's more even pacing across its three stories—"Bobby," "He Who Kills," and ""—contrasting the original's uneven quality, where the first two segments were seen as weaker. However, some reviews describe the sequel as derivative, recycling elements like the Zuni doll pursuit and apartment setting, albeit updated to a for added scale, resulting in a less innovative feel despite improved effects. In terms of legacy, Trilogy of Terror II earned a among horror enthusiasts, particularly for its format and Anthony's versatile portrayals, though it lacks the original's cultural resonance and influence on later doll-centric franchises like . The film received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Makeup in 1997, highlighting its technical achievements in creature effects. Its release on DVD in by Universal and Blu-ray in 2019 by , including special features, has sustained interest, with fans praising its entertainment value on repeat viewings and positioning it as an underrated gem of 1990s TV horror. Despite initial mixed reviews calling it tame and unnecessary, retrospective analyses appreciate it as a solid, non-Stephen King adaptation that fits the era's cable horror trends, though it marked a less impactful close to director Dan Curtis's horror career.

References

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