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Trilogy of Terror II
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| Trilogy of Terror II | |
|---|---|
![]() Television movie poster | |
| Genre | Horror Thriller |
| Written by | Dan Curtis William F. Nolan |
| Directed by | Dan Curtis |
| Starring | Lysette Anthony |
| Music by | Bob Cobert |
| Country of origin | United States Canada |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Julian Marks |
| Production location | Toronto |
| Cinematography | Elemér Ragályi |
| Editor | Bill Blunden |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Production companies | Dan Curtis Productions Wilshire Court Productions Power Pictures |
| Original release | |
| Network | USA Network |
| Release | October 30, 1996 |
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
[edit]Story 1: The Graveyard Rats
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]- Lysette Anthony as Laura Ansford / Alma / Dr. Simpson
- Geraint Wyn Davies as Ben
- Matt Clark as Ansford
- Geoffrey Lewis as Stubbs
- Blake Heron as Bobby
- Richard Fitzpatrick as Jerry O'Farrell
- Thomas Mitchell as Lew
- Gerry Quigley as Akers
- Dennis O'Connor as Brig
- John McMahon as Taylor
- Alan Bridle as the Minister
- Brittaney Bennett as the Waitress
- Norm Spencer as Officer #1
- Bruce McFee as Officer #2
- Joe Gieb as the Dwarf Bobby
- Alex Carter as Breslow
- Philip Williams as Pete
- Tom Melissis as Rothstein
- Aron Tager as Steve
- Durward Allen as Spaulding
- Peter Keleghan as Dennis
Production
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (July 2018) |
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
[edit]- ^ Gallman, Brett. "Horror Reviews - Trilogy of Terror II (1996)". Oh the Horror.com. Brett Gallman. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Trilogy Of Terror II - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings". TV Guide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
External links
[edit]Trilogy of Terror II
View on GrokipediaBackground
Relation to the original
Trilogy of Terror II is a direct sequel to the 1975 made-for-television anthology horror film Trilogy of Terror, both directed by Dan Curtis and produced by Dan Curtis Productions. Released 21 years after the original, the 1996 film maintains the anthology format of three interconnected horror stories, each featuring a female protagonist facing supernatural threats.[1][5] While the original starred Karen Black in multiple roles across its segments, Trilogy of Terror II casts British actress Lysette Anthony in the lead for all three stories, portraying different characters in a similar vein to Black's versatile performances. The screenplay, credited to William F. Nolan (who co-wrote the original) with contributions from Richard Matheson (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.[3][5] 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 anthropologist/curator played by Anthony, in a museum setting rather than a domestic apartment, building on the doll's vengeful spirit from the prior narrative.[1][5] The second segment, "Bobby," is not a direct adaptation from the 1975 film but a remake of "Bobby," a segment from Curtis's 1977 anthology Dead of Night, which itself was positioned as a spiritual successor to Trilogy of Terror. The first segment, "The Graveyard Rats," introduces a new adaptation of Henry Kuttner's 1943 short story, unrelated to the original's tales but fitting the anthology's theme of psychological and supernatural 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.[3][5]Development
Trilogy of Terror II was conceived as a direct sequel to the 1975 anthology horror television film Trilogy of Terror, which had garnered a lasting cult following due to its memorable segments, particularly the Zuni fetish doll story. Directed by Dan Curtis, 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.[3] 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.[3][6] 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 Lysette Anthony, an English actress who had portrayed the witch Angelique Bouchard in his 1991 revival of Dark Shadows, 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.[3][7]Production
Writing and sources
Trilogy of Terror II's screenplay was penned by William F. Nolan and producer-director Dan Curtis, who had previously collaborated on horror anthologies including the 1975 original Trilogy of Terror.[8] 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 Weird Tales. Kuttner's tale, a compact work of cosmic horror influenced by H.P. Lovecraft, centers on a graverobber pursued by ravenous rats in a haunted cemetery; Nolan and Curtis relocated the narrative to modern-day suburban intrigue involving infidelity and greed, while retaining the core theme of inescapable predation.[9] The middle segment, "Bobby," reworks Richard Matheson's original teleplay from the 1977 ABC anthology Dead of Night, where it served as the closing story. Matheson, a prolific horror author known for works like I Am Legend, crafted "Bobby" specifically for television, depicting a grieving mother's occult ritual 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.[10] The concluding tale, "He Who Kills," expands on Matheson's short story "Prey," first published in the April 1969 issue of Playboy magazine.[11] 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 Trilogy of Terror (itself an adaptation of "Prey"), reintroducing the iconic doll with heightened stakes and returning actress Karen Black in a cameo role.[8] Nolan's adaptation incorporates contemporary effects while staying faithful to Matheson's themes of familial dysfunction and vengeful artifacts.[5]Casting
Dan Curtis, the director and co-writer of Trilogy of Terror II, selected British actress Lysette Anthony to star in all three anthology segments, mirroring the multi-role structure originated by Karen Black in the 1975 original Trilogy of Terror. Anthony, who had previously collaborated with Curtis as the witch Angelique Bouchard in his 1991 revival of Dark Shadows, 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.[3] 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 Geraint Wyn Davies 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.[12][13]| Actor/Actress | Role(s) | Segment(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Lysette Anthony | Laura Ansford / Alma / Dr. Simpson | All three |
| Geraint Wyn Davies | Ben | The Graveyard Rats |
| Matt Clark | Roger Ansford | The Graveyard Rats |
| Geoffrey Lewis | Arley Stubbs | The Graveyard Rats |
| Blake Heron | Bobby | Bobby |
| Joe Gieb | The Dwarf Bobby | Bobby |
| Richard Fitzpatrick | Lieutenant Jerry O'Farrell | He Who Kills |
| Alex Carter | Breslow | He Who Kills |
| Tom Melissis | Rothstein | He Who Kills |
Filming and music
Principal photography for Trilogy of Terror II took place primarily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, reflecting its status as a U.S.-Canadian co-production.[14] Specific locations included Casa Loma, a Gothic Revival mansion that served as a key setting for atmospheric interiors across the anthology's segments.[15] 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 courtroom backdrop for the narrative's psychological elements.[14] Street scenes in the same segment were filmed at the Canada Life Building in downtown Toronto, capturing urban exteriors to enhance the story's modern horror tone.[14] Directed by Dan Curtis, 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.[1] The film's score was composed by Bob Cobert, a longtime collaborator of Curtis who also provided the music for the 1975 Trilogy of Terror.[16] 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.[17] His orchestral style emphasized suspenseful strings and eerie percussion to underscore the horror elements, particularly in segments like "Bobby," where supernatural dread is central.[18] 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 Dark Shadows.[19]Plot
The Graveyard Rats
"The Graveyard Rats" is the first segment of the 1996 horror anthology film Trilogy of Terror II, adapted from Henry Kuttner's 1936 short story of the same name.[3] The story centers on Laura Ansford (played by Lysette Anthony), the young and ambitious wife of the elderly millionaire Roger Ansford (Matt Clark), who is confined to a wheelchair. Laura is engaged in an affair with Ben (Geraint Wyn Davies), the family chauffeur and her cousin, and the two plot to eliminate Roger to gain control of his vast fortune.[20][3] 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.[3] 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).[20][3] As they dig into the grave, the pair unleashes a horde of ferocious, oversized rats that Roger had apparently bred and trained as guardians for his tomb, turning their greedy scheme into a nightmarish struggle for survival.[21][22] The segment unfolds as a morality tale reminiscent of EC Comics horror, emphasizing themes of greed and retribution, with the rats serving as vengeful agents against the killers.[22]Bobby
In the segment "Bobby," Alma, portrayed by Lysette Anthony, is depicted as a grieving mother tormented by the accidental drowning of her young son Bobby, played by Blake Heron, which occurred a year prior.[20][22] Overwhelmed by guilt and depression while her husband is away on business, Alma turns to occult practices, performing a voodoo-inspired ritual in a desperate attempt to resurrect her child.[20][23] 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.[23] 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.[20][22] 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.[3][23] The story builds tension through psychological dread and supernatural confrontation, emphasizing themes of maternal guilt and the perils of tampering with the afterlife.[22]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.[6][3] 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 laboratory. 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 security guard before pursuing Dr. Simpson, forcing her into a desperate chase and confrontation involving improvised weapons and traps within the museum's exhibits.[6][24] 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 killing spree. 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.[6]Personnel
Cast
Lysette Anthony leads the cast of Trilogy of Terror II, portraying the primary female protagonist in all three anthology segments: Laura in "The Graveyard Rats," Alma in "Bobby," and Dr. Simpson in "He Who Kills."[3][23] Her multifaceted performance echoes the anthology structure, with each role involving supernatural horror elements tied to personal motivations.[22] Supporting actors fill key roles across the stories, often appearing in single segments to advance the plots of murder, resurrection, and demonic possession. The following table lists the principal cast members and their characters:| Actor | Role | Segment |
|---|---|---|
| Lysette Anthony | Laura | The Graveyard Rats |
| Lysette Anthony | Alma | Bobby |
| Lysette Anthony | Dr. Simpson | He Who Kills |
| Geraint Wyn Davies | Ben (chauffeur and lover) | The Graveyard Rats |
| Matt Clark | Roger Ansford (husband) | The Graveyard Rats |
| Geoffrey Lewis | Arley Stubbs (cemetery keeper) | The Graveyard Rats |
| Blake Heron | Bobby (son) | Bobby |
| Richard Fitzpatrick | Lt. Jerry O'Farrell (detective) | He Who Kills |
| Thomas Mitchell | Lew (detective) | He Who Kills |
Crew
Dan Curtis directed Trilogy of Terror II, marking his return to the anthology horror format he pioneered with the 1975 original.[1] Curtis also co-wrote the screenplay alongside William F. Nolan, adapting stories including Henry Kuttner's "The Graveyard Rats" and Richard Matheson's "Bobby."[26] The production was overseen by Julian Marks as producer, with Dan Curtis Productions and Wilshire Court Productions handling the financing and execution.[2] Cinematography was led by Elemér Ragályi, who captured the film's eerie atmospheres across its three segments.[27] Editing duties fell to Bill Blunden, ensuring a tight 90-minute runtime that maintained pacing in the anthology structure.[16] Robert Cobert composed the original score, continuing his long collaboration with Curtis on horror projects by delivering tense, atmospheric music.[28] Casting was managed by Dan Shaner, who assembled a ensemble led by Lysette Anthony in multiple roles, while production design by Veronica Hadfield contributed to the film's practical sets and period details.[13]| Role | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| Director | Dan Curtis |
| Screenplay | Dan Curtis, William F. Nolan |
| Story (segments) | Henry Kuttner, Richard Matheson |
| Producer | Julian Marks |
| Cinematographer | Elemér Ragályi |
| Editor | Bill Blunden |
| Composer | Robert Cobert |
| Casting Director | Dan Shaner |
| Production Designer | Veronica Hadfield |

