Trilogy of Terror II

Infobox Film
name = Trilogy of Terror II


director = Dan Curtis
producer = Julian Marks
writer = Dan Curtis,
William F. Nolan
starring = Lysette Anthony
music = Bob Cobert
released = October 30, 1996 (USA)
runtime = 90 mins
language = English
preceded_by = "Trilogy of Terror"
amg_id = 1:180048
imdb_id = 0117966

"Trilogy of Terror II" is a 1996 film sequel to the 1975 film, Trilogy of Terror.
* The Official web site for the films,"Trilogy Of Terror" and "Trilogy Of Terror 2", is http://www.TrilogyOfTerror.com. The site features the original Zuni Doll from the films, as well as original movie props, interviews, cast lists, film clips, behind the scenes info, and much more.

The film follows the formula of the original, with one female lead playing parts in three mini-movies.

The film features three mini-movies all starring actress Lysette Anthony.

tory I: The Graveyard Rats

A wealthy man by the name of Ansford discovers his young wife Laura (Lysette Anthony) having an affair with her cousin. Having video proof he threatens Laura to be faithful and honest or he will turn the video over to the news stations and cut her out of his multi-million dollar will. Meanwhile, her lover Ben (Geraint Wyn Davies) comes up with the idea to murder Ansford and collect all his money. After being pushed down the stairs and killed, Laura and Ben are more than happy to collect their winnings... however all doesn't go as planned. Before dying, Ansford transferred all of his millions into an account in Zürich, and microfilmed the access codes, which were buried with him. Now, Laura and Ben have to dig up his grave and go into his coffin to get the combination photos. However, while underground, Laura must escape the clutches of large, flesh-eating rats.

tory II: Bobby

It is has been some time since Bobby accidentally drowned, leaving his mother Alma (Lysette Anthony) depressed and guilty. However, while her husband is away on business, she determines to get her son back who died. Armed with a magick book and a Key of Solomon (this one consisting of a triangle, with an inner circle, within the outer circle), she conjures the dark forces to bring her son back. Before going to bed, a vicious thunder storm 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, all doesn't work out when Bobby goes completely mad and begins to terrorize his mother in the dark house with a sledgehammer and a butcher knife. The mother soon realizes that it isn't Bobby who returned to her, but a demon that had taken his place, as he says "Bobby hates you, Mommy, so he sent me instead," revealing his demon-like face and the screen blacks out, implying Alma was killed. It is most likely that after being abused by his mother, Bobby committed suicide and went to Hell where he met the demon he sent, but the details weren't given.

tory III: He Who Kills

The infamous Zuni doll from the original movie marks his return. After finding the double homicide of Amelia and her mother from the first movie with the doll at the scene, the local police drop off the doll to local Doctor Simpson (Lysette Anthony). As she begins to examine the doll she learns that the doll comes to life when a gold chain is removed from his neck and that the doll has a desire for flesh. It also seems to regenerate (the idea itself initially laughable to both Simpson and her assistant) as when she chips away the charred wood, the doll seems to be brand new.
After a quick pizza break, she discovers the doll missing. One of the officers investigates the surrounding museum, only to be shot down by an arrow from one of the exhibits, courtesy of the doll. After minutes of looking, she finds the doll attacking and running towards her with a lab knife as a weapon. Now Dr. Simpson is all alone in a large museum with a tiny killer on the loose.
Much like the first movie, Simpson catches the doll in a brief case, giving her time to try to reach her keys. As the doll cuts through the case, Simpson tries twice to grab the knife, only to get cut as in the first film. The doll eventually breaks through, meeting the stabbing force of a screwdriver-like object from Dr. Simpson. Making the same mistake as the first movie's protagonist, Simpson opens the briefcase to be bitten ferociously by the doll.
She eventually regains control, and tosses the doll into a large rectangular container of sulfuric acid. As the doll comes to a halt in its motion, Simpson goes to grab tongs in an attempt to remove the doll, only to be possessed by He Who Kills, the spirit inhabiting the doll. Later on she kills another investigator with the same axe she tried to use against the doll.

This is the first time we see Amelia's male friend as well as her mother, although her apartment is completely different. It is also interesting to note that the doll's clothing seems to differ from that of his garb from the first film.

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 in 1966.