Stepfather II

Plot synopsis:
After surviving being shot and stabbed at the end of the previous film, Jerry Blake is institutionalized in Puget Sound, Washington. Blake has meetings with his psychiatrist. He escapes the institution after murdering the psychiatrist and a guard. He dons a uniform to help him escape. After robbing and killing a traveling salesman, Blake checks into a hotel, alters his appearance, assumes the identity of deceased psychiatrist Gene F. Clifford, and travels to Palm Meadows, Los Angeles.
Arriving in Palm Meadows, Gene meets Carol Grayland and leases a house across the street from her and her 13-year-old son, Todd. During a session with the wives of the neighborhood, Gene learns Carol's husband, Philip, left his family the previous year. Gene begins courting Carol, eventually winning over her and Todd. Gene's plan to marry Carol is soon complicated when Phil returns, wanting to reconcile with his wife. Needing Phil out of the way, Gene persuades Carol to send him over for a meeting, during which Gene stabs him to death with a broken bottle, covering up Phil's disappearance afterwards by making it look like he simply ran off again. With Phil gone, Gene and Carol arrange to get married.
Local mail carrier Matty Crimmins begins looking through Gene's mail, finding a letter addressed to the real Gene Clifford (which includes a photograph revealing him to be African American). She confronts Gene, demanding to know who he really is, although Gene tries to make it look like the letter was sent to the wrong person. Gene persuades her to let him tell Carol the truth about his past. Later that night, Gene sneaks into Matty's house and strangles her to death, making her death look like a suicide. On his way out, Gene takes Matty's last bottle of wine and crosses through the yard of Matty's blind neighbor Sam Watkins, who hears Gene whistling "Camptown Races," which he mentions to Carol the next day.
Despite Matty's death, the wedding proceeds as planned. While dressing in the church, Carol recognizes bottles of wine sent by Matty's parents as the same brand Gene had the other night, and overhears Todd whistling "Camptown Races", which he says Gene taught him. Thinking Gene may have had something to do with Matty's death, Carol confronts him, prompting Gene to attack Carol and Todd, whom he locks in a storage closet. As Gene prepares to kill Carol with a knife she used to stab him, Todd breaks out of the closet and saves his mother, stabbing Gene in the chest with a claw hammer, apparently killing him. As Carol and Todd walk into the wedding ceremony, everyone is disgusted to see Carol and Todd covered in blood until she collapses. The film ends with Gene collapsing, uttering "Till death...", then seemingly dying from his wounds.

Tags: murder, flashback

Review:
Terry O'Quinn reprises his All I want is the perfect American family and if I don't get it I'll kill everyone and try again psycho role.
The first Stepfather film is a classic in the slasher/thriller genre thanks mainly to it's incredible performance from Terry O' Quinn, and coming back for more in this fun ride.The plot = Not all that different from before, The Stepfather now sitting comfortably in an insane asylum, breaks loose and sets his sights on a new family."Stepfather II" is a mixed bag in my opinion, although it is fun but could have been better, The plot is somewhat thin and follows too closely at times along the same path as the original film and the pacing is a little off at times, but this movie still manages to be interesting at the same time and boasts a decent cast with strong supporting performances from Meg Foster who plays the new would be wife with her stunning blue eyes and is always a delight to watch and Caroline Williams as the best friend, giving a really likable performance and has great chemistry with the cast and even the late Jonathan Brandis who plays the sun really shines in one of his early Roles, but off course is Terry O-Quinn who steals the show yet again.Another aspect I liked that this time round the body count is upped, But unfortunately lacks anything stands out and the pacing is drawn out Too much and the plot wasn't developed as well as it could have been.
It Did face production constraints, but it's too similar to the original Film, but the ending was interesting, the wedding scene is definitely a Stand out and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.All in all a decent follow up not quite on the level of the first one but overall a decent follow up, could have been a lot worse..
Some additional shots were added and changed when the studio decided it was going to run a theatrical release like the first Stepfather, and they needed a more violent "Horror Movie".The new DVD release presents the film in it's original Widescreen format, and it's a very sharp Animorphic transfer.
The premise is basically the same as most slasher movies, but this one has a twist in that the killer, is actually obsessed with having the perfect family life and in the process, this obsession drives him to murder.
This unwarranted, but passable and reasonably engrossing sequel once again features the impeccable Terry O'Quinn as the titular anonymous obsessive family killer who this time escapes from an asylum, moves into a quiet suburb, and masquerades as a family psychologist (!).
The stepfather's targets here for the perfect American family here are real estate agent Carol Grayland (well played by the always solid and lovely Meg Foster) and her young son Jeremy (an engaging portrayal by Jonathan Brandis).
Director Jeff Burr (who previously gave us the good'n'ghastly horror anthology sleeper "The Offspring") builds a sufficient amount of tension and there's a delightfully spunky turn by the vivacious Caroline Williams (Stretch in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2") as Carol's nosy best friend Matty, but this follow-up falls markedly short of the first film's sterling quality because of John Auerbach's predictable script and sophomoric attempts at humor.
I am sure Danny Thomas never thought that "Make Room for Daddy" would be the tag line in a film like this.Terry O'Quinn (John Locke from "Lost") is a slasher/serial killer in a mental hospital.
Anyway this time around the stepfather has escaped from the mental institution he was being held in since his last attempt at getting a family and trying to kill them.
He meets and dates a divorced real estate agent (Meg Foster) with a depressed son (Jonathan Brandis), then starts murdering people who threaten to come between them.Although the script has its fair share of clunkers and cheesy wisecracks, there are enough things here to keep it on track, especially O'Quinn in another dynamic performance.
There's also some effective black humor, Caroline Williams (TEXAS CHAINSAW 2) offering wonderful scene-stealing support as Foster's suspicious best friend and a great hammer/fork/knife wedding-ceremony massacre finale..
The Stepfather (1987) was an enjoyable thriller telling the story of an unhinged man who joins family's, devotes himself to them but does whatever it takes to keep the family together and living by his rules.Lost star Terry O'Quinn was fantastic and I'd only just discovered that sequels were spawned.Following our antagonist as he breaks from an asylum and attaches himself to another single mother.Once again O'Quinn is great, as is the always enchanting Meg Foster and the late Jonathan Brandis.Stepfather II does not match its predecessor but is still watchable.
You'll know everything that's going to happen, but that's okay.The Good: Terry O'Quinn Meg Foster Direct sequel The Bad: PredictableShadowed by the superior first movie Things I Learnt From This Movie:Even psychos appreciate the snaps, crackles and pops.
Thanks to a smart script and a phenomenal performance from Terry O'Quinn, The Stepfather ended up becoming a cult classic.Even though it seemed as if O'Quinn's Jerry Blake was killed off at the end of the first film, the magic of the movies brings him back for yet another round of slashings in the sake of the American Dream.
He, of course, escapes and forms a new identity - this time, a psychiatrist(named Gene) specializing in suburban women, which gives him a nice group of gals to choose from for his next dream wife.Unfortunately for Carol (the beautiful Meg Foster), Jerry fixates on her and her son (Jonathan Brandis) and wants them to become his new family.
Maybe if you just spent some time with him, you'd grow to appreciate that he is not in any way or form trying to replace his predecessor but that he's always there for you if you need him.With that in mind, the low-budget sequel to the surprise slasher/thriller flick, "The Stepfather" is a noticeable yet serviceable step-down from the original.
Director Jeff Burr, who would go on to helm other horror sequels like "Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III" and "Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings" does a pretty decent job of keeping "Stepfather II" from being too much of a step-down in quality.
A young Jonathan Brandis plays the hapless and clueless kid to perfection, while Caroline Williams entertains as the suspicious and somewhat obnoxious best-friend and neighbor, making the perfect foil for O'Quinn.The film was born in the era of mindless yet enjoyable slasher sequels and it shows.
As far as inevitable and unnecessary sequels go, the adequately acted and directed "Stepfather II: Make Room for Daddy" suffers from the fact that we've seen all of this before and will know everything that we can expect.
The main reason why it would work (and earn an extra point) is because the filmmakers were able to bring back the original Stepfather, the great Terry O'Quinn, to once again obsess over his search for the "perfect" family and idealized suburban life.As we see from the opening, our merry psycho has survived being shot and stabbed (naturally) and been sent to the nuthouse.
Masquerading this time as a psychiatrist, he sets his sights on real estate agent Carol Grayland (Meg Foster), the single mother of a son named Todd (Jonathan Brandis).
He does the best he can with the uninspired script.Foster and Brandis are reasonably appealing, and Caroline Williams of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" fame offers an engaging presence in the supporting role of Carols' concerned friend Matty who's suspicious of Gene; Mitchell Laurance is appropriately smarmy in his brief turn as the unreliable ex-husband / father.Dedicated horror fans may derive some entertainment out of this; others are advised to stay away.Followed by another sequel, "Stepfather III" sans O'Quinn; this movies' premiere coincided with the arrest of real-life murderer John List, whose story inspired the script for the first movie.Six out of 10..
but will he get through the ceremony without losing his mind completely?Terry Quinn I thought 'Stepfather II' was really interesting in the sense that it separated itself from the other two films.
In this sequel, the son Todd really liked Gene the stepfather and looked up to him as a role model of sorts.
It kind of makes it all the more sad when it's revealed how sick Gene really is.Terry Quinn puts in an amazing performance yet again as the deranged man who would kill for a perfect family unit.
Seeking new blood after "The Stepfather" (1987), marriage-minded Terry O'Quinn (as Jerry Blake) escapes from a Washington insane asylum and takes on the identity of a cozy Southern California psychiatrist.
After O'Quinn gets rid of young Brandis' returning father Mitchell Laurance (as Phil Grayland), it looks like a new family will form, but Ms. Foster's suspicious pal Caroline Williams (as Matty Crimmins) smells a rat...
***** Stepfather II (11/3/89) Jeff Burr ~ Terry O'Quinn, Meg Foster, Caroline Williams, Jonathan Brandis.
As sequels go, "Stepfather II" is quite unnecessary, but an entertainingly fine and well done addition nonetheless by genre director Jeff Burr with the likes of a earnest Meg Foster, a scene-stealing Caroline Williams and Terry O'Quinn shinning again with that creepy intensity brimming from his calculative performance making the film larger than it truly deserves.
This sequel to the disappointing "Stepfather" was middling and highly unnecessary (it was perfectly clear that the main character was meant to be dead at end of the first movie), yet I enjoyed it a little more than the original, maybe because my expectations were much lower (it got negative reviews), or maybe because it is less pretentious than its predecessor; it's a slasher movie, it knows it, and it doesn't pose as a "character study".
Terry O'Quinn does a fine job again, and the story is mildly interesting if a little far-fetched (How does a recently escaped convict afford nice hotels, a nice big house, and lots of nice new stuff??)...
Okay sequel to the underrated original slasher/thriller about a demented serial killer, an excellent Terry O'Quinn, seeking the perfect all-American family and then slaughtering them when they don't live up to his white picket fence expectation.
This sequel picks up from the end of the first film with O'Quinn escaping from an insane asylum, assuming a new identify, and finding a new family to be a loving stepfather.
The main weakness of this sequel is that the original film was told from the perspective of the teen daughter and tension built around her slowly coming to the realization that her new stepfather is not who he says he is.
O'Quinn is still excellent, but overall, "Stepfather II" is a so-so horror/slasher film that's nowhere as good as the highly original first film..
Carol Grayland (Meg Foster) and her son, Todd (Jonathan Brandis) live across the street from Jerry / Gene's new abode, where he's set himself up as a family counselor (!!).
Now for the cast: Terry O'Quinn doesn't seem to be as maniacal in this one, but he was still great, Meg Foster is Great as the unsuspecting victim, Jonathan Brandis overacted a little but it wasn't bad, and Mutchell Laurence is wonderful as the ex husband, and caroline williams was decent as Meg Foster's suspicious friend..
If the first one Stepfather was fascinating by his intrigue and the quality of the story , Stepfather 2 also contains these same ingredients.One finds a built well history mixing policeman and suspense.As for Terry O' Quinn,he is always equal to himself,that is remarkable.Supporting roles are not badly either with the young Jonathan  Brandis or confirmed Meg Foster.A good sequel thus,turned with talent by Jeff Burr.So, see this movie !
Cheap looking sequel still works because of Terry O' Quinn's creepy performance.
The original Stepfather was a good little thriller that worked thanks to the way it handled its unoriginal plot line with intrigue and panache.
This sequel attempts to build on that by giving us a pretty similar storyline complete with the star of the show Terry O'Quinn doing his thing once again as the obsessive 'stepfather'.
The Stepfather doesn't take too kindly to that, and begins getting rid of everyone who is in his way...The film is directed by Jeff Burr, who made the decent anthology 'From a Whisper to a Scream', as well as a few crappy sequels to films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Puppet Master and Pumpkinhead.
The only standout performance comes from the leading man Terry O'Quinn, who isn't as frightening as he was in the first film; but still gets away with looking menacing enough to be convincing.
It all boils down a satisfying conclusion, and while I won't say too many good things about this film; it's decent enough to warrant a viewing from anyone who enjoyed the original...and that's more than I can say for a lot of sequels!.
Abysmal follow-up to 1987's critically-acclaimed sleeper hit (with a title which might be read as "Stepfather Eleven" if one is not too careful) has Terry O'Quinn's serial "family killer" escaping from the loony-bin and setting up shop in Southern California under the guise of a home therapist.
The two plan to get married but something doesn't sit right with her friend (Caroline Williams) who decides to some research on the mysterious man.STEPFATHER II was released and pretty much died on arrival as critics and fan saw it as a cheap attempt at making money and basically wrote it off as being nothing more than a rehash of the first film.
I used to think the same thing but this latest viewer really had me appreciating the film on a whole new level and while it isn't quite as good as the original, it still manages to be interesting in its own way.What I really enjoyed here is that we get to see O'Quinn's character playing the game.By saying that, in the original whenever we met him and his new family, they were already married and starting the story.
Williams, best known for her role in Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, is also fun to watch here as is Johnathan Brandis as the child and Henry Brown is also good in the role of the doctor.The film starts off rather poorly as its pure slasher dumbness but things eventually start to pick up.
Needless to say, it isn't long before he escapes, murdering his psychiatrist in the process.The stepfather soon moves to California where he starts a new life for himself, and begins searching anew for his perfect family.
Posing as a psychiatrist named Gene Clifford, the stepfather begins a romance with Carol Grayland, the real estate agent who sole him his new house.
Terry O'Quinn returns as Jerry/Gene and delivers the same strong, terrifying-yet-sympathetic performance he did before, and Meg Foster and her gorgeous eyes as Carol is the other half of this doomed romance..
I have never seen the original "Stepfather" film, so I had no idea what to expect going into this movie.
"Stepfather II" follows a man (Terry O'Quinn) who escapes from his mental institution near Seattle, Washington and assumes the identity of a psychiatrist after murdering an entire family years earlier.
I've heard a lot of great things about the original "Stepfather" movie and it's supposedly a pretty good horror flick.
I haven't seen the original film so I can't compare, but this was an enjoyable late-'80s horror flick that is worth watching if you like this kind of thing.
Escaping from prison thanks to ridiculous means(..a psychiatrist wanting to help "rehabilitate" him, allows O'Quinn to meet with him, absent handcuffs, with the security guard waiting outside!It was an issue of trust, and O'Quinn saw fit to take advantage of such foolishness), O'Quinn uproots in a nice suburban neighborhood assuming the identity of a shrink, soon bewitching a real estate agent and her son(Meg Foster and Jonathan Brandis).
This is O'Quinn and Williams' show all the way, and Terry capitalizes on the many nuances of his character, trying to develop him despite a plot which would wish to have him just murder people like some soulless madman.
"The Stepfather 2" is a slightly better sequel effort, even though it's still flawed.**SPOILERS**In a psychiatric hospital, Gene Clifford, (Terry O'Quinn) is in rehab for his past crimes, and manages to escape during a trick.
Before you can say "new identity" he's become Gene Clifford and has moved into the planned community of Palm Meadows outside Los Angeles.He's already found a new potential family with Carol Grayland (Meg Foster, Masters of the Universe, They Live) and her son, Todd (Becca fave Jonathan Brandis).
As the therapist to all of the local wives, he learns that her husband Phil ran away last year and when he tries to come back to his family, our stepfather hero kills him and covers it up.The mail carrier, Matty Crimmins (Caroline Williams, Stretch from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2!) sees through his identity when she finds mail addresses to the real Gene Clifford that reveals him to be a black man.
Director Jeff Burr (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Puppet Master 4, Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter, Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings) and O'Quinn refused, so the shots were added in by another director.Stepfather 2 isn't quite as good as the original.
The original stepfather is an underrated horror/thriller thanks in all parts to a terrific performance by Terry O'Quinn.
This time we have Meg Foster as the new target and Jonathan Brandis is playing her son.
However, since we already know exactly where the story is headed, there isn't a whole lot of suspense generated along the road there.It is nice to spot a few "where are they now?" candidates, such as They Live's Meg Foster and one of the kids from Stephen King's It. But other than that, Stepfather 2 doesn't do anything to convince you that your time couldn't be better spent watching the original again instead..