House Reviews
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Summary A troubled writer moves into a haunted house after inheriting it from his aunt.
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Summary A troubled writer moves into a haunted house after inheriting it from his aunt.
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House has a superb premise that begs for a more ambitious framework, both formally and psychologically.
It has a style that is unexpectedly snappy. Scares are not its strong suit, but it has a trim, bright look and better performances than might be expected. William Katt, looking weathered and sounding very Robert Redfordlike as Roger Cobb, brings some conviction to his role, and George Wendt is funny as a nosy next-door neighbor named Harold.
This movie is one of the many horror movies I grew up on. I absolutely love it. If you give it a chance, I'm sure it'll surprise you! Some very creative thinking went into this story, and the acting is still great by even today's standards! Just go into with an open mind and remember this movie is over 30 years old at the time of this review! So don't judge it on dated special effects or you're spoiling the movie only for yourself. Thanks for reading!
From the director of Lake Placid and Warlock come this comedic, horror haunted house gem unlike any other film ever made. The movie was a success back in 1985 but you rarely hear people talking about. The practical effects are pretty wild and the story is really creative. The most impressive thing is how the production manages to nail the tone of frights and laughs equally. Sexy William Katt (The Greatest American Hero) stars as a recently divorced father who moves back to the creepy old house his aunt left him, and the one in which him and his ex lost their son. George Wendt stars as his nosey neighbor. The movie creatively executes the haunted house stuff but soon transforms into a genre fantasy hybrid. The atmosphere and world are created impressively and the human aspect is engaging as well. As a kid this fueled my nightmares with that weird obese creature in the purple dress but now it all just entertains the hell out of me. 4/5
Parts of House are certainly meant to be funny, and other parts draw laughs the way the tools move, without the apparent intent of their creators. As haunted-house tales go, House is something of a bust. [4 March 1986, p.B5]
This House ought to be condemned for its insulting use of the Vietnam War and children as props for its nonsensical violence tinged with pathetic attempts at humor. [4 March 1986, p.C4]
Filmmakers Sean S. Cunningham and Steve Miner scored hits with several simple Friday the 13th films but tackle a more complex story here with embarrassing results.
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
Im gonna come out and say it, this is a weird movie, but it's very entertaining.
Production Company New World Pictures, Sean S. Cunningham Films, Manley Productions
Release Date Feb 28, 1986
Duration 1 h 33 m
Rating R
Tagline Ding dong, you're dead.
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA