Best-selling pop-horror novelist Roger Cobb is suffering from massive writers block which in part can be attributed to his recent separation from his wife, as well as the disappearance of their young son. In an attempt to clear his head and escape his personal demons, Roger decides to move into his deceased aunt's large home where he can write his Vietnam War memoir in peace. Soon after moving in, Roger discovers an evil presence in the home. Steve Miner's House is a horror film in the mold of films like Fright Night or Return of the Living Dead, in that it walks the genre line between horror and comedy. I couldn't in good conscious say House is quite in the same league as the two aforementioned titles but it does bring a really unique blend of goofiness and parody to the horror genre. Most of the film revolves around Roger battling these marauding monsters who are literally coming out of the walls, while trying to conceal his predicament from the neighbors in his suburban environment - which provides the bulk of the humor elements. The film's monster effects are quite outdated, essentially made up of people dressed up in rubber monster outfits but I personally prefer that to most of the CGI-crapfests of today. The fact of the matter is House is a very imaginative film and one cannot deny the inventiveness of the monsters and set pieces. The film even has a fun cerebral element, in that almost all of the horrors which Roger faces are directly related to his internal struggles, which is a fun, even surprisingly smart approach even if the link isn't as tight as it could/should have been. Sure, the quasi-comedic tone takes away from the films ability to actually frighten the viewer but House is quite a bit of cheesy fun regardless of that fact. 7.5/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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