PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Steve Miner’s House is turning 40 this year. The film was one of the first I saw that introduced me to the horror genre. House proved that horror comedy could also be very dark and frightening. Movies like House walk a very thin line. They were supposed to scare you, but instead, the antics in the film will also make you laugh. In the 80s, many horror movies took the dark side of comedy. It took so much attention to detail, how do you make something scary, also funny?
Let’s get into the review and find out.
Synopsis
Roger Cobb (William Katt) is a horror author who decides to share his Vietnam War experiences. Roger is haunted by the disapearence of his son and his seperation from his wife Sandy (Kay Lenz) soon after. Planning to sell his recently decaseased Aunt and Uncles home where he and his son were raised. Roger decides to retract and instead, moves in himself to face his past and write the perfect novel.
Soon things get a bit weird with the apearances of monsters and a dim witted neighbor named Harold (George Wendt). Roger tries to hide himself from the world and the horrors he faces in the home however; all of his attempts are quickly thwarted. Will Roger be able to save his sanity while he searches for his past?
House is the Evil Dead of haunted house movies. It doesn’t have to take itself seriously to be frightening. No matter how much slapstick comedy there is, the film still ends on the creepy side. The film uses the skill of the expectant scare that still catches you off guard. You know the one where you know something is going to happen and the anticipation gets to you. That is a lost art in modern horror films. Jump scares can be timed accordingly now because movies set it up precisely, there’s no love in the scare. We no longer think of ways to amp up the experience.
House also uses the art of realism, even if it is a bit wacky. Roger’s flashbacks are nothing to joke about. The rest of the film kind of sets off one small laugh after another. The film also uses the idea of off-the-wall-looking monsters that no one could see without a small chuckle. Whatever experience you seek while watching House, the film will fill your void. House is a natural creep factor due to the scenery. An old Victorian mansion with dim lighting, that also presents itself beautifully in the daylight. However; even daylight doesn’t keep you safe from the horrors that await you in this house. House is the type of movie that will have you flinching in the dark when the ice maker rattles in your kitchen.
House was very influential in my horror movie upbringing. I was able to laugh at the monsters (while they terrified me inside.) It’s 35 years later and the film still has an impact on me. It hits that childhood nerve I seek out so often. I can sit back and find my younger self sitting in the dark in front of those late-night horror hosts that showcased movies like House.
This film will always hold a special place inside my heart.
