SYNOPSIS
Roger Cobb, Vietnam vet and horror author, has lost his son and separated from his wife. After his aunt commits suicide, he moves into her sprawling home to face his demons - literally.
OPINION
No-nonsense rubber monster mayhem. House came out of that brief moment in the 80s when independent production, high-quality effects and makeup work, and some truly gonzo horror ideation all synced wavelengths simultaneously and begat a pile of hilarious, gooey, freaky stuff. This is a spookhouse rollercoaster, akin to a carnival horrorshow, but one firmly rooted in the protagonist's psyche. House gets less respect than a lot of its cousins - your Gordon and Yuzna and mid-era Carpenter movies - but it earns its place alongside them with excellent aesthetics and a high entertainment value. This is a monster movie you can keep coming back to.
CAST + CREW
Director: Steve Miner (Warlock, Lake Placid)
Cast: William Katt (Carrie, Jawbreaker, Mirrors 2)
George Wendt (Space Truckers, King of the Ants)
Kay Lenz (White Line Fever, The Initiation of Sarah)
CONTENT (spoilered; highlight for warnings)
PTSD, dismemberment, suicide, child abduction
CAREER STATS [on a scale from 1 (least) to 10 (most)]
FUN: 9
Rubber monster madhouse. Not overly violent, either.
SCARINESS: 6
A haunted house film without ghosts? Somehow, it works.
INTENSITY: 5
The mayhem ramps up nicely, but it's a chill time.
RECOMMENDABILITY: 8
Nostalgic and delightful without being too goofy.
SEE ALSO:
The Basket Case trilogy, Re-Animator, Pin, Night of the Creeps
