THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

It's another film that begins with explanatory text. This time, it reads as such:

"During the 1980s over 70% of American adults believed in the existence of abusive Satanic Cults ... Another 30% rationalized the lack of evidence due to government cover ups ... The following is based on true unexplained events ...".

So far, so bullshit. And this is directed by Ti West, the guy who helmed THE ROOST and, er, CABIN FEVER 2 ...

Anyhow, we first meet cute Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) when she's looking around a house to rent, quickly falling in love with it as the landlady (Dee Wallace) explains she doesn't need a deposit straight away. Jocelin falls in love with the house, and then takes a walk back to her student apartment, affording the filmmakers the opportunity to throw some cheesy freeze-frame titles and even cheesier 80's-style MOR on the soundtrack.

Sick of her party-loving flatmate Heather (Heather Robb), Samantha is desperate to rent the house she's viewed. But she can't afford the $300 bond. As luck would have it, she discovers a flyer advertising for a babysitter - and promptly calls on a payphone (it's the 80s ...) to apply for the job.

Despite her sexy friend Megan (Greta Gerwig) attempting to dissuade Samantha over a spot of pizza, she takes the babysitting gig - and that's not the best idea...

Already a nervous wreck, Samantha's disposition only degenerates when she speaks to her potential new employer Mr Ulman (Tom Noonan) over the telephone. He sounds like a creepy old beggar - but, he offers her $100 for one night's work, so before you know it she's got Megan giving her a lift to his home...

Ulman welcomes Samantha and Megan into his abode, a luxuriously huge home, and then takes Samantha into a separate room and drops the bombshell on her: he doesn't have a child, but would like her to babysit his ailing mother-in-law while he busies himself with the night's solar eclipse.

Rather understandably I feel, Samantha balks at this notion - until Ulman offers her $400 for her services. Samantha suddenly becomes keen to stay the night, although Megan smells a rat and swiftly departs in her car (and gets her brains blown out on the way home).

The real meat of the film begins with Samantha alone, downstairs in the imposing Ulman abode, obliviously wandering into more and more sinister scenarios - beginning with a meeting with Mrs Ulman (Mary Woronov) - before realising the full extent of why she's there ...

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL builds up slowly - really slowly - and is all the more satisfying for it. Donahue is a gorgeous, bubbly and believable lead. The whole cast, in fact, are remarkably assured and laidback - but Donahue emerges as a potential future star, capable of drawing you in to her world and siding with her fragile kindness.

Filmed very much in the style of early 80s horror films (the fashions, the music, the grainy dark feel of the film), HOUSE looks like a fairly old film. This is intentional, and director Ti West must be congratulated for emulating an era without it feeling overly contrived. There is an easy-going, organic nature to the retro style of HOUSE that is most satisfying.

Indeed, it only starts to fall apart in the final act when events reach a crescendo of sorts, and West loses his grip over what had been a perfectly sustained build-up for the first 80 minutes.

Still, the film is an excellent addition to the babysitter-in-peril cycle (it slots in nicely with the likes of FRIGHT, if not quite HALLOWEEN) and the bulk of the film - if you allow yourself to get absorbed in it - is very intriguing indeed. The finale's pretty gory and reminded me in a curious way of S F Brownrigg's 70s films.

HOUSE is presented uncut in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and has been enhanced for 16x9 TV sets. Colours are accurate and detail is fine, while a fine layer of grain is prevalent throughout - no doubt, it's there to lend the film that 80s authenticity. I found the picture quality very agreeable though (perhaps I was expecting something so murky that it would be virtually unwatchable, like the video tapes we all suffered through in the early 80s).

English audio is provided in 2.0 and 5.1 mixes, both of which are very good. It's hard to recommend the 5.1 mix over the former, as I didn't feel the quality was discernible between the two - but they satisfied, regardless.

Extras begin with a good, engaging commentary track from West and Donahue. Together they cover most aspects of the production (well, he does) while occasionally giggling at the events unfolding onscreen. It's a very respectful affair for the most part though, with Donahue demonstrating how she really strived to understand her character and West coming across as a likeably committed director.

A second commentary track is more technical, and further illustrates how serious West was about getting a good film out of all of this. West is joined on this occasion by sound designer Graham Resnick, and co-producers Larry Fessenden (he of HABIT, WENDIGO and THE LAST WINTER fame) and Peter Phok. It's a good, occasionally amusing listen.

Then there is "In The House Of The Devil", a valid 13-minute foray behind the scenes. This offers some great rehearsal and outtakes footage, as well as consolidating on the commentary tracks' testimony that this was a fun - but committed - shoot.

Two time coded deleted scenes follow, offering nothing of new relevance over the course of six minutes.

Finally, we get the original trailer. Which is nice.

The main menu is striking in its simplicity, and leads into a static scene-selection menu allowing access to the film via 12 chapters.

The disc defaults to open with trailers for THEM (a.k.a. ILS), and British thriller FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL is an unexpectedly affecting film that, while playing a little too close to cliché at times, deserves your time simply because it's so much better than a lot of the crap coming out at present. It boasts a great cast too.

This disc from Metrodome is a good one, although it's worth noting that Dark Sky have also released the film on (Region A encoded) blu-ray Stateside, with the same extras.

Review by Stuart Willis


 
Released by Metrodome Video
Region 2 - PAL
Rated 18
Extras :
see main review
Back