Movie Reviews: House
Horror writer Roger Cobb's life is a mess. His son has disappeared in mysterious circumstances, his wife has divorced him, his aunt and adopted mother has seemingly committed suicide, he is suffering writer's block and he is struggling to cope with his traumatic experiences during the Vietnam War. Roger decides to move in to his late aunt's house in the hope that the solitude will help him write his new book.
However, it soon becomes apparent that the house is haunted and the very same forces that took Roger's son soon set their sights on him.
This movie has all the ingredients of a grim horror drama with a traumatised writer struggling to cope, but must of the movie is played for laughs. This makes the movie's tone seem all over the place, but it still manages to be quite an enjoyable experience. This is helped by some rather likable characters. Roger Cobb's life is going so badly that you can't help but feel sorry for him. Then there is his bumbling neighbour Harold, played by George Wendt of Cheers fame. At first Harold thinks that his new neighbour is a suicidal oddball, but he soon gets involved in all the spooky shenanigans.
I am a big fan of practical effects in movies and this picture has some truly impressive things going on. A particular highlight is the zombified corpse of Roger's old war buddy. telling you anything more about him will spoil the movie's big reveal.
The movie would lead to several more sequels. The second movie is more of a time travel comedy. Number three has absolutely nothing to do with haunted houses and is more like a cheap A Nightmare of Elm Street knock-off about a Death Row inmate coming back to life and tormenting his captors. The fourth movie is the only one that is a direct follow-up to the original. I will give the second movie a try, but I think I will leave it at that. I haven't heard anything that makes me think the other sequels are any good, so I don't think I will bother with them.
Three and a half pointy hats.
Next time: Captain America- Civil War
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