The humor/horror combination reminded me of Evil Dead 2 and then I realized that House came out a year before Sam Raimi’s classic film!
Roger Cobb (William Katt) is a horror writer whose life is unraveling. He’s recently been divorced from his wife (Kay Lenz); his son has gone missing; and his publisher is clamoring for a new book or he’ll be forced to repay the money he was advanced. And, to top it all off, his aunt has committed suicide and left him a big, old house.
Roger visits the house and decides that he’ll stay there to try and finish writing his new book. Shortly after moving in, he meets his neighbors, Harold (George Wendt), a nosy fan who lives next-door, and Tanya, a sexy blond who lives across the street.
Roger’s new book is going to be different from his last few. Despite his publisher’s protests, he’s writing about his experiences in the Vietnam War instead of cranking out another horror title. With all that’s happened to him lately, the process of reliving those memories has been painful.
One night, Roger, having trouble concentrating on his writing, decides to look around. As the clock strikes midnight, he hears noises in an upstairs closet. Opening the door, he is attacked by a giant demon-like creature. Suddenly, finishing the book takes a backseat to finding out what is lurking in the house.
House was based on a story by Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps) with the screenplay written by Ethan Wiley. Dekker’s original story was more of a straight horror story. Wiley infused the script with some offbeat humor. The direction, handled by Steve Miner (who helmed both Friday the 13th: Part 2 and Part 3), mixes the two elements effectively. In fact, the humor/horror combination reminded me of Evil Dead 2 and then I realized that House came out a year before Sam Raimi’s classic film!
William Katt was perfectly cast as the lead in this (mostly) lighthearted spookshow. His character is on-screen for nearly the entire movie. Katt handles the dramatic Vietnam flashbacks with appropriate gravitas but loosens up nicely when the mood calls for it. George Wendt, who is better known as Norm from TV’s Cheers, garners most of the laughs, though. Kay Lenz, who would later go on to win an Emmy for her work in the 1988 TV show, Midnight Caller, is relegated to only a handful of scenes. Richard Moll, who played Bull in Night Court, plays Big Ben, Roger’s friend from the war.
The practical effects are well-done for the time — blending horrific and goofy elements almost equally. For example, a grotesque creature that appears at Roger’s door looks like a witch with pointed teeth, bright red lipstick, and is wearing a dress.
Despite some glaring plot holes, House is the perfect film to show at a Halloween party if the intended audience wants something spooky but doesn’t want to be scared out of their minds.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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