Movies Mayberry Movie Club Week 4: The House Of The Devil (2009)

[Cubo de Sangre]

For week #4 the club selected The House of the Devil (2009).

Premise: In 1983, financially struggling college student Samantha Hughes takes a strange babysitting job that coincides with a full lunar eclipse. She slowly realizes her clients harbor a terrifying secret, putting her life in mortal danger.

Director: Ti West

Starring: Jocelin Donahue

Trivia:
(via IMDB)​

• Shot on 16mm film (very popular in the 80s) to give it a retro stylistic look.
  
• Deliberately shot in the same kind of style and using similar techniques as the splatter films of the 70s and the 80s which it emulates.
  
• Shot over a period of only 18 days.
  
• Most of the crew were locally sourced from Connecticut where the film was shot to help keep the costs down to under a million dollars.
  
• The titular house was infested with ladybugs, some of which can be seen in some of the shots.
  
• When Samantha orders a pizza, the pizza guy asks if she wants a pizza with extra anchovies. This is a very subtle nod to the Patrick Dempsey comedy, Loverboy (1989). The extra anchovies reference in that film meant that the delivery boy would be delivering a lot more than pizzas.
  
• The camera frequently zooms in on characters - one of the techniques that were highly favored in the 80s. Nowadays they would have been most likely to dolly in instead.
  
• The film is purportedly based on true events but the events it supposedly depicts are never mentioned in the film or in any of its press releases.
  
• Jocelin Donahue did her own choreography for the dance scene.

Spoiler: Weeks 1-3

1: Rampage (2009)
2: Creep (2014)
3: Victoria (2015)

Members: @the ambush @Cubo de Sangre @Dirt Road Soldier @MusterX @sickc0d3r @Tufts @Zer @newjerseynick

Honorary tags: @chickenluver @JayPettryMMA @europe1 @the muntjac @HenryFlower

 

[Tufts]

The titular house was infested with ladybugs, some of which can be seen in some of the shots.

That is the best infestation ever!!! I'd be stuck with them, coz I'd never be able to bring myself to kill them.

 

[Tufts]

The extra anchovies reference in that film meant that the delivery boy would be delivering a lot more than pizzas.

Breadsticks? Caeser salad? This sounds scary to me and makes me never want to order pizza. Not that its an option on Big Island

 

[Drain Bamage]

Great throwback horror film 4/5

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Breadsticks? Caeser salad? This sounds scary to me and makes me never want to order pizza. Not that its an option on Big Island

No. It meant they were ordering a male escort. $200 for a pie with the extra anchovies.

 

[Tufts]

No. It meant they were ordering a male escort. $200 for a pie with the extra anchovies.

I'd order mine with extra Italian sausage!

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Didn't like this film. Mostly nothing happens and the main character isn't all that likable. It took way too fuckin' long to get to the Satanists making their move. And when it did she magically escapes and stabs everyone in a matter of a few minutes.

No backstory with the cult? Ok. Would have been more interesting than her lazy roommate getting laid and being a slob.

Score wasn't very good. Nothing impressive with the performances. Two thumbs down all around.

 

[Tufts]

Was not a fan of this flick. The start was slow. There was too much creeping around the house. Not enough context. And the end was predictable. Sorry @MusterX. I usually like your choices. The most interesting part of the film was the 80s style reproduced in 09. Reminded me how much I hate those high-waisted jeans, and the feathered bangs. The 80s was known for its music though, so they should have had a better soundtrack. I'm guessing it was not in their budget. I thought the actresses did a good job of sounding like folks in the 80s. I've always been fascinated with how people have spoken differently in film across the decades. I did jump nicely when poor Meghan was shot. Samantha should have realized something was really up when Mr. Ullman said he could only pay one person, but then offers her 4 times the amount.

 

[Tufts]

Busy day today with zoom placements for school.... so here are my notes.

· 1980s, 70% abusive cults, 30% lack of evidence gov cover up. No wonder QAnon is around. Jeez

· "Looked like trouble and too old for that nonsense" Daughter references – remind me of her / no money for rent. Says trust her gut twice. Foreshadowing.

· Is that a Walkman in her pocket? Miss those headsets. Didn’t hurt ears

· Nice shot composition in school tunnel… also at start of movie

· Music is very 80s

· Peter Phok is a producer. lol

· Nice stair shot followed by door in door shot. I like the filming so far.

· Sock on the door. No wonder she is moving out. Bringing back some bad college memories

· Eclipse tonight = nice exposition when she takes babysitter tear off ad da kine

· Close up of Samantha Hughes

· Was the number she gave the pay phone one? He must have *69ed her. lol Someone got away with designating that number.

· Weirdo not answering questions. Pay attention to your instincts chiquita

· Sock is gone. Ewwwwwww to the room. It sure is big though. There was only a foot between my bed and the roommates.

· Columns. Generic University.

· Bell singing Christmas music.… why?

· Fade outs to show the passing of time

· Eclipse pie special that doesn't get eaten

· The hair! Carpet is filthy esp for a germaphobe like you

· Kitchen is kinda blah, and so is the bathroom. I’ll paint it in bright colours. Ah - she has dreams.

· $300. For the whole house? What?

· Meghan how am I gonna be able to afford all of this. Get roommates. It’s a whole house! Talk to your RA and get a different room, dummy.

· $84 in bank on wed. Friend can call dad. Sweet girl. She is going to die

· The kid could be from hell. You don’t even like kids anyway. Tear down signs so no one else shows up. LOL. Just want to forget it, no more drama

· Broke, but buys pizza she didn’t eat

· Roomie snores. The worst

· Wasting water to cover crying? Why is door open?

· Pay you double.. $100.. home soon after midnight. No bueno.

· I promise to make this as painless for you as possible. Foreshadowing

· We don’t hear him give address

· Meghan gives her a ride. Usual road shot. Eclipse on radio

· So sick of hearing about that stupid eclipse (me too – we get it)…. It's not like the moon’s gonna explode, that would be pretty cool. Want me to come with you? I feel a little weird just dropping you off here in the middle of jabib (???) or wherever we are. I had to look at a map…..don't get mad at me. Pulled all the ads down. Sweet girl. She is gonna die.

· I had to do it man….now I know why I got the job. No one else called. Let me stay with you… I’ll just be there. Good friend.

· Normal people don’t pull the kind of stuff they pulled with you today. Foreshadowing

· Out in the country and rich. Must be normal. You think having lots of money makes you normal? You’ve clearly never met my family.

· Volvo. Safest car on the road

· Looking up at person at door. Power dynamic shot. Sounds like a vampire. Such beautiful girls. Ugh

· Creepy old dude. Mayordomo like. Ugh

· You’re a doll…. Ugh. Relief to get this night behind us w the eclipse and all

· Are u a professor/astronomer? Not exactly. This man does not know how to answer a question.

· I can only pay one person.

· My wife is very on edge with this whole situation. I understand (being understanding will be the death of her). I’m afraid you don’t. please sit down. Friend in living room. Eats from bowl. Ugh.

· I’ve not been completely honest. We don’t have a child. He is grown. Tonight is for my mother. I don’t have any exp with something like that. Scares her by getting up abruptly

· This is not what you are imagining. There is nothing medical. This is awkward. No one responds to elderly care. I only got one other girl and she backed out. Figured it is all the horror stories you see on tv and read in the paper that scares away girls of your age. Foreshadowing.

· There are lots of weirdos out there. Foreshadowing.

· It’s just like babysitting. What will it take? Another $100. He could pay for Meghan! Asshole. $300 total. Negotiates. Meghan runs out. Are you out of your mind? This is beyond weird. Mental

· It is too good to be true. It is so stupid. I’m so mad at you. Sweet girl. Maybe she won't die.

· This one night changes everything for me. Foreshadowing. Promise you will be here by 1230.

· Don’t miss those high wasted jeans even though they brought them back into fashion.

· Flat tire? Lighter doesn’t work. Second guessing? Lighter at window. Scary!!! I didn’t mean to scare you. Sue me for being helpful. Gaslighting. Grrr.

· Creeper. All better? (NO!) Its freezing out here? OK. Are you not the babysitter? Shoots her. Takes her cig. Crap.

· Gives her money. Number on fridge for pizza. Mother is more able bodied than myself. If she needs anything she can get it herself. Be alert in case of an emergency. This is for my wife’s benefit. Disarmingish when he brings up pizza again. If this wasn’t screwed on….be back in two shakes

· Voices upstairs. Wife comes up from basement. See her in mirror. Are you here for mother? She looks like a crow or someone who is gonna make a dalmation dog coat. Vivian Ullman

· Was down in basement looking for her furs. Hubs upstairs. From the desert. You look young to be in college. Soph could have fooled me. Bet the boys really like you. Of course they do. Fine young beauty like you. Your mother must worry herself silly. Touches her hair. Ugh.

· She is delightful. I couldn’t be more pleased and mother will love her. Things are working out perfectly. Let’s get to it. Let’s not let the night get away from us. Foreshadowing.

· I warned her about both of you. You did, did you? Creepy banter.

· Pizza number on the fridge. Awfully pushy. Why?

· Zoom out of house

· Calls Meghan. Fooled by answering machine. Annoying when that happens.

· Water bottle in the 80s?

· Orders pizza. Pizza pizza … medium pep $8. See you in 30.

· Turns on lights

· Pool table

· Plays keys… wants old lady to come down. Snoops

· Sits at desk. Puts on glasses. Ugh. Covid has changed me.

· Goldfish. Symbolism?

· Revolutionaries on horses

· Bathroom

· In attic shot from outside. Nice window patterning

· Studying

· Granola bar number 2

· Tv

· Showed her though window

· Eclipse on tv

· Stroke of midnight earth will disappear. Frightmare theatre next. I bet.

· Walkman. How’s she gonna hear granny? Plays pool. Long 30 m, The Fix music ups the mood. One thing leads to another. Feels forced.

· Dramatic cut to darkness and tiny sound as she looks into basement. Back to regular sound and dancing. Goes upstairs. Knocks over vase upstairs. Dummy.

· Hears footsteps. Opens door. Furs. She said furs were in the basement. Pictures. Volvo in pic with other people. Goes outside. Van. Man walking. Snuffs out cig. She calls M. takes a knife.

· TP on toilet. Callback to M saying she was a germaphobe. Hears something. Opens door. Vulnerable. Shadows. It's her. LOL

· Hello. Mrs Ullman? Goes upstairs slowly with knife. Shadow of bars on wall. Shadow of knife. Shot behind knife while walking

· Is everything alright in there? Light under door. Zoom out to see blood and dead bodies. Creepy

· Up to attic. Phone rings, we all jump. Cheap scare.

· Grabs pizza and says keep the change. He looks in window. Same dude who killed M. Leaves. Pointy hat matches pointy bushes.

· She slams doors going into kitchen. Calls M. it doesn’t go through.

· Calls 911. Hangs up. Reassures herself.

· Light by phone, dark behind her. 911 calls back. Do you have an emergency? Please remember this line is for emergencies only. Washes knife. Pizza looks gross.

· Shot of eating from outside. Tv horror movie. Off

· Spits it out, rinses mouth. Oh ho. She's been drugged.

· Sounds coming from drain. Goes back upstairs no knife. Creaky steps I didn’t notice earlier. Why is she snooping around upstairs?

· Hair in tub. sound. Back to attic. Claustrophobic shots

· Turns on attic light, all lights go out, moon disappears.

· Timing makes no sense…. Can’t be but 45 m since she ordered pizza. Eclipse was spossed to be at midnight.

· Hears steps. Door opens. She cowers. Sees hand. Closes eyes. Drugged. Semi falls down steps

· Red flashy moon….lighter….her tied up… waking up screaming in a pentagram

· Knife walks in. Couple. I’m sad. Asshole is their son?

· Ghoul? Is that mama?

· Eww. Blood circle around navel.

· Pentagram. Goat head. Cuts self. Blackish blood. Marks on head and belly. Pours blood on her. Gets loose and runs. Stabs son in eye. Sees corpse. Slips.

· Dickhead shoots her in neck. She stabs him in neck. Grr dosn't grab gun

· Mom cries. She hides. Flashbacks

· Disjointed editing.

· Mom drags her out. It can’t be stopped. It will work in spite of you you lil bitch. Talk to me lord. Pulls off wig. Sam stabs her.

· Moon reappearing. Takes gun. Yay!

· 911

· Outside. Flashbacks. Old man chases her. He is stabbed in belly. Missed that while taking notes.

· Runs in cemetery. Convenient

· Just speak with me. You don’t need to do that . what did you do to me? They’re calling you just listen to them. He’s chosen you. It is your destiny to accept him. No. go ahead kill me if you want. I am just a messenger who carries out his works.

· She shoots herself. Good choice. Should have shot him first.

· Hospital

· She is in bed. Slow camera. And tinkly music. Beep beep. Tray. Nurse. Air in the needle? C’mon people. Don’t worry you will be just fine. Both of you. Grrrr

· Slowest credits ever. Music building.

 

[sickc0d3r]

Yeah, what the hell was that? Goddamnit, @MusterX .

I was pretty into it early on. I mean, better looking version of Marion from Raiders Of The Lost Ark was easy to look at, and the mystery behind the family of weirdos was enough to keep me interested. But there was exactly zero payoff, unless you count the little bit of ultra-violence, which was ok. Nothing was explained and it felt like they just slapped together an ending. The whole thing fell off a cliff of disappointment. 3.5/10.

 

[MusterX]

First of all, I haven't seen this film, it was my first viewing, however, I liked the film far more than you Philistine's so I'm going to try to redeem this thread. Let me preface this by saying that its unfair for me to judge 80's stuff because its my favorite decade. I remember it vividly and this film wreaks of the 80's. I may swing for the fences a little hard here but you early reviewers have left me no choice. I feel I have to put a defense up.

I was struck immediately at how well the film puts together an 80's look with dress, hair style, score, and cinematography. In the opening sequence when Samantha is walking she is listening to a Walkman as she unironically takes a walk and then she uses a payphone to call about the babysitting job. My kids don't even know what a payphone is. Other 80's items, the rabbits foot hanging from the car mirror, I would have also accepted fuzzy dice, a Medium Pizza being $8, and the score was spot on IMO.

This is spot on awesome 1980's babysitter with a Walkman dancing around in a death trap. It reminds me of the 80's in a way that you would only understand if you were there.



This is classic 80's looking girls complete with the hair and attire and even the cafe they are eating in with the wood paneling and red booths.

Why would she accept the creepy babysitting job? The script makes it a a point in the first half hour to paint a picture where Samantha is willing to do just about anything to escape living with her slutty slob friend. She goes into the bathroom and turns on all the water for example when she is trying to sleep and her friend is snoring. She also only has from Wed. to Mon. to get the 300 dollars she needs for rent on her new place, which by the way is dingy and has washed out colors. The entire color pallet of the film screams 1980's horror film.

Her friend Megan seemed to have the right idea but Samantha doesn't listen when Megan tells her they are weird, and are liars, and that $400 is too good to be true so they should leave. She does leave but she doesn't make it far because cult guy puts a bullet in her head. It was at this point I thought Samantha would not make it. Up until that point I assumed that in classic 80's style the protagonist would walk away in the end, bruised and bloody. Ultimately that did happen but not until I changed my mind on the matter several times. The film succeeds in twisting the narrative to make the viewer think she's dead, she's not dead, she's dead, she's not dead!

Before I move on though I want to point out something. In the 1980's there were satanic cults around every corner. It was a real thing and a real fear in the 80's. It was on the nightly news, it was in the newspapers, and school aged children across the country heard all the urban legends about satanic cults. Ritual abuse and blood sacrifice was and is still a real thing and the 1980's were riddled with what is now referred to as the "Satanic Panic" of the 1980's. Here is an article that tries to encapsulate some of what I'm talking about. The 80's was a wild ass time.
https://lurkingbeyond.com/looking-back-at-the-satanic-panic-of-the-80s/

Also, let me point this out. This frame is a call all the way back to Rosemary's Baby. Even the green tint in present in both shots.

Which brings me to my final point, the baby. Does nobody want to acknowledge that at the end she was pregnant with the son of Satan? It was the house of the devil, she was to be the mother of the devil, or the antichrist, whichever you prefer. She tried to kill herself to stop it but she lived because she had dialed 911 and dropped the phone before the final chase. They were doing the blood magic ritual to impregnate her which is why they drew the pentagram in blood on her stomach.

The nurse at the end in the hospital patted her stomach and said don't worry, both of you will be alright. These Satanic cult members are everywhere. Even that reminded me of The Omen films where creepy nuns and nurses would look after Damian because they knew he was the son of Satan. In the end, this is an atmospheric horror throwback. It weakens in the third act due to some script issues but it overall kept me engaged throughout, mainly due to the likeability of Samantha. This film is an homage to slow burn atmospheric horror. The house is similar to The Amityville Horror house, the score and babysitting nod is for the Halloween movies, and even the location of the house being out in the middle of nowhere is a tip of the hat to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

And one last thing. Samantha's landlord at the beginning was all in on Samantha getting that $300 for rent while allowing her to not put down a deposit. It was just enough money that Samantha would try to get it, even take a weird babysitting job. She also kept saying, "she trusted her gut". I now believe she was also a cult member and the "gut" reference was Samantha being the one to be impregnated by the blood ritual during the lunar eclipse.

I'm not going to tell you its a perfect horror film, its not, but I liked it. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the build up even if the end was rushed. The end isn't the point of this film though, its the anticipation that matters.

7.5/10

 

[Bullitt68]

Surprised to see this title as the movie of the week. I remember watching this one when it came out. I was just excited to see Tom Noonan in a horror movie. I honestly went in with zero expectations. I just wanted to see him. But I ended up liking it. I didn't dig it as much as @MusterX, but I'm definitely closer to him in my appreciation of it than the rest of you.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

First of all, I haven't seen this film, it was my first viewing,

Next time give us a heads up on that before we vote.

For the sake of discussion...

I was struck immediately at how well the film puts together an 80's look with dress, hair style, score, and cinematography.

Feeling '80s was the one thing I'll say the film pulled off. Although it kinda almost felt more '70s since '80s horror films seemed to try a little harder than this one.

Which brings me to my final point, the baby. Does nobody want to acknowledge that at the end she was pregnant with the son of Satan?

Absolutely she was. Thought that seemed pretty obvious. Just by that point who cares? There's really only three purposes to conjuring Satan. You want immortality, you wanna turn Satan lose, or you want him to knock some chick up. What makes it interesting is the process and characters involved. Here was got a pentagram, candles, robes, a knife, and the goat's head the old lady bled into. Could have used more sense of history. Maybe some dramatic incantations and chanting. And a bigger group. I mean, Satan's spawn should rate more than four fuckin' lookie-loos.

I'll add that the little bit that happened was predictable. I knew right off the friend was gonna die at some point and that the dude who shot her was gonna be delivering the pizza. Almost called out her shooting herself, but I just wanted it to end and didn't have the energy to verbalize the thought.

 

[MusterX]

Surprised to see this title as the movie of the week. I remember watching this one when it came out. I was just excited to see Tom Noonan in a horror movie. I honestly went in with zero expectations. I just wanted to see him. But I ended up liking it. I didn't dig it as much as @MusterX, but I'm definitely closer to him in my appreciation of it than the rest of you.

I probably defended it a little more rigorously than I should have but that was only because of the initial posts in the thread. It has some serious weaknesses but it also had some good strengths so I just felt it was better than some others gave it credit for being. Its an atmospheric 80's style horror that mostly succeeded at what it set out to do.

 

[Pizza Werewolf]

I dug the style of the movie but that was it.
Very boring. I get they were going for retro but they did nothing with it. Reminded me of a student film.
I thought this movie was more recent, didnt realize it was from 2009.
Not the worst movie Ive ever seen, but nothing really new here.

 

[Bullitt68]

I probably defended it a little more rigorously than I should have but that was only because of the initial posts in the thread. It has some serious weaknesses but it also had some good strengths so I just felt it was better than some others gave it credit for being. Its an atmospheric 80's style horror that mostly succeeded at what it set out to do.

Absolutely. And even though it's weird calling a movie set in the '80s a period film, that's what it is and it's one of the best period films when you think about it since it doesn't merely set the story in (and thus recreate) the past - something which, for recent films, I think that Clint Eastwood did exceptionally for Changeling - it manages to be a film that actually looks and feels like it's from the past itself. Funny enough, @newjerseynick thought that this movie was more recent than it was, but for me, I remember watching it and legit thinking that I was watching the wrong movie, that I must be watching an actual '80s horror film and not the 2009 film with Tom Noonan that I was looking for. That alone gets it tons of cool points from me.

 

[sickc0d3r]

First of all, I haven't seen this film, it was my first viewing, however, I liked the film far more than you Philistine's so I'm going to try to redeem this thread. Let me preface this by saying that its unfair for me to judge 80's stuff because its my favorite decade. I remember it vividly and this film wreaks of the 80's. I may swing for the fences a little hard here but you early reviewers have left me no choice. I feel I have to put a defense up.

I was struck immediately at how well the film puts together an 80's look with dress, hair style, score, and cinematography. In the opening sequence when Samantha is walking she is listening to a Walkman as she unironically takes a walk and then she uses a payphone to call about the babysitting job. My kids don't even know what a payphone is. Other 80's items, the rabbits foot hanging from the car mirror, I would have also accepted fuzzy dice, a Medium Pizza being $8, and the score was spot on IMO.

This is spot on awesome 1980's babysitter with a Walkman dancing around in a death trap. It reminds me of the 80's in a way that you would only understand if you were there.



This is classic 80's looking girls complete with the hair and attire and even the cafe they are eating in with the wood paneling and red booths.

Why would she accept the creepy babysitting job? The script makes it a a point in the first half hour to paint a picture where Samantha is willing to do just about anything to escape living with her slutty slob friend. She goes into the bathroom and turns on all the water for example when she is trying to sleep and her friend is snoring. She also only has from Wed. to Mon. to get the 300 dollars she needs for rent on her new place, which by the way is dingy and has washed out colors. The entire color pallet of the film screams 1980's horror film.

Her friend Megan seemed to have the right idea but Samantha doesn't listen when Megan tells her they are weird, and are liars, and that $400 is too good to be true so they should leave. She does leave but she doesn't make it far because cult guy puts a bullet in her head. It was at this point I thought Samantha would not make it. Up until that point I assumed that in classic 80's style the protagonist would walk away in the end, bruised and bloody. Ultimately that did happen but not until I changed my mind on the matter several times. The film succeeds in twisting the narrative to make the viewer think she's dead, she's not dead, she's dead, she's not dead!

Before I move on though I want to point out something. In the 1980's there were satanic cults around every corner. It was a real thing and a real fear in the 80's. It was on the nightly news, it was in the newspapers, and school aged children across the country heard all the urban legends about satanic cults. Ritual abuse and blood sacrifice was and is still a real thing and the 1980's were riddled with what is now referred to as the "Satanic Panic" of the 1980's. Here is an article that tries to encapsulate some of what I'm talking about. The 80's was a wild ass time.
https://lurkingbeyond.com/looking-back-at-the-satanic-panic-of-the-80s/

Also, let me point this out. This frame is a call all the way back to Rosemary's Baby. Even the green tint in present in both shots.

Which brings me to my final point, the baby. Does nobody want to acknowledge that at the end she was pregnant with the son of Satan? It was the house of the devil, she was to be the mother of the devil, or the antichrist, whichever you prefer. She tried to kill herself to stop it but she lived because she had dialed 911 and dropped the phone before the final chase. They were doing the blood magic ritual to impregnate her which is why they drew the pentagram in blood on her stomach.

The nurse at the end in the hospital patted her stomach and said don't worry, both of you will be alright. These Satanic cult members are everywhere. Even that reminded me of The Omen films where creepy nuns and nurses would look after Damian because they knew he was the son of Satan. In the end, this is an atmospheric horror throwback. It weakens in the third act due to some script issues but it overall kept me engaged throughout, mainly due to the likeability of Samantha. This film is an homage to slow burn atmospheric horror. The house is similar to The Amityville Horror house, the score and babysitting nod is for the Halloween movies, and even the location of the house being out in the middle of nowhere is a tip of the hat to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

And one last thing. Samantha's landlord at the beginning was all in on Samantha getting that $300 for rent while allowing her to not put down a deposit. It was just enough money that Samantha would try to get it, even take a weird babysitting job. She also kept saying, "she trusted her gut". I now believe she was also a cult member and the "gut" reference was Samantha being the one to be impregnated by the blood ritual during the lunar eclipse.

I'm not going to tell you its a perfect horror film, its not, but I liked it. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the build up even if the end was rushed. The end isn't the point of this film though, its the anticipation that matters.

7.5/10

First of all, it’s all good, you’ve picked plenty of great ones, I can forgive you this stinker.

I am with you on the 80’s stuff, I think it is known. And I did enjoy the first hour or so of the movie. Very well done in terms of building suspense and just being creepy. Mr. and Mrs. Ulman were steeped in the old timey creep show elixir that evokes just the right amount of dread, and a dose or two of intrigue.

But that ending, my lord. If that’s the devil’s house it must be the “special” house, where his slowest witted minions are kept busy with nonsense while he attends to the real work, like convincing us all to inject Bill Gate’s malware into our bodies. Her escape was meh, she just somehow untied herself, and then she was able to overcome the family like they were the keystone cops. Nothing compelling or revealing happened in any of that mess. And because of that, all of the tension and suspense it had worked hard to build turned into a flat disappointment. I literally said “wtf?” When the credits rolled.
I’d say your fleshing out of the story is way better than what the crew actually put on film, unfortunately.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

...she just somehow untied herself, and then she was able to overcome the family like they were the keystone cops. Nothing compelling or revealing happened in any of that mess. And because of that, all of the tension and suspense it had worked hard to build turned into a flat disappointment. I literally said “wtf?” When the credits rolled.

Yeah, the escape was eye-rolling. They just stand around watching her get loose. Nobody thinks grabbing an arm or something is a good idea?

I'd like to know who was dead in the one room when she was standing outside the door. Was the the real home owners? Was that a dry run, since there was a pentagram on the floor. Or a real attempt that didn't succeed? They made such a big deal of the eclipse I'd think they had to wait until it was happening. Some other ritual?

The chick annoyed me with ner non-pizza eating, twice. Earlier in the day, she's broke but orders pizza and doesn't take a bite out of it? Was that a setup for her turning her nose up to pizza that night, in an attempt to make us think it wasn't drugged? If so it didn't work. It was obviously drugged when shooter boy dropped it of. And finally, who the fuck holds their pizza vertically? The pizza disrespect in the film was offensive.

Oh, yeah. Why did the roommate pull over after leaving the Devil's house? I missed that. Thought it was a flat at first but then it didn't seem to be. Regardless, seems like lazy writing that she pulls over right where the bad guy is lurking.

 

[sickc0d3r]

Yeah, the escape was eye-rolling. They just stand around watching her get loose. Nobody thinks grabbing an arm or something is a good idea?

I'd like to know who was dead in the one room when she was standing outside the door. Was the the real home owners? Was that a dry run, since there was a pentagram on the floor. Or a real attempt that didn't succeed? They made such a big deal of the eclipse I'd think they had to wait until it was happening. Some other ritual?

The chick annoyed me with ner non-pizza eating, twice. Earlier in the day, she's broke but orders pizza and doesn't take a bite out of it? Was that a setup for her turning her nose up to pizza that night, in an attempt to make us think it wasn't drugged? If so it didn't work. It was obviously drugged when shooter boy dropped it of. And finally, who the fuck holds their pizza vertically? The pizza disrespect in the film was offensive.

Oh, yeah. Why did the roommate pull over after leaving the Devil's house? I missed that. Thought it was a flat at first but then it didn't seem to be. Regardless, seems like lazy writing that she pulls over right where the bad guy is lurking.

Lol, she needed to light a smoke and the lighter wasn't working. She couldn't work the car lighter while driving, apparently.

Many questions were never answered. And I'd add, if you're going to do an 80's horror the right way, the girl needed to be in her underpants while dancing with the walkman.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Lol, she needed to light a smoke and the lighter wasn't working. She couldn't work the car lighter while driving, apparently.

Many questions were never answered. And I'd add, if you're going to do an 80's horror the right way, the girl needed to be in her underpants while dancing with the walkman.

lol

Agreed. T&A was a key component of '80s horror. People didn't just have porn a click away. You actually had to embarrass yourself at a store for that. Movies provided a valuable service.