The House of the Devil (2009)
Directed by: Ti West
Written by: Ti West
Released by: Dark Sky Films
"Go ahead, kill me if you want...I'm just a messenger who carries out his words."
In need of money for a down payment on an apartment, college student Samantha Hughes (Jocelin Donahue) takes a babysitting job for an odd couple living out in the middle of nowhere. The situation becomes even more bizarre when the man (Played by veteran actor Tom Noonan) informs Samantha that they don't actually have a child, but rather the job entails her looking after his elderly mother. Not wanting to turn down the large sum of money offered to her, Samantha decides to take the job which turns out to be the biggest mistake of her life.
Being a huge fan of 80's horror films, 'The House of the Devil' really blew me away with it's retro 80's look. Everything about the film screams 80's cinema, whether it's the cinematography, music, fashion, etc.. There have been quite a few films in recent years that have attempted to duplicate the 80's era vibe, but Ti West's effort here is clearly the best that I've seen.
Without giving a whole lot away, I will say that the title of the film pretty much says it all. The film has a slow build up, leading to it's grand finale, which may aggravate those looking for a faster pace movie. I've seen quite a few people on the internet label the film as "boring" and "pointless". It did seem like there were a couple of "filler" sequences in the middle of the film, thrown in just to push it to a 95 minute run time. Overall the slower pace of the movie didn't bother me at all though as the characters are all well acted out and the locations bring forth a rather creepy atmosphere which will keep you glued to your seat...with a conclusion that is more than satisfying.
'The House of the Devil' relies more on tension and psychological horror than it does blood and gore...not to say that the film doesn't have it's fair share of that as well. I think fans of classic Satanic themed horror films such as 'The Omen' or 'Rosemary's Baby' will really enjoy what Ti West has created here. Younger, A.D.D. stricken fans of newer films such as 'Saw' or 'Hostel' may find it a bit boring. I, myself absolutely loved the film though and in my opinion 'The House of the Devil' is a definite "must own" for any true horror fan.
4.5 out of 5 stars
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Written by: Ti West
Released by: Dark Sky Films
"Go ahead, kill me if you want...I'm just a messenger who carries out his words."
In need of money for a down payment on an apartment, college student Samantha Hughes (Jocelin Donahue) takes a babysitting job for an odd couple living out in the middle of nowhere. The situation becomes even more bizarre when the man (Played by veteran actor Tom Noonan) informs Samantha that they don't actually have a child, but rather the job entails her looking after his elderly mother. Not wanting to turn down the large sum of money offered to her, Samantha decides to take the job which turns out to be the biggest mistake of her life.
Being a huge fan of 80's horror films, 'The House of the Devil' really blew me away with it's retro 80's look. Everything about the film screams 80's cinema, whether it's the cinematography, music, fashion, etc.. There have been quite a few films in recent years that have attempted to duplicate the 80's era vibe, but Ti West's effort here is clearly the best that I've seen.
Without giving a whole lot away, I will say that the title of the film pretty much says it all. The film has a slow build up, leading to it's grand finale, which may aggravate those looking for a faster pace movie. I've seen quite a few people on the internet label the film as "boring" and "pointless". It did seem like there were a couple of "filler" sequences in the middle of the film, thrown in just to push it to a 95 minute run time. Overall the slower pace of the movie didn't bother me at all though as the characters are all well acted out and the locations bring forth a rather creepy atmosphere which will keep you glued to your seat...with a conclusion that is more than satisfying.
'The House of the Devil' relies more on tension and psychological horror than it does blood and gore...not to say that the film doesn't have it's fair share of that as well. I think fans of classic Satanic themed horror films such as 'The Omen' or 'Rosemary's Baby' will really enjoy what Ti West has created here. Younger, A.D.D. stricken fans of newer films such as 'Saw' or 'Hostel' may find it a bit boring. I, myself absolutely loved the film though and in my opinion 'The House of the Devil' is a definite "must own" for any true horror fan.
4.5 out of 5 stars
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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