Saturday, February 27, 2010

The House of the Devil (2009)


"The House of the Devil" is a horror movie you may have missed last year.  It flew under the radar, which is a shame because it is one of the better horrors to come out in recent years.

The film has an unbelievable style to it in which the viewer believes they are watching a film from the late 1970s or early 1980s.  It was shot and edited to reflect that film making style and it works remarkably.  My favorite part of the film that really shows this are the opening titles.  The font and freeze frames are reminiscent of the films of that time.  Even the actors seem to be from another generation.

"The House of the Devil" is all suspense.  A girl is at a strange house baby sitting and she just starts to get scared.  There really isn't a reason she should be scared, but things just don't seem right.  The whole film has an eerie mood to it and it is paced like a late 70s film which makes it scarier that normal.

There is one scene in the film which is so shocking and unexpected that I don't want to say anymore.  That scene made the film unforgettable.  Unfortunately, the climax of the film wasn't as good as the buildup.  It could have been the scariest movie ever made if the result of the tension was a better payoff.  It just didn't scare me very much like it could have.  There is also a scene that is tagged onto the end that could have been done without.  I am being vague on purpose as I don't want to let you know what happens.

"The House of the Devil" is unique for its style and originality.  A classic was almost made until the climax pulled it back to an above average horror film.

B  I recommend it.

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