House (1986)
Directed by Steve Miner

Film Review

Having made a pretty unpromising directorial debut with the first two sequels to Friday the 13th, Steve Miner was called upon to direct another horror film, albeit one of an altogether different kind, for producer Sean S. Cunningham.  Although Miner would later go on to prove his mettle and garner considerable respect, this early offering - a juvenile spoof of The Amityville Horror (1979) - does him few favours, mainly because the script is such a shambolic mess.   Wallowing in its own silliness, the film offers few decent laughs and even fewer frights, although it was a notable box office hit when it was first released, enough of a hit to inspire three sequels.  The popularity of House says far more about the quality of horror films at that time than the quality of the film itself.  This has to be one of the most unsophisticated horror spoofs of all time, and you have to be seriously drunk to see the funny side.

Film Synopsis

Roger Cobb is an author who is afflicted with a severe attack of writer's block in the wake of a quick succession of personal calamities.  His young son has gone missing, he has broken up with his wife and an aged aunt has just committed suicide by hanging herself.  By taking up residence in his recently deceased aunt's old house, Robert hopes he can find the peace he needs to pull himself together and continue his work on his next book - an account of his wartime experiences in Vietnam.  Unfortunately, the house seems to have other ideas.  Shortly after moving into the large old building Robert begins suffering from vivid and horrific nightmares.  When his waking hours are similarly affected by ghoulish visions he starts to wonder if he is losing his mind.  His next-door neighbour certainly thinks so.  As the monstrous visions become more real and more frightening it gradually dawns on Robert that the house is trying to kill him - but why...?