by: Obaid K
Posted on 02.05.10 in All Horror Films > Supernatural > Thriller/Suspense
Release Date: 2009

This slow churning horror flick is a welcome throwback to the cult movies of the 70s and 80s. With its deliberately slow pacing, constant foreshadowing, and faded hues, this is an unabashed tribute to that golden era of horror, but might end up being too slow and uneventful to keep some viewers interested.

This is basically a twisted but polished, modern version of the classic babysitter movie with none of the cheap scares or corny lines you might associate with that subgenre. In fact, the only cheesy dialogue you’ll hear is from the local anchors during the news segments. The opening montage feels incredibly authentic and I’ll admit that I watched the intro a couple of times before watching the rest of the movie.

The film is set in the mid-80s and opens with a statement about American paranoia over satanic ritual abuse during that time. Anyone who’s interested could probably look up the trashy talk shows that hyped this rubbish and see how widespread a social phenomenon it had become – I’ve seen a few clips floating around on YouTube.

College student Sam Hughes (Jocelin Donahue) is in desperate need of money after moving into a new apartment. In order to make some quick cash, she settles on a babysitting position with a strange, elderly couple who tell her that they urgently need someone that night. The two have plans to enjoy the lunar eclipse and need someone to look after their elderly mother. Although Sam is reluctant at first, they manage to persuade her but she soon realizes that the job requires some otherworldly participation from her.

Even though it emulates low-budget slasher movies and is nothing new in terms of story or concept, there’s nothing cheap about The House of the Devil and this is evident in the direction and its production values. The entire film looks gorgeous and, as it progresses, each shot serves to heighten the tension slightly until the climax. You can tell director Ti West has a masterful understanding of suspense and the music (whether it’s 80s new wave or atmospheric sting sections) acts as a perfect catalyst for the onscreen action. I didn’t like the climax itself very much and I felt it should have been longer, but the techniques used to get there were impressive.

That’s not to say that film geeks will be the only ones who appreciate this movie. Through the use of silence and voyeuristic camerawork, the movie effectively creates a sense of intimacy between the viewer and Sam, who is normally shy but lets loose once alone in the house – there’s a great scene of her dancing around to The Fixx’s One Thing Leads to Another. I saw glimpses of a young Jaime Lee Curtis and an Amityville Horror-era Margot Kidder in her facial expressions and she is very convincing as a cult movie heroine. There are also some great supporting performances by Greta Gerwig, who plays Megan (Sam’s best friend) and Tom Noonan, who plays the very creepy Mr. Ulman.

A lot of people will undoubtedly find this movie very boring. It’s derivative and not a lot actually happens, which means you really have to pay attention to fully appreciate the mood the director creates within the house. But for people who are patient enough to sit through this film, they might find it a satisfying nostalgia trip to a bygone era where mood and atmosphere were more important than predictable scares.

• ★★★★★

  Acting:

• ★★★★★

  Blood:

• ★★★★★

  Violence:

• ★★★★★

  Partying:

• ★★★★★

  Language:

• ★★★★★

  Humor:

• ★★★★★

  Predictable:

• ★★★★★

  Girls:

• ★★★★★

  Gore:

• ★★★★★

  Sexuality:

• ★★★★★

  Torture:

• ★★★★★

  Overall: