Feb 26, 2020
Hi everyone!
All right, we’re hitting the pause button on Indie Wednesdays for another contractually-obligated review from Shane Hyde, due to the peace accords signed after last year’s Reign of Terror 2019. Shane and I had a minor month-long disagreement you can check out beginning with One Movie Spouse’s review for CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (Episode #594), and heading through the entire month of October. Today we’ll have another installment of his beat we like to call Horror Stories, and today’s a gem from 2009 entitled THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL. Don’t miss his recent reviews for WOUNDS (Episode #694), RUST CREEK (Episode #654), and NIGHTMARE CINEMA (Episode #647).
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Here we go!
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Kia ora!
I’m Shane Hyde, back to review another movie for you all. I’m a Kiwi living in Australia. Everything down under is currently on fire or underwater so I’m staying inside and reviewing movies. Let’s go!
Today’s movie is THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL (2009), written and directed for the screen by Ti West, and starring Joselin Donahue and Tom Noonan.
This film is written and directed by Ti West. Not a huge name but he works almost exclusively in horror and will later go on to direct THE INNKEEPERS (2011), which was pretty fabulous. In THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, his work is readily evident in the direction. Sometimes almost too evident in these long, lingering shots. They went on. And on.
2009's HOUSE OF THE DEVIL takes a rather interesting approach to the movie's tone. The whole setup is in homage to the horror films of the 1970s and early 1980s. Everything from the type of film used, to the title card of the film, is something of a throwback. This deliberate design choice lends itself to a kind of 'rediscovered treasure' feeling of the film. And for the whole, it's really effective. And this tonality, the camera work, colour grading all fits together with the script. It's a slow burner, almost innocent for the most part. This HOUSE OF THE DEVIL lacks devils, but makes up for it with a small, odd assortment of characters.
Samantha (Jocelin Donahue), and our proxy in this film, is a young woman motivated to take on a babysitting job due to a shortness of cash. I love her role in this film; she has agency and drives the story along. Even towards the climax of the film, she keeps on fighting. Our main antagonist, Mister Ullman, played with not-too-creepy desperation by Tom Noonan, looms over each scene he's in. His on-screen wife Mrs. Ullman (Mary Woronov) almost too macabre, but not quite Addams Family camp. Both are glorious and luscious additions to the film.
In the end, I keep trying to convince myself that this is a good film. Aside from a few notable and minor scenes, there's nothing to hint that this house is indeed THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL. In fact, once she's situated as the babysitter, there's nothing much about the house that makes your skin crawl, or even Samantha’s skin crawl. But isn't that what the 80s Satanic Panic was all about? Your neighbors might have been worshippers, appeared normal, had neighborhood bbqs like anyone else? And then presto-change-o! They're painting pentagrams in blood and playing Dungeons and Dragons.
This isn't a bad movie, it’s just not a great movie. The pacing doesn't match with our modern sensibilities. The artistic choices and camera work definitely play into its favour, but at its core it’s all sizzle, no bacon... and in the end, the truth is that there's something truly wrong with all of the pizza in this movie. Perhaps this is the TRUE horror at the heart of THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL?
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% (CERTIFIED FRESH)
Metacritic: 73
One Movie Punch: 7.0/10
THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL (2009) is rated R.
JOSEPH: “Unless you’re in the United States, where it’s currently playing on Amazon Prime, Hoopla, and Shudder.”
Also, Tom Noonan, who played Mr. Ullman in the film, is a... I am a bit of a fan, ever since I saw the short film on YouTube, THEY ARE MADE OUT OF MEAT (2005). Look it up. You won’t be disappointed.
LINK: youtu.be/7tScAyNaRdQ
Anyway, I’m Shane Hyde, and that’s a review.