The House of the Devil (2009)
directed by Ti West
Rated R for bloody violence
For fans of 70s/80s horror, Satanic panic, and 16 mm film. Not only is the film set in the early 1980s, but so much of it, from its aesthetic to its shot choices, give it the feeling of a movie from a time now gone. Ti West does a really great job of showing off his influences without losing the audience’s interest.
My rating: Cover Your Eyes… Maybe this isn’t the scariest movie ever made, but it has one of the most shocking deaths I have ever seen. Beyond that, I think the movie is a really great example of what you a filmmaker can do with a small budget, but a clear vision. The film follows a college student in need of money who takes a somewhat mysterious babysitting job the night of a lunar eclipse. Boy oh boy does that sound like a bad idea. Also, her best friend is Greta Gerwig!
Some thoughts: While I have yet to see all of his films, this one stands as my favorite in Ti West’s filmography. It definitely shows his ability to make a film set in a recent era that also carries the look and feel of a film of that time, much like what he does in the Pearl trilogy.
An obvious comparison for the film is Rosemary’s Baby, though this movie doesn’t go as hard as the “why you so crazy, lady?” angle, but it still delivers an unsettling journey of discovery for our protagonist. While I did earlier mention the shocking kill, the movie relies on more atmospheric slow terror to draw the audience in rather than relentless murder. As always, I don’t want to give away too much, yet feel like I told you nothing. Oh well, check this one out!
This movie frickin rules.