House

That's right the Greatest American Hero star, William Katt, plays Roger Cobb a troubled writer. Roger's son went missing, his wife divorced him, and his aunt just passed away. All Roger wants to do is write a story drawing on his experiences in Vietnam, even though that is not what his fans or his agent wants. He moves into his aunt's Victorian home that she leaves him after her suicide to do his writing. When he moves in he meets his sweet neighbor, Harold Gorton, played by the always lovable George Wendt...who offers up some of my favorite lines in the film including this beauty: "Solitude's always better with somebody else around, ya know?"

It isn't long before Roger starts to believe that his aunt might be right about her house being haunted...and it begins this whole cycle if Roger writing about Vietnam in between battling the house in full military garb. This starts to blur reality and house.

Surprisingly fun haunted house story that has several plots that all come together neatly in the end. I loved seeing George Wendt in this congenial neighbor role and it was fun to see a couple of other stars that I really enjoyed in the 80's, William Katt (although I did also love seeing him in Bones) and Richard Moll who played Bull in the old Night Court. Not sure I would recommend this except to horror fans or fans of William Katt.

Powerful opening scene has a grocery delivery boy discover an old woman hanging from her bedroom ceiling in her large Victorian house. Author and Vietnam veteran Roger Cobb (William Katt), nephew of the dead lady, inherits the house and he decides to work on his latest book there but finds out that not only is it haunted but it is also a portal to his past fighting in the Vietnam jungle (or at least a film set with a bunch of jungle looking plants). Producer Sean S Cunningham, who directed the classic "Friday the 13th" (1980), said that by 1985 the slasher movie was in rapid decline and that the way forward for horror was to add some humour, House delivers as many laughs as it does scares. One of the main creatures, a witch type being, is as much Muppet Show as it is scary. In fact the scariest thing on show is a creepy looking little boy called Robert, sporting a shocking mullet. His mum Tanya (Mary Stavin) is very hot mind! George Wendt of TV's "Cheers" plays Roger's neighbour and delivers some very funny lines. In terms of horror one of the best scenes has Roger under attack from a bunch of flying garden tools. I wouldn't go as far as to call House a classic but it is a good movie that delivers both horror and comedy, plus some good special effects and a Henry Manfredini musical score, the 1980's were the most fun decade for horror without a doubt.

A true product of the 80s, but does that mean its anything less or far more… I don't know but I had trouble not getting caught up in its irresistibly off-kilter charm and patchwork ideas. I truly have a soft spot for it. Yeah it's a mess, a clueless and incoherent one. However it's goofy nature, vivid visual effects and willing performances lend very well to a competent looking production… yeah so what if those Vietnam flashbacks looked hokey and it's origins are cheap. This was the third film under the belt of director Steve Miner, who a couple years earlier brought us the raw, opening sequels 'Friday the 13th' Part 2 and 3'.

Miner is joined by producer Sean S. Cunningham, the man behind the original 'Friday the 13th'. This time it's far from chilling (but it doesn't feel like its trying either… well there are moments, lightly done though), as the angle is focused on the comedy, even if it doesn't have you constantly laughing out loud. It remains amusing nonetheless, while managing to be unpredictable in a way. We've flooded with ideas, artistic lashings and loose writing. William Katt makes for a likable victim, to his worrying state of thinking his going crazy due to the traumatic stress (war experience, missing child and marriage failure) or maybe it's the house and its dark, devious secrets preying upon his fragile mind.

Roger Cobb is a Vietnam VET/ horror novelist that has tragedy on mind after the strange disappearance of his son Jimmy when visiting his aunt's house. His obsessive quest on finding him takes on a huge toll on his marriage, as his wife leaves him and now he wants to write a book about his Vietnam experience despite the growing success of his horror novels. After the death of his aunt, he heads back to the house and decides this is where he would write his new book. However he finds out there's more to this house, and maybe a chance to find his son again.

Sounds like the typical haunted house shenanigans… Well to a point. There are monsters (creative animation/ rubber make-up and the zombie soldier design looks awesome) stemming from portals to other universes through closet doors and bathroom mirrors. In the end I guess there just wasn't enough of it, compared to its boundless sequel 'House II: The Second Story'. The psychological aspect (yes it tries) is muddled and never truly explored; because it lets the daftness and convoluted tone take control of anything of importance through its Vietnam slant. Miner keeps a steady pace, drawing some minor moments of suspense and unhinged weirdness. The direction can feel a little too staged, and planned out in its set-pieces due to its change in shifts. Although the execution comes off better than it probably should have and is fairly presentable, as just look Mac Ahlberg's polished cinematography as the camera seamlessly glides through the set-pieces and Harry Manfredini's score is elastically piercing in its perky arrangement.

Like I mentioned up further, Katt brings along an honest and capable performance. Around him is a down-to-earth turn by George Wendt. Who is good fun as Cobb's interfering neighbour. The stunning Kay Lenz doesn't get a lot to do, but her warm presence doesn't look out of place and Richard Moll is imposing as Cobb's Nam buddy. The beauty of Mary Stavin engulfs the few scenes she's in. Another asset you could say, and just as part of the film's character is the house itself. A formidable setting, but it didn't entirely have the lasting impact like I would've hoped and that's why the atmosphere (quite patchy) across the board didn't always have the same effect.

Loony, spontaneous comedy/horror that doesn't entirely hit the mark, but does plenty to tweak ones interest.

House is an inventive, original eighties horror comedy that has built its foundations on a thin line between laughs and scares. And I love every minute of it. The Friday the 13th team (Steve Miner, Sean S. Cunningham, and Harry Manfredini) strikes again. Even Kane Hodder (Jason) does some stuntwork. The story and the script are both great thanks to Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) and Ethan Wiley (House II). Steve Miner succeeds in creating the atmosphere of an old house and in finding a likable cast as well. The cast includes William Katt (Carrie) as the unlucky lead Roger Cobb, George Wendt (Normie from Cheers), and Richard Moll (Bull from Night Court). My favorite cast member is probably the house itself. It's perfect, I think they made it just for this movie. The effects and makeup are great for the eighties. Skeleton Big Ben is awesome. One standout scene is Roger and the mini-demons playing tug-a-war with the little boy Robert (Miner's own kid). The score, by Manfredini, is highly similar to that of Friday the 13th, but I love still love it. House is a well put together, underrated horror movie. If you're going to buy a house this year, make it this one.

After an old woman is found hung in her creepy old house, her nephew (writer Roger Cobb, played by William Katt) decides to move in for some solitude. But the memories of the house come back to him, as this was where he lost his son and his marriage began to fall apart. And what is up with all the demons hiding in the closet?

The genesis of the film is somewhat interesting. Screenwriter Ethan Wiley was referred to the creators by Fred Dekker, who had developed the original concept. Dekker was too busy developing a Godzilla film for Steve Miner, so he passed the idea to Wiley, who converted it into more of a comedy. Now, the Godzilla film ended up in development hell, but the positive outcome is a superior "House". Dekker's version would have been darker, focused more on PTSD, while Wiley's version is what makes it so enduring.

Although my favorite film in the "House" series is part two, the entire run was respectable. We have some of the better acting for horror films of the time, and an interesting and original plot. The biggest flaw really is the poor makeup effects (especially on Big Ben), but this may have been partially intentional to reinforce that it is less than serious. The Vietnam theme is also played up a bit too much, but that was the kernel of the story, so it would be hard to remove.

Richard Moll (Bull Shannon from "Night Court") appears as Big Ben, a Vietnam soldier captured by the Vietnamese. His role is very important, although the acting comes across as flat. I do not know if he is a poor actor or if the script simply did not give him much room to work, but the entire Ben subplot is a bit lacking.

At the same time, we have George Wendt (Norm from "Cheers") as a friendly neighbor who has no problem inviting himself in for some pizza and beer. Wendt is wonderful and really makes this film fun, just as he would do twenty years later in John Landis' "Family". He also starts the trend of "Cheers" actors in the "House" series (John Ratzenberger appears in part two).

The film is fun, and a good pace. Nothing very scary here, not even the closet that goes straight to what looks like Cthulhu's basement. But sometimes you do not need scares and scantily-clad women. Sometimes you need a little fun, and you will find it here (and even more in "House II"). Watch it. You will like it.

Arrow Video has released the definitive "House" set (either two films or more depending on your region). For the first film, we not only get an extremely informative audio commentary from Steve Miner, Sean Cunningham, William Katt and Ethan Wiley, but we have a brand new making-of documentary which has all of those names plus George Wendt, Fred Dekker, Harry Manfredini and more. This is the last word on "House".