House of the Devil(Review)[Twisted Throwback Thursday]

Something different as we take a look at a voyeuristic horror from director Ti West. House of the Devil. It uses sweeping cameras with great attention to detail as a way to slowly get under our skin to build us up for the horrors to come.

The film is about a woman who agrees to take on a very unusual babysitting job as she is desperate for money. In the process she finds out her clients are withholding secrets and have deadly intentions.

The film starts with a disclaimer that this is all based on true events involving Satanic cults. It is also influenced by 70s and 80s horror movies to the point you can easily forget it is nor from that era. The camera is our eyes as we follow the young woman as she explores the house of her strange clients. As she goes from room to room, it forces us to pay attention to the background. Is there something else watching her every move or is it just our wild imagination? Ti West expertly plays on our worst fears and paranoia and when finally the other shoe drops, we are left shuddering in terror.

The last half of the movie gets very intense and a bit weird. We are rooting for the woman to escape her situation, though it is made clear if she does, she is going to be very changed by her experience. The ending leaves us hanging, which I really find frustrating. I suppose to whole point is to leave things open ended so our imagination can fill in the blanks.

If interested in checking this one out, it is currently streaming on Shudder and Amazon Prime. I would recommend it based on the fact of the homage it pays to classic horror film and with the masterful director style.

Till next time, stay scared!
-Tha Thrilla –

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