House Stories: House III: The Horror Show

Sorry about the delay. Brain hating migraines. Enough of that, time to get back to the continuing series of House. Yeah this film isn't even supposed to be a link to series but thanks to distribution from foreign to domestic this film was released under... wait for it, ALTERNATIVE TITLES!!!! The producers decided they need to rename this film House 3 for the foreign market because...reasons. Yeah I was surprised it turns out House IV should have been House III but produced by Sean S. Cunningham and composed by Harry Manfredini simply made our original third film House IV to solve all the issues and baffle about every collector. This is House 3 a.k.a. The Horror Show a.k.a. La casa 7 a.k.a.Evil Dead 7 and House III: The Horror Show.

Yer gonna die ya filthy replicant.

Directed by the late SFX creator/director James Isaac (The Horror Show, Jason X, Skinwalkers and Pig Hunt) follows the story of Detective McCarthy (Lance Henriksen of The Terminator, Savage Dawn, Aliens, Near Dark, Pumpkinhead, Alien 3, Man's Best Friend, No Escape, The Quick and the Dead and Millennium) finally catches America's most successful serial killer with a kill count of 110 people. Our vicious and ridiculous laughing Max "Meat Cleaver" Jenke (Brion James of Blade Runner, 48 Hrs., A Breed Apart, Crimewave, Silverado, Enemy Mine, Cherry 2000, Red Heat and Tango & Cash). Yes 110 people went to their deaths somehow with the cops never noticing or finding any clues and correlation to the other deaths. That stupid cackle will drive you bat crap crazy.

Pumpkinhead 5: Harvest Season.

So sentenced finally to his death via electrocution only physically but...it in fact made him into a electric being that can manifest into all those who dare to watch his execution. This particular concept of executed serial killer coming back to life and stalk folks down was based originally in Wes Craven's Shocker and Robert Resnikoff's The First Power. Fearing for the lives for his family, wife Donna (Rita Taggart of Coming Home, The Horror Show, Limbo and Mulholland Drive) and kids Bonnie (Dedee Pfeiffer of For Your Love, Falling Down, Cybill, Up Close & Personal, Burn Notice and Flatline) and Scott (Aron Eisenberg of Amityville: The Evil Escapes, Streets, Prayer of the Rollerboys, Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge and The Liar's Club) as Max haunts them from beyond the grave. The common theory is he wanted to drive Lance Henriksen crackers before killing him. Will McCarthy be able to save his family? Can Jenke be stopped? Will anyone give a crap??

Several scenes had to be removed to avoid an X rating according to the MPAA's standards. The European release I saw has some serious gore that frankly wasn't over the top by Saw's standards. Loved how Jenke's apartment was completely untouched, none of his stuff removed and clues that he was intrigued by McCarthy and his family for ages. Death row takes years so who the hell was paying for that apartment to stay open for a convicted serial killer?

Yeah it was painful, plotholes of electromagnetic evils and the effects were fair. Buck up folks, we still have one more House movie to go.

How's my breath??!!!

The Devil's Backbone...

Hey kiddies! How about a story hellbent on despair, childhood terrors, resistance and tenacity?  So grab your crucifix, say 30 Hail Marys and be humble.  This is The Devil’s Backbone.

Spoilers is the devil!!!

Set in the background of the Spanish Civil War, this film is told through the eyes of a twelve year old boy Carlos (Fernando Tielve of The Shanghai Spell, Goya’s Ghosts and Pan’s Labyrinth) has been left at this enormous orphanage a day’s walk from any village in Spain.  His father is quite dead but Carlos is blissfully unaware of this as his mentor drops him on in his strange environment leaving him to be the new kid in a terrifying new place.  No sooner the film has opened up, Carlos sees a translucent boy in the kitchen that is in fact, yes a ghost.  As the ghost turns to him Carlos does what any twelve year old does.  Ran scared, hopped into bed and hid under the covers. Carlos discovers later on a name of Santi (Junio Valverde of Hidden Hands, Vida y color, Shiver and Tierra de lobos) carved into the locker.  Carlos and several other kids are watched over by Dr. Casares (Reoccuring del Toro actor Federico Luppi of Cronos, Martin and Pan’s Labyrinth) and the Headmistress Carmen (Marisa Paredes of Life is Beautiful, All About My Mother and The Skin I Live In), who is also fighting for the cause using a series of gold ingots to pay for food and arms.  

Most of these characters are filled with good intentions but as we all know what that road paves.  The school’s handyman Jacinth (Eduardo Noriega of Tesis, Open Your Eyes and The Method) knows of the gold and plans to steal it and run off with his fiancée Conchita (Irene Visedo of Cuentame, Los pasos perdidos and Cascabel) to make a better life for their selves in this war torn time.  The beauty of del Toro’s writing is while Jacinth has some deep psychological issues, serious flaws and in general comes off as a thug at first glance, we are privy to see into his soul and love for his woman that separates himself for the atypical bad guy of film.  The ghost child’s chalky skin and white contacts will send a shiver down your spine.  You will feel remorse for the loss of his life but will be innerved by his presence.

The terror and beauty of this movie is amalgamated into one.  The cinematography is phenomenal and really tells a horrendous tale from different points of view with subtly.   There were times in this film you could feel an influence of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist had.  The story established a tale of malice and torment all the while showing hope and optimism in the background.  Easily, this is a time-period film worth viewing and having on your shelf.  So chuck that copy of Caligula you shamefully bought, sit back and taking in this movie for its awesome brilliance and disturbing beauty.