Plot: What’s it about?
Roger Cobb (William Katt) is an author of horror novels, but he is no stranger to real life terror, by any means. His son has vanished without a trace, his wife has just left him, and his aunt has passed on, which leaves him with a lot of loss to deal with, to say the least. But as he sorts out his life, he also has to move into a new house his aunt left him, as well as work on his new book, which recounts his horrific experiences in Vietnam. As he settles in, Roger has no idea what forces lurk within his new home, but if he were to write a book about it, it would be one of the scariest novels of all time. It all starts with violent flashbacks of his Vietnam days, all of which center on his friend Big Ben (Richard Moll), who died in those jungles. But soon, Roger begins to see supernatural events in the house, from small things to a hideous creature, which suddenly lunges at him from within a closet. Add in a very nosy neighbor (George Wendt), his bitch of an ex wife (Kay Lenz), and a slew of beasts from the other side, and Roger is serious trouble. Can he overcome the dark forces within the house, or will he become another soul trapped within its walls?
As soon as I learned that Anchor Bay had acquired a number of titles from New World Pictures, I counted the days until House was released. I now hold the disc in my hands and while it has been hard to be patient, this release is well worth the wait. I will discuss the technical issues later, but I wanted to mention that House has never looked before, not to mention the cool bonus materials tacked on here. I like this picture a lot and while it has some weaker moments, I never fail to have a great time with House. I invited some friends over to watch this once the disc arrived and we had a blast, the film had not lost any entertainment value, even though some of us have seen it countless times before. William Katt is great in the lead role, while Richard Moll, George Wendt, and Kay Lenz provide solid supporting efforts, especially Wendt, who often serves as the comic relief. The blend of horror and humor is dead on with House, with lots of outrageous creatures, cheap scares, and laughs, in short, this one has it all. I think Anchor Bay has put some real effort into this release and if you’re a fan of the flick, don’t even hesitate to add this to your collection.
I imagine this movie could have turned out in a different fashion, had William Katt not been chosen to take on the lead role here. I’ve seen a lot of actors abuse this kind of role, using it to chew scenery and barrel over the top, which sometimes works, but often lessens the impact and humor involved, which is bad news. But Katt is able to make his character pretty normal in most respects, but then branch out once the strange events kick in, though he never goes too far over the line, which is a true saving grace in this case. I know this kind of role isn’t looked on with much praise by most people, but I think Katt is quite good and carries the picture very well. You can also see Katt in such films as Twin Falls Idaho, Naked Obsession, Jawbreaker, Carrie, and House IV. The cast also includes George Wendt (Man of the House, Tv’s Cheers), Richard Moll (Evolution, Tv’s Night Court), and Kay Lenz (Stripped to Kill, Gunfighter’s Moon).
Video: How does it look?
House is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I have seen this movie on countless VHS editions and it never looks good, the film is often dark and those versions, the contrast is worthless, which pretty much ruins the experience. But now fans can rejoice, as House has been given the visual treatment it deserves, one that cures the old ailments and then some. I was stunned by the image here, as the print is clean and shows minimal defects, while the contrast is sharp and well balanced. This means detail is high, but never overexposed or obscured and let me tell you, that makes a world of difference here. I saw new details I had never noticed before, thanks to this superb visual presentation. I don’t know how they do it sometimes, but Anchor Bay has worked their magic once again with House, which looks better than ever in this release.
Audio: How does it sound?
As Anchor Bay often creates new surround mixes, I am unsure why one wasn’t used here, as some scenes could use a boost. A handful of scenes spring to mind, in addition to the numerous Vietnam sequences, which surely would have been enhanced by some additional surround presence. But in any event, this release includes the original mono option and while it is good, some scenes do seem confined and would open up with a surround track, I think. I heard no hiss or other mono related issues however, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much. The dialogue seems clean and no real negative issues surface, so fans should be pleased.
Supplements: What are the extras?
I wasn’t expecting much in terms of supplements here, but this disc has a few cool ones, to be sure. An audio commentary starts us off and it features director Steve Miner, producer Sean S. Cunningham, writer Ethan Wiley, and star William Katt. The session is quite active, as all four men recount stories from the production, as well as share their thoughts on some of the film’s sequences, especially the Vietnam ones. A nice blend of information and humor, this track should please fans and even if you don’t usually like commentaries, give this one a spin, as it is more entertaining than most, without a doubt. This disc also includes a brief behind the scenes featurette, some still photos, and two of the film’s theatrical trailers. The first 20,000 copies of House have a bonus second disc, which houses a solid treatment of House 2, which is also a fun movie. I am unsure if plans are in the works for a solo edition, but you’re interested, make sure to look for the sticker that lets you know both discs are contained inside.
