House Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
The only way out... is in.
Two couples finding their way to different location both find their cars to be wrecked and ran from the wreckage. Both couples find their way to this House in which a few back woods inhabitants live... none are taken for more then they appear... until... a can is sent down the chimney in to the house. It is sent by and evil sadistic "Tin Man" the house rules... "Welcome to my house. House rules: 1. God came into my house and i killed him. 2. I will kill anyone who comes into my house as i killed God. 3. Give me one dead body and i might let rule two slide. GAME OVER AT DAWN." The couples are sent into a raging search to find a way out or find who should be killed. They meet up with a little girl along the way. Susan. Is she the one... but she will help them out... by digging into their hearts... or will she?
| J.P. Davis | Randy |
| Jeffrey de Graft-Johnson | Deputy |
| Pawel Delag | Police Officer |
| Mark Fierer | Randy's Father |
| Joe Goodman | EMS 2 |
| Andrew Gorzen | Leslie's Uncle |
| Michael Madsen | Officer Lawdale |
| Bill Moseley | Stewart |
| Bobby Neutz | Sheriff |
| Albert Pietrzak | Young Randy |
| Reynaldo Rosales | Jack |
| Lew Temple | Pete |
| Allana Bale | Susan |
| Heidi Dippold | Stephanie |
| Leslie Easterbrook | Betty |
| Robby Henson |
5.10 out of 10 (1919 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Alabama cops are the devil
posted on 10 Aug 2009It ain't no secret 'round here that Alabama po-lice are evil. Just ask any of us Georgia boys and we'll tell ya'. Ask an Alabamian they'll tell you too, unless they're too scared. In that case they'll lie.The whole economy of Alabama seems to entirely depend on money extorted by those roving bandits, from those dopes and slackers passing through on their way to the Florida pan-handle to party hearty.Too bad I'm stuck driving through there, trying to visit my kinfolk in Panama City!Heck, one of them jokers even tried to push me around in my own home state of Georgia! I had to let him know he ain't got no power over me 'round here and sent him along his way with a laugh in the face and a car door in the gut. He tried to pull me over in the parking lot of the Circle K!Seriously though, the movie is good on a no brainer level. The end, where you find out that Michael Madsen is the devil, is pretty much telegraphed way in advance, as is the car wreck twist.
Not Bad!
posted on 08 Aug 2009I quite enjoyed this movie , the acting was passable and i found the 'House' or Hotel in which most of it was set old and creepy , with the underground passages , it added a nice touch. Although a lot of people watching will see whats coming with the back stories it still made this movie more than just a 'Haunted House' horror. You got to see the four main characters faults and 'sins'i don't know what all the fuss about it being classed as a Christian movie is about , as it really isn't if a movie has evil and the Devil then you are gonna get the Good v Evil sin against the lord sort of thing , all in all i think if you like a thriller and a bit of fun , give it a look , i liked the ending it has been done before( what hasn't )but it still gives the movie a little more style.
watch Steve Miner's 1986 cult classic of the same name instead
posted on 17 Jul 2009Jack and Stephanie, a bickering married couple on their way to couples' counseling, get stranded in the woods after two of their tires get a flat. They find themselves at an old hotel to get out of the pouring rain and possibly call for help. There they find another stranded couple, Leslie and Randy, who are the only other guests there. All four soon find themselves meeting the owner's of the hotel who seem slightly off somehow. They decide to make the best of a bad situation until a maniac known as "the Tin Man" who's outside gives them an ultimatum: They all have till dawn to kill one of the four or they all die. They each have to face their inner demons respectively if they wish to survive the night.The juxtaposition of the term 'Christian Horror' has always struck me as somewhat peculiar as someone who grew up in the 1980's where a good many of the horror offerings had slightly religious morality: you had premarital sex, you died, you did drugs, you died, etcetera, etc. But I digress, this had something most of the self-monikered 'christian' films lacked, good production values. Making it only doubly sad that the film's saddled with such a cliché story, poor characterization, trite dialog, and mediocre acting. I've heard the book is better, as is often the case, but i'm not reviewing the book. And as a film, this ultimately fails.My Grade: D+ DVD Extras: Trailers for Bella, & The Spirit. That's all, some director's commentary would've been nice but alas no
Horrible Film
posted on 11 Jul 2009If you wanted to look up the word "clusterfu*k" in a cinematic dictionary, this is the film they would recommend to you. Horrible acting, horrendous editing, and possibly one of the most retarded stories I've ever seen committed to celluloid. There were so many plot holes that my head nearly exploded from the sheer stupidity of the film. And what the hell was Michael Madsen thinking? He's an actor, unlike the rest of the people in this horrid excuse for a film. I actually can't believe he agreed to be in this tripe. My friend told me had several kids to feed, but the shame of receiving a paycheck for working on this project is akin to getting blood money from a drug dealer. Don't let anyone you care about see this movie, you will regret it,
The House to not visit
posted on 01 Jul 2009This movie was well done and had a lot of heart in it. I was sad when I discovered the circumstances of the couple going to counseling. Bill Moseley and Leslie Easterbrook make a great backwoods couple. The actor that played Jack was very good and he was the only person I was sympathetic toward. That house had a huge maze of tunnels and I'm surprised anyone found their way to one another. Leslie Easterbrook swings a mean ax. My big question was why they had a wooden door on a walk-in freezer. Each of the characters "trapped" in the house have something dark and/or regrettable in their past. The Tin Man is the real bad guy in the movie. I would also have like to know his origins and the origins of "Susan." The movie ended well with no loose ends. Not a gory movie, but definitely suspenseful.
Questionable
posted on 01 Jul 2009My message is short and sweet.This movie does not deserve 8/10... It doesn't even deserve 4/10.It's simply terrible. Watching this on a lonely night would only make your more lonely and miserable as well as make you question your respect for yourself.So, do yourself a favor, don't waste your time on it.Saying that... you may enjoy it if you're in the 11 to 13 age bracket and are looking for a way to kill time.There you go, that's my vent. Feel free to question my opinion, but remember to be true to yourself and don't get sucked in by the misleading high rating this movie has received.
Movie was only okay, if that.
posted on 29 Jun 2009I felt like this movie more or less tried to be what most of the modern horror movies are without the gore nudity and cheap scares. And as a result it was what those movies are to one who isn't looking for those things. Pretty awful. I've read the book and thought it was a pretty terrible example of both author's work, but it had a somewhat unique approach to the message they were trying to get across.Films should not be based on Christian novels if they are reticent to include Christian ideas. Films should not be based on Buddhist or Muslim, or Hindu or militantly atheist novels, if they are reticent to include the core ideas. As a student with plans to enter the ministry, standard "Christian films" make me incredibly depressed because they are generally plagued with bad writing, bad acting, bad camera-work, bad direction, and really really bad theology. This was not one of those films, but it tried so hard to create that distinction that it took the only saving grace of the source and flushed it.There is nothing really good about this movie. There is not a whole lot really bad about this movie. It was not worth watching and I wish I hadn't bothered with finishing it.
Okay on its own terms
posted on 15 Jun 2009Michael Madsen headlines in a haunted house tale. A couple traveling on a backwoods road gets a flat and has to hoof it to a big mansion back on the road. there they find its a hotel and that the people from the car they saw near where they crashed are there as well. However the house is haunted and strange things are going on inside. Okay horror story is somewhat unmemorable. I enjoyed it while it was on but I found that once it was done it floated away from my mind. Certainly looking better than many other low budget horror films its clear the filmmakers cared about the film they were making, unfortunately they should have given us some central characters who were a bit more likable since or hero and heroine kind of grated on me. Worth a look on a slow Saturday on cable.
Why, why, why?
posted on 15 Jun 2009Why did they have to screw this up so bad? I mean, I am an immense Dekker fan. I've read every book he's put out and never put one down saying it was bad. However, i have seen both movies and walked away from both of those extremely disappointed.House is about a couple that gets stranded in the woods and comes across an inn in the middle of nowhere. When they go in, they find out things are not as they seem.And things are not as they seem in this movie. If I had never read the book, I would have been completely clueless as to what was going on throughout the film. It seems like they picked one event that happened to every character and put that in there. And they picked a series of events that didn't flow.Not to mention the fact that it moves WAY to fast. It's only 80 minutes long, which is not long enough. And all the cool things that happened in the book are either not mentioned in the movie, or they are mentioned and then not explained the right way.And the ending is terrible. It happens in about ten minutes and then is never explained. If you're a Dekker fan, do not watch this movie. And Ted... Pick someone besides Robby Henson, who has managed to screw up three Christian thrillers up to this point.4/10
Read the book people
posted on 18 May 2009okay, the movie is great, it's close to the book and I loved it. However, it's annoying to see people writing how they want more blood and gore for an R rating. All I have to say is read the freaking book people! It's a Christian novel! There isn't going to be any sex, dismemberment, or torture. So stop writing that it doesn't deserve the R rating. Sure, it's only about the rate of PG-13 but how does the rating really affect the quality of the movie anyway? Don't put it down because of that, it's not that bad of a movie really. Give it chance please! All I can say is before you set any expectations, read the novel. I'm warning all you "Saw" and "Hostel" lovers that "House" is absolutely nothing like them. Again, it's a Christian novel! It's a mental movie, which means, you have to think about what's going on! So I've finished my rant, and again I give this a good rating because I love the book and thus I love the movie. So everybody have a good day.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh. What? Book was way better.
posted on 26 Apr 2009Please avoid this movie at all costs. Just read the book. It is Soooooo much better.This movie could've had potential had it not left out most of the religious references. Those references are what makes the story so mysterious and compelling right up to the end of the novel.What was left over was sloppily put together and totally confusing even to people who did read the book. The book had more blood and gore than the movie even tried to have. A total mess and a complete waste of time. The last 3 chapters of the book were better than this whole movie put together.If you are going to sit on the couch for entertainment. Sit with the book.
Cliché-a-palooza
posted on 22 Apr 2009Let me first say I watched it so you don't have to. House seems to be a film geared to horror movie fans, surfing along on the bet that people are going to appreciate seeing reenactments of familiar scenarios. So familiar in fact that it has a rip off quality to it, which ultimately comes across as lazy. The plot, if there is one, is about four extremely attractive young people, stranded at the same time in a house in the middle of nowhere. When WILL these youngin's learn not to drive their classic cars down dirt roads in the boonies? There's a creepy family out there, just waiting to freak their freaks. The house in question IS pretty cool, I wouldn't mind owning it. It's big and lit with green lights and decorated with serial killer wallpaper. It's basement is enormous and there are serious plumbing problems. Absolutely nothing justifies the R rating, this could have aired on the Sci-fi channel without edits. Was there a bribe on the part of the producers? "Please sir, give us an R, that'll bring 'em in expecting shocks and gore". This movie has a Texas Chainsaw-lite family, suggestions of Satanism, little girl ghost, crazed killer, vaporous black smoke, Spielberg like whispy thingies, gravity defying water, a thunderstorm that appears right on cue, no cell phone signals, several twists, and Michael Madson cashing a paycheck. You'd think, that with all this, there would be something to watch, but no. It goes in many directions, only to switch to another direction with no point, purpose or resolution. Awful.
This Movie is TOTAL garbage
posted on 22 Apr 2009I followed Anton-pedan's advice and opened an IMDb account just to tell everyone that this movie is complete garbage. It was not scary at all and the acting was absolutely terrible. What was Michael Madsen thinking? Did he even read the script before he signed up for this? I was looking for a decent scary movie to get me pumped up for Halloween, and this certainly did not give me what i was looking for. Skip this crap. Right from the start i could tell that this movie was going to be a loser, but i just kept on watching like a fool. I guess the atmosphere of the creepy house kind of lured me in, but there was nothing at all creepy about the characters and the acting was completely unconvincing. I wont spoil anything, but the ending made no sense and just left me feeling robbed of 2 precious hours of my life. DO NOT BOTHER WITH THIS ONE!!
Rated R for "Retarded"
posted on 16 Apr 2009I was reading all those praising reviews, so me being a big thriller/horror fan, I decided to give House a shot. It was a bad decision. This movie was a waste of my time and money.First of all, why the 'R' rating? It barely grazes the 'M' for goodness' sake! There is no blood whatsoever (nosebleed and boo-boos don't count). Extreme violence? Don't make me laugh, there is more violence in a Disney cartoon. Drugs, alcohol, nudity, sex? No. Zilch. Nada. Offensive language? Yeah, minimal use of the 'F' word, that's all. With a little work, this could've been an easy PG-13. Calling this a drama/horror/thriller is a disgrace to the genre(s). With the R rating I expected torn limbs, charred bodies, death-howls, brutal murdering frenzy, fluids oozing, blood gushing all over the place while everyone on screen is either drunk, stoned, high, crazy, dead or having underage sex, all the while cursing heavily. What I got was a lousy bedtime story...The cast is mediocre, acting is sub-par, the plot is non-existent and the story is jut bad. And when I mean bad, it's BAD. It starts out as your regular cheap-scare horror: the haunted house with the Adams family, and just a little Saw and Freddy vs. Jason thrown in, but it still manages to go even lower, totally predictable and boring. The only interesting line in the story was the black magic part, but it went blatantly undetailed and unexplained. Oh, and there is no real ending, no closure, no nothing.From start to finish, House is boring, overwrought and plain awful. If you are a real thriller/horror enthusiast, do yourself a favor and don't watch this movie.
House (2008) Movie Review from GoneWithTheTwins.com
posted on 06 Apr 2009At what point do horror movie clichés surpass campy entertainment? On the basis of "House," an adaptation of the novel by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti (but not a remake of Steve Miner's 1986 film), it happens when the story unexpectedly shifts gears from one style to another. I actually enjoyed the first half of this film, not because it was quality horror film-making, but because the clichés were so obvious and abundant that it was actually kind of fun. It begins with a married couple--writer Jack Singleton (Reynaldo Rosales) and singer Stephanie Singleton (Heidi Dippold)--driving along a deserted Alabama road. They get lost on the way to Montgomery for marriage counseling. They then meet a creepy cop (Michael Madsen), who tells them that the road they're on doesn't go to Montgomery. So he offers them a shortcut. When they take that shortcut, they get two flat tires. They can't call for help because Stephanie's cell phone isn't getting a signal. Then it starts raining, forcing them to walk along the road until they find a place with a phone. And wouldn't you know it, there's an old bed and breakfast off in the distance, and it looks like someone's home.Get the picture? But wait, it gets better. Once inside, Jack and Stephanie meet a young businessman named Randy Messaure (J.P. Davis) and his girlfriend, Leslie Taylor (Julie Ann Emery), who also just happened to find this place as a result of car trouble. They all quickly realize that there's something odd about this bed and breakfast. It's a classically creepy place, old and ornate, with furniture that most likely came from the turn of the last century. The house is only periodically powered by electricity; the rest of the time, light is provided by kerosene lamps and the occasional flash of lightening.And then there are the inhabitants, each physically and psychologically drawn from a multitude of horror personalities. There's the old woman, Betty (Leslie Easterbrook), whose Southern hospitality is about as sincere as a three-dollar bill. There are also her two sons. The first one, Pete (Lew Temple), looks like the lovechild of Edgar Allan Poe, with his sunken, dark-circled eyes, grotesquely pale skin, and greasy black hair; when he doesn't lurk about like the world's eeriest butler, he tells Leslie how pretty she is. The second one, Stewart (Bill Moseley), would fit right in with the scariest of hillbillies, a gun-toting, foulmouthed hothead who never seems to mind his manners.Without warning, the tone of "House" completely changes, pulling away from the campy good humor of its archetypes and relying more on a serious, surrealistic sense of atmosphere. It essentially becomes an entirely different movie--still cliché, but not nearly as much fun. This is when the actual plot begins, although I use the term loosely since the specifics elude me. I have a general idea what this movie is about: There's black magic at work in this creepy old bed and breakfast, and it's seeking to destroy both couples for the sins of their past. All four people find themselves at the mercy of three insane innkeepers and their own emotional trauma, which they're forced to relive at one point or another. I won't describe the tragedies they've had to live with, but rest assured each revolves around family.There are two characters that don't make much sense. One is a mysterious figure called the Tin Man, who keeps trying to break into the house. Here's what I do understand: he's given that particular name because he deposits tin cans with rules written on it, rules like, "There must be one dead body by sunrise"; he's either a minion of Satan or Satan himself, and we know this because he claims that he'll kill anyone who enters his house in the same way he killed God. Here's what I don't understand: What does any of this have to do with the insane innkeepers? Do they do the Tin Man's bidding? Are they physical offshoots of the same demon, like how God is separated into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? You'd think the answer to this question would be easy, given specific shots that reveal certain characteristics. But no, it isn't that easy. Maybe I'm looking too deeply into this, although I have a feeling these characters were supposed to be more important than they ended up being.The other nonsensical character is a teenage girl named Susan (Allana Bale), whose look had to have been inspired by Mezco Toyz's Living Dead Dolls. She mysteriously pops up now and then to help our four victims, seeming like a frightened child but knowing a lot about what's going on and why. Not that she reveals a great deal; most of her dialogue is intentionally ambiguous, which can only go so far without getting annoying. I have a theory about what she actually is, but I don't think it would be a good idea to share it with you. Why? If I'm wrong, then I'll make myself look really stupid. If I'm right, then I'd be giving away a crucial plot point. Either way, Susan is a confusing character in an equally confusing film, which is a shame since the initial lack of plot and reliance on clichés worked in its favor. "House" is a bait-and-switch horror film, promising one thing and delivering something else. It draws us in with a none-too-subtle sense of parody, but before long, it turns into a serious and baffling supernatural thriller. It then reverts back to parody, ending with classic horror movie overkill; this only would have worked had the entire film gone in the same direction. - Chris Pandolfi
2 thumbs down for me
posted on 27 Mar 2009I thought this show was pretty bad. It lacked a lot of context and the show did not link. I understand that it's a book but I would've preferred it if they were placed in the house because there was something they shared in common- like if they had sinned. I understand the one couple being picked to enter the house as they have each killed someone. However, the main starring actor and actress did not kill their daughter intentionally. Also, I thought the girl at the end reminded me too much like Samara from the movie The Ring with her long black hair and grey clothes. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw a well somewhere in the movie with her crawling out of it and out of televisions. In fact, that might even have sparked more interest in the show than what it had done.To me, it was merging ideas from Saw series, The Ring and Texas chainsaw massacre.. the whole Tinman idea came out so abruptly at the start when they were just fearing about the hotel. It was so far fetched and out of the blue that there was no lead to it at all. The little girl in grey being killed at the end made me laugh to myself in the cinema. Why? because it was as if she was pulling some of those well-known matrix stunts as she was falling to the ground (yes, I think we can add matrix into the list of the shows I mentioned before).Right at the end, it was quite unrealistic how the couple killed each other when Susan was clearly telling them they didn't have to kill anyone. A wee bit over-the-top. It was quite unnecessary to have Susan peeking out the woods to smile right at the end too.The show could have had so much more potential to attract the audience but it failed to do so- leaving only the typical and quite predictable scenes in the movie.All in all, it was a clear waste of my time as I was expecting a lot more from this movie. So, do avoid this show and watch something more worthwhile~
Amazing
posted on 09 Mar 2009This movie was great, I had really low expectations for it considering that it had so little if any advertising, but luckily I was wrong. The end is just amazing! It totally blew me away and left me wanting more! The story can get a bit complicated but in the end it really is cool how everything works out. There are some parts that are scary, some parts that you just think the people are dumb and why on earth would they do that, but I guess thats just a scary movie thing. Its not scary like monsters, but there are lots of things that pop out suddenly, if thats your type of movie then this one is right up your alley. I can't wait to get the DVD. Just as a side note, if you haven't yet, don't look at the credits, there's a spoiler there :(
Here's my love for this movie
posted on 03 Feb 2009Call me one of the House' filmmaker crew but this movie is awesome! It seems that most people posted negative comments about it just don't get the real theme of this film. Anyway, there are a gazillion of good reviews all over the Net that returns positive feedback, not to mention excellent. I've seen it twice (just don't ask me where I've secured a copy :)) and all I can say is that it's an excellent film packed with creepiness and good Christian message.The sounds are good, the darkness of the scenes etc just made House a must-see movie. And besides, mostly the story in the film followed the book where the movie is based from. The book made the the authors proud in terms of readers' satisfaction as well as sales, so there's no doubt most people will going to like the movie too.With regards to the actors/actresses, all are fit in their respective role.All in all, a must-see movie this Halloween and for people who appreciates a nice Christian-themed movie. Nothing more, nothing less...
Piece of CRAP.
posted on 30 Jan 2009I have always said that there is never a bad movie, each movie at least has a good part in it. I never imagined that I'd ever rate a movie 1/10. I actually think it deserves a ZERO but that's not possible here.The movie is simply TERRIBLE, terrible can't even do the movie justice. IT IS HORRIBLE! I can't believe it! I watched the trailer and looked forward to it I thought it would be exciting and scary. It wasn't! First of all this movie is COMEDY, wait I think it's actually "SCARY MOVIE" in disguise. The acting was TERRIBLE! The music was TYPICAL and VERY BAD. There was no storyline, I mean seriously! I still have no clue what HAPPENED, or what the story was! It was freaking, not confusing, but weird in a bad BAD way! Oh and don't let me start talking about the make up HORRIBLE, some characters looked like CLOWNS. What the HELL. I can NOT believe this movie was released! It should be banned, it's SO bad that it makes you laugh! I laughed so hard on how bad this was! When I entered the theater about 20 people were there, when the movie finished only 3 were left (me and my friends) everyone LEFT. I had hope that it would suddenly, suddenly BE GOOD, but NO NO NOOOOO!!! -SPOILER- THE ENDING? WHAT THE HELL. They were dead ALL along, do they think that would spice things up? It made me laugh, it made it WORST.Waste of time AND MONEY! The only good thing that came out of this is that now I know what is the WORST movie EVER and I can warn people not to watch it! 0.5/10 DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. I read the reviews and I didn't believe them, and watched this movie, oh I wish I believed them.DON'T WATCH IT!!!!!
This movie sucks so hard
posted on 30 Aug 2009I can't believe this movie... its one giant stereotype of a horror movie and even on that level it fails. I mean, come on... (SPOILER AHEAD)... I have seen a dozen movies that ripped off the Jacobs Ladder premise of the whole horror being some kind of limbo and the main actors actually being dead but I have never seen it executed in a cheesy way like in House (I should have known by the title that this movie was going nowhere).So what happens... Two couples crash their car in a lonely road and end up in some abandoned motel with a bunch of crazy inhabitants. Car crash, abandoned house, permanent rain and thunder... you just wait for Frank'n'Furter to arrive and believe me, most characters in the Rocky Horror Picture show are way scarier than these hicks.You get a 3headed strange acting family with some kind of satanic worshiping background thrown in plus the pure evil "Tinman" who turns out to be the lamest villain ever. The plot with some evil guy turning people against each other to kill one of them before sunrise is dated but not the real problem with this movie.It is just on all accounts bad. The house hicks act strange but are far from being scary, so I guess they thought they'd compensate for that by shrouding the entire movie from the beginning to the end in drama suspense music. The score is just ridiculous... the sound makes you expect a hardcore dark horror movie but what you get is a children movie wrapped in horror clichés. Basically they live their own hell in form of their past wrongdoings that haunt them... and that is edited in pretty cheap. The mixing of places and times comes across so fake and in between you got people running through rat infested dripping gutters being chased by a faceless Tinman that turns out to be just some guy who considers himself "pure evil" but rather acts like the guy at your local gas station. Even worse they really throw in some Disney style good vs. evil in the end with some pale girl turning up and helping the trapped couples by in the end literally killing darkness with light. Can it get more cheesy than this?? Yes, because every instance that needs the viewer to connect some pretty obvious dots is explained by flashbacks. I really felt like the makers of this movie consider their viewers plain idiots or "House" was in fact made for children. Since there is barely any blood and the monster effects also look like in a children fantasy movie this idea really isn't too far fetched. It might explain the permanent use of suspense music, maybe that effect works on children but every adult with more than 2 braincells should be offended by this movie.