House of 1,000 Corpses
Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s sick! It’s twisted! It’s House of 1,000 Corpses, and it’s more fun than a wholesome bowl of “Agatha Crispies”! Dropped by two studios (Universal and MGM) and doomed to obscurity until Lions Gate Films gave it a limited theatrical release, Rob Zombie’s gonzo horror flick is a blood-spattered throwback to the gore-fests of the 70s, lending new meaning to the term “box-office gross”. Most critics misunderstood this unbridled exercise in graphic style and violence, but for devoted horror buffs it’s a refreshing rebuttal to the comparatively “polite” frights of the post-Scream era. While paying homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Last House on the Left, Motel Hell and other gory classics, Zombie’s ramshackle plot (two young couples are terrorized by an inbred family of homicidal maniacs) lacks a crucial sense of dread, but his pastiche of vivid colours, grainy fetish-films and photo-negative imagery is guaranteed to hold your attention. A bona-fide cult item, this House is definitely worth a visit… if you dare. –Jeff Shannon
A horror masterpiece by one of metals biggest icons. A film very much in the vien of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre(even mentioning the famous Ed Gein) but taken to a higher level. Based around a fictional tale about Dr satan, a medical surgeon who takes a fancy to experimenting on his patient in bizarre ways. This leads a group of youngsters to investigate the tale to cure their boredom on long drive. This leads to a highly entertaining gore fest, with great over the top characters, and some cameos from some of horrors greats such as Karen Black.(Rob Zombie does not appear in this movie, only directs!)
A film for horror fans who just expect to be entertained, it doesnt take its self seriously and has re educated us on how to make horror movies, taking us away from the 90’s formula of horror!
Great movie, cant wait for house of 2000 corpses! Watch it!
Rating: 4 / 5
I watched this and Devils Rejects the wrong way round, like I guess a lot of people did, and like a lot of people liked the sequel better than the first.
That said the way this film is put together with its mix of styles is an entertainment in itself and as a Horror story of the ‘Wrong Turn’ kind it stands above a lot of other films out there in terms of shock vaule and plain out-and-out ickyness. Stephen King fans will love this film – it is very reminiscent of the gore and clown-based creepiness of ‘It’ without the metaphysical cosmic spider hockum.
Rating: 4 / 5
Each to his(/her) own. There are a lot of comparisons between this film and the sequel, Devil’s Rejects. For many, Devil’s Rejects is the superior film. Here is my brief summary:
Devil’s Rejects is a schizophrenic, curdled mix of Bonnie & Clyde and Naked Gun which does not work for me. The ‘humour’ and cop-chase aspects totally diffuse any suspenseful horror. I don’t know what kind of film this is trying to be.
House of 1,000 Corpses is an accomplished work of classic horror. It looks good. The acting and characterisation is excellent. The journey, or ‘ride'(!) through the story is an interesting one. Humour is subtle and amusing. The horror action is convincing and doesn’t let-up. Personally, I feel the plot develops perfectly; this IS a horror gorefest -not The 39 Steps! The cinematography features short clips occasionally (arbitrarily?) interspersed between scenes which I really like; it is reminiscent of 70’s techniques like split-screen etc. which is the era in which this type of film was borne.
I wish I’d watched it twice now (I returned the rental copy).
I DO recommend this if you like a traditional horror gorefest which makes you go >eek!< . Rating: 5 / 5
If you enjoy 1970’s style slasher flicks as I do then I recommend this. Rob Zombie’s debut as a writer/director was a rather impressive outing. The movie was your typical 1970’s horror movie plot (innocent people get stranded and seek shelter at a house full of lunatics) but this has an unexpected and, to me, a much needed twist to it. The cinematography was a little unusual (numerous black-and-white cut scenes) and one scene where the film actually stops, leaving you wonder just when the action will continue (you know exactly what’s going to happen). I was fully expecting Rob Zombie to have his music all throughout the movie and for himself to be a main character in it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Other than the title song and the end credit song, none of the music is done by him, and he does not appear anywhere in the film that I could see (maybe in one of the quick cut scenes but I couldn’t tell). In closing, I would have to say this: I do not recommend letting the kids see this one this film has become rather fashionable at late so kids know about it playground talk it’s a tad nasty to say the least lol But if you want to just sit back to a movie where you don’t have to think and enjoy some pure, unadulterated violence, then I highly recommend seeing this. My hat goes off to Rob Zombie for an action-packed and, to me, a highly enjoyable debut movie which gives us all a nice break from reality.
Rating: 3 / 5
Rob zombie was raised on a diet of b movie horrors and this has a feel of a tribute to the unknown horror films,but this has the visuals turned to eleven and the horror is intensified tenfold,if blood and sick gore is your cup of tea then this will suit you to the ground,if you also like comedy served with your horror then this will also suit you.
The story involves four friends who are on a mission to hunt down information on an infamous serial killer called doctor death,along the way they collect a hitchiker and then as a result of a few moments of madness they meet the hitchhikers eccentric family and then the nightmare begins,cannabilism,plenty of black humour and also deals with americas love for the freak show,the idea of urban legend is also explored.The film has gained cult status much in the same way as evil dead has done,this is a film that some will hate,some will love but if you enjoy a film that doesnt take itself seriously but also delivers top notch entertainment then you should be watching this.
Rating: 4 / 5