House Movies are not just for horror buffs. Several movies in this genre are actually quite enjoyable. I’ve personally watched Joel Anderson’s Lake Mungo and Richard Matheson’s Hell House and found both films to be extremely entertaining.
Stanley Kubrick’s frightmare
Stanley Kubrick’s frightmare house movie is a bit more complex than your typical spookshow. He focuses on a young family trying to make their home in an imposing building. They are accompanied by their clairvoyant son. The resulting film is a well-crafted and effective horror film in its own right.
There is no question that Stanley Kubrick is a master of the medium. His use of post-war compositions and his highly developed aesthetic are overpowering.
He also demonstrates the best use of a Steadicam mount. This gave the film an immersive look. For this reason, the 18 mm Cooke lens was used. It allowed the camera to pass within inches of door frames and walls.
One of the most exciting parts about Kubrick’s frightmare is the climax. The sequence involves a ghoulish chauffeur and a coffin.
The novel story line has a number of twists and turns that keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. Moreover, there is a good deal of humor to be found in the slapstick nature of Jack’s misadventures.
James Wan’s The Conjuring
James Wan’s The Conjuring is an unsettling movie. It’s full of jump scares, phantoms, and unseen assailants. There’s also a love story that keeps this horror franchise grounded.
It’s loosely based on the real life experiences of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple who were paranormal investigators. They lived in Rhode Island and investigated a haunting case on their farm. Their cases sparked a few novels, including the novel The Amityville Horror, which was adapted into a film in 1977.
The film stars Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren, a clairvoyant. She plays a woman who investigates a series of paranormal events. Her husband, Patrick Wilson, also appears in the film.
The Conjuring was released in 2013 and is the latest in the “Conjuring” series. It’s been called a carnival-like movie because of its unsettling energy. And it’s very similar to Jaws.
This is James Wan’s last horror movie. He’s also the director of the sequel to the 2010 horror film Insidious.
Richard Matheson’s Hell House
Richard Matheson’s Hell House is a terrifying horror novel. The novel’s main character is Dr. Barrett, who is working to prove that Hell House is a maelstrom of energy. He is accompanied by his wife Edith and spiritual medium Florence Tanner.
In the novel, Hell is a forbidding place, filled with an evil power and cruel force. It is also populated by people who have a dark past. Most of the people who go to Hell House are dead when they leave.
Matheson’s novel is a blend of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. His writing is clear, self-aware, and powerful.
He wrote numerous short stories and screenplays. He was a member of the California Writers Association, and he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. He wrote for several television shows, including the Twilight Zone. Some of his novels were adapted into movies. They include Bid Time Return, Stir of Echoes, and I Am Legend.
Hell House was adapted into a film in 1973 starring Roddy McDowall. Other notable films include the Omega Man, and The Last Man on Earth.
Joel Anderson’s Lake Mungo
The found footage film, Lake Mungo, is directed by Joel Anderson. This cult favorite has recently been picked up by Second Sight Films for Blu-ray release. It is a haunting film based on a supernatural mystery that takes place in a rural town in Australia.
Talia Zucker, David Pledger, and Rosie Traynor star in this chilling film that focuses on Alice Palmer, a sixteen-year-old girl who mysteriously drowns in her family’s lake. Her family struggles to find answers about her disappearance.
Lake Mungo is a haunting film that features mockumentary style storytelling. The dialogue is told through to-camera interviews. This method of storytelling is reminiscent of Errol Morris’ landmark factual-film, The Thin Blue Line.
Originally shot as a documentary, Anderson’s approach to the film gives the supernatural manifestations in the story weight. The film is inspired by the emotions of grief, regret, and inability to move forward.
At the film’s premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in June, critics raved about the film. Some said it was more like Paranormal Activity (2007) than a conventional fright flick.
