Dark House (2009)

  

When searching for a movie last night, I was excited to see that Showtime had added some new flicks. My choice for the evening was one of the entries in the Fangoria Frightfest, 2009s Dark House starring horror icon Jeffrey Combs.

Plot/ A troupe of actors hired for a haunted house attraction soon find that they are working in a true house of horror.

Being the first flick from the Fangoria Frightfest, I had no idea what to expect. What I found was straight mindless B-Movie horror using cliché storylines and special effects to create scares and atmosphere. Yes, this movie had its flaws, uneven (some over-the-top) acting, some bad CGI and some terrible dialogue. However, there was something about the cliché story that I actually enjoyed, not to mention a solid amount of gore and decent effects (not CGI). Sure, this is not a great flick by any means, but it is an entertaining romp that has some pretty good moments much like the remakes of House on Haunted Hill and Thirteen Ghosts. If you liked those, this one is definitely for you!

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

After spending the early part of the week going through some of the movies Vincent Price made famous in the 1970s, I felt it was time to take a step back. My choice for tonight was the 1959 Price classic House on Haunted Hill for my incarnation of Vincent Price Week on the Ringmaster’s Realm.

Plot/ Millionaire Fredrick Loren invites five strangers to a party in the House On Haunted Hill. The house has a past of brutal murders. Mr. Loren's fourth wife, Annabelle, warns the guests that her husband is insane and plans something that night. That is when everyone begins to suspect something is going on with Mr. Loren. At midnight, the doors are locked and there is no way to get out. Then when a game of murder begins and no one knows who is doing what there is no way to call for help.

To me, this classic version of the film is by far the best. Director William Castle does a great job in creating one of the most entertaining examples of the low-budget, black-and-white horror films that many of us were raised on. The low budget classic has a nice combination of thrills and chills and follows a very entertaining story while maintain great pace. As usual, Price does a masterful job at bringing his character to life, and is really at the top of his game taking advantage of all of the elements that the setting allows. In the end, this is truly a Price classic and very entertaining film, if you have not seen it pick it up now!