House of the Devil

Directed by Ti West

****

New York horror director Ti West (The Roost, Trigger Man) makes it clear in his new project The House of the Devil, that he is a fan of the conventions of 1980s horror. House of the Devil hearkens back to the days of late 70s grindhouse cinema, complete with a synthesized rock soundtrack (one of the best soundtracks to any horror film), a freeze-frame opening credit sequence marked with yellow title cards and a cast that includes Mary Woronov (Silent Night, Deadly Night) and horror veteran Dee Wallace-Stone (The original Hills Have Eyes, The Howling) who makes a small cameo.

Set in 1982, House stars Samantha (Jocelin Donahue), a college student preparing to move into an apartment with her friend Megan (Greta Gerwig). In need of money to facilitate the move, Samantha responds to a babysitting gig for the Ulmans (Noonan, Woronov). You’ve seen the story time and time again but West does it better than most and makes some very clever decisions. Despite its many red flags, the director manages to include the assortment of warning sings without making anything too obviously threatening, so when Samantha takes the job for an exaggerated $400 a night, you believe anyone else would too. It also helps that Samantha has her friend come along to keep close watch just in case something does go wrong. Of course, all hell breaks loose, and Samantha does indeed find herself in the house of the Devil.

West is not interested in cheap shocks and scares but rather takes a simple situation and spins tension out of it through careful craft. He’s a patient film maker, and makes great use of long sequences and static shots with an assortment of oddly askew camera angles, each camera positioned deliberately for creative reasons. He’s built a career on his preference for slow-building tension, atmosphere and suspense as opposed to fast-paced action, sex and splatter. His direction is smart, subtle, and passionate, and he likes to test the patience of his audience before rushing into its climax.

The harsh, jarring tone of the musical score steals the show and makes for one of the most nerve wrecking scores in recent memory. Composer Jeff Grace and audio designer Graham Reznick create an atmosphere that suggests something terrible can happen at any moment, leaving you gripping on to your seat in anticipation – yet West still makes room for an eclectic selection of rock/pop tunes highlighted by a sequence in which Samantha dances about, (Walkman replacing Ipod) to the sound of Fixx’s “One Thing Leads to Another”.

Eliot Rockett’s cinematography nails the feel of the early 80’s, and the film is almost entirely shot at night or in dark interior spaces, benefiting the horror awaiting Samantha. The film is so carefully detailed and perfectly attuned to the style of the 80’s that one could actually mistake it for an 80’s production, and the Quantum Creation FX gang (who gave us the effects for Splinter) once again showcase their talent despite a minimal budget.

House of the Devil is not a perfect film, and much like the 2009 hit The Strangers, it’s an exercise in style that is short on story. The already too-familiar plot mixing of Halloween and Rosemary’s Baby may disappoint some, and unfortunately it is devoid of any real payoff, but House proves that the journey is always more terrifying than the destination, making it a remarkable entry into the horror genre.
Ricky D