Terror in the Haunted House

Rating:
Summary: Filmed in Psycho-Rama!
Review: This is a mediocre gothic thriller about a woman learning secrets about her boyfriend's past while visiting his boyhood home (the type of thing satirized in Arsenic and Old Lace). It has a certain nostalgic charm that makes it more interesting to watch than most modern low-budget horrors. The only reason this movie still gets attention, however, is because of its "Psycho-Rama" gimmick.

For those wondering what Psycho-Rama is, during the so-called "scary" scenes, drawings of Mr. Hyde-like faces or short "scary" messages are flashed on the screen just long enough for the viewer to make them out. This process was satirized on an episode of South Park where they flashed photos of Barbara Striesand during scary scenes. This effect is supposed to subliminally activate the fear centres of the brain, increasing the viewer's reaction to the "scary" scenes. The filmmakers even originally added warnings to their ads for people with heart conditions that the stress caused by this process might give them heart attacks.

Not long after this film came out, a controversy arose about the use of subliminals in movie theatres centered around pictures of soda drinks or food flashed on the screen during movies in order to make patrons hungry or thirsty so they will rush to the snack counter for overpriced products. Actually, a person who is not already thirsty cannot be made thirsty as a result of subliminals (the pictures can only make a person more aware of their existing thirst), nor will they make a person willing to pay more for a drink. Nor can a person be made frightened by subliminals unless the images are actually frightening. Thus the panic about the use of subliminals giving people heart attacks or turning them into consumer mind-slaves was unwarranted, but that didn't stop laws banning such practices.

Unfortunately, since the process does not work, the film remains unfrightening and even the novelty of the gimmick wears off after you've seen the same drawings and messages flashed a dozen or so times.

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars for fun, super awful, campy flick
Review: This movie had been an annual Halloween movie for my friends and me... I am delighted to find it again. This movie is chock full of over the top, stereotypical acting, cheesy effects (the psychorama has to be seen to be believed), and lines that are much funnier because they are meant to be so serious. If you like campy movies, you will love "Terror in the Haunted House".

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars for fun, super awful, campy flick
Review: This movie had been an annual Halloween movie for my friends and me... I am delighted to find it again. This movie is chock full of over the top, stereotypical acting, cheesy effects (the psychorama has to be seen to be believed), and lines that are much funnier because they are meant to be so serious. If you like campy movies, you will love "Terror in the Haunted House".

Rating:
Summary: Way To Go Rhino!!!
Review: When Rhino re-released this great film from the late 1950s they added their own touch to the Psycho-rama effects. Try to pause the tape at the right time to see what I mean.

About the movie I thought it was rather good even though the Psycho-rama flashes distract from the story about a woman facing her fears in the house she fears. A great movie for a cold October night. Highly recomended!!