Don't Go in the House

Rating:
Summary: It Has a FEW Moments, but....
Review: "Don't Go In The House" is one of those classic drive-in clunkers from the 1970s and early 1980s fondly remembered by fans of low budget horror/exploitation films. Why anyone would hide in the trunk of car in order to spend nearly two hours watching this cinematic drudge is beyond me. At the same time, watching in the privacy of my own home on DVD was a good experience, so maybe there is a reason or two for risking the inhalation of exhaust fumes in order to watch this horror movie. Apparently, filmmaker Quentin Tarentino had plenty of good things to say about this film, so that may provide another reason for movie buffs to rent or buy this 1980 Psycho rip off. "Don't Go In The House" continued the tradition established by other "Don't..." films, such as "Don't Look In The Basement" and the like. This movie stars people you have never heard of, and its directed, produced, and written by a few other people you've never heard of or from again. Sure, star Dan Grimaldi turned up on "The Sopranos" and in a bit part in the film "Crooklyn," but the people who associated themselves with this film are not pulling down big buck salaries in Hollywood these days.

Dan Grimaldi stars as Donald "Donny" Kohler, a momma's boy who works at some sort of a heavy industrial plant when he isn't home tending to his mother's needs. We learn immediately that something isn't quite right with Donny when a guy at the plant catches on fire and Don does nothing to help him. Understandably, this odd behavior aggravates most of the other workers at the plant with the exception of Bobby, a rather friendly bloke who cheats on his wife and who calls Donny on the phone at weird times. These tentative maneuvers to establish camaraderie between the two never find an explanation in the film. In fact, the script gives us little clue as to what is going on in Donny's mind (at least initially). We do know that Mom was some sort of religious despot who burned Donny's arms when he was a child for some supposed transgression. But now Mom is dead, found moldering in a chair up in her room when Donny comes home from work. Whatever will Donald do now that his freedom from domineering old Mum is over? The first thing he does is smoke in the house and crank up the old stereo! Donald knows how to live, but very quickly after discovering Mom upstairs Donald starts to hear voices in his head instructing him to commit grisly crimes.

Kohler runs with these suggestions by turning one room of the sprawling house into a metallic death chamber complete with chains and hooks. Throw in a fire retardant suit and a flamethrower and you get the strong impression that Donald's interests run to indoor barbecues of a most peculiar character. It isn't long after completing this project that Kohler brings his first victim to the house, a foxy '70's gal who promptly finds herself tied up in the room. The following scene, when Donald douses this woman in gasoline and then lights her up, does possess a certain gruesome fascination and probably constitutes the bulk of this movie's notoriety. Our hero rapidly follows up with two further victims, then dresses up the three corpses in old clothes and sits them in chairs in another room of the house. During the rest of the film, Kohler occasionally revisits this room to learn that the corpses torment him with voices only he can hear. All the while, Mom remains upstairs in her chair and Bobby continues to place odd phone calls to his friend in an attempt to get Donny to go out for a night on the town. Throw in a priest, a tepid dream sequence, and some cheesy disco scenery, and a "shock" ending and you have the makings of a low budget classic destined to win over new legions of fans (!).

"Don't Go In The House" would be a complete rip off of Hitchcock's "Psycho" if it possessed any of the wonderful attributes that made that Anthony Perkins/Janet Leigh vehicle such an enduring institution. Instead, we get bad acting, terrible dialogue, bad cinematography, cheesy special effects, and poky pacing. I think I counted at least five separate times where the director used the same footage of Donny driving his vehicle around town. About the only thing that truly works for this film is the gritty, grim atmosphere of Donny's house. The place is spacious on the inside, but at the same time the Kohler abode looks so incredibly seedy that I felt like taking a shower after watching the movie.

The DVD version of "Don't Go In The House" is atrocious; it looks as though they restored the film, if any restoration took place at all, with a piece of sandpaper. Again, this lousy transfer does lend the picture a certain grimly alluring atmosphere, but for a DVD release I would like to see a better quality film. Amazingly, there are no extras on the disc to speak of: no trailer, no commentary, and no production notes. This DVD doesn't even contain a menu screen. When you put the disc in your player, it immediately goes right into the movie. I'm reminded of a VCD when I think about seeing this movie on DVD, although even VCDs have menu screens on occasion. Overall, this film does have a few things going for it, but only hardcore horror fans should apply here. If you must see "Don't Go In The House," consider renting it instead of buying.

Rating:
Summary: An unjustly maligned shocker from the 80's.
Review: "Don't Go in The House" is independent filmmaking. Not the ultra hip Miramax stuff you may be used to, but one of the last independently produced horror films of the 80's. It's a gritty little picture with unpleasant images and steals from other pictures within it's genre, but what favorite movie of yours doesn't? Except for the horrid disco sequences, "Don't Go In The House" is an unjustly maligned shocker, one that has been railed on for it's treatment of women and it's ineptness. It's not inept and it's not a primer for abuse against women. It's a spooky little horror film about a closet psycho with a distaste for his mother's style of upbringing and his resentment of society and subsequent actions against it for letting such abuse happen.

Rating:
Summary: It Has a FEW Moments, but....
Review: "Don't Go In The House" is one of those classic drive-in clunkers from the 1970s and early 1980s fondly remembered by fans of low budget horror/exploitation films. Why anyone would hide in the trunk of car in order to spend nearly two hours watching this cinematic drudge is beyond me. At the same time, watching in the privacy of my own home on DVD was a good experience, so maybe there is a reason or two for risking the inhalation of exhaust fumes in order to watch this horror movie. Apparently, filmmaker Quentin Tarentino had plenty of good things to say about this film, so that may provide another reason for movie buffs to rent or buy this 1980 Psycho rip off. "Don't Go In The House" continued the tradition established by other "Don't..." films, such as "Don't Look In The Basement" and the like. This movie stars people you have never heard of, and its directed, produced, and written by a few other people you've never heard of or from again. Sure, star Dan Grimaldi turned up on "The Sopranos" and in a bit part in the film "Crooklyn," but the people who associated themselves with this film are not pulling down big buck salaries in Hollywood these days.

Dan Grimaldi stars as Donald "Donny" Kohler, a momma's boy who works at some sort of a heavy industrial plant when he isn't home tending to his mother's needs. We learn immediately that something isn't quite right with Donny when a guy at the plant catches on fire and Don does nothing to help him. Understandably, this odd behavior aggravates most of the other workers at the plant with the exception of Bobby, a rather friendly bloke who cheats on his wife and who calls Donny on the phone at weird times. These tentative maneuvers to establish camaraderie between the two never find an explanation in the film. In fact, the script gives us little clue as to what is going on in Donny's mind (at least initially). We do know that Mom was some sort of religious despot who burned Donny's arms when he was a child for some supposed transgression. But now Mom is dead, found moldering in a chair up in her room when Donny comes home from work. Whatever will Donald do now that his freedom from domineering old Mum is over? The first thing he does is smoke in the house and crank up the old stereo! Donald knows how to live, but very quickly after discovering Mom upstairs Donald starts to hear voices in his head instructing him to commit grisly crimes.

Kohler runs with these suggestions by turning one room of the sprawling house into a metallic death chamber complete with chains and hooks. Throw in a fire retardant suit and a flamethrower and you get the strong impression that Donald's interests run to indoor barbecues of a most peculiar character. It isn't long after completing this project that Kohler brings his first victim to the house, a foxy '70's gal who promptly finds herself tied up in the room. The following scene, when Donald douses this woman in gasoline and then lights her up, does possess a certain gruesome fascination and probably constitutes the bulk of this movie's notoriety. Our hero rapidly follows up with two further victims, then dresses up the three corpses in old clothes and sits them in chairs in another room of the house. During the rest of the film, Kohler occasionally revisits this room to learn that the corpses torment him with voices only he can hear. All the while, Mom remains upstairs in her chair and Bobby continues to place odd phone calls to his friend in an attempt to get Donny to go out for a night on the town. Throw in a priest, a tepid dream sequence, and some cheesy disco scenery, and a "shock" ending and you have the makings of a low budget classic destined to win over new legions of fans (!).

"Don't Go In The House" would be a complete rip off of Hitchcock's "Psycho" if it possessed any of the wonderful attributes that made that Anthony Perkins/Janet Leigh vehicle such an enduring institution. Instead, we get bad acting, terrible dialogue, bad cinematography, cheesy special effects, and poky pacing. I think I counted at least five separate times where the director used the same footage of Donny driving his vehicle around town. About the only thing that truly works for this film is the gritty, grim atmosphere of Donny's house. The place is spacious on the inside, but at the same time the Kohler abode looks so incredibly seedy that I felt like taking a shower after watching the movie.

The DVD version of "Don't Go In The House" is atrocious; it looks as though they restored the film, if any restoration took place at all, with a piece of sandpaper. Again, this lousy transfer does lend the picture a certain grimly alluring atmosphere, but for a DVD release I would like to see a better quality film. Amazingly, there are no extras on the disc to speak of: no trailer, no commentary, and no production notes. This DVD doesn't even contain a menu screen. When you put the disc in your player, it immediately goes right into the movie. I'm reminded of a VCD when I think about seeing this movie on DVD, although even VCDs have menu screens on occasion. Overall, this film does have a few things going for it, but only hardcore horror fans should apply here. If you must see "Don't Go In The House," consider renting it instead of buying.

Rating:
Summary: better then most of the late-70's schlock
Review: already a good case against this flick as it falls within the rash of knock-off "don't answer/look/open" movies which hit the scene in the late '70's - but this movie actually holds its own with some considerable sickness and a generally depraved attitude. The lead character doesn't smile once through the whole flick and hardly winces as he torches poor girls in his custom-made incinerator. Not much gore unfortunately other than some burnt bodies but this film is so humorless it makes up for the lack of grue in its mean-spiritedness. A kid abused by his mom (over the range-top burners of course) grows up to obsess about her (a la Psycho) and then take his revenge out against the innocent. A couple good jumps here and there - all in all a quality flick. Probably would have given it 4 stars but the DVD has absolutely nothing in the way of extras: full-screen, 2 (!) chapters, and thats it.

Rating:
Summary: better then most of the late-70's schlock
Review: already a good case against this flick as it falls within the rash of knock-off "don't answer/look/open" movies which hit the scene in the late '70's - but this movie actually holds its own with some considerable sickness and a generally depraved attitude. The lead character doesn't smile once through the whole flick and hardly winces as he torches poor girls in his custom-made incinerator. Not much gore unfortunately other than some burnt bodies but this film is so humorless it makes up for the lack of grue in its mean-spiritedness. A kid abused by his mom (over the range-top burners of course) grows up to obsess about her (a la Psycho) and then take his revenge out against the innocent. A couple good jumps here and there - all in all a quality flick. Probably would have given it 4 stars but the DVD has absolutely nothing in the way of extras: full-screen, 2 (!) chapters, and thats it.

Rating:
Summary: better then most of the late-70's schlock
Review: already a good case against this flick as it falls within the rash of knock-off "don't answer/look/open" movies which hit the scene in the late '70's - but this movie actually holds its own with some considerable sickness and a generally depraved attitude. The lead character doesn't smile once through the whole flick and hardly winces as he torches poor girls in his custom-made incinerator. Not much gore unfortunately other than some burnt bodies but this film is so humorless it makes up for the lack of grue in its mean-spiritedness. A kid abused by his mom (over the range-top burners of course) grows up to obsess about her (a la Psycho) and then take his revenge out against the innocent. A couple good jumps here and there - all in all a quality flick. Probably would have given it 4 stars but the DVD has absolutely nothing in the way of extras: full-screen, 2 (!) chapters, and thats it.

Rating:
Summary: Not great, but not bad either!
Review: As you may have figured out from reading my other reviews, I have an affinity for obscure horror suspense thrillers, but it's not necessarily a blind affection. I know a crappy film when I see it, and I don't hesitate to say so. This film, however, surprised me. I was expecting another cheapo chopped full of bad acting, lousy special affects, and crummy music. This has none of those things. It's actually quite interesting, though it does borrow some story elements from Psycho, and films like it.

Donny is a troubled young man whose mother used to punish him by holding his arms over the burners of the kitchen stove. As a result, he has grown up into a bit of a fire bug. We find this out right off the bat, when in the beginning of the film, we see him freeze at work when he sees a coworker burst into flames as the result of a boiler explosion. His sanity takes a turn for the worst when his mother dies. Now alone, and with no one to keep tabs on his actions, he begins the fun little task of inviting dumb women back to his house so that he can beat them over the head, hang them in the basement, and then barbecue them alive with a blowtorch. This method of doing away with victims was probably very unique at the time, and I don't know of any films that have used this idea since. Fairly gruesome!

The acting in this film is halfway decent, and the subtle music does a good job of complimenting the feeling of loneliness and paranoia that the protagonist feels throughout. Not a bad flick, even if it is a little bit unrealistic.

Rating:
Summary: The title says it all
Review: Basically, Don't Go in the House is about a man, who, abused as a child, vents his rage by chaining up women in his house and torching them with a flamethrower. He then keeps the charred corpses as "quests" throughout his home. I am not sure who would like this film, but, if you enjoyed Maniac, I Spit on Your Grave, or Driller Killer, it might be worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: Don't even bother , it will bore the pants off ya !
Review: I bought this dvd & was very disapointed with the whole film in general.The films about a young man called Donny Kohler who as a kid was abused by his mother, who latter on in life takes his revenge out on a some young ladies by leading them into his old house, then burning them to death( it's there own fault for being stupid enough to go into this house with a total stranger who ther've only known for about five minutes). I nearly feel asleep half way through this film because it's to slow. Most dvds come with some extras this doesn't come with any not even "scene select". If your lookin' for a good horror film stay well away from this one.

Rating:
Summary: Grandma be ware..! -"Don't will give you pain..!
Review: I love this movie.. -I saw this when I was kid. -Watching it on
Video. -The movie gave me nightmares. -The images of watching
this movie reminds of the classic movies. -"Psycho." -and

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.."! -One of the greats. "Don't
go in the house." -Is really creepy then. -"Poltergiest."
1982. -And; -Preserves the frights threw out the movie.

I do remember this movie. -Where the crazed abused son from
his grandmother ho beat him becuase he was playing with his
daddy's dirty puzzle. -Then; -he's grown. -And; -the son
now lives in his grandmothers home where he has burned bodys

from his work. -He brings them home as burnt corpses and
has them shack up stairs and he has nightmares and frightning omens that are in his mind. -A demon or something in his
mind tells him to bring girls home.. -He ties them up in
the basement. -Their naked. -And he burns them too death

in the basement..! -But; -as the corpses rises. -Their is a
dream sequence which gave me bad dreams. -Where the son dreams
the corpses that rises on a road as their fingers pop and he is
sucked in. -But; -the movie turns into a terryfying turn.
though; -like; -"Psycho." -The crazed son is tortured by

the dead rotted corpse..! -They come back two life and finally
get the revenge they get..

someone knows the hell he has put the girls threw..!

I did not know this movie came out on DVD..! -I'm sure it will
make a new mark on the DVD list. -This is someone ho has
grown and scene; -"Psycho." -and; -"The Texas Chainsaw
massacre." -And; -the people ho have seen this movie will be
wanting for more..

And; -their spirit of watching this movie wooed wish they
never wanted to see this kind of movie. -The movie has 80's
style music; -and; -tons of frights.

Even an old grand ma will have a heart attack if she watch
this kind of movie..

So; -for cult fans..! -This is great the movie is finally out
for DVD. -I really like the fright seqeunce.