Why You Should Dive Into the Unconventional Japanese Horror Fantasy, House

Prepare to find yourself repeatedly questioning, 'What did I just witness?'

Unsettling Cinematic Experience

As the eerie season approaches, standard horror flicks like Bring Her Back, known for its expertly gruesome scenes, or the timeless classic, The Evil Dead, come to mind for a snug movie night. However, for those seeking something offbeat rather than pure fright, the 1977 fantasy horror movie House is an excellent choice.

A Surreal Plot

Attempting to summarize House almost seems pointless. The story kicks off with a girl leaving to stay with her aunt for the summer. This happens after her father, a widower, introduces a disturbingly calm lady as his fiancée. Accompanied by six friends, she heads to a rural house and is immediately greeted by bizarre, supernatural occurrences.

A Visual and Emotional Rollercoaster

The description only scratches the surface of the 88 minutes filled with sheer madness. A preview barely hints at its eccentricity. House is the brainchild of director Nobuhiko Obayashi, who infuses the movie with a frenetic, visually unique style. Much of its dreamlike logic derives from Chigumi Ôbayashi, the director's 10-year-old daughter, who co-wrote the film.

Obayashi's Approach

In interviews, Nobuhiko expressed that adults are often limited by the need to explain everything, while children find wonder in the inexplicable. Cinema, he believes, thrives on the strange and mysterious.

An Amalgamation of Genres

The film shifts abruptly from family drama with dreamlike imagery to absurd music video sequences and pre-J-horror scares. It blends visual styles with colorful stage blood and surreal imagery, weaving a story confronting trauma through dark absurdity.

House's Unique Essence

House stands apart from any other movie you've experienced. One critic described it as being too bizarre to terrify genuinely but too disturbing to be merely humorous. Its influence can be noted in Sam Raimi's slapstick horror work and shows similar undertones to works characterized by malevolence woven through seemingly random scenes.

A Cult Classic

Having watched House countless times, the experience leaves me repeatedly questioning what I just saw, in the most positive way. It's a cult classic you cannot easily ignore. If you've yet to see it, it's time to add this gem to your list.

House is readily accessible for streaming on various platforms.