HOUSE (1977)

How to describe Nobuhiko Ôbayashi’s 1977 film House. A fever dream? Tripy? A haunted house film? A demonic possession movie? All of the above? No matter how one classifies it, it is sure to stick with the viewer for days and perhaps weeks.

When Gorgeous invites her six girl friends to visit her reclusive aunt’s mansion, she has no idea what lies in store for them. As they settle into the sprawling home, they start to realize that not all is as it seems. What follows is a fever dream-horror show that digs in deep and doesn’t let you out of it’s grasp, even until the final moment.

Having never viewed any of Ôbayashi’s work previously and only being aware that it was a highly regarded member of the coveted Criterion Collection, I settled in for what I had heard was a wild ride. It was truly an understatement.

Just as it seemed that the film couldn’t turn any darker or get any more bizarre, it did. From visions of a dancing skeleton to a crescendo on a baby grand piano that will certainly inspire nightmares for the foreseeable future, House is a film that must be seen to believe just how insanely genius it is.

Sure, it will most likely keep some viewers awake at night but at the end of the film, it is darn near impossible to discredit how impeccable it is as a horror film.