MOVIE REVIEW

House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Starring: Sid Haig, Karen Black, Bill Moseley
Director: Rob Zombie

Rating: R

Studio: Lions Gate Films

Review Posted: 4.11.03

Spoilers: Minor

By Jon Bjorling

"Zombie's House A Mess"

Rob Zombie's film is the work of a halfway competent director. Sadly, most of it was done by that latter. What starts out in the tradition of old time (1970's flicks like Last House on the Left and Texas Chainsaw Massacre are obvious influences on this film) shockers sadly falls into a mindless and chaotic mess.

The story is very simple, a group of college age kids are out on a road trip looking at off the wall roadside attractions, and in the tradition of all horror film road trips, they are running out of gas. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Captain Spaulding's (a Marx Brothers' reference for those who don't know) Murder Museum has a gas station. As the kids are treated to the
attraction, a name sparks an interest - Dr. Satan, a local crazy who tried to create a master race using crazies at an asylum. After prying information
about Dr. Satan's from Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig in a deliciously fun performance) the kids go in search of the last known place Dr. Satan was seen, hanging from a tree. However, along the way, they pick up a young
woman hitchhiking. One flat tire later, they are inside her home and you can guess what follows.

The editing of this film is the worst aspect of it. Scenes shift from normal film to (what I assume to be) grainy 16MM without any reason (except to hide low production values). There are also a few moments in which a scene shot in normal light cuts to another angle lit with red gels, then back to the normal light, then back to the gelled. ALL FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER!!! There is even color inversion and stock footage thrown in WITHOUT ANY REASON!!! Maybe this is all the editor had to work with and it was the best he could do, but
it still sucks.

Now, when I saw that the film is the work of a halfway competent director, about halfway through the film, a decent film becomes a nightmare. Everything done (for the most part) before the horror begins is fine.  When the blood starts to flow, on the other hand the film de-evolves into a mess. It becomes difficult to tell what is going on, or for that matter, why.

I had read reviews that this film wasn't very good, but I had hoped that it was one of those films that was "so bad it's good." Sadly it isn't. There are some decent performances, but with poor editing, amateur directing, and a lazy and confused script, the film ultimately fails.

Rating: 3 out of 10

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