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I was wondering should I buy the dvd,or just rent it?

Just rent it.  It was pretty damn terrible, but worth seeing if you're a genre fan, I guess.  Be sure to check out the DVD for the special feature called "TIny F*cked a Stump". That's worth the price of admission alone.

I asked the same question of a buddy of mine when he rented it. Only problem was his 2 year old son lost his DVD remote. Ahhh, the joy of having children. And you would have thought he learned from the first 4 kids he has. There's the real horror story.



Post Edited (08-17-03 10:11)

Oh man....to lose the DVD remote and have Captain Spaulding yell at you for ten minutes and then start over again is horrible indeed!

Definitely a rental--I didn't think it was that bad, just a prime example of what happens when a fan who doesn't know how to make movies tries to make a movie.

I bought it. I did not see it during its theatrical run, but I am SO GLAD that I bought the DVD. FINALLY someone has made a horror movie in the tradition of the drive-in classics of the 1970s. The movie borrows HEAVILY from THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE HILLS HAVE EYES, DERANGED, and similar movies from the 70s. But it also has its own creepy originality and "on target" black humor. I haven't seen a movie that had as much raw, honest ghoulishness and twisted humor since THE EVIL DEAD.

This movie blows away all the other SCREAM, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID . . . , URBAN LEGEND, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 200, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 200, etc., etc., crap that has been released since the 1980s.

This movie is FUN and is loaded with the type of cheap creepiness that makes this kind of movie a pleasure to watch over and over again.

It's definitely better than all those recent films, though it fails on some points, but it's nowhere near as good as the movies it was influenced by.  Zombie doesn't know that he needs to let the audience rest for a bit...not every scene needs to be over-the-top and shocking.  By the end of the film, I didn't really care what happened, and was just waiting for it to be over with.  It's that kind of pacing and storytelling problem that makes it obvious that the movie was made by an inexperienced director.

jmc wrote:

> It's definitely better than all those recent films, though it
> fails on some points, but it's nowhere near as good as the
> movies it was influenced by.  Zombie doesn't know that he needs
> to let the audience rest for a bit...not every scene needs to
> be over-the-top and shocking.  By the end of the film, I didn't
> really care what happened, and was just waiting for it to be
> over with.  It's that kind of pacing and storytelling problem
> that makes it obvious that the movie was made by an
> inexperienced director.

In general, I agree that Zombie's pacing was rapid-fire and unconventional (literally NO slow-downs once the action starts). But, in this case, I liked it. The film is short enough (less than 90 minutes) to support an "all out attack." I found it refreshing that, once the action started, we didn't have to sit through any dumb romantic scenes or endless expository dialogue.

I watched thsi DVD for the first time last night. I was taken completely by surprise by the rapid fire images and relentless pace. By the end of the movie I was exhilerated and I almost wanted to watch it again. If this movie had been released 30 years ago, it would have been a hit at the drive-ins and at "midnight movies" in theaters. Is it a great film? No. But it's a hell of a lot of fun. Plus, Zombie does show flashes of brilliance. For instance, the birds-eye view shot of the deputy with the gun to his head is held so long, without sound, that it becomes excruciating to look at. I can't remember the last time I was so riveted by a single shot in any movie.

This one gets a hearty "thumbs up" from me. I wish more directors would boldly "break the mold" like Zombie did.

"Thank you for shopping at Red Hot p***y Liquors!"

The consensus here is right, this  movie is great fun.  There is only one bit of real cinematic..well, not-quite-genius in it, that being the birds-eye shot with the deputy, but aside from that, it's just a fun 'CrazySouthern Family' horror movie with its tongue firmly in cheek.  

And Rob Zombie's wife is hot.

That's a plus.

from
the person who likes resident evil and Mortal Combat

Why dont you rent it then form your own opinion you decide if its worth the purches. I just watched the movie like ten minutes ago and it is worth buying just becuase it is Sheri Moons only credit. i am totally in love with her now does she have a website?

I did like that shot with the deputy too.  

Still, the movie doesn't have one iota of the impact of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.....I'm glad for any horror movie that isn't teen SCREAM spew or a dumb sequel, but I'd rather watch the original films that inspired Rob Zombie than watch his film.....

Sid Haig was great as Captain Spaulding, though....

I never said I LIKED Resident Evil and Mortal Kombat.  Mortal Kombat was fun when it came out, wore thin very quickly.  Resident Evil was laaaammme, and this' from a die-hard lover of zombie movies.  You assume too much, I never -once- said that I enjoyed Paul Anderson's body of work, I merely commented on the direction that the Alien movies were heading.  Yeesh.

I say buy it.  I'm with Burgo all the way, and I loved every second of this movie.  It's all the stuff you love about 70's exploitation slammed together into one ass-kicker of a flick.  Everyone uses the same excuse to pan it - too much like Texas Chainsaw - so I'll keep using the same excuse to defend it.  It's supposed to be like Texas Chainsaw, except the ending of House is far better.  I'd have to say the movie's damn near flawless as far as slimy, icky trash goes, and I love my slimy, icky trash.

Brother R

Having been a huge Rob Zombie fan for quite sometime, I was psyched as hell to rent House of 1000 Corpses.

But in the end I was let down.  

I felt that the first half of this film was fantastic.  It was creepy, it was grity, it was very 70s.  But, the second half felt extremely weak.  Sure it was still rapid fire pace, but it just felt too......out of place.  

~SPOILERS~

The end where the girl finally meets Dr. Satan was completely flat for me.  It was beyond the willful suspense of disbelief.  Something about it just didn't sit right with me.  The same can be said for his storm trooper.  I'm assuming that the storm trooper was one of his experiments.  

And what the hell did the family have to do with Dr. Satan?  Were they kin to him?  What did they gain by giving people to Dr. Satan?  

~End Spoilers~

Zombie's direction in this film is near flawless, especially the scene with the cop that everyone here has mentioned.  Sid Haig was fantastic as Captain Spaulding, by far the best character in the entire film.  Also, it was great to see Chris Hardwick finally doing some acting.

I really did want to like this movie.  I was looking forward to a creepy 70s era style exploitation flick in the same vein as Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  That's what I got for the first half of the film.  The second half turned into a disjointed mush.  

I'd probably buy it but a few years from now when it's in the five dollar bin.  A good rental if only to see Captain Spaulding.

Dis you rent the rated or unrated version?  I really enjoyed this, as it's both similar and different than Chainsaw Massacre.  Whether or not you liked this film you have to give credit to Rob for having the balls to do something that's not typical mainstream tripe.

skaboi just summed up my exact opinion, House started strong but the ended was so far removed from reality it weakend the movie

I'm going to agree with Skaboi as well.

The first half of the movie was creepy, trash-laden fun.  This film is garbage, and it revels in the fact.

The second half went beyond belief though.  Now, this may be because I was drinking when I was watching it, but what the hell was going on?  The first half, while crazy, at least had a bit of believability to it.  The last half went beyond reality into a pure "horror" mode.  Well, I only find horror in things that are mired in reality.  When you go as far beyond it as in this film, well then it's just like a funhouse ride.  It may be entertaining, but in the end it's nothing at all.

I enjoyed this movie quite a bit, but the end pretty much lost me.  In that I was watching the movie, but was pretty much asleep as far as the plot went.

And the "ring the bell" intro on the DVD is one of the funniest things I've seen in quite a while.

I also enjoyed the casting.  Tom Towles, the delightful Otis from HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER as a cop.  Michael J. Pollard, who is creepily boyish in everything.  And of course, the old Private Ryan from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN shows up in this movie as well.



Post Edited (08-19-03 05:20)

Just rent it Uncle Fester. I guess we all have to see it since Rob Zombie is in it and it has a neat title. Actually if you might be better off watching what ever is second on your "to view" list.