William Bibbiani Reviews House of the Devil on Blu-Ray!
Sometimes reviewing films in a timely manner can bite you in the ass, because first impressions are, when it comes to art, not very important at all, really. An initial viewing experience is always skewed by external factors such as audience expectation, prejudice towards the actors or filmmakers, and the quality of the viewing environment, and the result can be appreciation or distaste for a movie that, with the benefit of repeat viewings or simple hindsight, may be worthy of the exact opposite emotion, or at least a greater or lesser degree of it. When I recorded Geekscape Podcast #148 I had literally just seen Up in the Air and cautiously said that may end up being my favorite film of the year. Time, however, quickly tempered the film’s charms and while I still consider Jason Reitman’s film an exceptional piece of filmmaking, it barely eked onto my Top Ten of the Year, and now that I’m almost completely caught up with 2009’s Oscar contenders it might not make the list at all.
It is with this observation that I introduce this review of MPI Media Group’s Blu-Ray release of The House of the Devil, a film I previously reviewed, appropriately enough, on October 31st of 2009. At the time I called The House of the Devil “Worthy of comparison to the works of Nicholas Roeg and Roman Polanski!” and “One of the Best Films of the Year!” Later in the year I confirmed this observation by placing it 6th on my list of the Best Films of 2009. I take it as nothing less than a personal insult that none of these quotes were used on the cover of the DVD/Blu-Ray release, particularly as, unlike Up in the Air, time has only increased my appreciation of Ti West’s subtle and spooky tale of a babysitter (charismatic young actress Jocelin Donahue) who falls victim to a family of devil worshippers led by cult mainstays Tom Noonan (Manhunter) and Mary Woronov (Warlock).
Admittedly, this screenshot does not emphasize The House of the Devil’s subtlety.
Repeated viewings can particularly harm horror films and comedies since both genres often depend on surprise to manipulate their audience. With the surprises now revealed, moments that once shocked or titillated can become familiar and unappreciated, causing audiences to focus on previously overlooked aspects of the narrative – like characterization and internal logic – which often collapse when given too much weight. (I’m looking at you, Paranormal Activity.) But the performances in The House of the Devil are uncommonly strong for the genre, and multiple viewings are particularly kind to cast members with less screen time, like the capricious Greta Gerwig (Greenberg) and the orally-fixated AJ Bowen (Hatchet 2). Ti West’s slow burning tension even alleviates the effects of knowing The House of the Devil’s twists and turns, craftily lulling the viewer into a sense of calm before shattering it at key intervals that deft editing, also by Ti West, will keep fresh long after the Saw franchise feels long in the tooth. (You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to use that pun.)
The House of the Devil was shot on Super 16mm and blown up to 35mm in post, a decision that feels appropriate to the film’s period aesthetic but does result in more grain than an Oroweat shipping container (a metaphor I’m not particularly proud of). Beneath that grain lies pronounced blacks and consistent, albeit stylishly muted, color, with no Digital Noise Reduction or Edge Enhancement to speak of. The House of the Devil has a signature style, but that style is not particularly flashy so don’t expect to use this disc to show off your new plasma screen… just your good taste in horror films.
Hey, House of the Devil! If you’re such a brilliant horror movie, then why you lookin’ so blu…?
Special features are somewhat sparse but include two commentary tracks, one somewhat dry with Ti West and Jocelin Donahue, and another more jovial track with West, producer and indie-horror God Larry Fessenden, producer Peter Phok and audio designer Graham Resnik. A fair amount of behind-the-scenes information finds its way onto both tracks, unfortunately, so if you’re not a big, big fan of the film then the production crew commentary will probably suffice. The film is also accompanied by two features, including “Behind the House of the Devil,” a short EPK-ish featurette with some interesting observations and interviews but no real substance to speak of, and “In the House of the Devil,” a montage of behind the scenes footage with no narration propelling it forward. “In the House of the Devil” should probably be viewed after listening to the commentary track(s), which provide context for some of the more interesting footage (like a surreal birthday party towards the end of the short). Rounding out the special features are the film’s trailer (not really “special,” but still a feature, I suppose) and two deleted scenes that were cut for very good reasons.
“The Best Horror Film of 2009!” (William Bibbiani, Geekscape) gets an admirable if not-particularly-dazzling Blu-Ray release today. The House of the Devil has already gotten better with age, so why not buy a copy and age with it?
