Is ‘The House by the Cemetery’ Lucio Fulci’s masterpiece?
I hesitate to use the word masterpiece anywhere near the name Lucio Fulci. The Italian goremeister is an acquired taste, even for horror fans. He mastered the art of gore, but his movies are mostly forgettable affairs. There’s some gross-out fun in Zombi 2, and City of the Living Dead has some decent genre elements. But his efforts are largely wasted, only memorable for the way he’s able to make blood go squirt.
The House by the Cemetery, one of his better known titles, stars Catriona MacColl, one of the more talented actors to appear in a Fulci film. She plays Lucy Boyle, a mother with the unenviable task of keeping her family together, despite the fact that there’s a murderous villain living in the basement. Few details emerge on what the beast in the basement actually wants or is, but keeping the monster’s intentions in the dark is one of the more effective devices in the movie. There’s definitely a sense of dread that permeates the film. What exactly is going on? What are the motives of this creature?
Like many giallo films, the film features atrocious dubbing and questionable acting. The young boy who plays Lucy’s son turns in a one-note performance (the English dubbing is grating). Ditto for several of the supporting characters.
Fulci is able to generate some scares and ewww moments, enough to keep one’s interest to the end. But one wonders why this goremeister couldn’t have been paired with an understandable, common-sense screenplay.
Horror aficionados will likely relish the chance to catch a classic giallo (and this one could be fun on 35mm). In terms of legendary status, The House by the Cemetery stands as one of the top titles. But for overall film fans, this one can be passed by.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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The House by the Cemetery
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1981
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Directed by Lucio Fulci
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Written by Fulci, Giorgio Mariuzzo and Dardano Sacchetti
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Starring Catriona MacColl
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Running time: 87 minutes
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Not Rated
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Rating:
