Product Details

• Actors: Jocelin Donahue
• Directors: Ti West
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Dark Sky Films
• DVD Release Date: February 2, 2010
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (110 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002OVO18A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,612 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The House of the Devil" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

At once a sly tribute to '80s-era grind-house cinema and a remarkable exercise in suspense, writer-director Ti West's House of the Devil is a terrific--and terrifying--horror film that can be enjoyed by genre fans and outsiders alike. West's premise hinges on the "Satanic panic" that gripped America during the Reagan era--in a nutshell, the urban legend posited that secret devil cults were kidnapping and sacrificing individuals by the thousands--and melds it with the tried-and-true babysitter in an old dark house scenario. The house in question is the property of the Ulmans (cult faves Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov), and the babysitter (newcomer Jocelin Donahue) is needed to simply keep an eye on things--and an unseen mother upstairs--until midnight, when, coincidentally, a total eclipse will occur. But the chills that ensue--and there are plenty--are driven more by slow-building atmosphere than by the bloody effects that sum up '80s shocks. That's not to say that there isn't gore on display, but it's not the film's raison d'être; neither are the nostalgic trappings, which are kept to a tasteful minimum. The end result is a genuinely unsettling horror effort that brands West as an indie director who's more than capable of moving up to the majors. The disc includes two informative commentary tracks, the first by West and Donahue, and the other with West, producers Larry Fessenden (The Last Winter) and Peter Phok, and sound designer Graham Reznick; there's also a pair of making-of featurettes and three deleted scenes, one of which, involving the Ulmans' mother, is worth a look. The original trailer for House of the Devil, as well as spots for other Dark Sky releases, round out the extras. --Paul Gaita

Product Description

The Horror Film of the Year available on DVD.

Sam (Donahue) is a pretty college sophomore, so desperate to earn some cash for a deposit on an apartment that she accepts a babysitting job even after she finds out there is no baby. Mr. and Mrs. Ulman (cult actors Noonan and Woronov) are the older couple who lure Sam out to their creaky Victorian mansion deep in the woods, just in time for a total lunar eclipse. Megan (Gerwig) is Sam's best friend, who gives her a ride out to the house, and reluctantly leaves her there despite suspecting that something is amiss. Victor (Bowen) at first seems like just a creepy guy lurking around the house, but quickly makes it clear that Sam will end this night in a bloody fight for her life...

2009 Top 10 List Selections:
TimeOut New York
The Onion
AMCtv
Sound on Sight

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Horror done correctly, October 4, 2009

By 

Richard J. Leis (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The House of the Devil (Amazon Instant Video)

"The House of the Devil" is an assured little film that fondly invokes horror films from the 1970s and 1980s. Many people are going to complain that this movie is slow and boring, but they are missing the joys of this type of film making completely. The best horror is a slow burn leading up to the proverbial poo hitting the whirling blades. You have time to begin to care about these characters, before something terrible happens to them and it cuts deep.

The plot: a college student is ready to move out of her dorm and into a nice rental home, but needs to make some quick cash to pay the first month's rent. Responding to a flyer requesting a babysitter, she will get much more than she bargained for.

The final twenty minutes, while rapid-paced and bloody, do not live up to the promising tension built up by the rest of the movie. However, if the end was a bit of a letdown, overall the movie was very well done. This is not the action-packed gore fest that some people might be expecting. Instead, it is a solid throwback to horror films that used setting, tone, atmosphere, character-building, and music to build up to the scary!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dripping wet with atmosphere, but dry on action, February 14, 2010

By 

C. Christopher Blackshere "Mackshere" (hampered by what's acceptable) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House of the Devil (DVD)

High praises to Director Ti West with this excellent attempt. House of the Devil avoids current pratfalls and absurd, over-the-top rubbish that placates most new horror flicks. Thumbs up for that. This is more of a subtle, intelligent suspense story that will challenge your wits.

However, it's far from perfect. This movie doesn't deliver anything very original with the premise. Another college student/babysitting type of setup. But the idea of a satanic cult touches on a sensitive nerve that is all too disturbing.

But the Devil never really gets his due. This movie has solid acting, good character development, and creepy sound effects. Unfortunately, not much of a payoff for your patience. The story tiptoes along, and finally reaches a frightening bloody climax. Too bad it ends so abruptly.

Overall, House of the Devil is a well told story that includes a little gore. Just not much else happening. 3.5 stars.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the devil is in the detail, July 25, 2011

By 

JGC - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The House of the Devil [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

"The House of the Devil" is one of the most suspenseful movies I have seen in ages. It's somewhat slow moving but it really picks up momentum. And even though there isn't much gore or classic horror violence (besides a couple of scenes) that doesn't matter because the main character, Samantha, was very likeable and interesting to follow. For old-school horror with a new twist pick up this movie.