House (1986)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Steve Miner

Writers:

Fred Dekker (story)
Ethan Wiley (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Ding dong, you're dead.

Plot:

Roger Cobb is a Vietnam vet. Whose career as a horror novelist has taken a turn for the worse when his...

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Author | Missing Child | Alternate Universe | Axe

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

William Katt	...	Roger Cobb
George Wendt	...	Harold Gorton
Richard Moll	...	Big Ben
Kay Lenz	...	Sandy Sinclair
Mary Stavin	...	Tanya
Michael Ensign	...	Chet Parker
Erik Silver	...	Jimmy
Mark Silver	...	Jimmy
Susan French	...	Aunt Elizabeth
Alan Autry	...	Cop #3
Steven Williams	...	Cop #4
James Calvert	...	Grocery Boy (as Jim Calvert)
Mindy Sterling	...	Woman in Bookstore
Jayson Kane	...	Cheesy Stud
Billy Beck	...	Priest
Bill McLean	...	Older Man
Steve Susskind	...	Frank McGraw
John William Young	...	Would-be Writer (as John Young)
Dwier Brown	...	Lieutenant
Joey Green	...	Fitzsimmons
Stephen Nichols	...	Scott
Donald Willis	...	Soldier
Ronn Carroll	...	Policeman
Robert Joseph	...	Robert
Curt Wilmot	...	Skeleton Big Ben
Ronn Wright	...	Enthusiastic Patron
Renee Lillian	...	Zealous Fan
Peter Pitofsky	...	Witch
Elizabeth Barrington	...	Little Critter
Jerry Maren	...	Little Critter
Felix Silla	...	Little Critter

Directed by
Steve Miner

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Fred Dekker		story
Ethan Wiley		screenplay

Produced by
Richard F. Brophy	....	line producer
Sean S. Cunningham	....	producer
Roger Corman	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Harry Manfredini

Cinematography by
Mac Ahlberg

Film Editing by
Michael N. Knue

Production Design by
Gregg Fonseca

Set Decoration by
Anne H. Ahrens		(as Anne Huntley)

Costume Design by
Bernadette O'Brien

Makeup Department
Robert Boyd	....	hair stylist
Barney Burman	....	special makeup effects artist
Ronnie Specter	....	hair stylist
Ronnie Specter	....	makeup artist
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist

Art Department
Paul Byers	....	assistant property master
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	construction foreman
Doug Lefler	....	storyboard artist
Lyndell Wolff	....	carpenter

Sound Department
James Bailey	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Brent Baker	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Tassilo Baur	....	mechanical special effects
James Belohovek	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Martin Bresin	....	technical advisor
Rick Brophy	....	creature effects production manager: Backwood Films
Steve Burg	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
James Cummins	....	creature effects designer: Backwood Films
Earl Ellis	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Eric Fiedler	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Tracy Fletcher	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Bobbi Heller	....	creature effects assistant production manager: Backwood Films
Cary Howe	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Larry Odien	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Larry Odien	....	special effects assistant
Anton Rupprecht	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Shannon Shea	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Richard Snell	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Michael Spatola	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Robert Spurlock	....	technical advisor
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Kirk R. Thatcher	....	creature designer: Backwood Films
Joe Viskocil	....	mechanical effects
Lauren Vogt	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Dirk Von Besser	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Brian Wade	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films
Harold Weed	....	creature effects crew: Backwood Films

Visual Effects by
Hoyt Yeatman	....	special effects: DQI (uncredited)

Stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Kane Hodder	....	stunt coordinator
Kane Hodder	....	stunts
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Roger Yuan	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Allan Gornick Jr.	....	underwater cinematographer

Casting Department
Audrey Stanzler	....	assistant casting coordinator
Audrey Stanzler	....	assistant to the casting director

Editorial Department
Hala Gabriel	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Kerry Johnson	....	transportation assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Thompson Lane	....	stand-in
Karl Mitchell	....	animal wrangler
Audrey Stanzler	....	assistant talent coordinator
Bill Sturgeon	....	puppeteer
Coby Turner	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• New World Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Future Film (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Silver Media Group (Greece) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Backwood Film (creature special effects)
• Dream Quest Images (special visual effects)

Also Known As:

House: Ding Dong, You're Dead (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Glenn Close and Sigourney Weaver were considered for the female lead role.

Goofs:

Continuity: The rope that Roger lowers into the "black hole" in his medicine cabinet is a smooth, cotton rope. The rope that we see him sliding down is a rough, hemp rope.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Grocery Boy: Mrs. Hooper?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Monster Squad Forever! (2007) (V)

"Horror has a new home."

House is an inventive, original eighties horror comedy that has built its foundations on a thin line between laughs and scares. And I love every minute of it. The Friday the 13th team (Steve Miner, Sean S. Cunningham, and Harry Manfredini) strikes again. Even Kane Hodder (Jason) does some stuntwork. The story and the script are both great thanks to Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) and Ethan Wiley (House II). Steve Miner succeeds in creating the atmosphere of an old house and in finding a likable cast as well. The cast includes William Katt (Carrie) as the unlucky lead Roger Cobb, George Wendt (Normie from Cheers), and Richard Moll (Bull from Night Court). My favorite cast member is probably the house itself. It's perfect, I think they made it just for this movie. The effects and makeup are great for the eighties. Skeleton Big Ben is awesome. One standout scene is Roger and the mini-demons playing tug-a-war with the little boy Robert (Miner's own kid). The score, by Manfredini, is highly similar to that of Friday the 13th, but I love still love it. House is a well put together, underrated horror movie. If you're going to buy a house this year, make it this one.