Cool News
Watch one of the really great Fantastic Fest films now! Ti West's THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL!!!
Hey folks, Harry here - it seemed the overwhelming response to me asking if you'd like for Ain't It Cool News to cover VOD - well - it was a definite affirmative (so long as it was cool).
So here I go.
At this year's 2009 Fifth Annual FANTASTIC FEST - we screened Ti West's HOUSE OF THE DEVIL - this was kind of Ti's last film fest stop on the tour bus - as his film was set to begin its VOD release online... right now.
Ti West's HOUSE OF THE DEVIL - Click here to access Amazon's VOD service for the film!
Before you go leaping you'd probably want to know a bit about the film. Ti West has constructed not a spoof of a period horror film from the late 70s / early 80's - so much as a new film OF the era. If you love a movie like Fulci's THE PSYCHIC - you should love HOUSE OF THE DEVIL. The film is essentially about a girl that answers a college posted BABY SITTING ad when she was hard up for money to get her own place. The Babysitting gig is in the middle of nowhere and Satanists are most likely involved to some degree. Although Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov are playing the 'couple' in need of a babysitter... and the film is tonally absolutely perfect. Noonan and Woronov are spooky as hell. THE SIGNAL's AJ Bowen has a wonderful role - as well as Dee Wallace. But the jewel here is Jocelin Donahue - the young hot babysitter going to babysit on a night of a full eclipse in the city on Earth from which to best experience it.
The best thing... The film is better than the above poster - doesn't reside on torture, CG or any of the other bargain basement horror tactics. Here - it's about atmosphere, tension, performance and the fear of - well... fucking satanists and Tom Noonan! And that's enough to give someone the wicked heebie jeebies!
If you missed it at Fantastic Fest - or find yourself in one of the many communities that this film will never reach when it eventually opens in theaters... well... Why wait? It is here now! Amazon's service works with your laptop, Roku boxes, a TiVo player and Bravia Televisions. Call up some friends - it's October - a good times for good company and a good movie! ENJOY!
Readers Talkback
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Old school
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Why the hell not...
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And it was easily the scariest film of the weekend. Will be way too slow-paced for some people, but for those who get what West is trying to do and settle into the pace, it's really quite an experience. I can't watch this on VOD since I'm outside the US, so am very much looking forward to the Blu Ray in December. Spookiest line in a horror film this year: "You are not the babysitter?"
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Blu-ray in December, really?? So soon, and good news
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I'm pretty sure that's the case, though don't quote me on it. Forgot to mention that I spoke to Ti West after I saw the film at Frightfest and he couldn't have been a nicer guy, even with me geeking out about what it must be like to work with Larry Fessenden, etc.
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Buckwheats, Jimmy, Buck-fucking-wheats
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Love that movie and will love it even more on Blu Ray
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" the young hot babysitter going to babysit on a night of a full eclipse in the city on Earth from which to best experience it" <br> <br> Another quote to add to your ever-growing list of unintelligible thoughts
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Actually, I rather like the poster. Reminds me of the kind from the 70's, a great era for horror movies and horror movie posters.
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Because that poster is undeniably awesome and Harry knows it to be true.
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as tall as an uncredited Michael Gough!
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It will be shown on the HDNet Movie channel later this month
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in the days there never was a better wingman when things got dange <p> boy's got equal parts piss, pesticide & pure petroleum jelly runnin through those veins
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You mean the HDNet Movie channel Time Warner dumped from their lineup a couple of months ago? Fuck them even more!
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...as well. Intend on watching it tonight. Last VOD premiere I bought was Pontypool. I have a reasonable amount of faith that this will be a better experience.
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.. waiting for. There is another poster too that is just as badass as this one. Wish I could I buy 'em somewhere.
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One of the true under appreciated gems out there, glad to know I'm not alone, here. Anyone who doesn't like it is a brown boy. lol
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can't beat free torrents, hahahahahahaha
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Ti West is the next fucking Eli Roth!!!
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it is awesome. really slow. creepy. like let's scare jessica to death or race with the devil.
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Oct. 3, 2009, 12:53 p.m. CST
They should have given the lead girl 70's vocal training
by Anti-fanboy
Tone down that high rising terminal shit. Ruins the near illusion of this being vintage 70's.
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...I've got nothing against downloading stuff that is rare/impossible to find. I even understand the thought process behind pirating big studio stuff you don't wish to contribute to, though really if you don't want to give them money waiting for whatever it is to show up on cable seems a much safer and infinitely more ethical strategy. But when it's something small, like this is, and when it's something you would presumably like to see more people making, like this is, not voting with your wallet seems horrifically self-defeating. Forget morality and legality if you must, but this isn't about whether the guys in Metallica get a gold or silver swimming pool. This is about whether folks with money decide the put a few hundred thousand to a couple million dollars into the horror movie that isn't a steal the title remake or paint by numbers pastiche of something that made money a couple years ago. They make those decisions, overwhelmingly, on cold blooded assessments of risk versus potential profit, and yeah, in this case your $7 or $9 combined with those of a few thousand other downloaders could be precisely the difference. I don't want to get into an argument over the ethics of downloading in general, but in cases like this I just don't think there's a whole lot of gray.
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Don't be an anus.
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Insert cartoon here of skeleton sitting in front of a cobweb-covered computer. Caption: Download complete!
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Awesome! I'm a horror writer with 2 produced. You speak the truth my friend. Often, we TOTALLY rely on the fans.
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later this month 28th i think.sorry if already posted... on the way out the door
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Harry knowles in liking reportedly shit film shocker!
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Really scary, and doesn't just settle for cheap scares. It takes its time and builds up suspense to make the payoff that much scarier when it ultimately happens. Tom Noonan is so creepy, and the performances are good horror performances without getting campy. Saw it at a midnight showing and it was a pretty good time.
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for free on Comcast such as fearnet or on demand hd..I am not at home but would like to see it if its out there..
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...not free. It costs 9.95 on video on demand.
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...anyway.
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Have you seen it yet? worth the $9.95 or wait for rental?
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...after the kiddies are safely asleep. If you want I'll let you know in this spot in the morning. Buzz seems awfully good, though, and its title combines the two titles used for two different cuts of a movie in which Telly Savalas played the devil and Elke Sommer took off her clothes. Lisa and the Devil and The House of Exorcism.
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Did'nt she play the female lead in eating raoul. That was probably the first dark comedy i ever saw. the film taught me that really sick humor is o.k. to laugh at. yeah, i love me some fucked up shit.
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Thanks for the info ..I did see the preview and it seems to have the feel of those Euro titles..I also noticed when I got home that Ong Bak 2 is also on demand..Hell I may watch them both..Let me know tommorow morning how it was..Ong Bak 2 should be great too.
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The internet is killing America. Online shopping killing actual stores and stealing content sucking profit from struggling artists. Circling the drain friends.
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More please! It goes to show you what you can do on a limited budget. This movie is tight, and tense. We need more like this.
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Although both my girlfriend and I thought that the ending was just a little too abrupt-- a great build-up of suspense and creepiness, though.
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...did this movie make anyone else think of a low budget (but really pretty good) dtv named Babysitter Wanted? House of the Devil is better (not to be construed as a knock on Babysitter Wanted, which is itself better than somewhere to the north of 90% of the horror being made right now). My only quibble with The House of the Dead immediately after seeing it was the last act, which seemed a little rushed and slightly off-tone after what came before. After sleeping on it, though, that was also part of the allure of many of the movies to which The House of the Dead pays homage. Viewed as primarily an homage the end is actually pretty perfect. I really really liked this, and intend to watch it again today before my rental runs out. If you're a horror fan you need to see this movie.
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...still getting in some swings. What a career she's had, and what a great movie to add to her legacy.
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...glad you liked it, too.
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Well looks like a VOD purchase is in order..Thanks
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...I sure hope you like it. If you're a fan of the horror movies of that era I really think you will.
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.. but I really much prefer to see stuff on the big screen first. Seeing that it's a Magnolia thing, it should get here eventually I hope. Glad people are saying good things about it though. I'd love to see a revival of these kinds of films.
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At the post-screening at Frightfest, West confirmed that Woronov came out of retirement for this role only after he badgered her agent into getting her phone number, at which point he impressed her with his pitch during a face-to-face meeting. She's wonderful in the film, but still don't expect to see her in too much else - by all accounts, she's enjoying her retirement.
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West told me Larry Fessenden was originally going to play the newscaster, but since he was busy working on his Fear Itself episode, they "kept it in the family" and gave the role to John Speradakos, who is a regular in Glass Eye Pix films (see his great performance in Wendigo).
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...if that's true I'm a little sad, but in sort of a good way. This would be a pretty good one for her to go out on.
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I clicked on the Amazon link which took me to a description page but the cost of the rental wasn't immediately clear. I can't see spending more than a few bucks to watch it on my laptop when I can probably buy the dvd in a few months for ten bucks or so off amazon. Sorry those are just the economics. I won't do anything cheezy like bittorrent but a discount is a discount. I find stuff like this all the time at the discount section of Wal-Mart for $7 or $13 ... which is not a reflection on its quality, just the reality of marketing.
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Umm seriously? You consider that a compliment? Eli has single-handedly dumbed down and cheapened this genre. He's an unstoppable force of talentless shit sap. Sorry but it's true.
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first Paranormal Activity , then this little gem. Almost makes me have faith in movie-making again ... just waiting for Trick 'r Treat now
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You know, I don't really have anything to contribute, I just wanted to join in with the Things to do in Denver quotefest. "AKA my dick, motherfucker!"
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Saw this at Frightfest - it is unbelievably DULL. Totally uninspired. Barely any characterisation. It is quite creepily shot but doesn't look any different from similar kinds of Horroe films before it. NOTHING happens for almost the entire film until the end & by then I just didn;t care. If anyone finds this scary they need therapy cos they're obviously a nervous wreck in the 1st place & probably even terrified of Care Bears.
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Movie = not at all. I'm really into horror (both good and so bad they're entertaining varieties), but House of the Devil really isn't good. I don't mind a slow build-up, but the movie was just plain boring. And while the acting was sufficient, there certainly wasn't any performance (even Noonan) that was memorable. Heck, I just watched it and I barely remember it.
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Wife and I watched that one last night - really fun movie. No idea why they didn't give it a full theatrical release.
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Oct. 10, 2009, 6:59 a.m. CST
Watched it last night after the girlfriend couldn't come over fo
by Red43jes
The girlfriend was supposed to come over last night for a little of the in out in out...but because of her stupid job, I got no poontang. Anyways, I was really trying to wait for her to show, so we could watch this together (we usually pull the hide-a-way bed out to watch movies). So, she sent me a text that she wasn't coming over. Bored, and tired of waiting for her to come over (I think this has been up for almost a week), I broke down out of boredom and watched this film. Let me start out by saying that it starts to set up nicely. I thought the girl whom was going to be our stereotypical babysitter fit the part. When she goes to the pizza place with her friend, I actually liked the dialog she had with her friend-it seemed natural. i gotta say, I had hoped that we'd see her friend get naked at some point in the movie. The main character, Samantha, while cute, just was bone material. Every time they showed her walked, and gave us the ass shot, all I could think was, "Man, she looks like a teenage boy in the back. Ewww." As the the movie progresses, I kinda started to get bored. While its not horrible, it took almost an HOUR to get ANY action...hey, I can dig that the house she goes to babysit at is big and creepy, and that the noises coming out of it will put you on edge. The thing is, most movies from the BEST era of horror and suspense deliver something to make ya jump, and scare the bejezus outta your girlfriend, so that at least a half hour in, your either feeling her up, or sliding 2 fingers into her muff. At this point, you'd be trying to bone, but she would want to see whats gonna happen next. Jeez,with the way how this film sets up, I would have been fucking my girlfriend and given up on watching! but back to the movie: After about an hour in, the filmmaker starts giving you more stuff to get you going again. I'm really trying not to ruin the experience for anyone that wants to get this...but again, for me, it just takes so long to get to some excitement. I mean, when they finally do have something go down, its just taken so long. the delivery though, is good... gotta say I'm HUGELY disappointed that they don't strip Samantha (ya, even though I thought she was a 6 on a scale of 1-10), but instead have her in white cotton panties and some sort of peasant shirt. come on guys, if your gonna throw us a movie that is borrowing form the 70/80's, show us some boobies, if you REALLY want to impress, show us vagina shot (yes, I know women like to shave their coochies these days, so get a Merkin made from the props guys!). The ending? While not giving it away, I can say that I thought it cheapened the movie. I HATE endings like that. You couldn't have thought of a worse ending. BUT, oddly enough, it worked. Maybe I wanted to see no setup for a sequel? Maybe I just didn't care? Heck, I dunno...but with horror/suspense movies, I expect not exactly happy endings, but sort ending that makes us feel like "hey, we sat through your flick, you gave us a good resolution to all the shit you put the character through." That doesn't exactly happen here, which pisses me off with lots of movies. This one didn't. So how does it Stack up, Red? Well, it isn't Halloween but hey, if you plan on boning your girlfriend, and don't want her stopping you from trying to get her buck nekked, I say throw this on. You can start watching, start fooling around, miss parts of this flick, and when you get off, come back to this and you really won't have missed much!
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I am so glad others thought this was not that great. I was really hopeful when it started. I thought the camera angles looked good and the film quality definitely gave it that nice retro feel. As the story got started it definitely felt believable. Agree with the above person who said the dialouge felt natural. There was definitely an ease to the babysitter and her friend's interaction. But that's about the extent of what I can say positively about this. Overall I thought it was very boring and tried to do a long and drawn out crescendo to a pay off that was not worth it. Without giving any spoilers, I thought there were nice glimpses into things that could have been played up to make this way creepier than it was. At the end of the day it just left me feeling flat. It wasn't horrible, and it wasn't great. Just another mediocre attempt at horror.
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You wait and wait for something to happen, and than it happens and you are totally and completely disappointed. They nailed the feeling by worshiping the 70s 80s style, but displayed zero imagination when it came time to show. My girl and were just like "Really? are you fucking kidding me".
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This piece of shit has 88% at rotten tomatioes and is the most boring piece of crap I have ever seen. Literally NOTHING happens VERY SLOWLY for almost the whole running time, the plot is full of nonsensical holes and the pay-off is SHIT. It is NOT SCARY AT ALL, and it does NOT build atmosphere; there is more atmosphere in the first thiry seconds of Halloween than in this whole turgid, plotless dreary mess. Obviously Ti West is another of those horrible little hipster hacks that people have decided is cute of something; there is no reason to praise this little shit's crappy films.
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