Movies about houses with secrets. Genre cliches and bold experiments

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Movies in the genre of "house with a secret" can not be counted. Most of them begin with the fact that a young family moves to an old mansion somewhere in the wilderness or on the outskirts, in which someone before them tragically died or died a terrible violent death. The lion's share of the untimely departed former owners are trying to claim their rights to housing or taking revenge on all newcomers. This motif originates in Gothic literature, where the events of many works unfold in mysterious castles and gloomy fortresses. Over time, castles have evolved into old country estates that often act as monsters in their own right, such as Monster House (2006).

Archetypal Nightmare

The most interesting experiment in the category "films about houses with secrets" was conducted by director Drew Goddard in tandem with screenwriter and producer Joss Whedon in the project "Cabin in the Woods". From the very beginning, it begins to seem to the viewer that the picture is a traditional collection of familiar horror clichés, butcloser to the finale, it turns out that evil is a corporation experimenting with many monsters, which we have the opportunity to see in different genre samples.

The traditional plot of films about houses with secrets can be seen as another archetypal nightmare (evil in the heart of my fortress, at home - a symbol of the family hearth, security and comfort) and an example of a general fascination with fatal mistakes and their consequences. Most often, ghosts, demons and other creatures are associated with the sins of the past - the sins of the community, family, humanity as a whole. So, in the movie "The Amityville Horror" the house is built on an ancient Indian cemetery, and Freddy Krueger takes the lives of the children of those who brutally de alt with him. But sometimes writers are much more creative.

Non-trivial project

The work of director Nicholas McCarthy "The House", which received the sub title "In Front of the Devil's Door" at the domestic box office, can be safely attributed to films about houses with secrets. The author is known to the public for the film "The Pact", which did not become a box office hit, but still found its fans. In the center of the story of his new project is a re altor girl Lee, who helps an elderly couple sell a large house, ignoring the excitement of the owners, who decide to get rid of their home urgently. She heads to the mansion to appraise it and stays there for the night. At nightfall, a strange girl appears there. Lee realizes that this is the daughter of the owners, according to them, who ran away with a guy a long time ago. But the truth will be harder and scarier.

Oppressive atmosphere

In principle, the hackneyed plot about McCarthy's obsession is presented very unusually, in the tape, in fact, there is no main character. The story begins with the backstory of the heroine Ashley Rickards, then Lee rises to the fore, and her sister Vera (Naya Rivera) takes the leading position in the denouement. Like many directors of films about houses with secrets, Nicholas McCarthy builds an exemplary oppressive atmosphere. It is deliberately “slowed down”, somewhat “jelly”, but the technique works properly - the viewer will not tremble with fear, but after the final credits he will definitely catch himself feeling a vague aftertaste.

Two more paintings of the same name

Thai horror film "Home" (2007) directed by Monthon Arayangkun. The plot of his work is based on a true story. Girl reporter Shalini tries to investigate the circumstances of the murders of three women that occurred at different times. As a result of clarifying the circumstances, she finds the house where it all began. It was in this mansion that three unfortunate victims fell at the hands of their husbands. When the heroine crosses the threshold of the dwelling, she immediately feels the presence of something terrible.

In Robbie Henson's American project "Home" (2008), two couples, by an alarming coincidence, meet in a gloomy mansion. One is looking for salvation from a pursuing maniac, the second is trying to find help after a car accident. It seems that now they are safe, but acquaintance with the mysterious inhabitants makes the heroes have a strong desire to leave the shelter. However, the way back is cut off. Yes, young peopleare drawn into a cruel game with sadistic rules. At dawn, the survivors will be able to leave the house. But will they?

Ghost hunting and love affairs

In the Canadian horror film The Bad Building (2015), directed by Philip Granger, the action takes place in an empty Desmond high-rise building. A series of fires, cases of murder and other madness scare off tenants and even the homeless, so the building remains abandoned. One day, the director of America's Best Ghosts, Johnny Craig, finds out about him and heads to the house to shoot a report. Soon the hunt for ghosts is transformed into a story of death traps for the hunters themselves.

In the Indian film "The Estate" (2008) by Vikram Bhatta in 1920, the newlyweds Arjun and his wife move to an estate located in the wilderness. Later they learn that all the former owners die under mysterious circumstances. It seems that the purchase of the first house will be the end of their family life, the spouses begin to doubt each other. But love can save their marriage and lives.

Ghosts of the past

Filmmakers are well aware that the monsters and ghosts that haunt old houses send the viewer back to the past, literally personifying his ghosts with whom something needs to be done. Not to run away, but learn to communicate to help you leave forever. This is directly related to the displacement of traumatic experience into the unconscious. The motif of houses with secrets helps to visualize these fears andencourage them to comprehend and liberate. Instead of a session with a psychoanalyst, you can watch a quality horror.