Review by Bob Greene
Horror House is another in a new line of buy this house at your own risk [what can be called] Real estate Horror Films. The movie is worth the price of admission just for Lloyd Kaufman as the real estate agent telling you of the reasons (multiple terror tales) why you should (or should not) buy this house. Funny, ethnic, total non-horror host-like, Kaufman’s flip one-liners and slapstick countenance make you laugh until you realize its a horror movie and then they make you more scared that if he played it straight.
The tales of terror he shares are
Never Let Go – a psychological tackle of twins … at least we think so … one who passed away … at least we think so … and their pregnant mother … at least we … well… you get the point;
Be Careful What You Wish For, a predicable black magic romp that is alluring thanks to clever cinematography and classic style acting;
Lifelike, an imaginative tale involving demon dolls;
and the star piece, Hot Stuff. This Tales from the Crypt style tale is both funny and frightening with a moral that – OK – is predicable but oh, so, enjoyable.
And ending the quad of O’Henry or more likely Serling-esque tomes, is a well-made parable called the Leapling involving a demonic book and the demon that lives in it.
Horror anthologies are an enjoyable feast to the aficionado as they give you an a smorgasbord of terror tales. If you don’t like one, there are plenty more to excite you. Happily Horror House’s entries are all clever, well-made and acted, and supply a pungent twist.
Bob Greene, a former writer at Newsday, retired to a life of reviewing Off & Off-Off Broadway, but until they return he is feeding a secret passion for genre films.