House Of 1000 Corpses (2003) Dir: Rob Zombie
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While most people will know Rob Zombie for his music, he has also forged out a neat career for himself as a filmmaker. This 2003 horror film, which he wrote and directed, was his first. It's also the one people talk about the most, except, perhaps, his 'Halloween' films. It's certainly the one that people from my side of the internet talk about the most.
The soundtrack is great, of course. It features a lot of Zombie's own music, as one would expect, which is really good if you like his songs like I do. I had a great time hearing some solid metal tunes to go along with all the horror taking place on the screen. Zombie's music unsurprisingly is very much the same vibe as his films.
There were some very decent practical effects, as well as some pretty nice and consistent set design. It felt like a cross between haunted and satanic vibes. It was certainly very in-keeping with the grimy, sadistic, horror aesthetic that Zombie was going for.
The film is very much a 'B-movie' style horror, which definitely works, if you like that kind of thing. It was full of references to true crime history and classic horror, particularly real life serial killer Ed Gein and the original 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. The editing for it was a mixed bag. Some of it was excellent, some of it was really quite poor - in all aspects, it was unique.
The narrative was basic, and built around its antagonists. I quite enjoyed the chaotic nature of the story, albeit it lacked a little depth, both in character and narrative. I wasn't a big fan of the final twist either - it was very much uninspired. It felt like the kind of idea that someone writes in an earlier draft and then drops later on, except this was kept in.
Sid Haig isn't the main character, but he really should've been. He was easily the most enjoyable person in the film, and most definitely the most interesting. I was really hoping that he'd have more screentime, but, regardless, he maximised his time and then some. He was so memorable and effortlessly charismatic.
Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie and Karen Black all have elements of their acting that I liked a lot, but their characters were all pretty basic, and their writing wasn't the most interesting. Of the three, Sheri Moon Zombie, the wife of Rob Zombie, gave the most enjoyable performance, even if she came across like a 'Harley Quinn' knock-off.
Concerning the would-be victims of the film, Rainn Wilson and Erin Daniels gave the most consistent performances. It was a little odd seeing Wilson, although I know that's only because of his prominent role in the US version of 'The Office'. Daniels had her moments, but never really felt like a true final girl type of character.
The other two; Chris Hardwick and Jennifer Jostyn were admittedly quite forgettable, if I'm being honest. Hardwick felt like he deserved a good deal more time, at least in my view. Meanwhile, while I did enjoy the acting of both Tom Towles and Walton Goggins, neither had enough screentime to warrant a longer mention.
Overall, I can see why some people absolutely love this film. It's definitely the kind of film that horror-nuts absolutely love. It has an identity, and it thrives upon its own chaos and aesthetic. The story and characters aren't really the most important aspects, although I still would've liked it if they were both a bit more polished. Either way, I enjoyed it for what it was.
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