The House by the Cemetery
The House by the Cemetery

The House by the Cemetery

1981Movie87 minItalian

After a doctor kills his mistress and himself while researching the mysterious previous owner of his Boston home, his colleague, Dr. Norman Boyle, takes over his studies and moves his family into the Boston mansion. Soon after, Boyle's young son Bob becomes plagued by visions of a young girl, who warns him of the danger within the house.

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Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Director: Lucio FulciGenres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Plot Summary

A family moves into a secluded New England mansion to escape the city, unaware that it is the site of unspeakable horrors and the home of a terrifying, bloodthirsty creature. As the father delves into the house's dark past, the gruesome and surreal events escalate, leading to a nightmarish descent into madness and violence. The family's idyllic new life quickly transforms into a fight for survival against the malevolent forces lurking within the walls.

Critical Reception

The House by the Cemetery is a cult classic of Italian gore cinema, often polarizing audiences with its extreme violence and surreal, dreamlike atmosphere. While some critics praise its audacious special effects and Fulci's distinctive directorial style, others find its plot nonsensical and its gore gratuitous. It remains a significant film within the 'gore-giallo' subgenre.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its inventive and gruesome special effects, particularly the iconic eyeball-spearing scene.
  • Often criticized for its thin plot and lack of coherent narrative progression.
  • Appreciated by fans of Italian horror for its distinctive atmosphere and Fulci's signature style.

Google audience: Audience reception is typically divided, with many appreciating the film's notorious gore and nightmarish visuals, while others find its story confusing and lacking substance.

Fun Fact

The house used in the film is the same location used for Lucio Fulci's previous film, 'City of the Living Dead'.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
JPV852

JPV852

Not a big fan of Lucio Fulci but I did enjoy Zombie. However, The House by the Cemetery is a mess of a horror film with mysterious elements, like how Professor Norman had been to this town before, goes nowhere (not to mention the mystery su...
tmdb17996075

tmdb17996075

If I have to be objective, I would say that I can understand why some people criticize "The House by the Cemetery" for being a film that lacks of logical explanations all the way through. As a matter of fact, regardless of how much I love t...