This week ECHG writer Adam Holtzapfel takes us back to 1979 for a look at the often forgotten and underrated film Don’t Go In The House.
by Adam Holtzapfel
Written by Joe Masefield, Ellen Hammill, and director Joseph Ellison, Don’t Go In The House is an 82 minute ride that doesn’t wear out it’s welcome.
Mild mannered Donny (Dan Grimaldi) works at a trash incineration plant. When an aerosol can explodes catching his coworker Ben (Charles Bonet) on fire, he freezes and is soon labeled as a freak for not helping.
Donny comes home after the incident to a huge house viewers learn he shares with his mother (haven’t we seen this in another film?). As he is taking nightly tea to her, viewers learn that she has suddenly passed away (I swear this is really fucking familiar).
While coming to terms with the passing of his mother, we see flashbacks that show why Donny froze when Ben caught fire. We also see Donny turning his bedroom into a room of steel.
Next Donny lures a woman to his house by offering to give her a ride home, but has to stop at his place because his mother is sick. Donny has chained her by her hands and enters the room in an asbestos suit and with a blow torch. Suddenly and much like the Alicia Keys song, this girl is on fire.
Donny is about to light someone’s fire!
After his first killing Donny is addicted. Viewers see that his mother is still in the house (man, what movie does this sound like?) as well as his first victim which Donny chats with both.
The FX and soundtrack add to the feel of the film and the run time is perfect. Even though the original soundtrack was unuseable due to outdated equipment, you can’t tell the film was re-recorded and re-dubbed.
Pair this with Psycho (that’s why this sounds so familiar) and Peeping Tom for a night of early slasher films to please everyone.
Adopting the Dead On Movie Reviews letter grading system, this one earns a B+. It’s not the perfect film, but is one I could watch anytime and not be disappointed. This is a must own for slasher fans or fans of more psychological influenced horror.
