Don't Go In The House

Don't Go in the House (1979... or 1980)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by: Joseph Ellison

Starring: Dan Grimaldi, Robert Carnegie, Bill Ricci, Ralph D. Bowman, Ruth Dardick

From: Turbine Films, Inc.

Or: When I give a disturbing horror movie bonus points for having a DISCO INTERLUDE.

I have known of this for awhile now; it's hard to forget something when you hear it's about a guy who snaps and burns women alive using a flamethrower and he wears a World War II fireproof suit. Tarantino is a fan and I finally decided to watch this last night on Prime, where they use a print saying the movie is called The Burning and for some reason, bad language is obviously dubbed out. As I've been told this is the longest version of the movie available... I now know why there have been comparisons made to William Lustig's Maniac; besides both following a similar main plot thread, they both have a few scenes that happen to be pretty similar. This was not as good as that nor did it make my skin crawl as much... that said, this was still pretty troubling.

Donnie is a young man who works at an incinerator... ironic, considering his mom is psycho (I use that word on purpose, as the film does not try to hide its obvious inspirations) and burned him with a flame as a kid for “being evil.” Donnie has a very bad day and this causes him to lose his sanity, build a metal room, and go after young women who he believes deserves to be punished. The movie is distressing as much of it is Donnie hearing voices and losing the fight in the battle for his mental health. This is definitely more about looking at things psychologically instead of watching kills happen on screen.

Don't Go in the House is definitely a low-budget effort where things are rough around the edges, some sound effects abruptly cut off and the acting isn't always the best; yet for what this is the movie is still... well I probably shouldn't say “enjoyable” but it was an interesting watch. Lead Dan Grimaldi does a very nice job with his role; I was told he was a recurring character on The Sopranos. It was a show I never watched (I have not been an avid fictional TV watcher in literally decades) but I am not surprised he ended up becoming someone who had an acting career.

In this creepy horror film with a creepy house and a creepy electronic musical score, there being disco moments amuses me to no end. Hearing a few library music tracks that fit the genre is one thing, but they actually spend some time where Donnie's one friend Bobby invites him over to a discotheque to hang out with wild women... and Bobby is going to cheat on his wife, so a saint he is not. Donnie goes to a tailor so he can buy appropriate clothing; the scene is pointless but at least it kills a few minutes, right? Then we spend a few minutes in the club and at least to me it was hilarious watching random people dance, wear funny clothing, and snorting up white lines. Donnie is introduced to a young woman who of course is named Farrah and things do not turn out well.

I did laugh pretty hard at how such a psychological horror picture dated itself with featuring an upbeat trend that was white-hot but only for a few years. That element literally does help make me rate this a little higher than I normally would have. You could even say this was a... disco inferno. But seriously, if you can endure such things as Maniac and rate it highly, there is a good shot you will find this worthwhile.