House III

Production: Sean S. Cunningham (Producer)

Scenario: Alan Smithee (Writer) — Leslie Bohem (Writer) — Allyn Warner (Writer)

Musique: Harry Manfredini (Original Music Composer)

Photographie: Mac Ahlberg (Director of Photography)

Un psychopathe meurtrier est exécuté sur la chaise électrique, mais au lieu de mourir, il reçoit une nouvelle énergie de la décharge électrique et s'échappe de la prison. Il se rend immédiatement chez le policier qui l'avait arrêté pour se venger de lui et de sa famille. Le film, produit par Sean Cunnigam (celui de "Vendredi 13" et "La maison de Helen"), a eu une existence mouvementée, à mi-parcours du tournage, le réalisateur australien David Blythe a abandonné le projet et ainsi la production l'a remplacé par James Isaac, avec des résultats plutôt médiocres ; le protagoniste du film est la star de la série télévisée "Millenium" Larce Henriksen. À part quelques bonnes séquences semi-splatter et la distribution correcte, le film se révèle bien peu de chose, surtout à cause d'un scénario peu original.

When electrocuted killers come back

In the late ’80s several movies were made about a violent criminal being executed by electric chair and coming back with a vengeance. “Prison” and “Destroyer” preceded this one by a year and it was followed by “Shocker” six months later and “The First Power” six months after that. I suppose it’s most similar to Wes Craven’s “Shocker,” minus the sense of humor, yet beat it to theaters. Ironically, it heavily borrows from Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” flicks but isn’t anywhere near as effective.

It was originally conceived as the third film in the “House” franchise, however, MGM forced modifications for a fresh beginning with an anticipated new iconic villain; that is, Max Jenke played by Brion James, who hams it up. Hence the name “The Horror Show” for America audiences while it was still called “House III” in other markets.

The first half is quite good with Lance Henriksen as the cop protagonist and lovely Dedee Pfeiffer as his daughter. Regrettably, I found myself getting bored in the second half by the perfunctory storytelling. This is augmented by how reality and a character’s visions are intermixed and so you can’t discern what’s real and what’s not.

The first two “House” flicks are all-around more entertaining, not to mention amusing. A direct-to-video fourth installment would come out in early 1992.

It runs 1h 35m and was shot in Aug-Oct 1988 in Los Angeles, including San Pedro for the power plant sequence.

GRADE: B-/C+

Réalisateurs

Distribution

Equipe

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HOUSE III