Review by Quin
A large percentage of found footage film reviews start the same way. I’ve been guilty of perpetuating this format before, but I intend to either stop the cycle right now, or just cleverly disguise it. It seems there always has to be this overblown proclamation of how many of these types of movies are out there. If the critic likes the sub-genre, they often have to sort of apologize for that. But if they hate the sub-genre, the gloves come off and the same tired list of arguments as to why found footage films are inherently bad are written out for everyone to see. I believe, if the critic is doing his or her job, they will look at each film they see individually and judge it on its own merits without holding it up to some arbitrary standard that only exists in their own mind. I try to approach all film reviews with optimism. I am such a fan of movies in general, that I am often surprised and even a little sad when I find something that I don’t like at all.
Now that you know where I am coming from, I will tell you that I have been a longtime admirer of the found footage sub-genre. I think it is a format that when done correctly has enormous potential to not just be scary and entertaining, but to be truly horrifying. The fact that it is often so cheap to make these films is where the downside lies. Anybody can make a found footage film on their iPhone for practically nothing, you mostly just need time and a bunch of outgoing friends. When someone is just walking around in the dark and screaming and shaking the camera, or if they are just copying an old idea, things will usually not work out so well. And after you see enough movies like this, it’s understandable that you would start lose faith in all found footage films. But if we complain a little less and stop giving the bad movies so much press and really signal-boost the good ones, maybe we’ll all be a little happier and optimistic about our beloved horror movies.
Sorry for the long winded intro, but all of that had to be said. As you may have already guessed, the film I’m reviewing today is indeed a found footage film – or as the film makers have so wisely referred to it, first person POV. It’s called The Houses October Built, which is such a wonderfully poetic title; it makes me think that John Irving has written a haunted house novel. Utilizing actual real life footage, this movie does something that I’m pretty sure has never been done with the found footage sub-genre and it does it well – it also tells a simple yet compelling story, and delivers some genuine scares.
The familiar part of The Houses October Built is the setup – five friends in an RV travel around and document their adventures. The original twist is that they aren’t investigating any locations that are rumored to be haunted, instead they are looking for a good time. It’s their mission to find the best haunted attractions and report just what it is that makes the best ones so good. Right away, they make it known that there are supposed to be some haunts that use extreme elements to scare their patrons. These five are going to try and find these haunts.
Much of the footage in the film is first person POV going through each attraction. The first one is the tamest, and sort of has a backwoods, Texas chainsaw kind of theme. Another one is a bit different, but probably fun for some people – guests get paint guns and are able to shoot at zombies. I’m sure it goes without saying that most of these haunts aren’t operating within the law and probably don’t have a team of lawyers in case something goes wrong. But who cares, it’s Halloween time!
The group of traveling amateur filmmakers are a pretty thinly drawn bunch. You could easily replace them with the cast of The Breakfast Club and you would probably get the same results. This certainly isn’t a bad thing, but don’t expect to really get to know these people. You’ll care just enough and then fate will step in to do with them what it will. As the five get closer to finding what is known as the Blue Skeleton, which is a haunt with no fixed location, the haunts start getting darker and more terrifying. One of them uses children and has cells filled with what look like captives. The group also starts to notice that maybe they’re being followed by some of the characters they have seen along the way. The similarities to Alice in Wonderland are not lost on me. One happens to be a bloody white rabbit wielding a hatchet and another is a living porcelain doll with long strands of hair hanging sparsely from her mostly bald scalp. It’s a stunning makeup effects job and a creepy performance from Chloë Crampton. The character is so unsettling, she deserves her own spinoff feature film.
I reviewed a great documentary a few months ago called The American Scream. It was about the people who make these amateur haunts for Halloween at their homes. The haunts in The Houses October Built are nowhere near the ones shown in the documentary. Although that film focused more on the construction and agony that goes into creating the haunt, this film makes sure you get to experience the finished product. If you like going through haunted houses and mazes, it’s reason enough to see this one. Something that fans of Halloween music will appreciate: my personal favorite Halloween song of all time, “Halloween Spooks” by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, is featured prominently in a scene in a bar where a figure dressed as a skeleton begins dancing to the tune solo on a dance floor. The entire vibe in the bar reminds me of the pub scene in the Belgian film Calvaire – only it’s not as crowded and it’s a little less surreal.
The Houses October Built offers a fun and spooky adventure. It doesn’t shy away from the shocking and the darkest areas of what humans are capable of. It also inevitably ends up where all found footage movies go: they always seem to end with a vanishing. Say what you want about a predictable outcome, but at least you don’t have to worry about a happy ending ruining a found footage movie.
The Houses October Built is available now on VOD from RLJ Entertainment.