La mansión

That's right the Greatest American Hero star, William Katt, plays Roger Cobb a troubled writer. Roger's son went missing, his wife divorced him, and his aunt just passed away. All Roger wants to do is write a story drawing on his experiences in Vietnam, even though that is not what his fans or his agent wants. He moves into his aunt's Victorian home that she leaves him after her suicide to do his writing. When he moves in he meets his sweet neighbor, Harold Gorton, played by the always lovable George Wendt...who offers up some of my favorite lines in the film including this beauty: "Solitude's always better with somebody else around, ya know?"

It isn't long before Roger starts to believe that his aunt might be right about her house being haunted...and it begins this whole cycle if Roger writing about Vietnam in between battling the house in full military garb. This starts to blur reality and house.

Surprisingly fun haunted house story that has several plots that all come together neatly in the end. I loved seeing George Wendt in this congenial neighbor role and it was fun to see a couple of other stars that I really enjoyed in the 80's, William Katt (although I did also love seeing him in Bones) and Richard Moll who played Bull in the old Night Court. Not sure I would recommend this except to horror fans or fans of William Katt.

'House' stars William Katt as Roger Cobb, an accomplished novelist who moves into his creepy aunt's house after her suicide. In bits and pieces, the audience discovers that Roger once lived in the house, as well, along with the aunt, Roger's wife, and their now-missing son, Jimmy. Roger believes that Jimmy is trapped somewhere in this mysterious house, which just happens to be some sort of portal between past and present dimensions...I think? Anyway, the audience becomes involved, well, at least myself and the rest of my company became involved, and you start to feel for this poor guy who has really sorry luck...in all areas. Roger, our tattered hero, has the pretty neighbor Tanya, who likes to come and swim in his pool, and who ALWAYS catches him at the worst times. Then he has the nosy neighbor Harold, played by George Wendt, who might be out to exploit him or may just be generally concerned. I don't know. Then there is the neighborhood dog who likes to dig up Roger's "saplings"....

Overall, I find this to be a fairly underrated little horror movie. It's definitely one of Steve Miner's more innovative attempts, and the music, reminiscent of the F13 music and performed by the same man, Harry Manfredini, is thoroughly haunting. Also, most importantly, the acting is believable. Major points for that. None of this movie is hokey. It could have been...but it wasn't. 7/10 is my vote.

House is an inventive, original eighties horror comedy that has built its foundations on a thin line between laughs and scares. And I love every minute of it. The Friday the 13th team (Steve Miner, Sean S. Cunningham, and Harry Manfredini) strikes again. Even Kane Hodder (Jason) does some stuntwork. The story and the script are both great thanks to Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) and Ethan Wiley (House II). Steve Miner succeeds in creating the atmosphere of an old house and in finding a likable cast as well. The cast includes William Katt (Carrie) as the unlucky lead Roger Cobb, George Wendt (Normie from Cheers), and Richard Moll (Bull from Night Court). My favorite cast member is probably the house itself. It's perfect, I think they made it just for this movie. The effects and makeup are great for the eighties. Skeleton Big Ben is awesome. One standout scene is Roger and the mini-demons playing tug-a-war with the little boy Robert (Miner's own kid). The score, by Manfredini, is highly similar to that of Friday the 13th, but I love still love it. House is a well put together, underrated horror movie. If you're going to buy a house this year, make it this one.

In the Eighties, horror flicks were all the rage. Sequels were obligatory and every year saw another Freddy, Jason, Pinhead or Michael Myers shocker. Among these were the House movies, which are a lot better than the genre reputation suggests.

First and foremost, this is not strictly a horror film. There are some sprinklings of light comedy here and there and the monsters are so ridiculous that they don't really scare. It sure makes for a welcome change in a decade full of blood, knifings and slayings.

Roger Cobb (William Katt) is a horror novelist, suffering from writers block. He can't seem to continue with his latest book, a recollection of his tour in 'Nam. The fans are eager but they want horror, not some war story. On top of all this, he is also dealing with a divorce and coping with the mysterious disappearance of his son. Depressed, he moves to his aunt's house, from where his son vanished and in which the old lady hung herself. A creepy log cabin in the mountains might be more appropriate, as Roger finds just as many distractions here.

The first distraction is his neighbour Harold (George Wendt), who shows up at the worst moments to hassle Roger in the Ned Flanders style. The second distraction is a little more sinister. Monsters burst out of the closet at midnight, doors in the house lead into different dimensions and he is haunted by the memories of his best friend (Richard Moll), whom he betrayed back in 'Nam. Third, there is a sexy blonde, who bathes in his pool.

One of the most appealing things about House is that Roger doesn't respond with any clichéd horror movie tactic - running away, falling flat on his face, hiding under the sink, etc. Instead, he buys a camcorder and tries to capture the monsters on film to convince Harold, and himself, that he is not crazy.

He even manages to persuade Harold to help him catch a big raccoon, which hides out in a certain closet and only shows itself at midnight. Even at this, Harold gets scared, but not us. The film is only slightly dark and keeps a jovial mood for an hour and a half.

Steve Miner (Halloween H20, Lake Placid) intrigues us as much as Roger as to what the hell is going on. Ethan Wiley's script is the tiniest bit loose, but is smarter than you would think and even contains a few little touches that you might miss on the first couple of viewings.

It could have been beefier and longer, but if it was, it wouldn't be as irresistibly charming.

Powerful opening scene has a grocery delivery boy discover an old woman hanging from her bedroom ceiling in her large Victorian house. Author and Vietnam veteran Roger Cobb (William Katt), nephew of the dead lady, inherits the house and he decides to work on his latest book there but finds out that not only is it haunted but it is also a portal to his past fighting in the Vietnam jungle (or at least a film set with a bunch of jungle looking plants). Producer Sean S Cunningham, who directed the classic "Friday the 13th" (1980), said that by 1985 the slasher movie was in rapid decline and that the way forward for horror was to add some humour, House delivers as many laughs as it does scares. One of the main creatures, a witch type being, is as much Muppet Show as it is scary. In fact the scariest thing on show is a creepy looking little boy called Robert, sporting a shocking mullet. His mum Tanya (Mary Stavin) is very hot mind! George Wendt of TV's "Cheers" plays Roger's neighbour and delivers some very funny lines. In terms of horror one of the best scenes has Roger under attack from a bunch of flying garden tools. I wouldn't go as far as to call House a classic but it is a good movie that delivers both horror and comedy, plus some good special effects and a Henry Manfredini musical score, the 1980's were the most fun decade for horror without a doubt.