A Morada do Terror

Kids get orphaned and have to go live with grandma and granddaddy,

How many times have you heard this premise? Never mind, this time it's gory 80s fun with a couple of twists

So get that the mousse on your hair, put on some spandex and enjoy crank up the cassette player, You'll enjoy this schlock.

'Grandmother's House' is a mystery thriller about to kids going to live with their Grandparents, who are very happy to welcome them into their big home. However, the kids soon realize things are not what they seem.

I enjoyed the characters and the sense of mystery. The film also features good performances, especially the young boy, David (Eric Foster). 'Grandmother's House' is unpredictable and there's a constant eerie feeling. One can't help but always expect the worst. The film hits us with quite a few surprises! I must be honest, I enjoyed this film almost until the very end - until the film's final moments. The twist ending is not very clear (in fact, I had to read up about it to fully understand it), and ends so abruptly, it almost looks as if they ran out of production time or money. The ending could and should have been better explained. The viewer isn't even given time to process the information he's just been given. By the time you understand the twist ending, very little about the movie makes any sense. What a pity.

Would I watch it again? No.

Two teens go to live with their grandparents after both their mom and dad die, but grandma and grandpa have a few skeletons in their closet that are about to explode. Film is tightly paced and well edited. It also has many shocking and most important believable twist and turns and once you think you have it figured out, it throws another surprise at you. Very unpredictable. Film also has Brinke Stevens only good performance, though the rest of the cast is so-so. A very little seen gem of a film. Not a horror film like many believe it to be, but more of a suspense film. My Rating: 8 out of 10. I still can't believe this film got so many negative reviews.

My review was written in March 1989 after watching the film on Academy video cassette.

"Grandmother's House" (alternately "Grandma's House") is a clever nailbiter, providing suspenseful variations on a gothic thriller theme. Pic should get a good reaction in the video rental market, bypassing theatrical release.

When attractive youngsters Eric Foster and Kim Valentine go to live with their grandparents following their dad's funeral, Foster immediately becomes suspicious of the old folks' behavior.

He's soon convinced that kindly looking Ida Lee and Len Lesser are murderous crazies preying on passers-by. Cinematographer Peter Jensen's script takes an excellent turn midway when Foster frees a mystery woman (Brinke Stevens) seemingly held in bondage by his grandfolks and she immediately tries to kill him. She turns out to be the kids' long-gone mom (they thought she was dead) whom grandfolks were hiding.

Hectic final rel is loaded with switcheroos, including a surprise incest subplot and morbid final twist. Tightly directed by Peter Rade, pic definitely will keep the viewer guessing.

Both Foster and Nastassja Kinski-esue Valentine score in the lead roles, while Len Lesser is properly ambiguous as granddad. Usually a decorative beauty, Binke Stevens is scary in the character role of mom.

When you come across a movie that no one else has heard of,even amongst fellow horror enthusiasts,and discover it to be both a tense and enjoyable romp,it gives a great deal of pleasure,grandmothers house gave me that feeling.The story itself is nothing to write home about,kids go to live with their grandparents,who have a dark secret, there's a mad woman in the house!! hardly original but then not many films are. But this film has some good heart stopping moments,yes there are some rather gaping holes in the plot and the ending is a bit of a let down but if getting the girlfriend to jump into your arms is a major benefit you can do a lot worse.