At the House of Madness

In the house of madness is an anthology film (well sort of if you consider two stories an anthology)

The wrap around story is about a couple that are struggling to sell their house and the two stories that make up this film explain the reason why. This segment stars Deanna Meske who went on to assemble quite a list of genre titles in her filmography.

The 1st story stars Donna Hamblin (Also a bit of a scream queen in the low budget genre field). She plays Tracy who finds a book on a beach via a metal detector (That has no batteries in it). It has a lock that she cannot open, try as she might. She sees a rat in her living room and kills it. Miraculously the lock springs open, but only for a limited time. So you know what's coming next !!!!!!

The 2nd story is about a girl that turns up at the house of a distant relative and persuades them to let her stay as she is down on her luck and has no where else to go. The relative reluctantly agrees, but is not happy. Izzy, the girl, has alternative motives and it is not long before she is on the phone to her boyfriend to plan to rob the place. Why does the relative always talk to the ventriloquist dummy? and why does it keep talking back? Sinister times are a happening !!!!!

All three stories are good and the acting was above par for this sort of thing. The 2nd story is the best and really kept me guessing till the twist ending.

Sessions went out for an authentic feel to the proceedings with fake scratches and grain on the film. Effects are decent and everyone seemed to be having a good time. So if you like ventriloquist films (like Anthony Hopkins Magic (1978) or the classic Dead of night (1945), then this is defiantly for you