The Hanover House

I got this movie as part of a VIP package deal at HorrorHound Cincinnati 2015 where i put it on my shelf and forgot about to it until today. I figured it would be your average lame $0 budget indie movie with terrible acting and predictable plot lines and zero originality. While this movie is your average haunted house movie and follows many of the haunted house troupes you might expect it is done quite well and i found myself in suspense most of the movie and i kept wondering how it was going to end. I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie and i never once found myself checking the timer waiting for it to be over with. I thought the sets and special effects used were done well and they did not come off as cheesy or "wow that was definitely a green screen effect". I was shocked to learn that this film only had a budget of $22,00 as your average film uses $22,00 of their budget on bottled water for the crew. If your able to somehow get your hands on this movie (i checked amazon and they don't seem to have it but i think if you checked HorrorHounds website you can likely find it there as that is labeled as Horrorhounds first feature film) i strongly recommend you give it a try. Even if you hate it its only 1hr 13min out of your day.

I really enjoyed the homage paid to Hitchcock, Kubrick and several horror classics. You'll be reminded of scenes from Psycho, The Shining, and Poltergeist. I always find it enjoyable to watch one director tip his cap to others. Look for the Orson Welles' low angle shots, some really interesting framing, and the face on the radio as it emits Poltergeist-like static. Brian Chamberlain is fun to watch as he finds himself in the middle of a nightmare with all kinds of tangents. Open one door and there's another, each one leading him deeper into the abyss. Ann Bobby, as usual, is a hoot. It's great to see local film makers using local actors and locations that you recognize. It brings an immediacy to the viewing experience that adds to the enjoyment.

OK, so there's a couple of things to mention here. Number 1, the name itself implies that this is going to be a haunted house picture and that is exactly what it is. Where as most haunted house pictures tend to remain true to their Victorian roots, keeping a rather stuffy disposition with "sophisticated" scares and intrigue, HH unapologetically delves much deeper and much darker than the usual fare. It truly does push the envelope in this cherished little sub genre thus making it an irreplaceable contribution to the lexicon. This movie is important, this movie sets precedent, this movie SHOULD be remembered. If you're reading this review right now and you haven't seen it, run don't walk to the nearest showing and/or netflix (eventually, I'm not sure if it's there yet... As of 05/11/14). Good performance by the legendary Anne Bobby. Why don't producers cast her more often? She's actually one of the few cult movie queens who can actually act! Very we'll shot, this movie will astound you: 10 out of 10 stars