House of 1000 Corpses

First, I want to say that this is one of my favorite Horror movies.  This is the kind of stuff that can give me the willies. Written and Directed by Rob Zombie, this movie captures the true essence of a horribly dysfunctional family that feed on the torture of curious minds who wonder into their midst. 

It starts off innocently enough…a group of four teenagers, two guys (Chris Hardwick and Rainn Wilson) with their girlfriends (Erin Daniels and Jennifer Jostyn), with a love for the oddities that nature and the human mind can create, on a road trip to document all the strange, twisted sites they see along the way.  And where do they happen upon? Captain Spaulding’s Fried Chicken and Gasoline. (I know that just by the sound of it I wouldn’t stop there.  It just SOUNDS creepy.  But hey, that’s just me.)  And it just so happens that it’s Halloween Eve.

At Captain Spaulding’s they see an array of “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” kind of weirdness.  The kind of stuff that makes you wonder if it’s even real, ya know?  Then, they choose to take a “Murder Ride” where they get to hear about and see imitations of famous psycho killers.  One in particular catches the attention of one of the guys, Dr. Satan.  After a little prodding, Captain Spaulding, played by Sid Haig, draws them a crude map and sends them on their way.

In the search for this Dr. Satan, they end up having car trouble and get a tow and ride to this really oddball house on a remote stretch of property.  And then the REAL psychopathy begins.  They meet the most twisted and demented people who do the sickest stuff.  They keep dead cheerleaders in the house, they scalp people, they Frankenstein human body parts together with all kinds of other things. 

It’s a whole family, vile as they may be, that stays together and slays together.  The mom, Mother Firefly (Karen Black) looks like she got rode hard and put away wet one too many times and has the nastiest teeth and smile.  The daughter Baby, played by Sheri Moon Zombie (Rob Zombie’s wife), has, I swear, the creepiest laugh I think I have ever heard.  It gives me the willies just thinking about it.  Then there’s Otis.  We can thank Bill Moseley for this enchanting portrayal of evil.  He plays a man who is as bat crap crazy as you get with still being able to fully function.  He’s a thinker though, I’ll tell ya.  He’s also a “creator” of sorts.  Then we have the most disgusting foul grandpa you could think of.  Grandpa Hugo.  Brought to life on screen by Dennis Fimple.  This is…just…the man makes me want to vomit.  And then there’s some other family that get in on the action.
 
The teens have to escape torture and death while all the while being blinded by fear and hopelessness.  This tale is a twisted and winding walkthrough of their terrifying experiences.

Now, sooooo much goes on in this movie I can’t possibly cover all of it.  So, I am going to hit on what I think is the most important and leave the rest for you to engorge yourselves in at a later date.

Sid Haig and Bill Moseley MAKE THIS MOVIE GREAT!  They are by far the best and funniest evil type weirdo characters in the movie.  Their sarcasm and disturbed sense of humor only add to the already revolting appearance and personality of their characters.  Baby, the daughter, reminds me of one of those talking dolls for kids…that gets possessed and tries to kill you in the most sadistic of ways.  Also, between her and Mother Firefly, they have got the corner on the trampy, promiscuous stereotype of, shall we say, over-friendly and over-motivated woman.

The costuming in this movie also really adds to the genre and feel, not only of the movie but, of each individual character as they all definitely have their own style.  Some of the horror makeup is absolutely disgustingly awesome too!!!

While this is an older movie from 2003, it is a timeless Cult Classic.  It is filled with blood splatters, chilling screams, killer music and some of the best sarcastic horror comedy ever.  There are so many little nuances in the way this film was written and directed that it really is in a class of its own.

I will always love this movie and it will forever be a go-to film when I need a good horror flick.

RATING
4.5/5

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