COLLECTOR'S CRYPT - THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED (ARROW BLU RAY)

Being the first to do something comes with a lot of responsibility. Consciously or not, when you’re pioneering something there is an inherent feeling of excitement tapered with an equal measure of anxiety. History has not always looked favorably on trailblazers either, especially with respect to horror films. So many of the films we love and cherish from the past had a hell of a time finding an audience when they were released. The most notable are JOHN CARPENTER’S THE THING, as well as JENNIFER’S BODY, and HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH. All are films that set out to do something different before the general population was ready to receive them. In some kind of poetic justice, these films usually find their following long after the moment has passed, and the kinds of casualties this causes manifest in creators losing work and often real dollars lost. Boutique labels have made a business out of resurrecting “forgotten” films and giving them white glove treatments in the form of slipcover special editions with newly commissioned artwork, special features, and supplementary collectible material. While collector’s like me are shills for these kinds of frills, they honor the hard work of these filmmakers and cast even if the films are hit/miss. This brings us to ARROW’s newly released blu ray of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED (LA RESIDENCIA). Labeled as Spain’s “first major horror production” is this Gothic tale worthy of addition to your growing collection of underappreciated gems, or is this pioneering work as impactful as MySpace?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

Thérèse is the latest arrival at the boarding school for wayward girls run under the stern, authoritarian eye of Mme Fourneau. As the newcomer becomes accustomed to the strict routines, the whip-hand hierarchies among the girls, and their furtive extra-curricular methods of release from within the forbidding walls of institutional life, she learns that several of her fellow students have recently vanished mysteriously. Meanwhile, tensions grow within this isolated hothouse environment as Mme Fourneau’s callow but curious 15-year-old son Louis ignores his mother’s strict orders not to get close to the “tainted” ladies under her ward.

HOW IS IT?

Have you ever tried to enjoy something and no matter what you just don’t get it? Well, that’s the realization I came to about Gothic Horror while I was watching THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED. Certainly not at the top of my favorite sub-genres list, I have always felt a sense of FOMO because I couldn’t get into so many Gothic Horror classics. With THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED, I think my taste has become solidified. This is not to say that THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED is a bad film, on the contrary, it’s quite celebrated on Letterboxd and among genre fans, but your enjoyment of this will largely depend on how much you dig Gothic horror.

THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED has been cited as an early inspiration for Argento’s Suspiria and blends elements of Giallo and Gothic Horror together in what sounds like an interesting mixture of two very moody sub-genres. In this way, THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED doesn’t disappoint. If you want heaps of silent sexual tension, it’s here. If you like spooky old homes with dimly light hallways, yup, that’s in there. Freudian commentary on the relationship between mother and son, oh yeah, this film has that in spades. All of these tropes are held together by a story about a young woman who arrives at a preparatory school only to find herself the victim of bullying, harassment, and some odd disappearances of some of her classmates. The majority of the film, in fact, is about just that. Thérèse is constantly trying to find her place among a cliquey group of socialite young ladies who set out to make her time there absolutely devastating. From calling her mother a prostitute to whipping other classmates, these ladies are mean girls personified in Franco’s Spain and you’d be hard-pressed to find another group of gals with such an ire for another. The thing is, it’s just not that interesting.

Those who praise THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED talk almost exclusively about two things, the atmosphere, and the ending. The former is certainly worthy of note, but it’s just not enough to carry the film for a whopping 104-minutes (there are two versions of the film on the disc, I watched the longer extended cut for this review) as most of the time is spent on watching a day in the life of the proprietors of this all-girls boarding school, well, save for the headmistresses son, Louis. While there are some tense moments, they don’t really stand the test of time considering just how much the medium of horror has evolved since 1969. While I enjoy a good slow burn, things really don’t start happening until the last 15 minutes, and even then, the whole affair feels rushed to a conclusion. The ending is diabolically weird, but it’s also easy to predict if you’ve seen any psycho-sexual horror films in the past 40 years. This is not to disparage the film as much as qualify it. If you don’t like Gothic Horror in full, there is a good chance you won’t enjoy THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED. However, those Gothic Horror fans who relish in Daphne du Maurier books and well-placed candlelight are sure to relish this from start to finish.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

ARROW VIDEO is one of the most consistent boutique labels out there when it comes to A/V quality and that credibility remains unshaken with their release of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED. As par for the course, Arrow provides a brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative along with two versions of the film. A 95-minute censored theatrical version and an uncensored version at 105 minutes. For this review, I watched the latter, and for the most part, the film looks as good as new. It’s impressive especially given that the film is by nature not well-lit and intentionally dark, and in spite of that, this restoration is impressive. Images from this release are used throughout this review and are seen below:

HOW DOES IT SOUND?

Normally I would follow my praise of the visual quality of an ARROW release with an equal amount of recognition for the audio. In the case of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED, it’s not bad but it’s not without some issues. ARROW states for this release that they have provided the Original lossless English mono audio on both versions and lossless Spanish audio on the uncut version. The music and sound effects sound great, but the dialogue often feels much quieter than the rest of the audio. I can’t tell if this is on account of the audio sources used or if this was just an oversight, but there are numerous times when I had to crank up the volume to hear the dialogue only to scare the shit out of myself when the music spikes because of the imbalance. It’s not an overly distracting issue, but it is noticeable, especially for those who don’t have an ideal quiet place to watch.

ANYTHING SPECIAL?

When it comes to special features, ARROW is legendary in its ability to find and curate numerous self-produced and/or licensed materials to complement the feature film. THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED is no different, and for this review, I took in two features that epitomize why ARROW is still one of the best to ever do it. The first feature I watched was Screaming the House Down, a brand new interview with Spanish horror expert Dr. Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, discussing the history of the film and its director. This was a fascinating 20-minute single-camera interview that dissects the history of this film, but also the cultural context around its release. As mentioned before, this is Spain’s first big horror production and acted as a “turning point” for the genre and the country. After THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED was released, over 150 horror films came from Spain shortly after. A true watershed moment that ultimately would gain more traction as Francisco Franco, Spain’s fascist dictator, was eventually ousted. Albeit short, this was a great examination of the history surrounding the film, the filmmaker, and the genre in relation to its spread across Spain.

The second feature I took in was a bit shorter, albeit more intimate. The Legacy of Terror, a brand new interview with the director’s son, Alejandro Ibáñez, is a 15-minute interview with the late director’s son about his father’s legacy, work, and how it resonated with him then and now. You can tell that Alejandro has a deep and profound appreciation for his father’s imprint on Spanish culture, be it in the realm of television or in film. This admiration is the centerpiece of the discussion as Alejandro recounts what it felt like growing up in this kind of environment and how he laments how underappreciated his father’s work is outside of the region. It’s a moving interview that isn’t trying to manipulate your emotion as much as it is trying to remind the viewer that art exists outside of our cultural bubbles, and appreciating that art is vital to its survival. A full list of special features included in this release is listed below:

• Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films

• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of the 105-minute uncut version titled The Finishing School (La Residencia), and the 94-minute US theatrical version titled The House That Screamed, via seamless branching

• Original lossless English mono audio on both versions and lossless Spanish audio on the uncut version

• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both versions and optional English subtitles for the Spanish audio

• Brand new audio commentary by critic Anna Bogutskaya

• This Boy’s Innocence, a previously unreleased interview with actor John Moulder-Brown

• Archive interview with Mary Maude, from the 2012 edition of the Festival of Fantastic Films

• All About My “Mama”, a brand new interview with Juan Tébar, author of the original story

• The Legacy of Terror, a brand new interview with the director’s son, Alejandro Ibáñez

• Screaming the House Down, a brand new interview with Spanish horror expert Dr. Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, discussing the history of the film and its director

• Alternative footage from the original Spanish theatrical version

• Original trailers, TV and radio spots

• Image Gallery

• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch

• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Shelagh Rowan-Legg and double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch

LAST RITES

THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED is essential viewing for Spanish Horror historians and Gothic Horror enthusiasts alike. With a rich atmosphere and pioneering work, there is a lot to like for fans of the genre, even if it won’t win over anyone who isn’t or is on the fence. A recommended buy for those that qualify.

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends at MVD ENTERTAINMENT for providing a review copy of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED for the crypt. THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED is available NOW via MVD DIRECT and ARROW DIRECT!

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