House by the Cemetery

Starring: Katherine MacColl & Paolo Malco Director: Lucio Fulci

DVD Features:

Audio:

• Dolby Digital -  English

Description by OLDIES.com:

Dr. Norman Boyle (Paolo Malco), of the New York Historical Society, accepts a research assignment after the colleague working on it commits suicide. This project requires Dr. Boyle to temporarily take up residence in a New England mansion, along with his wife Lucy (Katherine MacColl) and their son. The Boyles soon find out that the mansion has an additional resident: a deranged killer living in the basement!

Product Description:

Dr. Norman Boyle (Paolo Malco), of the New York Historical Society, accepts a research assignment abandoned by a colleague who has committed suicide. The project requires the researcher to temporarily take up residence in a New England mansion along with his wife, Lucy (Katherine MacColl) and their son, Bob (Giovanni Frezza). Norman discovers his colleague had become consumed with the history of the home's original owner, a turn-of-the-Century surgeon named Dr. Freudstein who possessed a fondness for illegal experiments. Further investigation reveals Freudstein had found a way to stay alive by using cells derived from fresh human blood. The Boyles find out the hard way that the maggot-stuffed, undead doctor remains lurking in the shadows of the house, killing anybody who crosses his path.

While the plot does at times lose itself to vagueness and the inexplicable, Italian director Lucio Fulci reinforces his "Godfather Of Gore" moniker as visceral sequences (human mutilation aplenty, along with a gut-wrenching decapitation) unfold before the camera in the maestro's customary extreme close-up style. Made during the height of his career, HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY is one of Fulci's most admired favorites. A percentage of the film's popularity must also be credited to the inadvertently humorous English dubbing of Italian child star Giovanni Frezza's "Bob" character, performed by a much older female actress.

Plot Keywords:

Gore | Horror | Killers | Monsters | Mystery / Suspense | Suspense | Theatrical Release | Thriller | Zombies

Production Notes:

• Filmed in Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; and Rome, Italy.
• An unrated release in America, under 17 not admitted.
• Lucio Fulci believed director Paul Verhoeven stole the idea for a villain to drag a victim down a flight of stairs for ROBOCOP from the ending of HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY.
• HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY marks the end of actress Katherine MacColl's collaboration with Lucio Fulci, which includes CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD in 1980 and THE BEYOND in 1981.
• HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY marks the end of a lengthy collaboration between Fulci and cinematographer Sergio Salvati.
• Fulci claims Serrador's 1969 thriller LA RESIDENCIA (a story of a child whom murders for body parts to create the perfect woman) inspired his treatment of the "Dr. Freudstein" character.

Cast and Crew: