Haunted House on Sorority Row

Director - Henrique Couto (Babysitter Massacre)
Starring - Joe Kidd (Awkward Thanksgiving), Erin R. Ryan (Easter Casket, Watch This), and Haley Madison (Bludgeon, Hunters)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "They wanted a fresh start...they got a sorority house from hell"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Supernatural films hardly get the indie treatment.  I, however, believe that is a good thing because not all filmmakers can pull off the suspense or create the atmosphere needed to pull the film off. I have seen several indie paranormal flicks and they all lacked certain elements that the older, bigger budgeted films were able to grasp.  Recently, I was able to catch Henrique Couto's supernatural horror flick Haunted House on Sorority Row.  Henrique is a filmmaker that has been making films for years now but I was not familiar with all his work.  Last year about this time I watched my first of his titled Bleeding Through.  I was not a fan of the film but that did not stop me from viewing Henrique's more recent endeavors...and I'm glad I did!

     The film follows a newly formed sorority as they move into a house with a horrible history. As the ladies, and some of the lady's fuck buddies, move into the home and unpack their things weird things start to happen around the house.  The first thing they all notice is the food instantly spoils once brought into the home.  Then they all start seeing things out the corner of their eyes or visions of things from their dark pasts.  Things turn from strange to deadly when people from their pasts start manifesting with homicidal urges.  Each member of the house has to confront demons from their former lives or die from the horrors they all thought they escaped.
     To me supernatural horror flicks are not that scary but they do have an atmosphere about them that make them just as enjoyable to watch as any slasher or zombie flicks. Classics like the original House on Haunted Hill, Nightmare Castle, and Dementia 13 are all prime examples of that.  These films know what it takes to make the film work and they refuse to let anything get in their way.  They have an end product in mind and will not settle for anything less. That is something Henrique had a strong understanding of and it clearly shows throughout the entire film.  The acting in this one is great and has a lot of familiar faces.  Erin R. Ryan and Haley Madison both have been under my knife multiple times for their contribution to films from Concept Media and Dustin Mills Productions.  These two beautiful young ladies have talent that can go for days along with the looks to melt hearts (and cause hand cramps).  The remainder of the cast is equally as talented and as beautiful.  I look forward to seeing more work from them all.  The story for this one is a fun mash up of several classic horror flicks from yesteryear.  The over sexual sorority flicks from the 80s is perfectly mashed up with the supernatural flicks of the late 60s and 70s.  Henrique is able to successful draw in the eerie atmosphere and tension of the classic ghost films which is something that is rarely done among indie flicks.  That was a huge concern of mine going into this film and he laid that concern to rest.  Finally, the film has some great practical effects, clever kills, and amazing cinematography.  The film's look is beyond it's budget.  Overall, Haunted House on Sorority Row is well crafted and superb.  This is easily one of the best films of 2014 and needs to be added to any horror fan's collection.  I highly recommend this one!