House of the Living Dead

aka Curse of the Dead

Director - Ray Austin (Highlander Series)

Starring - Mark Burns (Count Dracula), Shirley Anne Field (These are the Damned), and David Oxley (The Hound of Baskervilles)

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "What monstrous evil lurks..and feeds...and kills...in the attic of...House of the Living Dead"

Format - BluRay (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've mentioned several times before that, largely, I am not a fan of most of the films that came out of the 70s.  With that being said, I do love the horror films from that were period pieces.  I was recently sent the vampire film Crypt of the Living Dead on blu to check out from the fine folks over at Vinegar Syndrome.  This was a great release for fans that love films from that decade or period piece horror flicks.  Vin Syn added a second film to the release as a special feature titled House of the Living Dead.  This 1974 film had the title later changed to Curse of the Dead before it was changed back to House of the Living Dead.  After checking out Crypt I had to watch this one and I'm damn sure glad I did.

     The film follows a young woman who packs up and moves across the country to be with a man she just recently met to live with him in his mansion with his family.  Before she leaves, a family friend and doctor tells her about the young man's brother that was horribly disfigured and left for dead by a black horse that roams the property.  What she doesn't know is that he is well and is experimenting on animals around their property until they become scarce and then he turns to the locals.  When she moves in her soon to be mother-in-law is cold to her and keeps telling her to leave.  She soon learns the dark secret of the family property and how the brother thought to be close to death is actually alive and is able to transport souls from person to person and took over his brother's body in order to trick her into moving in with him and the wild, black horse is actually his brother's soul trying to stop him.
     House of the Living Dead is a horror flick that I had never heard of before but I had high hopes for it considering Vin Syn paired it with Crypt which turned out to be a fun flick.  When I selected the film at the home screen I was very surprised by the story we got and confused as to why more people don't talk about this one.  The acting in this one does not stand out and, for once, I have to say is pretty bland for a film from this time.  The cast shows no conviction and just seems to be going through the motions to hit that payday.  This drags the film down substantially.  The story for this one is fucking awesome but doesn't fit in with the period piece.  Instead, it would have well if it was a science run amok flick set forth in a modern setting with a cliched science lab.  With that being said, the film still works very well as a period piece you just have to be open for the story.  Finally, the film does not really have that many on screen kills and when it does they are nothing bloody.  The point of this film is to tale a story and not spray blood.  Overall, House of the Living Dead is a fun film that one would not expect.  The story is very surprising and enjoyable if you allow yourself to take it for what it is.  Check it out in the Vin Syn release of Crypt of the Living Dead.