The Horror Show (House III)

Detective Lucas McCarthy finally tracks down and arrests horrific serial killer Max Jenke, but suffers from PTSD after the arrest. On medical leave after the case, Lucas goes to Jenke’s execution to see the killer finally die and put some closure on his trauma. 

Unfortunately, Jenke survives an initial round of electrocution. After having the juice turned up on him, Jenke was still able to threaten to tear Lucas’ world apart. Jenke had been experimenting with surviving death and coming back to get revenge on Lucas and continue his murderous ways.

After Jenke dies, his essence flows into the new home that Lucas and his family have moved into. From there, he torments Lucas with hallucinations and does what he promised to: tear Lucas’ world apart.

Originally to be released as House III, the producers decided to retitle the film (in the USA) to The Horror Show and put some space between this straight horror film and the earlier horror-comedies of the first two movies. Honestly, I think that this was a smart move, but not because of the fairly extreme difference in the tone of the movie, but because this movie has so little to do with the house! There was no point in the movie where either myself (the audience) or the characters felt like there was something wrong with the house. In each of the previous movies, the house felt like another character. in The Horror Show, it is just a house like any other.

So, since the producers moved it out of the franchise, I am going to look at it as a stand-alone horror film. With that in mind, I think it has some good high points and some low points. You have some great actors, grotesque special effects, and a good story idea, but you have a slightly confusing storyline to follow with a strange and unfulfilling ending.

So, I am going to hop right into what I think doesn’t work in this movie so we can get it out of the way and end this review with some positives. 

Lance Henrickson (Pumpkinhead, Alien) gives (as he usually does) a great performance as a police detective with PTSD. He is paranoid, frustrated, and quick to aggressive and angry responses. As the film progresses, he also escalates with his reactions. The downside to this is by the film’s climax, I was only just starting to feel sympathetic towards Lucas. Since the film really starts with him already in the midst of PTSD, it seemed like hard-edged and tough was just how the character had always been. It was just amping up his normal personality. I think that if he had a few more moments of real breakdowns (whether in private or with someone) it would have made it easier to connect to him.

Speaking of moments of breakdowns, he does have one right at the beginning of the film where, while in the throes of a dream, Lucas begins to choke his wife until she slaps him awake. Then he hugs her realizing what he has done. The thing about this whole section is how confusing it is by itself and in connection with the rest of the film. First I have to give you a quick rundown. 

There is a whole lot of inception stuff happening here. [SPOILERS] Lucas is in bed, hears a noise, and looks through the house to investigate. He ends in the basement where the furnace opens and fire spews out (he should get that checked) and he suddenly has a flashback to the night he arrests Jenke. Then, he wakes up back in his bed and hugs his wife crying only for it to turn out to be Jenke. Jenke hits Lucas with a cleaver in the chest while Lucas strangles him. Then, he wakes up again choking his own wife who slaps him fully awake. After that, he heads into the bathroom to splash water on his face and sees a line of blood on his chest where the cleaver hit him. 

Besides the multiple levels of dreaming which were confusing (whether he was dreaming when he was searching the house is still unclear to me since he fully woke up back in bed from being in the basement), why did he have any sign of a wound from the dream at this point in the movie? Part of the plot has to do with Jenke dying and becoming a spirit/energy that causes hallucinations that affect reality after he dies. However, at this point in the movie, Jenke is alive and in prison. The only way it makes sense to me is if Lucas is actually the cause of everything via his PTSD and some reality-warping powers and Jenke actually died in the electric chair. [END OF SPOILERS]

The last thing I disliked about the movie is connected to the kill count. It is actually quite low for a grotesque slasher film. Only four deaths (five if you count the discovery of a dead body killed off-screen) and [SPOILERS] none of them are Lucas family. Let me elaborate as to why this bothers me. There are two on-screen deaths at the beginning of the film. Then a whole lot of plot. Then two secondary characters die. Finally, Lucas’ son dies. Oh, wait, no, he is a talking corpse. No, that was a dream. He disappeared. Oh, wait, Jenke is defeated? Well, then Lucas’ son is fine. It was all a dream I guess. WHAT?! [END OF SPOILERS]

And, what is the deal with the little bit about the son’s scamming at the end of the film? Was that put in for a laugh? It felt so out of place. Maybe it was a reference to something that was happening in the ‘80s. Were there a substantial amount of fingers found in condiments back then?

So I guess what I am saying with all of the above is that The Horror Show has some writing problems.

Beyond the writing, I have to again say that The Horror Show has some quality acting behind it. Besides Lance Henrikson, Brion James (Blade Runner, 48 Hrs.) is phenomenal as the psycho-killer Jenke. He is menacing, violent, and even tries to be witty while torturing Lucas. I could have seen a franchise being built around the character if the writing was better. Also, both Rita Taggart (The China Syndrome, James Dean) and Dedee Pfeiffer (Vamp, Frankie and Johnny) were great as Donna McCarthy (wife) and Bonnie McCarthy (daughter). In fact, all the performances were quite good. There was the right kind of chemistry between actors and with one or two small exceptions, I never felt pulled out of the film by a poor performance.

Let us talk about the special effects. When it comes to effects, The Horror Show gives us a lower budget version of the type of things you would seem in a David Cronenberg film. This movie has some solid scenes of body horror including a disturbing pregnancy scene and plenty of dismembered people and parts. A particular dinner scene made me doublethink chicken for a few days.

Even with these scenes, there are plenty of effects that are too cheesy to not pull you out of the moment. You will see slit throats and cuts that are just squirts of blood on skin when there is obviously no wound and actors that are suddenly a little wider when they get an arm or two chopped off. But, for the fan of blood and gore, there is plenty here to like. There are a few effects besides the gory that are good including the fire-spewing furnace and Jenke’s spirit flying around.

As part of the House franchise specifically, The Horror Show is another rung lower on the ladder. As a slasher horror film, it is average. Even with the solid acting and fun gore effects, the confusing and poor writing pulls it down. It is a shame that I don’t feel like I can rank it higher. However, it is still a fun slasher for fans of the genre. I would still pop it in your player, relax on your couch, make sure you aren’t seeing things, and save me some popcorn.

Check out our other reviews of the House franchise!

House
House II
House IV

Rating:

Jack Savage:

I like Brion James in The Horror Show. You should check him out. If only the film could’ve been a better platform for his character. Also if you buy a copy of this movie, get the Arrow release. So much better sound mixing and it is region free.

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