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Remembering ‘House’ On Veterans Day

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As we honor those who have served in the military this weekend, let’s take a moment to remember the ghoul in the steel helmet who had an ax to grind in the 1986 movie House: Big Ben.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

It was 32 years ago that during a bit of a horror drought at the box office we got excited that the original Friday the 13th director Sean S. Cunningham had written a film; a haunted house chiller starring one of the hottest television actors of the time, William Katt.

It was also exciting that Steve Miner, the director of Friday the 13th Pt. 2, was going to helm the film and music composer Henry Manfredini was doing the music.

It was a Friday the 13th reunion!

House pulled a lot of elements from popular horror movies of the time, from Poltergeist to Amityville Horror to pinches of Stephen King (Katt plays horror novelist Roger Cobb), the film was also a comedy much more so than Fright Night which came out a year before.

Katt wasn’t the only television star to appear in the film. George Wendt who played the lovable loser Norm from Cheers is in it. Then there was Richard Moll from Night Court who probably has the most important role as Big Ben, the Vietnam vet who haunts Cobb in his dreams.

The reason House is such a great movie to watch on Veterans Day is mainly because of its military plotline. You see, Cobb isn’t going to write another horror novel much to the dismay of his fans, he’s going to write about his experiences in Vietnam, something that he has yet to resolve.

His aunt dies by hanging herself and leaves him a gorgeous Victorian house. Soon after he moves in he begins to see visions of his missing son who disappeared into thin air a few months before.

He also has PTSD nightmares of Big Ben who’s an integral part of Cobb’s military mémoirs because he felt he had abandoned him in the line of duty.

Ben was mortally wounded and asks Cobb to finish him off but he can’t and subsequently, Ben is captured and tortured.

House isn’t the greatest film; much like its main character, it’s caught between two worlds. It doesn’t know whether to be a flat-out comedy or a serious supernatural tale of a house possessed.

But what makes it fun is the special effects. Thirty years ago CGI was in its infant stages so practical effects were the gold standard and House shined in that area.

Creature effects were created by Brent Baker. The flying skull demon is classic Lovecraft.

It even has an homage to Raimi’s Evil Dead in one scene with a cover of “You’re No Good” which comes out of left field.

Of course, there’s that unforgettable medicine cabinet scene; the gag has been mimicked so many times in later films.

But the centerpiece is Moll’s Big Ben who is the scariest with his full body prosthetic and unsettling visage. This pissed off vet isn’t going down without a fight.

In the years since House opened in theaters, the world has had many more wars to fight both domestically and abroad all with devastating results.

The only criticism of House is its lighthearted nature when dealing with PTSD. But given that there are so many iHorror readers who are also servicemembers both past and present, it’s nice to have a little levity in the genre they love so much.

We honor those who have served in the military and have fought for freedoms. iHorror thanks them for their service.

Even Big Ben.

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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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