The House of Seven Corpses
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| Another exterior shot of the Utah Governors house, the location of the film |
I love old dark house films. Love them. I have a fond warmth
for 70s films that featured old stars of Hollywood picking up a few bucks in
these low budget horror films, with The House of the Seven Corpses ideally
using John Ireland (I really, really like this actor so his presence in this
film left me with glee) and John Carradine (if you are casting the role of a
surly caretaker who disapproves in all the disgruntled he can muster at the “creative
license” taken by a director and writer of a film based within the “house with
a disturbing history of death to the ancestors living there”, and Carradine was
available, he’s the obvious choice), I was sold on it through the casting
along. Shoot, adding Faith Domerague of This Island Earth, Cult of the Cobra,
and It Came from Beneath the Sea as the fading actress of yesteryear—living off
the residue of the star she once was in this schlock movie being made to
capitalize on a thriving drive-in market—as well, and I couldn’t be happier.
I
just love the old school zombies of the Romero 70s era, too. Back when the
makeup was cheap (or put together in creature shops far less glamorous as what
you might see on the set of the Walking Dead these days) but carried this
effective grunge and ugly pallid color that seemed to cull chills and cause
goosebumps in the 70s (like Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things and Dawn
of the Dead), the zombie of Seven Corpses was right up my alley. I love a
good “rise from the dead” sequence, too, and I certainly approved of the one
featured in this film. The rotted hand emerging from the earth or out of a grave, and the hanging flesh (with absent eyeballs, just holes where they once were) of the face when the zombie is rarely shown; the zombie that moves about the grounds and accompanying mansion where he once resided is of the classic form, not of the rushing, rabid kind (thanks to 30 Days Later). Funnily enough, the zombie seems to be in no hurry and merely surprises victims of the cast and crew unaware (before becoming full aware to their horror) of his presence mainly because their attention is elsewhere (the crew is loading up and putting away equipment after the shoot, the actors hear strange sounds, investigating). I do wish the zombies had better adequate placement within the story of this film. While I like the set up of the film shoot and how after it is wrapped the real horror begins (crashing the satisfying conclusion of Ireland's finished product, particularly with how the film is strewn all over and a camera is hoisted up and hurled off of the mansion stairwell towards the taskmaster, agonizing over the devastation of his work, mistreated so), I bemoaned the little time provided to the zombie Beal ancestor which deprived us of the film's ability to deliver the spooky goods. The violence isn't as spectacular as even the movie we see being directed by Ireland and his crew...which rather amused me and disappointed me in equal measure.
Continuing a number of positives I gleaned from Seven
Corpses, I thought the opening was an absolute stunner, as the seven corpses
(minus one) of the title are shown being bumped off or their crime scenes
(stabbings, shootings, hanging, etc.) shown to us as the credits overlay after
each one of them, with the “film within a film that is interrupted by real
terror of the supernatural kind” bookending them quite satisfying.
I like how
curmudgeon Ireland is as the ornery director with little patience towards the
cast in his film and invasions on his schedule (delays and miscues; Carradine’s
interruption at the beginning with Ireland scolding him was a hoot for me). He
barks and orders, with little sense of humor and far less appreciation for
those under his “guidance”. The movies are a means to an end…he gets them in
the can and is paid in kind.
Domerague—as the diva star hanging on to the past
success since long passed her by—was also a pleasure for me to watch as she
carries around her pet cat, walks and talks as if she was still in her youth
with all of Hollywood held under beck and call, and considers this film
privileged to have her in it. However, Ireland berating her and cutting her to
the bone when scenes don’t work (because of her or in spite of her), Domerague
appropriately shows dismay and discouragement. To be diminished and downgraded
in front of the cast and crew is quite the embarrassment.
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| Reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead, chants later to be read in the film |
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| Carradine's caretaker amused at the making of a bad horror movie |
“Movie insider” buffs, fascinated by the makings of a low
budget film, might also get a kick out of the “setting up of scenes” where
Ireland’s taskmaster (focused, intense, demanding, and brutally
forward-thinking and honest) takes control of the activities of his movie.
Seeing all the preparation that goes into it (loading the film magazine into
the camera, plugging up the lighting and sound equipment, and the makeup
process (such as the exhaustive demands of Domergue, regarding her “lines”,
with Ireland telling the artist to fix her up so she won’t “look like a whore”!),
along with coaching the actors) is shown in detail, this might be of interest
to buffs fascinated by all of the techniques and work that goes into making a
low budget movie.
Carradine's exit. Well, if you are to go, why not at the hand of a zombie???
Eric-isms
“Listen, baby, we are
going to be shooting early in the morning, and you have got to get some sleep
or there will be bags under the bags…and there’s not enough makeup in the world
to cover that up.”
“Never mind your hair! You’re supposed to be in a fight…not
a beauty contest!”
“Trust me. Dying is easy…living is hard.”
Uh, oh, time's up. It's a wrap.
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| What have I done? Look behind you! |
Some movies tantalize and tease, and Seven Corpses does just that. Prior to her walk around in a towel, barely holding it on her body, Carole Wells is washing off the fake movie blood from her body in a shower. Then later in the river, she's obviously naked but barely visible besides her face. Oh, this movie teases; yes, it does.
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| So long, Ms. Domergue |
Where I think the film falters is the use of assistant
director (sometimes acting due to budget restraints), David (Jerry Strickler)
towards the end. He up and seems possessed and attacks Ireland. While it might
seem sufficient had this film done a better job of showing him increasingly
falling under a black spell, his direct interest in the book of the dead and
sudden outburst towards Ireland just leave much to be desired. Linking him to
David Beal also seems to have been a last-minute idea forced into the plot at
the tail end of the movie. The reading of the book and rise of the zombie (and
just this one zombie…this is another odd inconsistency not particularly
adequately laid out; that and the mention of seven corpses, as if promising a
major familial rising of all ancestors from their graves) scenes felt like they
were enough to build towards the eventual demise of the cast and crew. I have
no idea what the fuck was meant in regards to Wells’ (the beautiful second lady
lead to Domergue) floating dead, naked body, eyes open, in a river under a
bridge (used as travel by the zombie), later to be carried into the grave of
David Beal by the zombie that belongs there. Seeing Ireland lamenting with his
tape held out in his hands as the zombie provides him with an end befitting a
lech wasn’t a disappointment for me, however.
The Ghoul of the House
This isn’t a great or even good film, but I think as a 70s
horror curio, it should be a worthy viewing on an October night, really late.
Watch it with Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things or The House That
Dripped Blood; should be a nice bit of Halloween fun. If anything, seeing
Carradine in another of these horror oddities should be worth your time.
It's Official: It's Most Certainly a Wrap...The Ghoul is calling the shots now.
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