Slow-Burn Terror Done the Right Way

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MOVIE REVIEW
The House of the Devil Limited Edition Blu-ray
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Genre: Horror, Mystery
Year Released: 2009, Second Sight Films Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 35m
Director(s): Ti West
Writer(s): Ti West
Cast: Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Greta Gerwig, AJ Bowen, Dee Wallace, Heather Robb, Darryl Nau, Brenda Cooney, Ti West, John Speredakos, Lena Dunham
Where to Watch: Available April 28, 2025. Pre-order your copy here: www.secondsightfilms.co.uk

RAVING REVIEW: Horror can hit differently, especially when it trusts its audience to sit with discomfort and draw fear from familiarity. That’s the kind of confidence this film runs on. With deliberate style choices and an eye for the understated, it manages to build tension out of stillness, suspense out of silence, and danger out of the mundane. From its framework to its methodical pacing, this one doesn’t beg for attention—it earns it on its terms.

The story follows a college student who accepts a job at a large, isolated house. It’s the kind of setup that feels straight out of a genre manual, but the execution separates it from the crowd. Rather than racing toward the inevitable horror cliches, it creeps toward them, taking its time to let unease blossom in ordinary places. Every moment feels like it’s holding its breath, waiting for the viewer to notice just how wrong everything is starting to feel.

Visually, the film embraces its identity with real commitment. Shot on 16mm, the texture immediately transports you to another era. It’s not just surface nostalgia either. The framing, lighting, and color choices evoke a distinct horror movie aesthetic without succumbing to parody. This is a film that doesn’t want to hint at its influences—it wants to live among them.

A lot of that mood rides on the shoulders of the lead. Her performance stays grounded, never slipping into genre exaggeration. She spends much of the film alone on screen, reacting to silence and empty rooms. That’s not easy to pull off, but she handles it with subtlety. Her stillness becomes the film’s anchor—how she moves, listens, and even pauses keeps the atmosphere taut. Her presence invites you in, then lets the tension grow around her.

One of the film’s strongest creative choices is its refusal to chase trends. There are no fake-outs or self-referential jokes. No checklist of horror clichés to check off. This film operates under the rules of a different time—one where suspense was allowed to unfold at its own pace and mystery didn’t need to be solved in every scene. Even the soundtrack relies on minimalism, letting the silence speak louder than the score when needed.

Still, it’s the final act that pulls the rug out from under the viewer. It’s quick, visceral, and intense—almost a different film entirely. But that contrast is what gives the final moments their punch. The calm before the storm isn’t filler—it’s the reason the storm feels so violent. The shift in tone is sudden, but intentional. It delivers on the promise that’s been simmering beneath the surface from the start.

The story leans into ambiguity, avoiding clear exposition or detailed backstory. While this approach works to maintain the mystery, it may leave some viewers feeling like they’re grasping for answers that never arrive. The themes of manipulation, fear, and generational anxiety are there, but more in tone than in substance. This isn’t a flashy or crowd-pleasing ride. It’s measured. Patient. Intentional. It doesn’t just wear vintage clothing—it thinks like a film from that era, and that’s a rarer feat than it might seem.

The director understands what makes old-school horror tick. It’s not about the shock value—it’s about letting discomfort settle in. About making the audience feel like they’re sitting too long in the wrong room, waiting for something to move. That kind of tension-building requires restraint, and this film embodies it fully. It doesn’t try to dazzle. It tries to linger. And it succeeds.

For those seeking jump scares and quick thrills, this is a slow burn with a long fuse. But for viewers who appreciate a horror story that builds itself brick by brick, focusing on atmosphere and control, this one delivers. It’s an experience that respects the viewer’s patience and rewards it with a finale that hits hard without losing the thread of what came before. What makes the film effective isn’t what it shows, but how it waits. It’s horror with a quiet heart and a steady hand. And in a genre that often overplays its scares, that kind of confidence is rare—and welcome.

Special Features:
Audio commentary with Writer-Director Ti West & Actor Jocelin Donahue
Audio commentary with Ti West, Producers Larry Fessenden & Peter Phok, and Sound Designer Graham Reznick
The Right Vibe: a new interview with Ti West
Satanic Panic: A New Interview with Jocelin Donahue
Slowing Down is Death: A New Interview with Actor AJ Bowen
A Level of Ambition: a new interview with Peter Phok
An Enduring Title: A New Interview with Larry Fessenden
It All Feels Appropriate: a new interview with Director of Photography Eliot Rockett
Hiding the Seams: A New Interview with Composer Jeff Grace
Writing Through Sound: A New Interview with Graham Reznick
This Night Changes Everything: The Making of The House of the Devil
In The House of the Devil
Deleted Scenes
Trailer

Limited Edition Contents:
Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Nick Charge
70-page book with new essays by Martyn Conterio, Ariel Powers-Schaub, Jerome Reuter, and Julieann Stipidi, plus a Behind the Scenes gallery
6 collectors' art cards

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[photo courtesy of SECOND SIGHT FILMS]

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