I'm thinking the filmmakers were going for a kind of 'Scream' takeoff, but unfortunately, it was neither a horror movie nor a comedy. It had a slapstick quality to it, but 'quality' is a word that shouldn't be used when referring to 'The Mansion'. The fact that it wasn't the least bit humorous should come as no surprise. It was filmed in France, the country that considers Jerry Lewis to be a comedic genius.