Don't Go in the House (1979)

A disturbed young man who was burned as a child by his sadistic mother stalks women with a flamethrower.

Director:

Joseph Ellison

Writers:

Joe Masefield (story) (as Joseph R. Masefield), Joseph Ellison (screenplay)

Stars:

Dan Grimaldi, Charles Bonet, Bill Ricci

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dan Grimaldi	...	Donny Kohler
Charles Bonet	...	Ben (as Charlie Bonet)
Bill Ricci	...	Vito
Robert Carnegie	...	Bobby Tuttle (as Robert Osth)
Dennis M. Hunter	...	Worker
John Hedberg	...	Worker
Ruth Dardick	...	Mrs. Kohler
Johanna Brushay	...	Kathy Jordan
Darcy Shean	...	Girl in Car
Mary Ann Chinn	...	Woman in Street (as Mary Ann Chin)
Lois Verkruepse	...	Woman with Kids
Susan Smith	...	Girl in Market
Jim Donnegan	...	Clerk
Claudia Folts	...	Body #1
Denise Woods	...	Body #2

Storyline

A slasher film about a victim of child abuse (Dan Grimaldi) who grows up to become a maniacal construction worker. He stalks women at discos, takes them home, then chains them up in a special steel-walled room and sets them on fire.

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Plot Keywords:

grindhouse film | murder of a nude woman | serial murder | beer | cocaine | 

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Taglines:

it was too late to tell them...

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Burning

Filming Locations:

Strauss Mansion Museum, 27 Prospect Circle, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Turbine Films Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min 92 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first video release in the UK was uncut. A following cut version was later unofficially approved by the BBFC. The film was not prosecuted as a 'video nasty' as the distributor assured the BBFC that this cut version would replace the uncut version.

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Goofs

When Donny is in the steel room, he obviously is able to exit the room after the death of his first victim. But when Suzanne and Patty are in the steel room, neither of them can escape despite the one woman not being chained to the floor and ceiling.

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Quotes

Mrs. Kohler: Donald, come here.
Little Donny: No mother.
Mrs. Kohler: You're a bad boy.
Mrs. Kohler: You're evil, and you must be punished.
Little Donny: No mother, please don't.
Little Donny: I promise to be good.
Mrs. Kohler: Come here i said.
Little Donny: No mother, please no.
Mrs. Kohler: Your father let you do things like that, but he's gone now.
Mrs. Kohler: [while burning the childs arms above the stove] I burn the evil out of you.

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Alternate Versions

The original UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC and the film later found itself on the DPP 72 list of video nasties. The 1987 UK video release was heavily cut by 3 minutes 7 secs and extensively reduced shots of nudity and graphic closeups from the scene of the chained woman being burned alive.

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Connections

Referenced in Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (2013)

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Soundtracks

Boogie Lightning
Composed by Bill Heller
Available on Reflection Records & Tapes

User Reviews

Great study of deadly obsession!

"Don't Go in the House" is an obscure early 80's horror film that seems to be forgotten by many horror fans.The film is well-made and slickly directed by Joseph Ellison,a talented musician and a screenwriter.Donny Kohler is a tormented young man.His mother tortured him by holding his bare arms over a gas burning stove.He grows up to be a psycho who delights in burning young women with a flamethrower inside his steel paneled bedroom crematorium.The film is filled with truly sick atmosphere and there is one of the most sadistic burning killings ever captured on screen.The underlying theme of child abuse is also taboo-breaking."Don't Go in the House" is often trashed by some politically correct people-still it beats most of the crap being put out today.Highly recommended.