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:

child abuse | emotionally disturbed person | trauma | deeply disturbed person | female victim | 

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Taglines:

it was too late to tell them...

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's original soundtrack turned out to be unusable, having been recorded on what actor Dan Grimaldi termed "less than up-to-date equipment". The soundtrack, in its entirety, had to be re-recorded and re-dubbed.

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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

Donny Kohler: [Donnie speaks to the 3 burned corpses of his victims] Fine all the thanks i get.
Donny Kohler: I bring you into my home, i give you love and shelter.
Donny Kohler: [Screams] Better than any of you ever had.
Donny Kohler: You turn on me.
Donny Kohler: I still let you stay.
Donny Kohler: Well... no more.
Body #1: [the corpses start to talk back] We hate you Donny.
Donny Kohler: What...
Body #2: We hate you.
Body #3: We always hated 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 The Cinema Snob: 42nd Street Forever, Volume 1 (2013)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

It's contribution to the genre: the burning scene.

A movie highly inspired by "Psycho" tells the story of Donny, a traumatized man that hates women because as a child he was abused by his mother; she burned his hands (scene is shown in a flashback).

A grown-up Donny keeps his mother's corpse in the 2nd. floor , sitting in a rocking chair (as I remember). Donny's violent conduct against women is a subliminal revenge against his mother but it helps him in order to feel "good". How could Donny get rid of his demons?

*SPOILERS* "Don't Go In The House" is only remembered because of the infamous burning scene. Donny ties a naked woman and later burns her with a flame thrower. Obviously he didn't play with toys as a children. The scene is fantastic for lovers of violence.

Disturbing but it's a creative scene that is a key part of the beginning of the slasher era.

There isn't much to talk about this movie besides the burning scene and the ending. The movie is not a completely rip-off of "Psycho" mainly because of it's slasher elements and late 70's influences in the genre.

The actor who played Donny did a good job and the other cast members were OK for a movie of this kind.

6/10. Watch it only if you are very into the genre. Otherwise it won't entertain you.

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