Movie Talk: Girlhouse (2014)
"Hey boys, you wanna see my spreadsheet?"
Not gonna lie, this one started off way more disturbing than I was expecting, with some good old violence against children. We see a young boy being humiliated by two girls. He theb promptly murders one of them in surprisingly bloody fashion. Was not expecting that. Obviously it sets the tone as pitch dark, although the tone is not overly serious the entire time. Thank God for that.
Our main character is Kylie, a young woman desperate for cash. She decides that her best bet is to join GirlHouse, a cam site where live cameras are watching a house full of young women 27/7. She seems hesitant to take the dive, but she is desperate for cash. She is sold on the fact that she'll make bank, and that the house and site are safe and secure. Of course a murderous maniac named Loverboy is going to prove that all wrong.
This one is truly for the slasher fans.
Girlhouse does walk a tightrope between sleaze and respectability. The movie doesn't shy away from nudity or simulated sex, but without pausing the film to focus on the smuttier material in the way soft or hardcore films would. Still, this one is very free with the nudity in a way I really don't see in modern horror films, and more specifically slasher films. That does mean this one could get a little uncomfortable in mixing sex, nudity and gory violence. Especially violence against women. While this movie does not feel as blatantly mysoginistic as some slashers can get, it really does run right up to that line a few times. By subject matter alone this one does blend sexualized imagery with some pretty brutal violence. While this doesn't go into SA territory, it does mean you have women running around in lingerie being murdered. I know for a lot of people that is a 100% no go. If that is you I would say skip this one. It isn't to the level of The New York Ripper, but it for sure plays to some of the more dated tropes of the genre.
One thing that surprised me is that the acting in this movie is really good. This is the type of movie that could scare away good talent, but the cast here really show up. These are all mostly young unknowns, but no one is phoning it in. Ali Corbin is our lead, Kylie, and she does a wonderful job making her character feel well rounded and likable. She is really strong final girl. Countering her we have George Carroll as Loverboy. He does a wonderful job making him both terrifying, and almost pitiable. He is an impossing force, but there are moments where he throws in a quivering lip or a frightened glance that layers his performance. They also give him some screen time before he snaps and starts a slaying, so actually feels like a character. Once he dons his mask, though, he becomes a force of nature. The rest of the cast is strong, and really give the movie life. The residents of Girlhouse are not super developed, but they are mostly likable, and all of them are enjoyable to watch. They take what little character they have and make them interesting, and fun. The cast really does give their all.
The script is pretty well fleshed out, although I have a feeling this could have gone cheap and sleazy... Well, sleazier in the wrong hands. Strong production values, and solid direction give this one a polished look that movies like this don't normally get. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into this movie, and it shows on the screen. This one avoids lengthy padding, and has a solid pace that builds into a frenzied chase as Loverboy breaks into the house.
I mentioned it earlier, but this one is violent. I mean, we aren't at Terrifier levels of gore, but this is a slasher, first and foremost. Outside of the disturbing beginning, the rest of the violence is pretty intense and brutal. When Loverboy attacks he is a force of rage that overtakes his victims. While the gore isn't always front and center on the screen, the violence is brutal. This movie is actually pretty smart in knowing what to show, and what to imply. That is an important skill when it comes to horrifying your audience without overwhelming them. There are a few goofy deaths as well. Specifically a character dies by being suffocated by an adult toy. Most deaths though, play it pretty straight.
There are also some solid suspence moments. A top one for me is a guy is watching one of the girls, and he spots Loverboy moving through the room in the shadows, and the guy watching is trying to warn her. The scene is tense and creepy in all the best ways. This basically takes the general concept from Halloween Resurrection but does it well.
Girlhouse isn't really the dirtiest movie I have covered on the blog, but it for sure aims to be sleazier than it's contemporaries. This feels like something you would see in the 70's, not 2014. Gotta say, I have to give this one a recommendation if you want something down, dirty, mean and nasty. Maybe not for those who prefer their horror a little more classy, though. Fans of movies like Slumber Party Massacre and Sorority House Massacre will enjoy this one. It for sure feels like it fits into the Corman Massacre movie tradition.
Comments
Post a Comment