The Horror Show (1989)

What a lame title. Seriously. This only promotes the next Nicholas Sparks movie to be named: The Sappy Love Story or Tyler Perry starring in Madea's Transgender Fight with Trump.This unofficial House Part III was such typical 80s horror VHS sequel, it's a shocker it went to the Silver Screen. Further, like the other horror flick, Ocra, I'm also shocked this didn't get sued for blatantly stealing from A Nightmare on Elm Street or the upcoming, at the time, Shocker, from producer Sean S. Cunningham's friend Wes Craven.I digress, this movie was okay and actually had its moments, but overall it was horribly miscast, from the Bishop lead to his horribly bland wife to his National Lampoon's Vacation kids to the "stupid-laugh" villain.Stepping back a bit. No offense against actress Rita Taggart who played our "hero's" wife, but damn, she was awful to look at in this movie. Not talking about her looks, but how bland she was and uninterested she looked to be in this feature. I'm sure Taggart went onto better projects, and hey! She appeared in Where the Bears Are! Good for her!I digress, again. Captured serial killer gets the electric chair only to return to haunt the family of the cop who brought him down. Sound familiar? Well, granted Shocker hadn't come out at the point of The Horror Show's release, but given this movie centers around a deceased serial killer who cuts open his victims and after death comes back via basement furnace to haunt teenagers and the final battle (spoiler, sorry) ends in a broiler room that eventually brings the killer back to the real world. Huh. I would think Sean's friend, Wes, would be a little less flattered and more egging to call his attorney back then. It's certainly not the worst movie I've seen, but at least it got the House series back to horror and an R-Rating. Even when the audience didn't know this was part of the House series.***Final thoughts: This is probably my first movie I've seen from the writer: Alan Smithee. Man, if we had internet back then, this Smithee thing would never have flown. (Too long of a story to explain. Look it up, you movie amateurs. Haha.)

The Horror Show is an amazing movie. It has everything a horror movie should have, I can't think of one thing I didn't like or that it's missing. The acting is great and while it is 99% horror, it does have some comedy mixed in, but it only adds to the movie. This movie only gets better with time.10/10

Although "The Horror Show" was marketed outside of the U.S. as a sequel to the "House" movies, it has nothing to do with either of the previous entries in the series. The only thing in common with those two is the movie's production crew and the fact that it's about a house in which supernatural happenings occur. There are a few unintentionally hilarious parts to be found in the film, but overall it's a mess that really comes unraveled in the end.After seemingly dying in the electric chair, mass murderer Max Jenke (Brion James) returns from the dead seeking revenge on the detective who captured him, Lucas McCarthy (Lance Henriksen). The killer is now in spirit form and able to manifest himself anywhere he pleases. He begins terrorizing McCarthy's family with every intention of killing them one by one. The desperate McCarthy must find a way to put a stop to Jenke's bloody trail of retribution."The Horror Show" is rated R for violence, gore, adult situations, nudity, and language. It's pretty much par for the course when it comes to horror movies of the 1980s and 1990s. I'm positive it was mandatory to have at least one nude scene in all of these types of films during that era.There are those who say it's all about the journey and not where you're going. If that's a mantra you live by, "The Horror Show" may be worth a watch for you. I would like to mention that throughout the film, Lance Henriksen and Brion James do pour their hearts into their respective roles. All I can say is it's nowhere near as entertaining as I remember it being when I first saw it on cable back in the day. I'm rather lenient when it comes to my horror and slasher films, but this was a bigger mess than I'm able to make excuses for and just accept.

First of all, this has been mentioned many a times before, but this film is not a part of "The House" series. I could go on explaining why, but just watch all four films and you will understand.This is a different movie in style and tone. It is very reminiscent of Wes Craven's Shocker (which was also made in 1989 and despite being a low-budget film itself is much better and more entertaining). Basically it is a horror thriller about a tough cop and a killer he wouldn't stay dead even after being executed. There is, of course, a professor with some totally stupid theory about how pure evil can be transformed to electricity and so electrocuting someone just makes them immortal and omnipotent ... you can clearly see the writers were pulling this plot point out of their asses. They simply saw "Shocker" and thought "Hey, this is a neat idea, let's use it in our movie". As the killer gets stronger, the cop's world start falling apart, he becomes the main suspect in the new killings, the usual clichés are thrown at us one at a time. You can even play the guessing game which one comes next.What bothered me the most were the constant flashbacks and nightmares. The film actually starts with a flashback in a dream that's really happening in another dream. Wrap your head around that one.What are really liked about it were the two main actors Lance Henriksen and Brion James. It was fun to watch them as they are both talented actors and were great in their roles. The rest of the cast is OK, even though forgettable.So, did I like the film? Yes, I did. It was fun to watch (if you can look past its flaws and plot holes). It's not a part of House trilogy and is a story of its own. Take it for what it is and you too can spend enjoyable 90 minutes.