The House by the Cemetery
Seen it?1981 | 87 min | Horror
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With middling reviews (40% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a lukewarm 6.3 out of 10 from audiences, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for horror fans. If you loved The Evil Dead, start here.
- The mood
- Scary and gory.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 27 min.
- What might put you off
- Some graphic violence despite the NR rating.
- It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
After a doctor kills his mistress and himself while researching the mysterious previous owner of his Boston home, his colleague, Dr. Norman Boyle, takes over his studies and moves his family into the Boston mansion. Soon after, Boyle's young son Bob becomes plagued by visions of a young girl, who warns him of the danger within the house.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
40% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesBelow par
6.3 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$2 million worldwide on a $785K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 45K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Lucio Fulci
- Catriona MacCollLucy Boyle
- Paolo MalcoDr. Norman Boyle
- Ania PieroniAnn, the Babysitter
- Giovanni FrezzaBob Boyle
- Silvia CollatinaMae Freudstein
- Dagmar LassanderLaura Gittleson
- Giovanni De NavaDr. Freudstein
- Gianpaolo SaccarolaDaniel Douglas
- Carlo De MejoMr. Wheatley
- Kenneth A. OlsenHarold