Proto-maniac with a really infectious energy that manages to be nonsensical while also being strangely profound and breathing new life into the psycho-biddy genre and commenting on the death of old Hollywood. It’s basically Sunset Boulevard if Joe Gillis was a serial killer.
Hollywood Horror House isn’t really as revelatory as it should have been in the end, but it at least deserves praise for its blend of hagsploitation with slasher elements, telling the story of two demented people (in totally different ways) who find solace in each other. For a while at least.
Really love the opening credits with the decaying Hollywood sign as a metaphor for lost stardom. It’s so atmospheric and sets a foreboding tone.
The rest of the film kinda ditches that foreboding tone for excess, but it’s still an entertaining ride. The costumes are chic🍷✨ and I love how hammy the acting is from everyone. The gore gets crazy at times for a film released in 1970.
Wish Vic’s psychology was explored more. He was very much giving Frank Zito vibes, he’s just a hotter version. So Lana del rey coded. My personal reading of him (which may be a huuuge stretch) is that he targets the middle aged women of Hollywood because he saw his mom in them when they were young and now he wants them to be young forever, which may be why he put a mannequin in place of Katherine when he killed her - cos they’e young and flawless. Maybe I’m just saying shit idk. I kinda just wanna hug him.
Wasn’t shocked to learn that the director, Donald Wolfe was a film historian, cos this film is packed with references and reverence for Hollywood and its glamour.
Anyways, high camp that’s actually more sophisticated than it gets credit for. I already wanna rewatch.
Proto-maniac with a really infectious energy that manages to be nonsensical while also being strangely profound and breathing new life into the psycho-biddy genre and commenting on the death of old Hollywood. It’s basically Sunset Boulevard if Joe Gillis was a serial killer.
Hollywood Horror House isn’t really as revelatory as it should have been in the end, but it at least deserves praise for its blend of hagsploitation with slasher elements, telling the story of two demented people (in totally different ways) who find solace in each other. For a while at least.
Really love the opening credits with the decaying Hollywood sign as a metaphor for lost stardom. It’s so atmospheric and sets a foreboding tone.
The rest of the film kinda ditches that foreboding tone for excess, but it’s still an entertaining ride. The costumes are chic🍷✨ and I love how hammy the acting is from everyone. The gore gets crazy at times for a film released in 1970.
Wish Vic’s psychology was explored more. He was very much giving Frank Zito vibes, he’s just a hotter version. So Lana del rey coded. My personal reading of him (which may be a huuuge stretch) is that he targets the middle aged women of Hollywood because he saw his mom in them when they were young and now he wants them to be young forever, which may be why he put a mannequin in place of Katherine when he killed her - cos they’e young and flawless. Maybe I’m just saying shit idk. I kinda just wanna hug him.
Wasn’t shocked to learn that the director, Donald Wolfe was a film historian, cos this film is packed with references and reverence for Hollywood and its glamour.
Anyways, high camp that’s actually more sophisticated than it gets credit for. I already wanna rewatch.
