Burnt Offerings
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Movie Reviews of Burnt Offerings
Movie Review: 4.35 STARS: I've been waiting for you Ben. -Mrs. Alerdice
Summary: 4 Stars
The movie "Burnt Offerings" is a haunted house movie directed by Dan Curtis. The movie stars Karen Black and Oliver Reed. When I first saw this movie when I was a child, I must admit that no movie had ever scared me as much as this movie did, but a lot had to do with the fact that it was late one night and I was the only one awake at the time.
Released in 1976, "Burnt Offerings" fits right into the 1970's mold horror film. The plot develops rather slowly, but there is no denying the creepy and eerie feeling that this movie provides to the audience along with a suspense that continuously escalates throughout the entire movie.
The acting in this film is outstanding as Karen Black and Oliver Reed deliver terrific performances in their respective roles. Also, Bette Davis does a terrific job as Aunt Elizabeth. The plot centers around a very old mansion that appears a little run down, but yet, has a beauty that absolutely mesmerizes Marianne Rolf (Karen Black), but the Alerdyce's know exactly what their house and their mother need and that is new blood so to speak.
In many ways, this is the quintessential haunted house story, but it goes beyond just that as Ben Rolf (Oliver Reed) must deal with a personal tragedy/horror that haunts him to this day. The house obviously seeks out the weakness of each character in the movie and attacks it with vigor.
Indeed, the house appears to drain the tenants of their very lives and wellbeing, all the while, the house begins to look more and more beautiful. But, the central horror in this film and the element of suspense lies with the mysterious Mrs. Alerdyce, the mother of the brother and sister Alerdyce who are renting the house to the Rolf family. Another horrifying element to this film is the nightmare that Ben Rolf keeps reliving with that unbelievably creepy yet unnamed hearse driver.
The director brilliantly moves the movie along to an incredible climax and absolutely horrifying ending. Perhaps, the film's most evident flaw is that the movie works towards this magnificent ending, all the while the movie's plot develops slowly to prepare the audience for the horrifying conclusion. Nevertheless, "Burnt Offerings" is a classic haunted house story that is worthy of the 4 star rating that I will attach to it. The ending of this movie is the most horrifying conclusion in all of haunted house theatre in my opinion, and some of the best horror you will find anywhere as far as an ending is concerned.
My recommendation is for you to buy this DVD and then watch it late one night when you are ready to focus on a good but slow developing horror movie. Dan Curtis' "Burnt Offerings" is a must own for any horror movie collector, and an all-time horror movie classic.
Movie Review: What a Way to Renovate a House!
Summary: 4 Stars
[This review is part of my 30 Days of Halloween series.]
BURNT OFFERINGS unites three icons of 1960's to 1980's thriller gendre: Karen Black, Bette Davis & Burgess Meredith. Karen Black & Burgess Merdith formed a bizzare daughter-father team in THE DAY OF THE LOCUST(that I reviewed previously.) This film also features veteran actors Oliver Reed & Eileen Heckart.
It has been suggested by other reviewers that the plot is a rip-off of THE SHINING, but I don't accept that. The only similarity is that the male lead (Oliver Reed in OFFERINGS)has gone through some sort of break down. And that's it.
The plot revolves around the small extended family of Black, Reed, Davis as the aging aunt & the family's teenage son. Brother & sister Meredith & Heckhart are off for a vacation & offer the family a much need temporary accomodation in an old mansion (that familiar staple in horror movies.) They ask only a pittance in return--provided Black agrees to care for their mysterious mother, who never leaves her converted attic boudoir. The rest of the family never see the woman, but Black becomes obsessed with her. The husband, son & aunt think this is pretty weired, but they are experiencing big time problems of their own.
Thus the story unfolds with good thrills & some chills.
My favorites scene is when the house begins to regenerate--but you have to see it for yourself.
BURNT OFFERINGS is Kid Friendly.
Trilogy of Terror
Bette Davis Centenary Celebration Collection (All About Eve / Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte / The Virgin Queen / Phone Call from a Stranger / The Nanny)
The Devils (Special Uncut Restored Edition 1971)
Important Documentary Films: The Forgotten Village DVD (1941) Written By John Steinbeck. Narrated By Burgess Meredith. Music By German Composer Hans Eisler.
The Bad Seed
Movie Review: I was so Scuuuuuurrrred! Must be 30 and up to appreciate
Summary: 4 Stars
Man that chaufer or limo driver what ever he was still scares the bajeezums outta me!!I first saw this movie as a 7 year old kid when it aired on channel 11 back in the days before cable or VHS was popular.
I think what made this movie really scarey was the look and sound of it.
It had that misty soft picture and the horror music (especially the music they played when that chauffer of the hearst rolled up on that dirt road near the bushes and Oliver Reed starts sweating bricks thinking he's hallucinating...I don't think he was)
Then what made me and my moms scream out (and I don't scream if not ever at horror movies) was when you start hearing the hearst sputtering and chugging along until you see it and the chauffer rolled up near the front of the house...rattles the door knob having Oliver Reed and Bette Davis SHOOK (literally)and he rolls the coffin in the room on them!!
MAN!! Gave Bette Davis's character the heart attack to kick the bucket! It actually took me 20 something years to get the total story premise to the movie being that it hasn't aired anywhere in that space of time. I purchased the VHS version last year and finally watched it as an adult and figured out the story. I guess the movie was scarier back in the day because today's standards are different, I won't fault a movie because it is dated, it was great for that time in the 70s. This is one of those flicks that you would see on "the outer limits" series or "Twilight Zone".
Concerning the movie itself, it is definitely suspensful, Classic Alfred Hitchcock style...There was no "Mrs. Allerdice" because "Mrs. Allerdice" was really the house. The food Karen Black's character was leaving at the door for "Mrs. Allerdice" to eat was always being eaten by herself and the house was slowly maddening her and possessed her into thinking she was "Mrs. Allerdice". Sure it moves along slow at points but it never lost my interest.
When the house gets tired of you and your family it starts to change...and it's time for you to go...by means of some "freak" accident of some sort. Then the "picture trophies" of the past couple of families who never made it out alive start being displayed on the dresser.
Great movie! Recommended for people 30 and up.
Movie Review: A genuinely creepy haunted house movie
Summary: 4 Stars
Burnt Offerings is a haunted house movie done right. It's creepy, claustrophobic, and features a great cast including horror veteran Karen Black and Oliver Reed.
The story begins when a picturesque couple Marian and Ben along with their son and elderly aunt decide to rent an old mansion for some enjoyment over the summer months. Despite the mansion being a bit run down, the owners offer them a price they can't refuse under the conditions that they maintain the property and tend to the old woman that resides upstairs. The family tries to make themselves comfortable in their new home, but something is a little odd about the house and the effect it has on them. Before long the couple begins experiencing bouts of strange and unexplained behavior. Marian begins spending almost all of her time secluded in the upstairs bedroom with the old woman that nobody has ever seen, and Ben keeps having vivid hallucinations of a creepy hearse driver around the property. Not to mention the house itself in which dead plants mysteriously return to life, a swimming pool that churns itself into turbulent waves, and doors that lock themselves. It soon becomes apparent that phenomenon taking place can be attributed to none other than the spirits of the home's previous inhabitants.
Burnt Offerings is all about the atmosphere. For some it surely comes off as a slow moving, and plotless movie in which there is no real point to be made. However it sports a genuine sense of dread and uneasiness that is rarely achieved. It is comprised of numerous, and strange little happenings that are seemingly unrelated, but you can sense that something dark and ominous is steadily building in the background with a thickening tension throughout. In this respect as well as others, Burnt Offerings is almost remniscient of the Shining, although it doesn't offer as much memorable imagery or music.
Burnt Offerings is a truly scary movie, but to get the full effect you need to watch it without any distractions and let yourself become absorbed into it. It's a great example of how a movie can be very scary with barely any gore at all, and how to build suspense up to a great ending. Highly recommended.
Movie Review: Eternally Evil, This House Demands A Blood Sacrifice
Summary: 4 Stars
"Burnt Offerings" is one of the greatest haunted house horror movies ever made. It rivals that of "The Amityville Horror." Wonderful direction is given by Dan Curtis who is a master of modern gothic horror. He directed numerous television horror hits such as "Trilogy of Terror" and "The Night Stalker." The later spawned a television series of the same title and greatly influenced "The X-Files." He is most famous for his gothic daytime soap opera, "Dark Shadows," of which I was a devoted fan.
This masterpiece of modern gothic horror has a great all star cast that includes Karen Black ("Trilogy of Terror"), Oliver Reed (Hammer Film Production's "Curse of the Werewolf"), Lee Montgomery ("Ben"), Bette Davis ("What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?"), and Burgess Meredith (Amicus Production's "Torture Garden"). Ben and Marian Rolf (Reed and Black), their son Davey (Montgomery), and Aunt Elizabeth (Davis) move into a sprawling, dilapidated mansion for the summer. Mysterious accidents plague the family. Each time blood is shed, the house is rejuvenated, becoming stronger, more malevolent. Soon it becomes apparent that the house has a life of its own and has no intention of letting any of them leave alive.
A creepy atmosphere pervades this chiller. Especially notable are the terrifying visions that Ben has of the chauffeur that was at his mother's funeral. The man was positively frightening with his gaunt, cadaver-like facial features and malevolent smile. I found this film much more terrifying and disturbing than "The Amityville Horror." The ending was quite shocking and downbeat. It reminded me much of Dan Curtis' "Night of Dark Shadows" when Tracy Collins screams hysterically upon realizing the hopelessness of her situation.
"Burnt Offerings" is highly recommended for those who love good old-fashioned stories of ghosts and haunted houses. It is for those who love their horror subtle and suspenseful. You will be required to use your imagination because not everything is explained. That is the nature of the occult world.