Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Hollywood Horror House Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 5, 2020

While 1970’s “Hollywood Horror House” provides a lively cult movie viewing experience, it never quite tops its opening sequence. Writer/director Donald Wolfe introduces the audience to the Hollywood of yesterday, which was fueled by star power, with actors selling their glamour and polish to the masses, creating a unique time in the entertainment industry when such incredible fame could be achieved just by appearing in features, creating tremendous excitement. Wolfe cooks up an introductory montage of glitz before cutting to the then-current state of the Hollywood Sign, carefully photographed by the production, using main title time to study its rusted, peeling appearance, signaling the end of Old Hollywood and the dead splendor of the town. It’s a powerful statement on the changing times, and the last bit of intelligent commentary from Wolfe, who quickly leaps into the B-movie muck with this riff on multiple dramas and thrillers, endeavoring to create a nightmare for the drive-in audience using the remnants of a bygone era of stardom and filmmaking.

Katharine (Miriam Hopkins) was once the toast of the town, starring in hit features and hosting lively parties, turning her mansion into celebration of her life and work. However, the years have not been kind to the actress, who lost her husband and can’t escape the grip of alcoholism, which has triggered an accident, leaving her confined to a wheelchair. Surrounded by servants Greta (Virginia Wing) and Mildred (Florence Lake), Katharine’s needs are met by manager Leslie (Gale Sondergaard), who maintains the household, eventually hiring a nurse in Vic (David Garfield). A hippie with a chip on his shoulder, Vic also happens to be a serial killer, searching for cheap thrills and a meal ticket with his new job, quickly seducing Greta and accepting moves from Katharine, who’s needy, delighted with the new addition’s lively, youthful energy. Exposing the aging film star to the counterculture world of drugs and dance, Vic is also struggling with his own fried mind, dealing with powerful mommy issues he needs heroin to manage.

It’s amazing that Vic is even considered to become Katharine’s nurse, arriving to the interview filled with sarcastic comments and insults, including the first of many toward Greta, an Asian woman the newcomer happily pesters with stereotype humor. Vic’s a jerk, but he’s welcomed into the household by Leslie, with Wolfe showing little finesse when creating an opening sense of seduction for the villain. He comes in raging (riding on the back of a Hollywood home tour bus) and remains that way, inserting himself into a home populated with women, leaving him the alpha male with pronounced behavioral problems. Of course, Greta falls in love with him, Mildred learns to tolerate him, and Leslie chooses to keep her distance, leaving the young man to Katharine, who begins a semi-“Sunset Boulevard” relationship with the stranger. She adores his attention, showing Vic movies from her past, and their union becomes something sexual, allowing the monster easier access to what he’s looking for: domination.

“Hollywood Horror House” is blunt, but it’s effective, especially during the first hour, which highlights Vic’s slow takeover of the mansion, making time for Katharine and her obsessions with the past. He’s also taking lives, burying bodies in the front yard, and spends his downtime shooting up junk and recalling motherly abuse, giving the movie its “Psycho” moves, keeping Vic haunted by psychedelic imagery of his guardian being ravaged by a group of men, leaving the boy to watch. The hippie invasion extends to Vic’s manipulation of Katharine, even rolling her into a freak-out party populated with crazies and druggies, though the screen star is only interested in drinking, reviving her alcoholism with a passion. The period touches are amazing to watch, as Wolfe captures the 1970 struggle between the establishment and the unwashed, untamed youth, who eventually storm the legend’s household, finally snapping Leslie to attention. There’s a bit of Old Hollywood commentary as well, showcased during a dinner party sequence where Katharine hopes to tap into old glory, only to reinforce the museum-like state of her life, leaving her open to Vic’s influence.

“Hollywood Horror House” (also titled “Savage Intruder,” which is a more apt description of the picture) doesn’t evolve into a tale of serial murder. Instead, it loses interest in the macabre aspects of the plot, with Wolfe more open to the relationship between Katharine and Vic, showcasing their strange union, where the older woman has no real clue what the demented hippie is up to, despite his general lack of emotion. Behavioral clues don’t connect, but Wolfe (making his one and only movie) is simply trying to keep the feature on task as a slow descent into insanity, mixing in murder and intimidation. There’s no thunderous quality to “Hollywood Horror House,” but it does have the appeal of the time period, watching the characters navigate different appreciations for Hollywood’s evolution (a strange scene finds Katharine at a Christmas parade, insulting the new, seedier version of Hollywood Boulevard), and performances are wholly committed, with Hopkins (in the final role of her career) working especially hard to make the manic ways of her character stick to the screen, doing a wonderful job communicating the death of spirit. She’s supported well by Sondergaard (a blacklisted actress making her return to the industry), and Garfield projects pure sleaze as Vic, defining his appetites but not always his appeal.

Hollywood Horror House Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Billed as "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative," "Hollywood Horror House" enjoys some unexpected love from Vinegar Syndrome. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is bright and clear, offering a defined look at frame particulars, which includes plenty of decorative additions in the household. Facial particulars are sharp, and costuming is fibrous, ranging from staff uniforms to more ornate eveningwear, fully bejeweled. Colors are explosive, with a full blast of acid hues with psychedelic lighting and poster art. Primaries are just as deep, focusing intensively on reds and blues. Skintones are natural. Delineation is secure, losing nothing to evening events. Source is in strong condition. Grain is fine and film-like.

Hollywood Horror House Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix contributes a clear understanding of dialogue exchanges, handling Hopkins and her preference to yell her performance quite well. Intelligibility isn't threatened, with strong voices supporting dramatic endeavors. Scoring handles with satisfactory instrumentation, offering a bit more rock music oomph for party sequences. Sound effects are direct.

Hollywood Horror House Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians David Decoteau and David Del Valle.

• Image Gallery (1:38) collects film stills.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Hollywood Horror House Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hollywood Horror House" isn't a scary movie, it's more psychological and cultural than simply frightening. It's also not made with the greatest care, as editing is a tad confusing at times, limiting momentum. The screenplay doesn't have a terrific second half as well, leading to an underwhelming ending. However, with cult film goggles on, there's something to appreciate with the campy extremes of the picture, and its defined performances, which grow to support sinister business when Wolfe fails it. It's not richly detailed, but as something junky and specifically attentive to California ills, "Hollywood Horror House" is quite entertaining.