On the one hand, three minutes of voiceover introducing characters isn't the best start for a horror film, and one may reasonably fear that the thrust of the whole will be little more than the gentle thematic horror we often saw in the 1940s (i.e., the very idea of A Thing is supposed to be titillating). On the other hand, our first scene following the opening credits portend a tale of corruption, manipulation, and induction more akin to those genre flicks we enjoy most as devil worshippers scheme to draw in more followers and gain power. On the one hand, small touches like having two women fighting (recalling 'Manos: The hands of fate'), or setting a scene in a burial ground in hopes of Instant Atmosphere, are a gauche touch. On the other hand, rich dramatic music, and a ritual dance intended to reflect the seductive allure of Satan, are genuinely nice touches. Then again, excessive use of the latter quickly becomes just as gauche - and we get five such scenes. See the pattern yet?
For better and for worse, 'House of the black death' goes back and forth like this throughout its length. Some of the scene writing is promising, while other instances are limp. Some instances of Harold Daniels' direction are strong and inviting; others are flaccid and unconvincing - and the acting is impacted in turn. There are a lot of great ideas in the narrative; then again, it sometimes feels like the tale boils down to a struggle between family for money and prestige at least as much if not more than a saga of Satanism. There are also substantial notes in the dialogue of snobbish, prejudiced pooh-poohing of non-Christian religion that simply don't sit well with broad-minded viewers. A lot of these lines are given to Jerome Thor as the character Eric, and regrettably, Thor also bears a rough, deep, grating, wooden timbre and delivery that (a) reminds of John Wayne (NOT a favorable comparison), and (b) means that all those scenes that make him talk drag down the pacing, and our favor.
I think there is much to like here, and though they struggle sometimes with the material and the direction, I believe that includes the committed acting of the cast. Would that the cast had more to do, because too often it feels like 'House of the black death' relies a tad too much on dialogue without a lot of movement, let alone action, or scenes that would invite the sinister vibes we crave. On that note, that the story trends more toward Brother Versus Brother than it does toward devil worship and ascending power, and that those scenes portraying the Satanists are mostly rendered so very flatly and also trend toward dialogue, dampens what potential the plot could have had at its best. All the ideas are here, but they present in proportions and forms that often don't come off very well, and the storytelling subsequently comes off as fairly scattered and weak. Even the climax sadly suffers from the noted faults, and still others, and it falls short of hitting the peak that it should.
In all earnestness I think this is significantly better than too many other horror flicks, not least as it broaches the subject matter in a fashion that many of its contemporaries or forebears refused to (particularly with regards to how it ultimately ends). We do actually get some meaningful horror flavors, and while I wish we got more, mostly I just wish they were used in smarter and more impactful manners. At its worst this is only on par with a lot of other titles from the mid-twentieth century. Suffice to say, however, that it remains less than essential, and when all is said and done I quite think it's only those viewers who are receptive to all the wide variety that the genre has to offer who will be especially able to appreciate it. I think I can honestly say that I like 'House of the black death' in some measure, but I'm not inclined to argue with those who don't. Set this aside as something lighter to watch on a lazy, quiet day, and maybe that's the best way to have a good time with it.
For better and for worse, 'House of the black death' goes back and forth like this throughout its length. Some of the scene writing is promising, while other instances are limp. Some instances of Harold Daniels' direction are strong and inviting; others are flaccid and unconvincing - and the acting is impacted in turn. There are a lot of great ideas in the narrative; then again, it sometimes feels like the tale boils down to a struggle between family for money and prestige at least as much if not more than a saga of Satanism. There are also substantial notes in the dialogue of snobbish, prejudiced pooh-poohing of non-Christian religion that simply don't sit well with broad-minded viewers. A lot of these lines are given to Jerome Thor as the character Eric, and regrettably, Thor also bears a rough, deep, grating, wooden timbre and delivery that (a) reminds of John Wayne (NOT a favorable comparison), and (b) means that all those scenes that make him talk drag down the pacing, and our favor.
I think there is much to like here, and though they struggle sometimes with the material and the direction, I believe that includes the committed acting of the cast. Would that the cast had more to do, because too often it feels like 'House of the black death' relies a tad too much on dialogue without a lot of movement, let alone action, or scenes that would invite the sinister vibes we crave. On that note, that the story trends more toward Brother Versus Brother than it does toward devil worship and ascending power, and that those scenes portraying the Satanists are mostly rendered so very flatly and also trend toward dialogue, dampens what potential the plot could have had at its best. All the ideas are here, but they present in proportions and forms that often don't come off very well, and the storytelling subsequently comes off as fairly scattered and weak. Even the climax sadly suffers from the noted faults, and still others, and it falls short of hitting the peak that it should.
In all earnestness I think this is significantly better than too many other horror flicks, not least as it broaches the subject matter in a fashion that many of its contemporaries or forebears refused to (particularly with regards to how it ultimately ends). We do actually get some meaningful horror flavors, and while I wish we got more, mostly I just wish they were used in smarter and more impactful manners. At its worst this is only on par with a lot of other titles from the mid-twentieth century. Suffice to say, however, that it remains less than essential, and when all is said and done I quite think it's only those viewers who are receptive to all the wide variety that the genre has to offer who will be especially able to appreciate it. I think I can honestly say that I like 'House of the black death' in some measure, but I'm not inclined to argue with those who don't. Set this aside as something lighter to watch on a lazy, quiet day, and maybe that's the best way to have a good time with it.