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Kill of the Week: Gunshot to the Face in ‘The House of the Devil’

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Every week, we spotlight a kill that we just can’t get enough of. This is Kill of the Week.

Countless horror movies released in the past decade have tried to emulate the style and feel of horror movies from the past, whether they’ve aimed to evoke the spirit of a certain film, a certain era or a certain sub-genre. Very few, if any, have captured an intended spirit more than Ti West’s The House of the Devil, a 2009 film that managed to feel like it was ripped straight out of the ’70s.

Set in the early ’80s, The House of the Devil was shot on 16mm, giving it a retro aesthetic that makes it feel like a “satanic panic” movie you would’ve rented on VHS from your local video store back in the day – in fact, the film did actually get a limited edition VHS release!

Nearly every aspect of the film, from the cinematography right down to the wardrobe and the soundtrack (special shout-out to the retro Coke cups) totally nails that ’70s/’80s vibe; The House of the Devil truly is a picture perfect throwback to gems like Rosemary’s Baby, The Omen and even my personal favorite horror movie, Black Christmas.

True to Ti West’s “slow burn” style, The House of the Devil is more than anything an exercise in drawn-out suspense, but there’s one moment that shatters that quiet and foreboding calm with such shocking violence that I’ve never forgotten it these past eight years. And it’s because the movie is otherwise so subdued that this week’s Kill of the Week was so genuinely shocking.

Around the 35-minute mark, a reluctant Megan (Greta Gerwig) drops her friend/main character Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) off at the creepy Ulman house, where Sam has accepted the worst babysitting gig of all time. As she’s driving away, Megan is stopped by Victor Ulman, played by A.J. Bowen. At first, Victor seems like a nice enough guy, helping Megan light her cigarette. But as soon as he realizes she’s not the babysitter, well, that’s when things take a turn for the worse.

To say this particular kill was unexpected the first time I saw The House of the Devil would be an understatement. It happens so suddenly, and is executed so brutally, that I’d have to crown it one of the most truly shocking horror movie death scenes of all time.

Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

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SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

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As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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