Loads of fashionable movies attempt to bottle the magic of Eighties horror, however most miss the mark. Shiny neon, synth-heavy soundtracks, and reversion costumes aren’t sufficient to recreate the creeping dread of the period. One film that truly nails it’s The Home of the Satan, and you may stream it totally free proper now on Tubi.
Directed by Ti West, this slow-burn thriller leans into every little thing that made ’80s horror so memorable: grainy visuals, unsettling ambiance, and stress that builds till it is nearly insufferable. As an alternative of counting on soar scares, it channels classics like Halloween and When a Stranger Calls with a contemporary edge that makes it really feel timeless.
The story follows Samantha, a school pupil who takes a babysitting job in a secluded mansion to make fast money. What begins as an abnormal evening spirals right into a sinister ordeal that performs out with chilling precision. Should you’re craving an genuine retro horror expertise, The Home of the Satan delivers.
This horror flick is gory, grim and shockingly true to its classic setting.
From the opening credit, The Home of the Satan units the tone with a ridiculously correct and detailed retro aesthetic. It does not simply happen within the Eighties — it feels prefer it was made then. The grainy movie texture, era-appropriate costumes and hair are completely good. It is set to a curated soundtrack with tracks together with The Fixx’s One Factor Leads To One other and The Greg Kihn Band’s The Break Up Tune. The film does not simply really feel prefer it’s dressing up in ’80s tropes however prefer it was birthed from that point.
The film was shot on 16mm movie, creating its specialised throwback look. It lifts cinematography straight from ’80s filmmakers together with a slew of different strategies to evoke classics of the period. Every thing, all the way down to the credit, is interval correct and I appreciated all the eye given to creating positive every little thing matches, all the way down to the cups on the pizza restaurant seen early within the film.
The Ulmans have a secret cause why they employed Sam to look at “Mom.”
Sam realizes one thing is amiss when she stumbles upon proof that the household who employed her for the babysitting job is not the identical one within the pictures. Realizing she may need been deceived, she makes an attempt a 911 name however she’s already eaten a chunk of tainted pizza. She passes out simply as she will get a glimpse of what precisely it’s she’s been employed to “babysit.”
The film’s path is fraught with grisly moments (simply ask Sam’s finest pal Megan, performed by Barbie director Greta Gerwig), with believably ugly sensible results that unsettle and chill to the bone. The hideous “Mom,” who Sam discovers is related to her authentic job, is an instance of ’80s filmmaking that might have made audiences sick to their stomachs.
Sam’s pal Megan will not be happy in any respect by the scenario on the Ulmans’ home.
With out spoiling the climax, The Home of the Satan maintains a gnawing, upsetting sense of dread all through its runtime. It is not afraid to make use of themes of isolation, the unknown and betrayal to maintain you on the sting of your seat, which I appreciated on my first viewing and solely grew to like extra with every rewatch. As horrific because the story is, I firmly consider that this film would not have been potential with out its dedication to staying true to the period that impressed it.
Should you’re searching for a horror film that does not depend on low cost soar scares or the overwrought parable “intercourse is unhealthy” with a bunch of teenagers being picked off one after the other, The Home of the Satan is without doubt one of the finest flicks you can put in your Halloween viewing listing. It brings the golden years of ’80s horror to life in plausible, decadent ways in which’ll have you ever squirming in your seat. I am nonetheless unpacking the gagworthy climax and I wager you’ll be too.
