This special limited edition spot gloss and embossed slipcover (designed by Robert Sammelin) is limited to 5,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Meredith Stone, a home care nurse, has been assigned the duty of looking after a wealthy invalid named Ivar Langrock. Cooped up in Langrock's stately country mansion, Meredith quickly suspects that someone sinister is lurking in the manor's dark halls only to discover that Ivar's demented and violent son has been locked away in a hidden room. Shortly thereafter, Ivar's grandson Gabriel also moves into the house and with his arrival a mysterious killer soon begins murdering members of the Langrock family along with their live-in staff.
An unjustly obscure early slasher made while the genre was still discovering and establishing its key tropes, Alan Beattie's THE HOUSE WHERE DEATH LIVES (aka Delusion) offers a twisted murder mystery which bridges the more nuanced and character-driven thrillers of the 70s with the stalk-and-slash structure of the early 80s. Starring Patricia Pearcy (Squirm) and John Dukakis (Jaws 2) along with Hollywood legend Joseph Cotten (The Third Man), Vinegar Syndrome is proud to bring this hidden gem of spooky-old-house atmosphere and blood-soaked mayhem to Blu-ray, newly restored in 4K from its 35mm camera negative and presented in its longest and most complete version ever released on home video.
directed by: Alan Beattie
starring: Patricia Pearcy, John Dukakis, Joseph Cotten, David Hayward, Alice Nunn, Patrick Pankhurst
1981 / 91 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.3445377 / 5 from 119 reviews.
The House Where Death Lives is a limited edition Blu-ray featuring a restored 4K transfer, original art, and a gripping gothic mystery with slasher elements. This hidden gem from the early 80s offers a suspenseful thriller experience with twists and turns, making it a must-have for horror enthusiasts.
Review topics: [quality, looks, effort, piece, packaging, buy, film, movie, slasher, transfer, horror, flick, thriller, art, release, mystery, story, title, house, restoration, artwork, slipcover, vibe, performances, lives, cast, twist, features, score, kills].
"Okay, first of all, Large Marge is in this. That really made my day. But, yeah, this one’s a fairly slow-moving horror mystery with a really dumb twist at the end. It’s well-made with some good atmosphere at least."
"Love the packaging for this one. The film is a decent slasher"
"This movie starts with a very old formula. . . a young woman comes to work in a rambling mansion inhabited by a variety of strange individuals, including a borderline feral young man. Sounds like the set up for hundreds of gothic novels and dozens of suspsense films with gothic overtones. Well, 'Delusion' follows the formula nicely, if one excuses the fact it takes place in the modern day. . . and then people start dying. Is the killer the young grandson of the master of the house? Is it the ever-present flirtatious attorney? Or perhaps the friendly old cook? Or maybe the mystery of who the killer is is revealed by the title? As a bargain-basement film (which this is), 'Delusion' is a fair effort. . . solid 'Midday Movie'-type fair. The actors in it are capable, the cinematography passable, and there have been far worse scripts filmed. It's about at the level of some of the chillers from the 40s and 50s. . . the B-ones. Its greatest sin, actually, is the fact that the title DOES spoil the flimsy mystery present here."
"Interesting horror that is more a a snooze fest. I enjoy slow burn horror, but this did not have much to hold my interest. Moments of interest do occur in the first two acts when Joseph Cotton is on screen. However, he is not on screen enough. If you can make it to the third act, then it gets pretty enjoyable. Just no quite enough to make this an overall winner. The film does look great and the packaging is on point."
"Great visuals. Movie was just okay but I love older stuff like this."
"Atmospheric early 80s slasher, really enjoyed"
"I don't really remember this one, but I love the artwork :)"
"Great atmosphere"
"Outstanding murder mystery/slasher! Seriously underrated moody little flick with surprise twists & great characters, and always nice to see Alice Nunn (PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE’s "Large Marge") get creepy screen time! Razor sharp restoration too - Highly Recommended!"
"Joseph Cotten and Patricia Pearcy are wonderful. The movie is good and thoroughly enjoyable. Well done. Also a great restoration/presentation."
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