Basement Whatever

I’ve seen House countless times, and nearly every time I get something new out of it. My experience has gone from “bizarre and WTF did I just watch” to “a very goofy, charming horror comedy” to “a goofy haunted house movie that’s also an emotional fairy tale about the effects of WWII on everyone young and old.” Its initial reputation, and permanent history on the back of the Criterion cover is honestly a tragedy. Sure, for a first time viewing its mishmash of descriptions preps you well, but for subsequent viewings, its legacy being “an episode of Scooby Doo directed by Mario Bava” almost feels like a joke. House is still goofy, visually bizarre and has a lot of moments that are genuinely funny and charming, but the emotional core of the movie is the Aunt, and its post-WWII generational trauma is unavoidable when watching the movie.
— Read on www.perisphere.org/2025/10/19/a-hit-before-it-was-made-and-a-fairy-tale-ahead-of-its-time-how-nobuhiko-obayashi-made-house/