Rob Zombie is not one to leave an opportunity to shock and repulse his audience on the table. Nearly all of his feature films depict grotesque acts of depraved brutality, sure to turn the stomach of even the most seasoned gorehound. So, the claim that the director’s “most twisted film is on HBO Max” doesn’t really narrow the field all that much, does it? With that in mind, I’ll just get down to it and let the cat out of the bag. HBO Max is now streaming the shock rocker’s directorial debut, House of 1000 Corpses.
It’s a nasty piece of grindhouse cinema that doesn’t get everything right, but still pays loving tribute to some of the films that inspired the director, while delivering a uniquely nasty flavor all its own.
Zombie’s directorial debut takes inspiration from classic horror films like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Tourist Trap, and The Funhouse. The proceedings revolve around a group of four friends on a cross-country road trip who are touring quirky roadside attractions and writing a book about their experience. Unfortunately for the core foursome, they encounter the Firefly Family, a twisted group of homicidal maniacs.
Although the film failed to win over the majority of critics, it nonetheless resonated with gorehounds and remains a cult classic to this day. Fans have praised the film for its effective use of color and unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries. You can see exactly what I mean by perusing the social media reactions below:
I tend to side with the fans rather than critics on this one. I think House of 1000 Corpses is a lot of fun and deserves more love than it tends to get. In fact, I wrote a Dread Central editorial saying as much a while back. The headline dubs the flick “A Loving Tribute to the Grindhouse Sleaze of Years Past.”
My coverage takes care to praise the depraved Firefly Family as the real stars of the show, making a case for why it’s almost intuitive to relate to them more than the actual protagonists. More specifically, I said, “The ruthless antiheroes bring to mind a (much) more colorful version of the ruthless Frank Zito in William Lustig’s Maniac. They possess a comparable level of depravity. Yet, somehow, they wind up stealing each and every scene in which they appear.”
If you’re in the mood for some sleazy fun, make your way over to HBO Max and give House of 1000 Corpses a spin.
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