House (film series)
A horror series of haunted houses and supernatural events.
The *House* film series consists of four American horror movies released from 1985 to 1992, with a fifth currently in development. Beyond horror, the franchise incorporates elements of psychological thriller, supernatural, slasher, comedy, and adventure. The first film’s plot came from an original story by Fred Dekker, and later installments expanded on his core idea. Each movie focuses on supernatural occurrences in haunted houses and follows the families living there.
The original film received mixed reviews at first but later gained a cult following in horror. Its box office success led the studio to quickly greenlight a standalone sequel, written and directed by the first film’s screenwriter. That sequel was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews and modest box office returns, though it too developed a cult audience over time. The third film was a financial and critical failure, though some aspects have been praised in modern retrospectives. After financial losses, the fourth movie was made on a microbudget and released direct-to-video in the U.S., riding the wave of video rental popularity, with a limited theatrical run abroad. It disappointed financially and received negative reactions from critics and audiences alike, yet it became number one in Italian theaters and is now acknowledged by modern critics as a return to form for the series.
**Films**
**House (1985)** Roger Cobb, a once-popular author struggling with writer’s block, is pressured by his publisher to produce a new novel. His personal life is in shambles: he and his wife are separated after their young son disappeared. When his elderly aunt commits suicide in her home, Cobb inherits the house. Despite warnings from others, he moves in to write. The publisher wants a horror story, but Cobb chooses to base his book on his Vietnam War experiences. Soon after settling in, he suffers terrifying nightmares and encounters strange phenomena in broad daylight. Attacks by otherworldly beings drive him to confide in those around him, but his neighbor questions his sanity. Cobb discovers a portal in the house leading to another dimension, where he finds his son, Jimmy. After rescuing him, he must also confront the ghosts of his past, including a manifestation of his fallen comrade, Big Ben. Cobb works through his inner demons to reunite with his family.
**House II: The Second Story (1987)** J
- Number of films
- 4 (with a fifth in production)
- Release years
- 1985 to 1992
- Genres
- Horror, psychological thriller, supernatural, slasher, comedy, adventure
- First film writer
- Fred Dekker
- Notable film
- House (1985) – cult classic
Lore & Background
The series began with House (1985), which follows troubled author Roger Cobb as he inherits his aunt's house after her suicide. There, he experiences nightmares and attacks from otherworldly entities, eventually finding a gateway to another dimension where he rescues his missing son. The film was initially met with mixed critical reception but later became a cult classic. Its financial success led to a standalone sequel, House II: The Second Story (1987), written and directed by the first installment's screenwriter. That film follows Jesse McLaughlin and friends who discover an Aztec crystal skull that awakens his ancestor's spirit and opens portals through time. It received overwhelmingly negative critical reaction and mild box office returns, but later gained a cult following.
Reader's Guide
The third film, House III: The Horror Show (1989), was developed as a sequel but marketed without the House name in the U.S. due to its darker tone. It follows Detective Lucas McCarthy, who is haunted by the spirit of a serial killer he helped execute. The film was both a monetary and critical failure, though some aspects have received praise in modern retrospective analysis. The fourth and final film, House IV: The Repossession (1992), was produced with a microbudget and given a direct-to-home video release in the U.S., with limited theatrical release in other countries. It features the return of Roger Cobb, now deceased, whose spirit warns his family about a plot to sell their land for toxic waste disposal. The film was a financial disappointment and received negative reception, but was number one in Italian theaters upon its release, and modern critics acknowledge its return-to-form for the series. The series as a whole has maintained a cult following despite mixed critical and commercial fortunes.
Did You Know?
- The first film was based on an original story by Fred Dekker.
- House III: The Horror Show was marketed without the House name in the U.S. theatrical release.
- House IV: The Repossession was number one in Italian theaters upon its release.
- The series has a fifth installment in production.
More in Horror film series 1-24
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