PREVIEW: It was the 80s, and low budget horror was at an all–time high. Case–in–point: The Hearse. I just watched this movie late last night (early morning) and found it to be interesting and entertaining enough. However, at the same time, I wasn't expecting too much after seeing the two–star rating it received after pressing the "Info" button on my cable's remote control. Maybe that's why I actually enjoyed most of it, and perhaps you will, too, if you decide to view the film if/when it pops up on late night television.
SYNOPSIS: Trish Van Devere plays Jane, a teacher having trouble coping with the stress in her life and who decides to move in to her late aunt's home in the country. Once reaching the country, she quickly realizes that the town's people aren't too friendly towards her, and she soon ties in these unwelcome greetings to the the home she is residing in. Joseph Cotton makes his presence known right away as the former caretaker of the house for the last 37 years and clearly states that he believes the house should be his. Jane is, of course, taken aback by this comments, but her sunny attitude prevents her from being disparaged by his rudeness. Jane forges on and begins fixing up the old house with the help of a local teenager, who secretly has a crush on her. As the story unfolds, Jane begins to realize that the house may be haunted as she starts seeing things. These "incidents" as well as the town's folks' reactions to her joining the community prevent Jane from fully committing to living in the house permanently. She wrestles with the thought of merely staying in the home until the end of summer. She also realizes, after finding and reading her aunt's diary, that her aunt had a mysterious past. In addition, stranger things begin happening to Jane the more she reads the diary, and she is continuously menaced by a hearse and its creepy driver on a daily basis. It all culminates in the final ten minutes of the film, which I will leave for you to see.
REVIEW: This is a decent film, but nothing out of the ordinary. The musical score is used effectively to build suspense, but the suspense dissipates rather quickly as the scenes end either prematurely or too abruptly. The acting is solid for the most part, especially by Van Devere and Cotton, who, by the way, is wasted in his role. He should have been given much more screen time. Donald Hotton gives an enigmatic turn as Reverend Winston. He is weird, warm, alarming, and kind – all at the same time. David Gautreaux, I suppose, gives a decent performance, but you'd think Jane would have picked up on his creepiness right off the bat. It's fun to see a young Christopher McDonald also appear in a few scenes as a rowdy teen. The atmosphere in the film is very good. The location and, again, the score lend to the mood of the film. The directing and editing could have been better as the film is a bit choppy at times. I will not comment on the end of the picture just in case you decide to view it...
CLOSING: If you like or have even an inkling of curiosity for the horror genre from the early 70s to early 80s, you may want to check this film out. It's not the best, but it certainly is not the worst of that time. It has some genuinely eerie moments, and unlike the modern horror films of today, we feel more for these characters, even those in smaller supporting roles. In a nutshell, there are movies less entertaining than The Hearse that we could be watching...
SYNOPSIS: Trish Van Devere plays Jane, a teacher having trouble coping with the stress in her life and who decides to move in to her late aunt's home in the country. Once reaching the country, she quickly realizes that the town's people aren't too friendly towards her, and she soon ties in these unwelcome greetings to the the home she is residing in. Joseph Cotton makes his presence known right away as the former caretaker of the house for the last 37 years and clearly states that he believes the house should be his. Jane is, of course, taken aback by this comments, but her sunny attitude prevents her from being disparaged by his rudeness. Jane forges on and begins fixing up the old house with the help of a local teenager, who secretly has a crush on her. As the story unfolds, Jane begins to realize that the house may be haunted as she starts seeing things. These "incidents" as well as the town's folks' reactions to her joining the community prevent Jane from fully committing to living in the house permanently. She wrestles with the thought of merely staying in the home until the end of summer. She also realizes, after finding and reading her aunt's diary, that her aunt had a mysterious past. In addition, stranger things begin happening to Jane the more she reads the diary, and she is continuously menaced by a hearse and its creepy driver on a daily basis. It all culminates in the final ten minutes of the film, which I will leave for you to see.
REVIEW: This is a decent film, but nothing out of the ordinary. The musical score is used effectively to build suspense, but the suspense dissipates rather quickly as the scenes end either prematurely or too abruptly. The acting is solid for the most part, especially by Van Devere and Cotton, who, by the way, is wasted in his role. He should have been given much more screen time. Donald Hotton gives an enigmatic turn as Reverend Winston. He is weird, warm, alarming, and kind – all at the same time. David Gautreaux, I suppose, gives a decent performance, but you'd think Jane would have picked up on his creepiness right off the bat. It's fun to see a young Christopher McDonald also appear in a few scenes as a rowdy teen. The atmosphere in the film is very good. The location and, again, the score lend to the mood of the film. The directing and editing could have been better as the film is a bit choppy at times. I will not comment on the end of the picture just in case you decide to view it...
CLOSING: If you like or have even an inkling of curiosity for the horror genre from the early 70s to early 80s, you may want to check this film out. It's not the best, but it certainly is not the worst of that time. It has some genuinely eerie moments, and unlike the modern horror films of today, we feel more for these characters, even those in smaller supporting roles. In a nutshell, there are movies less entertaining than The Hearse that we could be watching...