The House Next Door (2006) (TV)

Director:

Jeff Woolnough

Writer:

Anne Rivers Siddons (novel)

Release Date:

30 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Urination Scene | Suburbia | Monster House | Architect | Wetting Pants

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Col Kennedy
Colin Ferguson	...	Walker
Noam Jenkins	...	Norman Greene
Julie Stewart	...	Anita
Heather Hanson	...	Claire
Charlotte Sullivan	...	Pie Harrelson
Natalie Lisinska	...	Eloise
Heidi von Palleske	...	Virginia Guthrie
Aidan Devine	...	Buck
Stephen Amell	...	Buddy Harrelson
Peter MacNeill
Mark-Paul Gosselaar	...	Kim
Emma Campbell	...	Suzannah Greene
Niamh Wilson	...	Belinda Greene
Scott Gibson	...	Roger

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Muse Entertainment Enterprises

There goes the neighborhood! A good psychological thriller based on the famous novel.

After too many years of waiting, Anne Rivers Siddons' noted 1979 book "The House Next Door" has finally been filmed. The result veers a bit from the novel which, especially in the first story of the trilogy is understandable if unsatisfying as it's a TV film, the whole of which is absorbing and actually very good, just not as great as the book, one of Stephen King's favorites and one of mine as well.

With more running time and fewer constraints as a theatrical release, all the richness inherent in the original three-part story of the ominous ultramodern house could have been explored and nurtured, especially the climactic revelation near the very end.

Still, the whole cast does well in this thoughtful tale of mindless malevolence. There are a few unnecessary cheap shocks but the growing atmosphere of dread is well developed. Actually, one of the most disturbing scenes involves an abstract painting of the house by its next-door amateur-artist neighbor who is trying to visualize its corruption on canvas.

Be sure to read the great novel.