Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
House (1977) killed me with confusion—and I mean that as a compliment. Director Nobuhiko Ôbayashi created something genuinely surreal: a Japanese horror-comedy that defies every convention of filmmaking. If the goal was to make you say "What the f***" as many times as possible in 90 minutes, this director succeeded.
This is part of The Unseen Movie Marathon, where I watch and review one film from each year between 1970 to present—movies I've never seen until now.
What makes House so insane:
Seven schoolgirls visit their friend Gorgeous's haunted countryside home, accompanied by her aunt's evil cat. What unfolds is pure visual chaos: watermelon decapitations that reveal human heads, a piano that eats fingers, sheets that come alive, a giant bear in a restaurant eating food (never explained), and a man who turns into a literal pile of bananas. The editing alone is disorienting—rapid cuts between live action, animation, stop-motion, and color manipulation that makes you question your own reality.
But here's what gets me: The girls NEVER leave. Things keep happening and nobody says anything. They watch their friend get decapitated in a watermelon, see their aunt walk out of a wheelchair (that she supposedly couldn't use), and just... keep going. It's maddening and hilarious.
The genius: At the start, House leans into slapstick comedy with surreal moments (a clothed bear in a restaurant). But by the end, it's full-on horror where the aunt has possessed Gorgeous and systematically killed everyone. The tonal shift is brilliant.
Why this matters: House is a cult classic that influenced decades of horror and experimental cinema, yet most Western audiences have never heard of it. If you love surreal horror, weird 70s films, Japanese cinema, experimental filmmaking, or horror-comedy blends that actually work, this is essential viewing.
Watch this if you enjoy:
- Surreal/experimental horror (Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead vibes)
- 1970s cinema that breaks all the rules
- Japanese cult films
- Practical effects and analog creativity
- Horror-comedy blends
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 House (1977): The Weirdest Japanese Horror-Comedy Ever
02:16 Seven Schoolgirls Enter a Nightmare House
04:10 Watermelon Decapitations & Piano Attacks (Practical Effects Gone Mad)
06:15 The Girls Don't Leave (And I Don't Understand Why)
08:30 Mr. Togo's Insane Journey (Including a Pile of Bananas)
10:45 Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's Visual Genius Explained
12:00 Why House is a Cult Masterpiece
13:15 Final Verdict: Is It Worth Watching?
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE? Have you seen House? Drop a comment—did you find the insanity enjoyable? Or do you think it's unwatchable? Would you add this to your 70s horror watchlist?
OTHER UNSEEN MOVIE MARATHON REVIEWS:
🎬 Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiH_fobhY2ZdU7X-7G0lYEpK4LjujEwTU&si=9pNwv7BMUIj7lOWw
CONNECT WITH ME:
🎬 Subscribe for weekly reviews: youtube.com/@ItCouldBeMovies
🎬 It Could Be Whatever: youtube.com/@ItCouldBeWhatever
🎬 Film Club With Zach & Kenny: youtube.com/@FilmClubKZ/featured
📽️ My Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/KennySparksYT
📸 Instagram (Kenny): instagram.com/kennysparksyt
📸 Instagram (Film Club): instagram.com/filmclubwithzachandkenny
🧵 Threads: threads.com/@kennysparksyt
#House #Hausu #JapaneseHorror #1970sHorror #HorrorComedy #ExperimentalCinema #CultClassics #WeirdMovies #SurrealHorror #FilmReview #MovieReview #FilmAnalysis #N
House (1977) killed me with confusion—and I mean that as a compliment. Director Nobuhiko Ôbayashi created something genuinely surreal: a Japanese horror-comedy that defies every convention of filmmaking. If the goal was to make you say "What the f***" as many times as possible in 90 minutes, this director succeeded.
This is part of The Unseen Movie Marathon, where I watch and review one film from each year between 1970 to present—movies I've never seen until now.
What makes House so insane:
Seven schoolgirls visit their friend Gorgeous's haunted countryside home, accompanied by her aunt's evil cat. What unfolds is pure visual chaos: watermelon decapitations that reveal human heads, a piano that eats fingers, sheets that come alive, a giant bear in a restaurant eating food (never explained), and a man who turns into a literal pile of bananas. The editing alone is disorienting—rapid cuts between live action, animation, stop-motion, and color manipulation that makes you question your own reality.
But here's what gets me: The girls NEVER leave. Things keep happening and nobody says anything. They watch their friend get decapitated in a watermelon, see their aunt walk out of a wheelchair (that she supposedly couldn't use), and just... keep going. It's maddening and hilarious.
The genius: At the start, House leans into slapstick comedy with surreal moments (a clothed bear in a restaurant). But by the end, it's full-on horror where the aunt has possessed Gorgeous and systematically killed everyone. The tonal shift is brilliant.
Why this matters: House is a cult classic that influenced decades of horror and experimental cinema, yet most Western audiences have never heard of it. If you love surreal horror, weird 70s films, Japanese cinema, experimental filmmaking, or horror-comedy blends that actually work, this is essential viewing.
Watch this if you enjoy:
- Surreal/experimental horror (Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead vibes)
- 1970s cinema that breaks all the rules
- Japanese cult films
- Practical effects and analog creativity
- Horror-comedy blends
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 House (1977): The Weirdest Japanese Horror-Comedy Ever
02:16 Seven Schoolgirls Enter a Nightmare House
04:10 Watermelon Decapitations & Piano Attacks (Practical Effects Gone Mad)
06:15 The Girls Don't Leave (And I Don't Understand Why)
08:30 Mr. Togo's Insane Journey (Including a Pile of Bananas)
10:45 Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's Visual Genius Explained
12:00 Why House is a Cult Masterpiece
13:15 Final Verdict: Is It Worth Watching?
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE? Have you seen House? Drop a comment—did you find the insanity enjoyable? Or do you think it's unwatchable? Would you add this to your 70s horror watchlist?
OTHER UNSEEN MOVIE MARATHON REVIEWS:
🎬 Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiH_fobhY2ZdU7X-7G0lYEpK4LjujEwTU&si=9pNwv7BMUIj7lOWw
CONNECT WITH ME:
🎬 Subscribe for weekly reviews: youtube.com/@ItCouldBeMovies
🎬 It Could Be Whatever: youtube.com/@ItCouldBeWhatever
🎬 Film Club With Zach & Kenny: youtube.com/@FilmClubKZ/featured
📽️ My Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/KennySparksYT
📸 Instagram (Kenny): instagram.com/kennysparksyt
📸 Instagram (Film Club): instagram.com/filmclubwithzachandkenny
🧵 Threads: threads.com/@kennysparksyt
#House #Hausu #JapaneseHorror #1970sHorror #HorrorComedy #ExperimentalCinema #CultClassics #WeirdMovies #SurrealHorror #FilmReview #MovieReview #FilmAnalysis #N
