By Jared Curtis jared@dmcityview.com
‘The House of the Devil’
Directed by Ti West
Rated R, 95 minutes
“The House of the Devil” was lost in the shuffle upon its theatrical release, but with such a cool, throwback style, I can see it becoming a massive cult hit. Especially with the as cool as it gets opening credits. Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) is a normal girl going to college in the ’80s. Fed up with her roommate, she finds a small apartment but has to figure out a way to pay rent. She stumbles across an ad for a babysitter, takes the job and ends up in the country home of Mr. Ulman (Tom Noonan). But the babysitting job isn’t all it appears to be. “The House of the Devil” is the real deal, employing a classic tension-filled build-up and scaring the audience with atmosphere, not blood and guts. If you think of yourself as a true fan of the genre, then “The House of the Devil” should not be missed. CV
‘Manhunter’
Directed by Michael Mann
1986, Rated R, 119 minutes
Instead of comparing similar films, I wanted to highlight Tom Noonan, a character actor who shines in both films. Noonan has starred in more than 60 films and his towering frame always scares me, but none worse than his role as Francis “The Tooth Fairy” Dollarhyde in “Manhunter.” With Hannibal Lecter (Brian Cox) behind bars, F.B.I. agent Will Graham (William Petersen) is on the hunt for a killer who is linked to Lecter, known as The Tooth Fairy. “Manhunter” is the best film in the Hannibal Lector series. Sure, “Silence of the Lambs” was an Oscar-winning film, but Michael Mann’s original film is a dark and creepy look into the mind of serial killer, seeped in ’80s colors and sounds. The film was remade in 2002 as “Red Dragon,” but don’t waste your time. “Manhunter” is immensely better and sticks with you. The Tooth Fairy still haunts my dreams. CV
