The House That Screamed aka La Residencia
After previously watching Who Can Kill A Child, I thought I had already seen Serrador's masterpiece. After watching this I immediately changed my mind. This most definitely is his masterpiece.
Arguably its 19th century boarding school - almost acting as a antiquated version of the camps and sorority houses that 80’s American slashers would use as their prime location - helmed by cruel headmistress Miss. Fourneau, is its dominant character. It both reflects Franco's conservative and oppressive regime, which the film was made under, and how suppressed desires will eventually manifest themselves. In the end the only way the girls can escape is through a violent death.
As Fourneau, Lilli Palmer gives a suitably strong and domineering performance that holds the viewers attention. Fortunately her fellow actresses, particurlarly Mary Maude as head girl Irene, support her well. Clever writing from Serrador allows them to project engaging and 3-dimensional characters who we feel for.
Due to his direction and a truly eerie score by Waldo de los Rio an increasing sense of dread, as we become aware of the sadistic nature of the schools grip, permeates the film. As we see in one scene even the headmistress can’t suppress her desires, much less her curious but suffocated son; their maternal relationship being one of the films most perverse elements. Due to this pervasive atmosphere the murder scenes are all the more effective. Using techniques such as lap dissolves, Serrador crafts moments of striking violence. Yet, they are as subtle in their imagery as they are captivating and unsettling. Throughout, the use of widescreen cinematography and convincing period detail helps to maintain this atmospheric tone through to the films satisfying, if somewhat predictable ending. Yet, arguably, the ending very simply and quite powerfully communicates the perverse, tragic and often inhumane consequences obedience to a dictatorial entity like fascism breeds.
Despite being much more of a cult than classic horror film it ultimately has the best traits of the genres most acclaimed examples. It can be described as a gothic horror film while well deserving a place in the context of the slasher/giallo sub-genre - neatly fitting in between such films as Pyscho (1960), Mario Bava's early giallo's and Black Christmas (1974).
