The House by the Cemetery
A family’s move into an isolated Boston house unleashes a buried legacy of supernatural experimentation, childlike warnings, and grotesque violence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- oppressive
- melancholic
- late night horror marathon
- cult cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film atmospheric and intermittently effective but incoherent, derivative, and burdened by uneven suspense.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Boyle family moves into a secluded house in the woods that belonged to Dr. Petersen and conceals Freudstein's laboratory.
Critics specifically praised the film's melancholic, wintry photography and atmospheric presentation.
Bob befriends Mae, a girl only he can see, and she repeatedly warns him to leave the house.
The plot centers on Dr. Freudstein's secret experiments, laboratory remains, and mutated supernatural presence.
Films like The House by the Cemetery, and why
The Shining
shared haunted-house setting, supernatural horror, graphic gore, and oppressive atmosphere
Suspiria
shared Italian horror tradition, baroque gore, supernatural menace, and elaborate practical effects
The Evil Dead
shared slasher structure, isolated setting, child endangerment, and relentless supernatural violence
The Beyond
shared occult horror, macabre imagery, ambiguous mythology, and slow-building dread
Movie Details
- Director
- Lucio Fulci
- Release Date
- 1981-08-14
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (453)
Cast
- Catriona MacColl
- Paolo Malco
- Ania Pieroni
- Giovanni Frezza
- Silvia Collatina
- Dagmar Lassander
- Giovanni De Nava
- Gianpaolo Saccarola
- Carlo De Mejo
- Kenneth A. Olsen
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, FlixFling, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Artiflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The House by the Cemetery about?
- A family’s move into an isolated Boston house unleashes a buried legacy of supernatural experimentation, childlike warnings, and grotesque violence.
- What is The House by the Cemetery like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The House by the Cemetery as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The House by the Cemetery violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The House by the Cemetery as graphic.
- What did critics think of The House by the Cemetery?
- Critics broadly found the film atmospheric and intermittently effective but incoherent, derivative, and burdened by uneven suspense.
- Which films are like The House by the Cemetery?
- Films with a similar feel include The Shining, Suspiria, The Evil Dead, and The Beyond.
- How long is The House by the Cemetery?
- The House by the Cemetery runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch The House by the Cemetery?
- In United States, The House by the Cemetery streams on Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, FlixFling, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Artiflix.
